Sony PSP Owners...

[5-90]

Since I'm probably going to start doing a lot of travelling by train (unless/until they decide to do "airport-style (in)security" on trains. Gawd - then I'll be reduced to driving...) I've got a question for you all -

How difficult is it to rip, say, a DVD to MS or UMD for PSP, and does Sony load it down with DRM to kill performance? Do you have to buy movies as UMD, or can you get them out of your own collection (I don't want to watch Talledega Nights - I don't really care for Will Ferrell...)

I figure getting a PSP might help to kill boredom when I'm on the train and don't want to work for a little while, but I want to make sure of what I'd be letting myself in for. Most of the games that are out for PSP are those goofy "trendy" games that I don't care for (hey, I came up on coin-ops!) and I'd probably use it to mainly watch movies and give my laptop a break anyhow - or something to do if I'm giving my laptop a big job to process.

Fortunately, I now know where the power outlets are, and how to get to them...

Anyhow, just thought I'd ask to see if anyone here knew anything about what would be involved...

 

[RedHeep]

If you're looking mostly for movies, you might consider a portable player.

We bought a 7" dvd player with external outs for the hotel room and take it pretty much anywhere.

That way you don't have to deal with PSP formatting, but you do have to carry discs.

 

[Blaine B.]

Will Farrell is awesome.

/ban for 5 days.

 

[5-90]

If you're looking mostly for movies, you might consider a portable player.

We bought a 7" dvd player with external outs for the hotel room and take it pretty much anywhere.

That way you don't have to deal with PSP formatting, but you do have to carry discs.

Yeah, I was wondering about that.

I've got a TV-Out card for the lappy (ThinkPad T30,) so that can double as a portable player. I just wanted something more compact for long-distance travelling, which is why I was thinking PSP. I've got loads of Memory Sticks already - two Clies will do that for you (NZ90 and SJ20 - and don't forget her N710C...) and I use either MS or SD to organise projects anyhow.

"Never travel with more than you can carry on your person" - and I don't need a huge screen for travelling entertainment. More points for the PSP.

I'd thought about getting a portable DVD player, but I do try to travel light, and it's easier for me to carry a couple dozen memory sticks (MSPro, I think it wants. No trouble...) than it would be to carry a couple dozen DVDs.

 

[ewhood]

I'm not sure the PSP is the best thing for watching movies, especially if you don't want to purchase them on UMD. Though I don't have much experience with it, I have converted a few videos to load on the SD in my PSP, and it requires a large amount of space to have any sort of movie collection.

edit: I should have read before posting, if you have no trouble with the file capacity then the PSP might not be a bad alternative. The screen is rather small, and the sound is not the greatest, but headphones help that.... plus it easily fits in your pocket.

 

[5-90]

I'm not sure the PSP is the best thing for watching movies, especially if you don't want to purchase them on UMD. Though I don't have much experience with it, I have converted a few videos to load on the SD in my PSP, and it requires a large amount of space to have any sort of movie collection.

edit: I should have read before posting, if you have no trouble with the file capacity then the PSP might not be a bad alternative. The screen is rather small, and the sound is not the greatest, but headphones help that.... plus it easily fits in your pocket.

Yeah - that's why I was thinking of that. Most of my travelling bags have a small pocket that is easy to access, and I usually have earbuds for the MP3 player or laptop while I'm working anyhow.

How large were the movies, after you ripped them? I figure I'll need larger MS units (most of the ones I've got run 1/2Mb or less...) but that's not much of a problem. And, like I said, it won't be a "one-trick pony" for me to have Memory Sticks anyhow...

 

[ewhood]

I only have a 512mb stick so I am limited to what I can save, the most recent video I converted was about 13 minutes long and 380mb. I just used an out-of-the-box program with default high quality settings though, and I would bet there is a more efficient way to do it.

 

[GI-John]

I've got a little experience with it.
I've been using mine for a few months over here and it has been pretty damn handy. I am by no means a gamer, but the few games I do have keep me busy. The system can hold Pics, Music, video, and play games. There are all kinds of games available so it's up to you.
1. Get a big card, 2GB minimum, 4GB optimal (at Amazon for 60 or so bucks) hell, buy a few if you can afford it.
2. Get some decent software (I'm using IMToo)
3. Have fun. I'm using 3/4 of my 4GB and have about 10 hours of video and some music.

John

 

[ShadowsRayne]

I got one for the very same reason...

The best thing I can say is buy one with a firmware version lower then 3.03, and upgrade it using an Open Edition firmware...

It unlocks a few thing...


Then get a larger memory card 2 - 4 gb... that should hold a few movies...

I use a program call WinAVI for MP4 fof PSP setup... it automatic... so you tell it what, and it converts, and transfers it to your psp..

And since if you listen to me and did the open edition firmware you can now run homebew software... you can play old NES, SNES, SEGA, and even gameboy, and gameboy advanced games on it... that should kill some more time...

 

[90XJay]

i have an easy way to put videos on my psp. I go to google on my pc and search for vids of tv show i like. There is an option to download it to windows/mac or video ipod/sonpy psp once you find a video. Select psp and click download and u will see something sayin if download does not autostart click here. right click the click here and go to properties and copy the URL, then paste the url in a web based email and send it to yourself. open that email up on ur psp (usin its internet brower) and click the link and it will save it to your stick. I love my psp and love puttin all my fav comedy tv shows on there red green, monty python, robot chicken, trailer park boys, mad TV etc. Plus it does play mp3s with a long battery life (i used mine at work for 8 hours straight and still had plenty of battery power left)

 

[Dirk Pitt]

ipod video. 30-80 GB.

Pictures, video, music, etc.

 

[90XJay]

ipod video starts at 249 and plays music and videos, psp starts at 169 and plays music, videos, has internet browser and plays games

 

[87manche]

ipod video starts at 249 and plays music and videos, psp starts at 169 and plays music, videos, has internet browser and plays games

yeah, but if you want to use it as a movie player you have to sink more money into memory sticks.

I vote ipod video.
I doubt that Jon is going to play grand theft auto on it.

 

[90XJay]

well i support his psp choice, I wanted an Ipod before I started working at best buy, after seing tons of them gettin returned cuz the hard drive croaked (bud personally has been through 4) I decided on the psp, but to each his own

Alsoback to main post, check out some local electonics stores for psp media managers that convert files. was browsing at work today and realized there are a few programs out there for about $20

 

[5-90]

yeah, but if you want to use it as a movie player you have to sink more money into memory sticks.

I vote ipod video.
I doubt that Jon is going to play grand theft auto on it.

GTA? Nah - I'm more into the "classic" coin-op games.

However, that was something else that had me going against the iPod - the hard drive. I'd rather reduce the number of moving parts, so if it gets knackered about, I don't have to worry overmuch.

I don't worry about the HDD in my ThinkPad - I've dropped the damn thing more times than I'd really care to admit to, and letting it "idle" for about two minutes solved the problem. However, for smaller devices, I do prefer solid-state memory - and I haven't found a decent video player to use on my NZ90 yet...

 

[ShadowsRayne]

Nah... I only mentioned the games because you can play some of the older coin-op games on the PSP with the open edition firmware... I play the older one when ever I go on long trips.
And there are tons of software to convert... almost any software that can convert for the Ipod they also can do the PSP, and sell a seperate program that can.

The best part is if you take your laptop with you... you can buy a smaller memory stick, and transfer while travling... and a 4 gig stick can be picked up for around 70 bucks easy... and they have those new HD memory sticks that have even larger memory sizes... 8 + gigs....

 

[5-90]

I got one for the very same reason...

The best thing I can say is buy one with a firmware version lower then 3.03, and upgrade it using an Open Edition firmware...

It unlocks a few thing...

Interesting. Tell me more...

 

[ShadowsRayne]

The biggest advantage of a open edition firmware is that you can run homebrew application like I have stated before, but you can watch movie in a larger screen size... not really a huge difference if you ask me, but it is one of the features...

I don't condone this but it will run PSP iso images, but as you stated your not into the newer games so nothing to worry about. You have to remember that some of the older coin-op games have been released on most systems as a retro pack and such... Pac-man, street fighter, centipede, golden axe, shinobi.

I personally have al my old favorite SNES, NES, & Genesis games installed on mine... Hours of fun they’re... and then when I get bored I play video galore... I look at it this way... for a 1.5 - 2 hour long movie is about 700mb and that very decent quality... so on my 4gig I can have four 2-hour movies, and a hole mess of games... the largest snes, nes, & genesis games is 8megs, and the largest coin-op game I have run into is around the same, or even smaller...

The best sugestion I would say is goto the maxconsole website, and read the forums... you should get a ton of info there about every option you an have...

 

[POSJ]

I don't want to watch Talledega Nights - I don't really care for Will Ferrell

You are dead to me...

 

[5-90]

You are dead to me...

Yeah. Twice. Hasn't worked yet - I got better both times...

Eh - I just tend to prefer actors who have worked for a living...

Sean Connery - Coffin Polisher, Prizefighter
Bruce Willis - Bartender/Bouncer
Harrison Ford - Carpenter

Either actors like that, or true "thespian entertainers" - actors/orators/singers/musicians/&c. You just don't find people like that anymore (Orson Welles was an excellent orator, for instance.)

Besides, I think Hollyweird has managed to put out one decent movie every third year lately, and if they work from a good story, it gets wrecked by being made a "special effects vehicle," rather than actually telling the story (novel idea!)

I'd like to see, say, Richard Bachman's Rage made into a movie, but they'd probably screw that up as well. It's an excellent psychodrama - I don't know who I'd cast for it, but I think a pre-Pulp Fiction Quentin Tarantino would have done an excellent job with it (and a remake of The Running Man as well - that was a shining example of story butchery...)