Sony, basically, acknowledges death of UMDs with MPEG

[Zeus]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154015.html

Although most of us have been doing this at home since we got our PSPs, they've decided to provide a poor, expensive version of ripping movies onto mem cards

[Julius Seeker]

Well, UMD was barely alive to begin with. If Sony is not careful Blu Ray may turn into UMD version 2.0.

[Zeus]

Barely alive to begin with? Do you know why there's hundreds of movies available on it? They sold like hotcakes in the beginning, something like 100,000 in the first month, so all the studios jumped on board. Then they realized it was just a fad and a few months ago, all but Sony completely cut support for the format.

I've said all along Blue-Ray and HD-DVD are dead before they came out. Too early to change again.

[Julius Seeker]

100,000 in sales for a movie is very low.

[Zeus]

100,000 in sales for a movie is very low.

Not for a new format in its first month its not

[Kupek]

However, purchasers of the packs will be able to copy only <i>one</i> of the four films onto their new memory sticks--the others will then be locked. "The code given with the MSEP will unlock one of the four movies," a Sony rep told GameSpot. "Through a special Digital Rights Management [solution] designed by Sony Electronics and SCEA, this [movie] is then downloadable for the PSP."

I don't even own a PSP, but that's so retarded is pisses me off. And then, in the same article:

However, the rep did say that their introduction was primarily about giving more options to consumers. "We're a universal entertainment company and we're able to offer the consumer more choice," said the rep.

Translation: I'm a PR drone.

Just so I know the whole story, are there easy ways to rip normal DVDs into a PSP friendly format, and easy ways to get that movie onto the PSP?

[Julius Seeker]

100,000 in sales for a movie is very low.

I don't know, I have no figures on that. So I'll just say that the UMD format died of SIDS =P

[Lox]

Just so I know the whole story, are there easy ways to rip normal DVDs into a PSP friendly format, and easy ways to get that movie onto the PSP?

Easy enough that I know that Flip is doing it on a regular basis. There may be some free software out there to do it. There is definitely software that you can purchase for somewhere around $40 that does it.

[Zeus]

Just so I know the whole story, are there easy ways to rip normal DVDs into a PSP friendly format, and easy ways to get that movie onto the PSP?

If Flip can do it, anyone can :-)

Actually, it's a joke. All you have to do is convert it to mp4 format, change the name (if the program you have hasn't already changed it for you) so that the PSP will recognize it (it has a RETARDED file structure system; it HAS to be a certain tree structure and the movies HAVE to be named a certain way otherwise it won't recognize them, it's not as easy as just making a folder and putting them in there) and you're set. There are many programs that will do the conversion, but two PSP-specific ones, PSP Video 9 and Xilisoft, are the best IMO. So, if you can rip a DVD to your PC, you can watch it on your PSP. Or you can just download it....

[kali o.]

It wasn't a "fad", it was just studio's kept releasing POS, slimmed down titles at 2+x the cost of regular DVDs. Honestly, consumers aren't stupid and that's why sales tanked.

Sony's greed kills their products and if they aren't careful, BluRay will follow suit.

[Flip]

Its really easy to do the DVD conversion. There are 2 free programs out there that makes it a 4 or 5 step process, but i bought something for 30 bucks that makes it a 1 step process. Good quality vid, too, although that is adjustable.

[Flip]

I would pay an extra few dollars for a DVD if it came packed with a UMD. I thought they were going to try that.

Anyways, i've never bought one and never will since they included the mem stick method. They kind of shot themselves in the foot with that.

[Flip]

Well, i dont fault this attempt. They arent charging more than what the typical mem stick usually costs, so you get a free movie. If you had planned on getting a bigger mem stick anyways then it is a free bonus.

I hope they decide to have downloadable movies to the PSP soon. I'd pay 5 bucks, maybe 10, to DL one... well, maybe 5 since i could probably buy the dvd for 12 and format it myself.

[Lox]

If I was planning on keeping my PSP, I'd have bought a nice 2GB stick by now and been putting movies on it for sure. It's such a nice feature.

[Zeus]

I would pay an extra few dollars for a DVD if it came packed with a UMD. I thought they were going to try that.

They did....for an extra $15. It's stupid