feral125

Just wondering I was thinking of picking a couple of them up.

Rypro 525

nope. discs are too small, need a psp/.

BBEANLPHIE

*scratchin head* No I heard that dvds can play on a psp tho with a converter

steebo777

If you rip it into a file small enough for the Memory Stick, then yes you can watch a DVD on the PSP.

A UMD will not play on a DVD player though.

jrobinson

I believe in the future UMD standalone players will be available...

DJ_Longfellow

I think they would have to create a SMALL UMD player then. There is no way you could watch a UMD on a 55" HDTV. I think the quality would just suffer. That is why there is no video-out on the PSP.

As for now, UMD's ONLY play in PSP.
You can rip a DVD to a memory stick, to play on a PSP.

cultshock

Correct on all three points. The only things the UMDs and DVDs have in common is that they are both read by a laser. There couldn't be an "adapter" to play UMDs on a DVD player, it would have to involve a stand alone player. And yes, the quality would look terrible on a large TV. That's why Sony could squeeze a large movie on such a small disc, when you are only watching it on a very small screen, actual video quality doesn't have to be nearly as good. Sony knew this and that's why they didn't include a video out on the PSP.

calhoun07

Why would you want to?

jrobinson

Most likely protable viewing? Imagine, a cheaper (than the PSP) UMD player... that way, UMD starts going out to more people than just those with PSPs. The UMDs are already selling well, just imagine...

Dan Average

It looks like you may be able to do something like this soon via an unofficial adapter, although I have to say those mockups don't instill me with confidence.

As for the question of quality, my understanding is that UMD movies are actually encoded at a much higher resolution than the PSP screen -- the PSP screen is 480x272, but UMD movies are 720x480, same as a DVD. Presumably the use of MPEG4 and the lack of special features on most UMDs allows them to fit the movies on a 1.8GB disc.

pmreed

Not being a gamer, I'll never own a PSP (I had no idea what PSP meant, I had to look it up) but the UMD spec is interesting for me. A little research reveals it won't be an alternative movie medium for me. Much higher compression and the same price as a DVD means that a theoretical player that outputs the full 720X480 cannot duplicate the quality I already have on my current system. It may have appeal for portable media, but I can't see duplicating my movies in two formats. If you could rip a UMD from a DVD you already own, for your own personal use of course, then there might be possiblities; but I don't see the media moguls allowing this any more than any other personal duplicating. My next upgrade will be to whichever HD format wins. No more early adopting for me. I've got two very nice HD capable tvs, neither of which are DVI or HDMI compatible...strictly component in. Oops, that's another discussion .

Phil

rasalas

Why? Portable DVD players can be had already more cheaply than the PSP. And you can just play the DVD you already have, and see it on a bigger screen. You don't have to buy a separate UMD just to have a portable movie.

DJ_Longfellow

Yep, I can still see them putting out like $100 player for UMD's that is the same size as a PSP. Do I thik it's smart...nope, but who knows.

Or, they can just say screw it...and if people want to watch UMD's, buy a PSP.

Yes, there is no REAL point in a UMD player though. Portable DVD players are cheaper and BIGGER. UMD's are just smaller (disc size).

nodeerforamonth

Not to mention that UMDs are severly lacking in special features. Yeah, they'll put on 3 extra language tracks on for a movie, but no commentary. And they're twice the cost of a DVD.