only time i ever bought a umd was at walmart, it was 5 bucks canadian new for wedding crashers (needed something to watch on the train ride home)

that was a reasonable price, anything more is just unrealistic considering the dvds are better quality ect.

The only problem with the UMD movies was price. Even Sony admits that. Price them at $9.99 combined with the fact the new PSP can output them at DVD resolution and you have a great deal. I'm planning on getting the new PSP and will start buying cheap UMDs again since I can also watch them on TV when needed.

I'll stick with transferring my dvd's to memory sticks. I'm done with UMDs.

Another thing about the memory stick. If you can get them on sale, a 2 GB stick will run you about 60 to 80 bucks (Canadian). The most you can get on a 2 GB memory stick is 4 high quality downloads. If you can find 4 UMD movies at 15 dollars a pop, it's actually cheaper than getting a memory stick.

The only good thing about memory sticks is you don't have to carry a huge collection around and it doesn't wear out you battery as fast as a UMD.

Fry's has the 4GB sticks on sale every few weeks for around $40.

That's what I paid for my 4gb. The deals are out there. Use google checkout at buy.com.

Just a reminder my prices are in Canadian dollars since I live in Canuckland.

I would love to get a 8gb stick, but it's almost the same price as the PSP.

I haven't owned a PSP in awhile. Did Sony every unlock the full screen resolution for things off of the memory stick? That was one of the things that drove me crazy about the PSP.

Yes.

Yet another reason to buy one. Guess I'm getting at least a 4GB stick with it.

i love my psp. i have been able to fit 3 DVD movies on a 1 GB stick. i have had no need for umd movies. rock on.

Sony takes a new angle on PSP movies

Publication: Video Business
Publication Date: 08/19/2008 17:51:27

Game maker licenses content, lowers prices

AUG. 15 | Sony Computer Entertainment is taking another stab at establishing the PlayStation Portable as a film viewing device, by lowering title prices, signing studio deals to license content and making digital copies playable on the handheld system.

When the PSP launched in 2005, all of the major studios were churning out films in the portable console’s Universal Media Disc format. However, games ultimately proved to be far better sellers on PSP, and nearly all the major studios stopped generating UMDs after about one and half years of production. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment was the exception.

Although the new release pipeline substantially dried up, PSP owners were still accessing films. But they were mostly doing so illegally, transferring ripped Web files to their systems. At the same time, studios cannot ignore the PSP’s 13 million U.S. hardware base as the DVD market matures.

“We want to provide a legal offering from the studios, … and it’s an easier conversation to have with them now,” said John Koller, director of hardware marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America. “There’s a lot of positive momentum with the PSP.”

To make sure consumers buy UMDs this go around, Sony is shaving new release list prices to $9.99 to $14.99. That is $10 to $25 less than UMD initial pricing a few years ago.

To attract studios, Sony Computer is promising to do the bulk of the work with UMDs. Sony will license, manufacture, distribute, market and sell the studios’ films for them for the PSP.

MTV was the first supplier to agree to these terms, which resulted in the bow earlier this year of nine UMDs, spanning seasons of such shows as Viva La Bam and Jackass. A second wave of MTV UMDs should street by the end of the year. Additional studios are expected to announce UMD licensing deals with Sony in the next several months, added Koller.

Sony’s goal is to distribute five to seven studio-licensed UMDs each quarter, not including movies from its sister studio.

Koller said Sony is pleased with MTV UMD sales, believing consumers are drawn in “because it’s getting close to an impulse purchase” in price.

Additionally, Sony wants to release titles that narrowly appeal to young men, who make up 92% of PSP owners. Its core demographic is the 15- to 17-year-old male teen.

“The biggest issue with UMD was the lack of creating for a targeted demo,” said Koller. “When we first launched, it was a difficult sale. I don’t think it’s a big stretch to say that a 16-year-old doesn’t have a lot of discretionary income. … We were offering UMDs that were more expensive than DVDs at the time. And we want content that is in line with what the demo is asking for, action and comedy … not romantic dramas.”

SPHE, for instance, has set Prom Night and Don’t Mess With the Zohan to bow on UMD on Aug. 19 and Oct. 7, respectively.

Best-selling UMDs to date include New Line Home Entertainment’s Wedding Crashers and Sony’s Superbad.

To further enhance PSP’s film capabilities, Sony is courting studios to make DVD digital copies compatible with the handheld system. Today, Sony’s DVD unit is the only studio embedding copies for PSP playback.

“The studios are looking at this and saying, what are the myriad of ways that content can reach all of the various consumer touch points?” said Koller. “They want to grow that consumer base that they have.”

At least one studio source indicates they are eager to make its digital copies compatible with PSP so as to prevent Apple from creating a monopoly with its portable media. There is a fear that Apple might grow to be the digital version of Wal-Mart, exerting the same power with studios over downloading/streaming as the bricks-and-mortar chain does with DVD.

Koller is especially confident that studios will sign on to UMD and digital copy because of their recent support of the PlayStation 3 download and streaming service. Since July, most studios have been offering digital film sales and rentals that people can transfer from their PS3 to their PSP. People also can order content directly from PCs at www.store.playstation.com and transfer to a PSP through a USB cable.

Also, Sony licensed Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets for a customized hardware/software bundle streeting in October. This UMD will only be available in this bundle, priced at $199, and won’t be sold separately.

“The future of PSP is bright for video because of all the different methods consumers have to enjoy it,” Koller said.

$5 discs or it's just gonna flop again.

Or, they should sell the movies for $2.99 on the Sony store and make out like gangbusters.

I've bought a ton at that magic $5 price point. Hopefully it is $9.99 MSRP and stores sell them for less. I still love the format as a nice portable option. With the Gamestop $4.99 sales and the B1G1 for $10 at Circuit City I have built a nice little collection of movies.

I definitely prefer them to DRM files for $9.99. Which is Sony's other option.

This is great news!! My UMD movie collection needs to get moving along again.

i just use 3GPconverter on my comp to convert the movies to mpeg-4 format, then stick them on my mem stick n watch them... for free! sony is ridiculous, you think they would have learned when they started losing money... whos going to pay 60-100 bucks for one movie?

And DealExtreme.com has fake 8 gig memory sticks pro duo that work as well as real ones and are $ 30 each, with an available space of 7.7X gigs, so that fits about 10 movies. $3 each

How well do they actually work? Just I bought a 4gig fake off ebay and it has errors all the time. Not sure I would recommend that approach for anyone unless they definitely know what they're getting into. The saving is not worth the hassle IMO.

I bought 4 and they all work great. One for me, one for niece, two for coworker. Work great on Slim and Phat. The difference is that you lose a bit of space (the fake ones have 7.74 or so available, don't know what a real one would have but it's miniscule) and the transfer speeds are slower from PC to card (no noticeable slowdown in PSP itself). Since I leave it loading and walk away to do other stuff, speed of transfer is unimportant to me.

Maybe eBay ones fail more than the ones from Deal Extreme?

I know someone that uses a fake one, but I have found the real ones cheap enough. I paid under $20 for both of my 4GB sticks and can hold plenty on those. I don't want to risk having corrupt data and from what I have read the fake ones are very hit and miss on reliability.

I agree, darkside. I paid $30 online for a "real" 8GB card recently. Keep an eye out for sales.

Care to share where you paid $30 online for a real 8 gig one?

4 gigs don't do it for me anymore

16 gig memory stick pro duo $150

i thought umd was dead ages ago

This thread was started on 7/14/06

It was one of those one-time sales at either NewEgg, eCost, Buy.com, or somesuch. I have noticed an increased frequency in sales and will be looking to buy a few more 8GB cards the next time around.