PSPCasting

ChipGuy writes "Om Malik points out the launch of Sony PSP in US could actually turn Sony's fortunes around and thinks that new unqiue applications like Sajeeth Cherian's latest software, PSP Video 9, might be the real reason. Cherian created Videora bit torrent client's new hack, PSP Video 9. It takes any video and turns it into a format that PSP can read. So now you can download videos using Videora, and then convert them to PSP friendly format within a few seconds.He calls this PSP casting."

After conversion....How do you get it on the PSP?

[rubberbando]

Do you have to burn a mini CD-R / DVD+-R?

Or do you have to connect the PSP to your PC to upload it to it?

Or can you just save it to a memory stick and put in the PSP which will automatically recognize it and play it?

Re:PSPCasting...

[OAB_X]

Its like Podcasting, but your not broadcasting anything, your just playing videos, wheres the casting part of PSPcasting?

let me get this straight

[justforaday]

So, this is an app that converts video clips to mpeg4 and then copies them to whichever drive the PSP is mounted as? Gotta agree with others -- where's the "casting" part here?

Holy Grail for the PSP?

[dealexander]

Unfortunately, Sony is also a media company and has large interests in protection of intellectual property (audio and video). The feature the PSP needs to be sucessful (the ability to view content you already own on your PSP) will probably not happen. The reason is simple, Sony wants to sell you yet another copy of your favorite movies. Until we as a society find a way allow people to buy content vs. media (which happen to have content on them) then the PSP will never be a major feather in Sony's hat. I was going to buy a PSP, but without the ability to convert DVD titles that I legally own into the PSP media (memory stick is too small and expensive for this purpose) I won't be buying one. Video clips on memory stick = Too Weak

Sure, this works for now...

[ProppaT]

Sure, this works for now. But Sony had the forsight to make their system flash updatable through bios updates via a wireless network or gamepack. They could go the same route that Microsoft did with the X-Box and force firmware updates when you play new games or connect to Sony's network, effectively breaking the ability to play video off a memory stick.

Of course, there will always be "the scene" and people hacking the firmware, etc. But I would count on this ability to be broken at some point because Sony is too short sighted to use it as a marketing gimick.

Re:two things...

[jawtheshark]

Well, it is a niche. A small one: people that produce their music aren't that common. Besides, people that produce music try to get professional grade stuff and MiniDisc is consumer grade. It's that simple. MiniDisc was thought as a backup for Audio CD's or mixing stuff. More convenient format (before MP3).

Besides, if my friend would have used a normal Data CD, like anyone would have, I could have copied it to MiniDisc without problems. Copying a MiniDisc itself has not much sense for music professionals, because it's not a master. I found that the DRM restrictions on MiniDisc were actually reasonable: one digtal copy. More than enough for *personal* use.

I don't care about Britney and Co. Other music gernes still produce CD's that I can write to MiniDisc.

My sister studies Audio-engineering. They are required to use MiniDisc for one reason: the DRM that comes with it. They are not allowed to use the recording material for their own uses, and thus the only way to take home their works is by MiniDisc. Listen: yes... copy no... Very reasonable.

Re:Not useful

[HTTP Error 403 403.9]

Let's see a 512MB Pro Duo Memory stick can be bought for $75 or less (about the cost of 1 and a half PSP games).

I converted a 22 minute episode of The Daily Show to PSP format MP4 using ffmpegx (Mac OS X). The file size was less than 50 MB. This works out great for my 25 minute bus ride to work.