RIP: UMD for PSP
Filed under: Paramount, Sony, Universal, Home Entertainment
I hope you didn't buy that PSP for movie watching only. Sony has officially killed the UMD (Universal Media Disc) format. Sony, who isn't a stranger to failed entertainment formats (Betamax, MiniDisc, soon Blu-Ray) has been losing support for UMD for awhile now. In march, Universal and Paramount stopped releasing its movies on UMD, and Wal-Mart and Best Buy recently decreased their presence in stores. Finally, this week, Target stopped stocking them altogether. In a move that seems almost related, Sony just released a new item called Memory Stick Entertainment Packs, which also contain movies that are playable on the PSP.
I kinda like the idea of a hand-held device for movies, even though most movies don't look that good in such a small display, but I figured the UMD wouldn't last. Too bad mini-DVD players are still too big to bring on the subway. I guess I'll hold out for that next generation of iPods, which are rumored to be horizontal in order to provide a better viewing screen for Apple's upcoming movie downloads.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-18-2008 @ 5:22AM
t said...
i need someone to help me!
psp filer 5.0 will not work ,it said the file is corrupted!
if you have a download link ,will you please help me get this problem fixed.
thank you, email me at pdaman@rock.com
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7-15-2006 @ 1:18PM
Ervin said...
woot! death to blueray!
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7-15-2006 @ 2:16PM
Michael said...
This is kind of misleading. Sony hasn't officially killed the UMD at all. This is merely speculation based on Target (and other retailers) dropping it, as well as sony announcing the new Memory Stick Entertainment Packs. There's no official announcement that the UMD is dead. In fact, the Gamespot article this is based on says this:
"Sony also wouldn't comment on the implications that Memory Stick movies had for the future of the UMD format. 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. 'Bundling Sony content with Sony hardware is something we can offer that others can't.'"
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7-15-2006 @ 6:59PM
PSP Images said...
Sony is still releasing UMD Movies also games exist on UMD to. So to say UMD is death is a bit wrong because games on UMD are doing just fine. Also the movies on psp have far better quality then any downloaded movie because of the large size, 1.8 gb, and good quality compression techniques.
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7-15-2006 @ 11:19PM
Yusei said...
That means Nintendo has kicked Sony's sorry butt!
NINTENDO DS FOR THE WIN!
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7-16-2006 @ 8:53AM
RisingSunofNihon said...
I can't say I'm surprised that these UMD movies aren't doing very well. I have never bought a movie for my PSP and can't imagine a situation when I'd want to watch one on it. Plus at $35 or $40 each, they just weren't a good value at all.
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7-16-2006 @ 12:54PM
rtms said...
I can see the advantage of using the Memory Stick vs the UMD. With the stick you could now play the movie on a laptop or desktop, not just the PSP. With more viewing options this might work. The only problem is that the memory stick is rumored to be around 60 dollars for a 1 gig stick. I'm not paying that much for a movie!
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7-16-2006 @ 2:47PM
Lauren Glenn said...
Has Sony ever had a format last long enough to warrant public demand? The last thing I remember them making was MiniDisc. But that was one out of many.
They lost the portable player market to Apple because they wouldn't embrace the MP3 format until recently. Why didn't they just use the mini DVD+R format instead of creating a new one that would only be played on a PSP? They made Blu-Ray and made it so you couldn't use it with HD-DVD, where the HD-DVD camp made no such provision. Why not open the door and allow others to use the format so it will catch on?
Sony has to learn to use the tools at their disposal once in a while. Otherwise, you'll end up with another Betamax.
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7-17-2006 @ 10:47AM
G said...
One of my problem with UMD's has been the price. Why price are UMD Movies same or more than a DVD. I have bought a few of them around Christmas time when I saw them on line buy one get one free not bad 2 movies for 14.99 I think they introduced the TV Converter too late. I agree with one of the posts I read earlier where the quality of a UMD Movie is better than what someone can burn.
Also the UMD Movies, takes full advantage of the PSP's screen. I think if sony WOULD HAVE released a TV Adapter, lowered the price on the movies, or have allowed 3rd parties to develop either a small portable players for people that did not want to view their Movies on their PSP, or burners. (I know this runs into their whole pirated movies area) at the very start when the PSP came out maybe, just MAYBE the UMD Movies would have had done better. Just my opinion.
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7-17-2006 @ 12:28PM
Eddie Hargreaves said...
I saw an ad for The Boondocks Season 1 on Cartoon Network last night and they specifically noted in big text and voiceover 'For DVD and PSP'
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