Sony PSP as a video player: (info)

[Steve Nunez]

I'm sure some of you have heard about the PSP and it's fantastic display, what some people may not know is that it's possible to use it as a video player for either 16:9 or 4:3 footage if you encode the video properly...here's what I've found using the PSP as a player~~~

1st, the PSP displays mpeg-4 video and you'll need to purchase a Memory Stick Duo card to store the video- there's no onboard HD to store video to....these memory sticks are up to 2GB in capacity but word is that 4GB cards are coming soon.......a 1GB card can hold up to 2 hrs of good quality footage (MP4 type video)- you can vary the frame rate and compression to suit the running time and quality. The PSP mounts on either Windows machines or Mac's as a "volume or disk" so it's easy to transfer photos, videos and mp3's to the proper folders on the memory stick- but with the video- there are things to consider: you'll need ffmpeg or iPSP or PSPWare to encode avi's, wmv, movs, mpg etc to the format and naming convention the PSP uses.......I tried using Cleaner 6 and various options to encode the video to various forms of mp4 video but none played when dropped onto the card- I recommend one of the cheap $10-$20 shareware apps as listed above to do the encoding- they work perfectly!!!!! The shareware apps have options for various compression and dimensions and work great and at their best settings produce video that look almost Hi-Def on the PSP screen- you'll have to see it to believe it- it's that good.
I have a large assortment of "Apple" videos showing the "Switch" ads and various other pro-Apple videos I'vbe downloaded off the net and converted them all- they all played great and compressed down quite nicely on the card.
Controls on the PSP allow for FFWD, RWD, Stop, Pause eyc....it makes for a great player. The screen has tiny pixels that make DV footage look Hi-Def- any onlookers will be suprised.

There are tons of posts and reviews on the net with in-depth articles revealing the intricasies of the PSP as a video player......if you're looking for a small device to show videos, the PSP might be the perfect ticket.....with over 5hr play time on a single charge- I find it a great solution to showcasing videos to friends.....give one a look-over you'll be surprised just how well it works.
(Ohh and it's a fantastic MP3 player and photo viewer- superb widescreen reveals amazing details!!)

Have fun guys!

[Greg Boston]

Steve,

There is a popular pc site that says the PSP has some display issues such as dead pixels, stuck pixels, etc. Apparently, many owners have already complained to Sony about the issue. I cam PM the URL if you want.

-gb-

[Brandon Greenlee]

This is pretty much inherent with any lcd manufacturing process. I believe the last number I heard was 99.99% of the pixels in any lcd process will be good.

Also Sony has decided that if your PSP has pixel issues that are too problematic for you to want to live with - they will swap your PSP out for a new one.

[Steve Nunez]

Well although my unit is just days old- every pixel looks live and well.......

...just reviewed some old mantis footage shot with my old Pan DVC80 on the PSP moments ago- and it's great.....one thing I noticed is that exposure has to be spot on- blown out highlights will show right away- but if you carefully expose or guess a bit under- the video looks great!

[Advil Dremali]

Has anyone found a way to use it as a monitor to use instead of the inaccurate LCD's on most cameras?

[Jesse Bekas]

Originally Posted by Advil Dremali

Has anyone found a way to use it as a monitor to use instead of the inaccurate LCD's on most cameras?

Is th pixel count high enough that it would be much better...and would it be even close to "calibrated?"

Steve's post makes it sound as if you could not use it to accurately judge exposure.

[Daniel Patton]

Hey Steve... I just found this thread, two weeks after buying my PSP to use almost exclusively as a video player! Looks like I'm not alone.

When I found out that you could convert DV footage to the QT format that the PSP uses, I picked one up that day. I bought mine right before going to shoot some additional motocross footage and wanted to have some edited examples ready to show the customer (and anyone else I might run into), while on site. It was a BIG hit, they loved the fact that they could preview footage from the day before, on such a cool little device. I understand that they picked one up shortly after seeing mine. What was even better was the small size of the unit. I could carry my XL1s, a backpack of related video equipment, and have the PSP in my pocket. Everything I need with me, ready to shoot and move, all the while having a pocket full of examples in case I ran into other possible clients... and I did. That little bugger has paid for itself many times over in the jobs it has helped to generate.

Even better is the fact that it plays all of my MP3s, holds still images, and when I get bored I can play a game to pass the time between shoots.

I highly recommend the PSP for both WORK and play. I carry mine everywhere.

Any other people using them this way?

[Daniel Patton]

Just doing a follow up... anyone else tried using the PSP as a "pocket video library" of your work?

My client project library grows by the day, and I have used the PSP in countless quick demo's since purchasing it. I still carry it on all of my shoots.
A must have item.