***Official PSP Post-Release Discussion and Review Thread Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Dave Scarpa]

No its supposed to start up in the same place, doesthis with video from the Memory stick as well.

This weeked I transcoded Star Trek Nemesis I used PSP Video 9 and used 2 pass 368kbps at 64Kbps stereo, It came to about 370mb and is quite good for that size, I think the PSP's screen by nature Hides alot of the artifacting. I still would like a bit better once I get a 1GB stick. I would Estimate 768kbps Two pass would Rival the UMD.

 

[Dave E H]

This weekend, I went looking for PSPs. I found about 8 on the shelves - at Fred Meyer. The game/electronic stores (Gamestop, EB Games, and Best Buy) were out, but if you cast the net wider, you can find them.

I admit I was underwhelmed at the displays set up at even the gaming stores - no demo units, barely any floor real estate devoted to them, etc.

To me, it's no wonder they weren't selling out. I saw a couple of people walk up to the units, check the price and then walk away. it's just too high for kids and casual gamers. Honestly, if I were a parent, no way I'd buy a portable $250 handheld for my kid. They drop it, and it's a lot of money gone.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Add to that that the unit while Sexy as Hell in Black Piano Black is slippery I can definately see a kid dropping this, OTO hand the Gameboy can be throw against the wall and it's only $80. But the PSP is a great little unit, even if it flops, which I hope it does'nt it'll fill my niche as I bought it more for a Portable Video Player than a gaming machine, still I hope it is successful so we get a wide range of games and Peripherals

 

[Dave E H]

I think it will still be successful - it being so sexy, having the Sony cachet and marketing power, and the raw unit power - make it a tough combo to beat.

The only 2 problems I see so far with the marketing of it? Sony didn't launch with either GT 4 Mobile or GTA. As soon as those come out, figure 1 million more units to fly off the shelves.

If the price drops to ~169 for a bare unit, I'd expect this to be the HOT x-mas item this year.

 

[Brian E]

I don't think it'll flop. They are expensive, but a lot of parents seem to have no problem shelling out $300+ for an iPod for thier kids. Some A+ list titles wouldn't hurt sales though. GTA, GT4m & Final Fantasy will help sales I'm sure.

 

[DeanC]

I was just gonna Edit one of my other posts but.

OKAY NOW I GET IT ABOUT DEAD PIXELS. I was in Burnaby BC's only Best Buy store which is all over the US but here they have 1 store but more to open because of owning Future Shops.

A clerk after explaining to me about pixels, said mine was perfect used mine to show me a trick, start a game, remove disc, it is in memory or something and can play without game in it. Was the game Luminees, also says Gretzky hockey the same.

As I left the guy let me take the store's copy of Gretzky Hockey. As almost every unit came with a copy, but mine didn't. As I bought the actual core system, only movie and demo.

 

[Sean Moon]

How are people getting the stuff they make in PSPVideo 9 to work on their PSP? Mine just wont work. I have to use 3gpp or PSPVid to get it to work. And how do I get two pass to work?

 

[RudyN]

The only problem I've had with PSPVideo 9 is that after about 5 min, the video and audio no longer match up. Trying to figure out what may be causing this.

 

[Ian_Fisher]

Rudy-

I noticed that if you drop the framerate to the 14.985fps level, that the video slowly starts to outpace the audio. If you keep it at 29.97fps, you should be fine.

edit: There is a new version of PSP Video 9 (1.23) that fixes this issue.

 

[Ian_Fisher]

Sean -

I haven't had any trouble with PSP Video 9 not converting files. All I've converted so far is VOB files that I've gotten by using DVD Decryptor. To get it to make 2 passes, go to Setup and then the Profiles tab. There is a "Passes" setting with a drop-down box that has One or Two.

 

[RudyN]

Thanks for the info Ian, I'll go download it right now.

 

[RichardK]

Back on the Memory stick pricing.
Sony is offering rebates on qualifying 256,512,and 1Gb Memory sticks $10,15,20 respectively. Purchases between 3/25 and 4/2.
newegg.com has decent pricing and $.99 shipping right now...out of stock on 512mb w/eta 3/31. No 1Gb's listed on that site. $45=256mb and $71.39=512mb

sony rebate

-Richard

 

[Dave E H]

It's kind of telling that over half the posts in this thread are about something _other_ than the gaming on this device.

 

[Phil Kim]

What? PSP can play games?

Yeah, it's a bit pathetic that out of all the games currently available for PSP, none grabs my attention. And I bet that is the number one reason why the sales of PSP have been soft.

 

[Dave E H]

well, at 250 and with the size of the screen, it's a better price point and device that the MS portable media centers.

 

[Ian_Fisher]

I think the games are incredible. I have 4 games, and my only problem is figuring out which one I want to play more. The game library already blows the DS's out of the water. (Please note, I have and like the DS, so no offence intended, but the PSP library just blows it away)

I'm shocked at how much I have been using my PSP as a portable "media" center. I just thought I would use it for games, and not care about the movies, but I have to say, rip a couple of shows or a movie onto a memory card, and it's just a great little mini-entertainment center.

 

[RichardK]

I'm right there with Ian on his points. The gaming is great, i am already addicted to my Wipeout Pure, but what is more addicting is putting photos, music, and video on it and showing it off to those who dont have one...:b

The Playstation website is updated to feature the PSP, includes downloadable media content...

 

[TonyTone]

I noticed the same thing too--I was all ready to p/u a Sony 1 GB stick at the $200 pre-rebate price at Fry's, was told that their system showed two in stock (had my hopes up really high at that point), then was subsequently told that they couldn't find either one (big letdown).:frowning:

Oh well, now gotta hope that Fry's or anybody else gets some more in before the rebate expires...

 

[Sean Moon]

ok, for games, EVERYONE needs Lumines. That game is the new crack!

And now back to the movie encoding I have no problems with pspvideo 9 encoding. It is just whatever is done by PSPVideo9 is not recognized by the PSP itself.

 

[Jake Gove]

Agree about Lumines!

I think one thing that is causing soft sales is the pricing of the games. In the past, handheld games have been significantly cheaper than console games. I paid 39.99 for Lumines and Twisted Metal, and was pissed that I had to pay that much. A lot of other PSP games are selling for 49.99, which is the same price as full console games. They should be priced at 29.99 and 34.99 like the Gameboy and DS games. Most new Gameboy releases I paid 24.99. The PSP is a lot more powerful than the other handhelds, but I still think the games are way too expensive.