Sony Playstation Portable AKA PSP Value Pack Review

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Sony Playstation Portable AKA PSP Value Pack Review By Mark A. Rivera

A few weeks ago I walked into a shop and saw Sony’s Playstation Portable, or what shall be referred to from here on as PSP, being demonstrated by a few of the clerks for perspective customers. My first reaction was one of mild interest. I had read about the unit online, but I am more into movies than videogames and I so I did not think much about it. Yet when I saw one unit and the manager of the store gave me a demonstration, the first thought that went through my mind was this is the future of mobile entertainment. With one unit a user can watch DVD quality films on a sharp 16 by 9 display as well as play games or listen to music on small discs called Universal Media Discs or UMD. I was impressed that the PSP had the ability to save video files, MP3 music, and JPEGS as well as interact with computers through a high speed USB connection and through wireless networking IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN (2.4GHz) technology. The first wave of units came with a “Spider-Man” feature film on “UMD” for a limited time and the PSP had already sold out by the time I stumbled upon the clerks demonstrating the unit. The store was taking additional orders and two other retailers in the area were doing the same thing.

Now I was intrigued and felt a certain excitement about the technology and promise of the PSP that I had not felt since the early days of DVD back in 1997. So I went out and made some phone calls and did some research and I knew now that not only is the PSP the best portable entertainment device on the market today, I believe that in the future the line between console systems and portable devices will all but disappear with people using multimedia entertainment systems on their plasma displays at home and then removing a central core unit that basically enables them to take their entertainment with them and plug it in on someone else’s system the same way people exchange files and information today. As far as I’m concerned the Sony PSP is the first step in that direction and in my opinion it is without a doubt the most advanced portable entertainment system available at the time of this writing. I like the PSP more than the Playstation 2 and found the comfort of using the system to be quite refreshing. Now keep in mind that I am not saying that people should go out and throw away their DVD players and software. The PSP is the first step in the merging of the two styles of entertainment, but undoubtedly this technology will develop and other units will follow no doubt from Sony and probably competitors, but in ten years the issue of home and portable entertainment systems may not even exist since ideally I see future high definition multimedia systems that perform both tasks becoming as common in consumer homes as DVD players are today and what VHS recorder were in the 1980s and 90s.

With the PSP I have no need to buy a portable MP3 player and if I go on a trip somewhere on a plane or a bus or train, I can watch movies on UMD or memory stick with clear CD quality stereo sound from a device that could fit in a jacket pocket. If the PSP could make phone calls, I wouldn’t need a cell either. Out of the box Sony provides the consumer with the basic elements one needs to get started, but there are a few items and accessories users will probably want to purchase shortly after they buy their PSP. The Sony PSP Value pack includes one system with external dimensions of approximately 170x74x23mm/6 ¾x3x1 in (width x height x depth). The weight of the unit with the rechargeable battery pack installed in approximately 280 g/ 10 oz. The display of the unit is 4 by 3 inches with a 16 by 9 aspect ratio and is capable of displaying approximately 16,770,000 colors. The detail is amazing. I compared the UMD version of Sony Home Entertainment’s “Hellboy: Director’s Cut” side-by-side with the DVD running on a portable DVD player and the UMD was sharper and more detailed than the DVD. I had someone with me to get a second opinion and our agreement was mutual. I have screened and reviewed nine UMD-Video discs for the PSP that you can read by clicking here or after reading this hardware review and with the exception of one title, I found all of the UMD discs to be great forms of alternative media on the go with DVD quality picture and outstanding stereo mixes too. The unit comes with a wire connecting remote that enables users to control the functions of playback without holding the unit. A pair of discrete headphones are included and I have found that if you have the right hardware, one can easily connect a set of RCA composite audio cables and plug them into any audio system and enjoy a higher fidelity of sound playback without resorting to the tiny stereo speakers on the unit, which are the weakest element of the PSP as a whole. I would love to see what a UMD disc would look like on a large television or computer monitor, but sadly the PSP does not have a video output available to make that possible at the time of this writing.

The user interface couldn’t be easier with icons that clearly delineate the capabilities of the unit with the game controller icon for games, the film strip icon for movies, the music note for MP3 or UMD-Audio disc playback, a camera for JPEGS transferred from a computer or other compatible video device and a box icon that contains all of the set up options including USB or wireless networking. The unit comes with a soft pouch to protect the system, but I strongly suggest that consumer’s pickup a metal case that can hold the unit safely along with peripherals. According clerks at a local Game Stop, the Logitech case protected a system they experimented with by purposely dropping the unit and whatnot inside the case and according to what I was told; the PSP inside survived the tests without a hitch. (Please Note That I Do Not Recommend Trying That With Your Own Unit And Will Not Take Any Responsibility For Someone Who Tries This On Their Own And Ends Up Damaging His Or Her System. I Wouldn’t Do It And Neither Should You!)

I purchased the Intec aluminum case, which seems to hold the system snugly and provides a bit of space to place a few UMD discs inside to take on the road as well. What I really want is a metal case that can hold everything the PSP Value Pack comes with and more safely, but at this time I have yet to find something that holds everything including the documentation that comes with the unit. Another peripheral for the unit I liked is the face armor lid that screws into the top of the unit and provides protection against scratches to the unit’s surface and screen with a flip up or down appendage that matches the unit perfectly. There are also a few plastic sleeves that protect the exposed area of a UMD the PSP reads from finger prints or dust when on the road and so on. A third party high speed USB cable made specifically for the PSP from Datel Design & Development enables users to connect and share files between a computer or even a Sony PlayStation 2. Two mini-CD-ROMS containing software for the PC and PS2 respectively come with the unit. With the USB cable and software installed, users can convert AVI, MPG/MPEG, VOB (DVD), WMV, MOV, MPE, 3GP, and MP4 files from a Windows XP based computer to a PSP for playback. You will want to purchase additional Sony Memory Sticks since the unit only contains a 32MB Memory Stick Duo only, which is not enough for large video files. I did transfer theatrical trailers I downloaded from the Internet to my PSP for “George A. Romero’s Land Of The Dead” and “The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe” and I had no problem at all with playback on my PSP. In fact I thought they looked better on the PSP screen than they did on my computer. As of the time of this writing, the following studios have pledged support to release films on UMD for PSP and they include Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Lions Gate Home Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment and of course Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In many cases the UMD and the DVD will street day and date of each other. The onscreen controls are simple while the unit buttons also provide easy onscreen control. MP3 and ATRAC3Plus™ audio files can be transferred to the unit via the USB port as well as JPEG still photos and images with a slideshow option for display purposes. I don’t have a wireless router and as far as I know the networking software has not yet been released so I cannot comment on that aspect of the system. Through a USB connection, one can transfer game saves from their PSP to their PS2 system. Other possible interactivity options are now being explored for owners of both systems.

Easy to read instructions as well as a quick reference guide in multiple languages are provided within the Value Pack as well as a rechargeable battery and AC adapter. The approximate length of time one can use on a fully charged battery is about four hours. The UMD discs load from a popup slot on the back of the unit while the side of the unit enables users to place and replace Memory Sticks for the PSP. The sampler UMD disc that comes within the Value Pack includes game trailers for “Wipeout Pure”, “Ape Escape”, “World Tour Soccer”, “NBA”, “Twisted Metal: Head On”, “Gretzky NHL”, “Hot Shots Golf Fore”, “ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin’ Trails”, “Lumines”, “Untold Legends: Brotherhood Of The Blade” and “Ridge Racer.” Movie trailers for “Stealth”, “xXx: State Of The Union”, “The Longest Yard”, “Lords Of Dogtown”, “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo”, “Kung Fu Hustle” and “Are We There Yet” are included too. There are also eight music videos included on the sample disc too.

Overall, I am in love with the Sony PSP and I cannot think of a better portable entertainment console as versatile as the PSP available at this time. Sony has made UMD an open format for developers to create software on it so not including video games, there will be over 60 films on UMD by the end of August with a lot more to follow and there are other accessories like docking stations available and being developed for the unit as well. Websites offering video on demand are now including MPEG 4 formatted downloads specifically geared toward the PSP too so I can only imagine where this will all lead. Thus far GENRE ONLINE.NET will carry UMD-Video and other related media reviews as a regular section in addition to the DVD-Video, Television, and Multimedia reviews already present and supported on the site. I hope you all will visit this new section often along with the others. Whenever possible there will be comparisons of UMD and DVD counterparts within the reviews too. The Playstation Portable (PSP) and peripherals as well as UMD discs are now available at retailers on and offline courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment and third party software and hardware providers.

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