Sony moving forward with video download service
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Dec 18th 2006 at 1:25PM }
GI.biz is reporting that Sony is finally revamping its pledge to bring PSP owners more video content. With the UMD format dead, Sony is looking towards digital distribution. Strangely, it appears that Sony is avoiding their failing music store, Connect, and are in talks with other content providers, such as Amazon's Unbox, MovieLink and CinemaNow. Unlike downloadable PSone games, which require the purchase of a PLAYSTATION 3, the movies will be downloaded to a PC and then transferred to the PSP.This move gives PSP more of an edge in its continuing struggle against Apple's iPod and iTunes Store. Apple's iTunes Store offers a wide assortment of downloadable movies from big-name partners like Disney, but the iPod itself currently features only a 4:3 screen, making it less than ideal for movies. Sony's PSP will provide a better movie-watching experience, but users will be responsible for purchasing sufficient flash memory. With Microsoft also providing video content downloads via Zune and Xbox Live Marketplace, this battle is sure to be an interesting one.
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karate Media @ Dec 18th 2006 1:44PM
Nice start -- finally -- but Sony still doesn't get it. The PSP is a wireless device with internet connectivity. Give us a store where we can download content *directly* to the PSP.
I don't want to be tethered to my PC. Nobody does anymore. Imagine being away from home; your laptop is back at home and the hotel cable system has 100 channels with nothing on. Wouldn't it be great to be able to download an episode of the The Office (or insert your favorite show here) right to your PSP? You could -- if anyone offered that service.
I download 30-60 minute video podcasts onto my PSP regularly. Does it take longer than if I was using my PC, which is hardwired to my modem? Sure, but then again I don't have to boot up my PC just to download a podcast that I'm going to only watch on my PSP anyway. I don't see a viable argument as to why Sony is requiring users to be tethered to other devices in order to download content(the PS3 for games and a PC for video). Not only has Sony dragged their feet in brining video downloads to the PSP, but then they utilize outdated thinking once they attempt to implement it.
The PSP could've been the coolest gadget on the block if Sony had handled it right. Don't get me wrong, I still use it everyday, but it certainly has not been allowed to live up to its potential.
TJ @ Dec 18th 2006 1:59PM
[q]The PSP could've been the coolest gadget on the block if Sony had handled it right. Don't get me wrong, I still use it everyday, but it certainly has not been allowed to live up to its potential.[q]
[q]I don't want to be tethered to my PC. Nobody does anymore.[q]
You right about this.
I use my psp for podcasts. audio only, never try the video podcasts(mp4 format only).
I like to hear podcasts on my psp and not my pc or creative zen player.
They need to open up the formats and have better tag support for music!
But I'm no longer waiting for sony to do this. It either wont happen or it will take forever.
my two games and podcasts are the only things i use my psp for. I like the psp alot, but its a very close limited system.
homebrew Im not into.
William T. Foxtrot @ Dec 18th 2006 1:59PM
Before Sony could make a service that would allow you to download straight to your PSP, they'd have to add a feature to the web browser that would let you resume downloads if the connection is dropped. I'm assuming these movie files are going to be big.
Unfortunately, this new movie downloading store is probably going to give you the worst DRM-protected files. I'm sure you won't be able to burn your download to a DVD or something absurd like that.
For me, I'll just stick to BitTorrent ;-).
TJ @ Dec 18th 2006 1:59PM
[q]The PSP could've been the coolest gadget on the block if Sony had handled it right. Don't get me wrong, I still use it everyday, but it certainly has not been allowed to live up to its potential.[q]
[q]I don't want to be tethered to my PC. Nobody does anymore.[q]
You right about this.
I use my psp for podcasts. audio only, never try the video podcasts(mp4 format only).
I like to hear podcasts on my psp and not my pc or creative zen player.
They need to open up the formats and have better tag support for music!
But I'm no longer waiting for sony to do this. It either wont happen or it will take forever.
my two games and podcasts are the only things i use my psp for. I like the psp alot, but its a very close limited system.
homebrew Im not into.
brad @ Dec 18th 2006 2:21PM
hmm i actually think this could work!
the ps3 sucks for games but has a better screen for watching videos than the zune or the ipod.
if sony could make like 4 and 8 GB memory sticks for cheap this could really take off!
and if they offered a free version of all their content broken up by adds this could leave their competitors in the dust!
as much as im pissed off by the ps3 (go wii60) im with sony on this one!
brad @ Dec 18th 2006 2:35PM
hmm i actually think this could work!
the ps3 sucks for games but has a better screen for watching videos than the zune or the ipod.
if sony could make like 4 and 8 GB memory sticks for cheap this could really take off!
and if they offered a free version of all their content broken up by adds this could leave their competitors in the dust!
as much as im pissed off by the ps3 (go wii60) im with sony on this one!
Jeff Cossey @ Dec 18th 2006 2:49PM
WTF... I am sick of reading you have to purchase a PS3 in order to get certain content for your PSP, that makes me not want to buy the Fracking PS3 even more. I mean I bought a PSP for what it can do, not for how it can communicate with the overpriced PS3.
Claudius @ Dec 18th 2006 3:25PM
I've thought for some time now that Sony should have tried to ally with Apple in this one. Sure, it's highly unlikely, but having iTunes integration would have made wonders for the PSP. SonicStage and Connect are pretty sucky, and I'm pretty sure Sony knows all about it.
So yeah, imagine an iTunes store offering PS1 games, TV shows and a whole lot of music, and all that not only for iPods, but also for PSPs, and a firmware upgrade allowing to buy music, videos and games from the PSP itself.
Ah, I know Sony won't do it. It's so obvious.
Killbloggers @ Dec 18th 2006 10:18PM
> So yeah, imagine an iTunes store offering PS1
> games, TV shows and a whole lot of music, and all that
> not only for iPods, but also for PSPs, and a firmware
> upgrade allowing to buy music, videos and games from
> the PSP itself. Ah, I know Sony won't do it. It's so
> obvious.
Claudius and why are you blaming Sony exactly? Apple would never allow for it.
Apple does not even allow to play content from iTunes on MP3 players other then iPOD. The whole iTune thing is a totally Apple propriatery closed system developed to force you into buying iPods.
But yeah lets blame Sony for everything!
pixelator @ Dec 19th 2006 11:31AM
"but Sony still doesn't get it. The PSP is a wireless device with internet connectivity. Give us a store where we can download content *directly* to the PSP."
You can't do it with an iPOD or any other media player to my knowledge (even a WiFi Zune) so why does the PSP lacking this mean Sony doesn't 'get it'..? There isn't even a central media download source accessed via WiFi for wireless enabled Archos players - at least not for the PMA400 I had.
I just hope they have adequate content selection and the movie or music isn't limited to Sony affiliate media.
Alien @ Dec 20th 2006 1:20PM
Finally some progress , to be honest lately I see some changes ( in the good way ) in Sonys marketing . Mark my words , in a year Sony will be amongst the leaders again . Now if this and some other featuers ( GPS , PSone download , etc. ) would had came like 10 month earlier , than the PSP selling would have been still in the top . Unfortunatly Sony only now realized there mistackes , andonly now they started to focus on the PSP to , not only on the PS3 , and with this litle improvements , and the awesome game library , with possible redesign and/or pricedrop , well lets just say that the PSP has a future , a bright one in fact :)
Karate Media @ Dec 19th 2006 9:59PM
pixelator -- your statement actually supports my point. The PSP has functionality that the competitors don't have. That's a selling point. That's exactly the sort of thing you'd expect a company to latch onto: "Sure you can watch videos on your iPod, but with the PSP you can watch them on a larger screen and download content from any wifi hotspot. No more being tied to your computer like with the iPod!"
I don't get the argument that just because the iPod or the Zune can't do it, then the PSP shouldn't either. The PSP already has this fuctionality -- it's not like I'm saying that Sony should add a completely new function. In fact, there are already sites that offer illegal PSP-ready downloads of popular TV shows, which can be downloaded directly to the PSP. It's already being done illegally, so why wouldn't Sony offer it via an online store?
What Sony doesn't "get" is that the PSP is already capable of doing many things that consumers want it to do. Sony doesn't "get" that consumers don't want to be tied to a PS3 or a PC in order to use these functionalities. Sony doesn't "get" that a portable device than *can* stand alone *should* stand alone, that being a portable device means that sometimes it's going to be taken somewhere where there is no PC or PS3. Sony doesn't "get" that if they allowed the PSP to live up to its existing potential, it could be beating both the iPod and the DS.
PTank @ Dec 20th 2006 4:11AM
I am amazed at the amount of complaints the current PSP gets. For $300 bucks, including a Duo stick, you get a ton of features. I was next to a guy with a Video iPOD on a flight yesterday and he was SO JEALOUS of me and my PSP as I played Madden 2007, viewed "way better pictures" listened to songs, etc. When heard that I could surf the web, view emails, (typing sucks as we know) watch UMD movies he regretted buying the iPOD. AND lastly when he heard that I can watch my TIVO, Cable and DVD through my $85.00 Location Free Player he almost shit himself! He was going to go out an buy a PSP as soon as he got home. Wish I could get commission!
PSP Needs are basic;
1) Keyboard - just why is this a problem? I had one for my crappy Palm 3 like 10 years ago! Do they think this would jeapardize Mylo? Come on, who would buy both?
2) External drive capability through USB and a user interface to navigate. Think Maxtor OneTouch or something like that.
MOST IMPORTANTLY #3 - ONLINE VIDEO CONTENT/STORE. I would love to pay $ to download episodes of 24 or CSI:Miami, or an NFL game. Looking over at my new buddy on the plane, I WAS JEALOUS that he had all these episodes of shows to watch during the flight.
Timmy @ Dec 29th 2006 11:36PM
hey. i think the ps3 games suck and psp has decent games. i think they should have a wireless internet connection to wherever the psp goes. imagine a kid playing a psp in africa where no starbucks is to be seen but playing internet with a kid in his room in america. i find that really smart for sony to do. even if it was pricy enough. it would be cool to play mlb06theshow on the go and actually ON THE GO.