Sony releases new PSP media software

[mckmas8808]

Sony Media Software, a leading provider of award-winning professional video and audio editing applications, announced today the availability of software for the PC that lets users easily move content from their personal computer to their PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable) system. Titled PSP Media Manager, the product allows users to take full advantage of the PSP system's ability to display various types of multimedia content by leveraging its capabilities as a portable music device, digital photo album, and movie viewer. With PSP Media Manager software, users can transfer videos, music, and still images, all via a USB-cable connecting their PSP system to a personal computer. A download-only version is immediately available for US $19.95 at www.sony.com/mediasoftware. The boxed version, which will include a 6-foot USB 2.0 cable, sample media, and 5 free song downloads from the CONNECT music store (www.connect.com), will be available online at www.sony.com/mediasoftware or www.sonystyle.com on December 1st with an MSRP of US $29.95.

The PSP Media Manager software provides quick navigation and thumbnail previews to easily identify photos and videos to move from the PC to PSP system, and even lets users select amongst different quality settings (bit rates) for the transferred media. The PSP Media Manager application supports most popular video and audio formats, and also makes it simple to locate and subscribe to a variety of RSS feeds including podcasts, video blogs, and PSP formatted magazines for automatic downloading to the PSP system. The software also provide a one-click option that lets users back up game saves, images, videos, and music files from the PSP system to their PC.

"With more then two million PSP systems sold in North America as of September 2005, the PSP system has established itself as the preeminent device for mobile entertainment and gaming. Now, with the release of the new PSP Media Manager software, we're providing Sony technology that lets users easily optimize and transfer their content from the PC to their PSP system using a familiar drag-and-drop interface," says Dave Chaimson, vice president of marketing, Sony Media Software. "Whether your source is 16:9 high definition video footage, a collection of photos from your latest vacation, or a PSP formatted publication, this new technology lets you view and share it anywhere you and your PSP system go."

"Since its inception, the PSP system has quickly become the device of choice for portable entertainment. Whether it's games, music, movies photos or Internet access, no other portable media device provides as much functionality and entertainment as the PSP system," says John Koller, senior product manager, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "PSP Media Manager software enables consumers to easily manage and move their favorite media from their PC to their PSP. The PSP system, coupled with the new PSP Media Manager software, provides a complete solution for truly enjoying the PSP system's portable entertainment capabilities."

PSP Media Manager Features Includes:


General
Extensive video, audio, and image support
Easy drag-and-drop transfer to PSP
Photo and video thumbnail preview
Background processing

Video
Video support for .mp4, .avi, .mpg, .mov, .wmv, and more
High quality, Sony AVC (H.264) video encoding
Customizable target encoding settings

Music

Automatic album name folder creation
Audio support for .mp3, .wav, .wma, and other formats
Gracenote® CD album identification
Customizable bitrate options for encoding and playback

Images
Automatic photo album name folder creation
One-click transfer of entire PSP-formatted magazines
Image support for .bmp, .jpg, .gif, .png, .tif, and others

Feeds
Built-in directory of popular RSS feeds including ACIDplanet.com podcasts
One-click refresh to get the latest podcast episodes on the PSP
Feed subscription, import, and export
Game Saves
Back up game saves on your computer or PSP
Move game saves between Memory Stickâ„¢ Duo media

Link http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/

This is what Sony needs to be pushing with the PSP too. Hopefully when the PS3 hits things like this software will be bugfree and mainstream.

Pics (WOW! great interface)

More here
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/images/ss/sm/pspmm_music_magnify.jpg
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/images/ss/sm/pspmm_video_magnify.jpg
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/images/ss/sm/pspmm_games_magnify.jpg
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/images/ss/sm/pspmm_feeds_magnify.jpg

 

[pshain_stl]

Well, I would have to say, how dare they charge for it. They sell the system for $250, promoting using it as an on-the-go media device to compete with the likes of iPod, but don't bother to package software with it to aid in transfer. Any other media device (iPod, iRiver, etc) include some sort of application to assit with this (or at least work semi well with Windows Manager to allow drag and drop). But, they have the nerve to charge for something that should be in the box.

 

[mckmas8808]

Well, I would have to say, how dare they charge for it. They sell the system for $250, promoting using it as an on-the-go media device to compete with the likes of iPod, but don't bother to package software with it to aid in transfer. Any other media device (iPod, iRiver, etc) include some sort of application to assit with this (or at least work semi well with Windows Manager to allow drag and drop). But, they have the nerve to charge for something that should be in the box.

Yeah I think they should at least add it in the Gigapack though.

 

[Vince]

But, they have the nerve to charge for something that should be in the box.

Apple has the 'nerve' to charge for the ability to compress video to H.264 AVC as well, except they charge $29.99. For the same price Sony gives you a 6ft USB cable and free songs, but whatever.

Also, SonicStage3.2|Connect allows for pretty easy/seemless MP3/ATRAC3+ transfer for free.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Well, I would have to say, how dare they charge for it. They sell the system for $250, promoting using it as an on-the-go media device to compete with the likes of iPod, but don't bother to package software with it to aid in transfer. Any other media device (iPod, iRiver, etc) include some sort of application to assit with this (or at least work semi well with Windows Manager to allow drag and drop). But, they have the nerve to charge for something that should be in the box.

Apart from the video conversion, you can use the PSP with just the basic drag and drop functionality with Windows.
The PSP is recognised as any removable mass media device and you can copy, delete, move MP3's and photos and pre-convetrted video between PC and PSP at will.

But yes, I do think that software should be free and bundled with every PSP.
Although there are many 3rd party free software that have pretty much the same functions their front end is often not that polished and user friendly.

 

[jvd]

run a search for psp9 for video options works very good for me . I use it for my phone now

 

[rabidrabbit]

That's what I'm using too, it's very good free software.
For mainstream user the interface might just be a bit unintuitive.
If the Sony software were free, I think I'd rather use that.

 

[mckmas8808]

run a search for psp9 for video options works very good for me . I use it for my phone now

I've used that in the past. It's not bad but this is obviously better suited for the masses. I hope sometime next year they start to bundle in with the PSP.

 

[ban25]

I wonder if the video encoding is the same or better than that offered by psp video9.

 

[mckmas8808]

I wonder if the video encoding is the same or better than that offered by psp video9.

People that have used it says that it's better.