Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 10/20/05

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With all the hype surrounding the video iPod, many people may have forgotten the PlayStation Portable also does movies and does them quite well.  But what if your favorite flick doesn?t come on a UMD?  If you need to convert it yourself, and do it easily, you really need Video Vault for the Sony PSP.

Video Vault for the Sony PSP is one of the newest members of the Video Vault family that allows you to convert and transfer video files from your computer to your PlayStation Portable.  With an easy to use interface, this application makes it a breeze for anyone wanting to take their favorite movie or television program on the road.

How it works
Video Vault for the Sony PSP allows you to import DVDs, VCDs, SVCDs, analog/digital camcorder tapes -- Imports AVI, Mpeg1, Mpeg2, Mpeg4, ASF, WMV, DVR-MS, and even TIVO.  With a DVD title you can import the entire disc, specific chapters, select language tracks, and even include subtitles.  If you have downloaded a video clip (like a training video from Creativemac.com), Video Vault for the Sony PSP makes quick work of converting the file into a MP4 file.  I was really impressed that Video Vault for the Sony PSP allows you to transfer TiVo to Go videos from your computer to your PSP.

If you want to transfer your family vacation, night on the town with friends, or even showing off at the skateboard park, Video Vault also allows you to connect your camera and capture to the hard drive.

When converting a file, Video Vault for Sony PSP supports 320x240 or 480x160 and will compress the video based on your memory stick size (256MB, 512MB, 1GB, or 2GB).  This means you can easily fit two or three hours worth of video into a small space.  Quality will vary based on compression size, and it may take some time to find the compression scheme that works best for you.

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Once Video Vault for Sony PSP converts the video into a MP4 file, you can select which files you want to move to the PSP.  Once there, it all you need to do is disconnect the device and you are free to roam and watch your favorite video file.

With other PSP video applications the only way to remove files was to go into the folder tree on the PSP and find the file you wanted to remove.  This is quite confusing as the naming structure does not match the file.  With Video Vault, you can manage the content on the PSP and delete any files from within the application.

Problems
The biggest problem with Video Vault for the Sony PSP is it does not allow the conversion of copy protected media.  This makes it pretty useless for anything but home movies, corporate video promotions, and those videos scammed from nefarious download sites.  I was able find a few DVDs in my vast collection that were not copy protected to test the DVD claims, but without the ability to copy Batman Begins or any of the current releases, many users will not find this product that useful.

I also had a problem with the application hanging several times when the PSP was connected via USB.  The application also froze up after the Video Vault warning about copy protected DVDs.

Mac users are out of luck as the Video Vault for PSP is only available for the PC.

Bottom Line
I was really impressed with the ability of Video Vault for PSP to rip, compress, and transfer videos to the PSP.  While it is great for videos that are not copy protected, those buying the product to play their favorite DVD on their PSP will be disappointed by the continued CSS pop-up warnings.  That being said, professionals wanting to transfer demo reels or rough edits for show will certainly enjoy this application, as will the consumer who wants to transfer home movies with ease.  For only $39.99, I give the Video Vault for PSP a Good Buy Recommendation.

For more information or to download a trial version visit the Diversified Media website. http://www.divmm.com/

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