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[Stinkles]

Basically means that New Line can make UMD movies, but not video games without a further UMD license. Sorry if old.

http://www.psp411.com/show/news/25

Jan 21 2005
303 views Sony standardizes UMD format


It was announced today that Sony has decided to open up the UMD format in limited fashion as a formal standard. According to a PC World article, companies interested in releasing movies and music on UMD may soon be able to do so.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi revealed today that the format will be open to other companies as well. This strategic move has been made to encourage hardware manufacturers to make UMD-compatible media players that will extend its use outside of the PSP.

A UMD disc is very similar to a Mini-Disc, aka MD. The MD format in Japan has been popular in Japan mainly for audio, but some data recording hardware does exist. Currently, content on UMD is limited to games, but Sony is hoping that this will soon change. Square-Enix has an upcoming movie called Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII which will not only be the first UMD movie, but also the first movie for the PSP.

By opening up the format, Sony is banking on other manufacturers and content developers to not only create movies and music, but also devise UMD players which will help champion the format. Obviously, by not releasing the UMD's gaming format, Sony can prevent 3rd party software developers. This move is very smart on Sony's part as this can widen the acceptance of the format in companies around the globe. As to who or when the format will be available for others is currently unknown.

The move is interesting, but will be sure to dissapoint those who were hoping for an all-out disclosure. Many were hoping to one day develop their own 3rd party applications for the PSP -- browsers, chat programs and more. While that may still one day be possible, it's doubtful that Sony will officially allow such development.

 

[jarrod]

Unless they shift gears and make UMD a recordable format for consumers, it won't matter.

 

[Stinkles]

Well, Sony partners and "friendlies" such as the people in the Blu-Ray alliance might release movies and music. If it costs significantly less than a DVD version of a movie, I'll buy.

Obviously it's not gonna be another huge format, but medium sized would suit me just fine.

 

[bud]

http://forums.gaming-age.com/showthread.php?t=32539

 

[kaching]

It does potentially muddy the waters for what exactly would comprise a standard UMD movie release if other manufacturers can create portable UMD players. I doubt there's likely to be standard screen resolution on portable players, so it begs the question what would the standard video resolution be?

 

[Stinkles]

16x9 - the respective (possible) players could simply res up and down in hardware - so aspect ratio could help define a base standard. Resolution and frame rate would be optimum for space on UMD. PSP's is probably about right though.

 

[sonycowboy]

As a hardware manufacturer, why would you even try to compete with the PSP?

It's $150 with a gorgeous screen and it plays kickass games. Combine that with the fact that the only people who would, in fact, want a PSP movie, would already have the PSP.

It just doesn't make any sense to me. But then again, Microsoft has been able to convince dozens of hardware guys to lose millions and millions of dollars pimping their PocketPC line for years now.

 

[Wario64]

$150?

 

[sonycowboy]

$150?

Well, by the time any of those other players come out. :lol

 

[Tabris]

Unless they shift gears and make UMD a recordable format for consumers, it won't matter.

Neither DVD or CD started as a recordable format, did it?

 

[jarrod]

Neither DVD or CD started as a recordable format, did it?

Neither CD or DVD were propietary Sony formats, but rather industry wide efforts. I just don't see UMD as a format for anything but PSP games taking off unless Sony really "opens" it up and releases UMD writers to consumers.

 

[Chiggs]

$150?

Oh, you didn't hear the news? $149.99 with Final Fantasy VII and the Crash Bandicoot Collection.


I wish...

 

[garrickk]

Well, maybe in a few years I can buy a small, external USB 2.0 UMD Writer (powered off the 5V 500mA USB can supply would be nice too) for $50 and blank UMD disks for $1-4 each.

It shouldn't be any larger than a current multi-format FLASH card reader.

Of course, I'll need a mod chip for my PSP by this point.

 

[Chittagong]

Sony is very desperate to succeed with UMD and PSP. Which is fantastic to the consumer.

 

[Foobar]

Neither CD or DVD were propietary Sony formats, but rather industry wide efforts. I just don't see UMD as a format for anything but PSP games taking off unless Sony really "opens" it up and releases UMD writers to consumers.

I agree.

MiniDisc's saving grace was the fact that it was a recordable format, small and accessable to people in recording. That said, it still wasn't a huge success because people already had CD players and CD-R drives. With flash memory growing in storage, shrinking in price and size, in addition to superior formats on the horizon like Blue Ray and HD-DVD, UMD's going to need something more than movie playback and games to distinguish itself and thrive.

I don't see UMD movies taking off, what I see is Sony asking film companies to throw away millions on something most people won't buy over a DVD.

 

[sonycowboy]

Sony is very desperate to succeed with UMD and PSP. Which is fantastic to the consumer.

I just don't see any reason for either content providers or hardware manufacturers not named Sony, to support this much at all. Certainly, there's some money to be made if you're one of the only providers (look at all of the GBA & Ipod accessory markets out there), but it's simply not practical.

That being said, the PSP will be crazy successful without the UMD multimedia being a big part of it (legally, that is), which will make the game publishers very happy.

 

[kaching]

16x9 - the respective (possible) players could simply res up and down in hardware - so aspect ratio could help define a base standard. Resolution and frame rate would be optimum for space on UMD. PSP's is probably about right though.

Yeah, but depending on what res you encode at you could be wasting space that could be used for more material on one disc for a device with a smaller display. If you encode for lower res, the devices with higher res screens will suffer complaints of poorer image quality, relative to a device like the PSP

 

[Chittagong]

Continuing my earlier thought... since Sony is really going all the way in ensuring the success of the big gambles that are PSP and UMD (with the absolutely crazy price in Japan, MP3 support, UMD opened etc. etc.), I'm starting to think that free UMDs with Sony movies can't be far away. The incremental cost is not huge and it would boost the format's appeal in the eyes of other HW manufacturers. Good times!

 

[sonycowboy]

Continuing my earlier thought... since Sony is really going all the way in ensuring the success of the big gambles that are PSP and UMD (with the absolutely crazy price in Japan, MP3 support, UMD opened etc. etc.), I'm starting to think that free UMDs with Sony movies can't be far away. The incremental cost is not huge and it would boost the format's appeal in the eyes of other HW manufacturers. Good times!

:lol

Why not free UMDs with Sony games??!?! Or, why not free UMDs with anybody's games?

 

[Chittagong]

:lol

Why not free UMDs with Sony games??!?! Or, why not free UMDs with anybody's games?

Yes, bring it on! My point is that Sony in on the spending mode and I'm enjoying it to the maximum. Too bad it can't last too long, with dipping profit margins and the T-60 program lurking in the shadows. But in the meanwhile:

 

[explodet]

New Line? Great, can't wait for the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions collection, only 9 UMDs!

I'm kidding.
I think.

 

[Pimpwerx]

For the person asking about resolution, I think UMD movies are supposed to support a resolution above what the PSP has. Someone knows exactly what it is, but I forget. Anyway, I assume UMD players will all have to come in under that, but it shouldn't be a problem. From what I remember, it's higher than VGA. Someone help me out. PEACE.

 

[monkeyrun]

Well, maybe in a few years I can buy a small, external USB 2.0 UMD Writer (powered off the 5V 500mA USB can supply would be nice too) for $50 and blank UMD disks for $1-4 each.

It shouldn't be any larger than a current multi-format FLASH card reader.

Of course, I'll need a mod chip for my PSP by this point.

The problem is For stuff that requires high capacity, there is DVD-RW or even bluray

For people who think size matter, there's 16MB - 1Gig (or maybe 5 gig by the time UMD becomes popular) Flash mem USB Drives or iPod shuffle.

Just like Zip Drive it has it's potentials, but no one needs it.

 

[mrklaw]

For the person asking about resolution, I think UMD movies are supposed to support a resolution above what the PSP has. Someone knows exactly what it is, but I forget. Anyway, I assume UMD players will all have to come in under that, but it shouldn't be a problem. From what I remember, it's higher than VGA. Someone help me out. PEACE.

the spec allows for full 720x480 DVD resolution. Who knows what size PSP UMD movies will be - seems even Sony themselves aren't sure. If they hold out for 'home' players, maybe they'll up the size to support those.

 

[Slayven]

throw some yugioh, or dbz, or even better One Piece on a umd and little johnny will eat it up