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View Full Version : Sony UMD Accepted As Standard Disk Format


Suhit Gupta
06-27-2005, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/46833/46833.html' target='_blank'>http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/46833/46833.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"ECMA International has accepted Sony's UMD, which debuted earlier this year in the PlayStation Portable (PSP), as an international standard. The UMD, which has a storage capacity of 1.8 GB and resembles a small DVD enclosed in a plastic case, is currently used by Sony to store PSP video games and movies. However, now that it's been accepted as a standard, we'll likely see the format move to other devices, including PCs, which could open up a new market for UMD-based media for PSPs. Currently, a wide range of movie companies support UMD as well--certainly more than I had expected--but this week's news could lead to even more UMD-based movie releases in the future."</i><br /><br />I was lucky enough to get a Sony PSP last week (gift from friends for successfully defending my PhD thesis) and have been totally addicted to Wipeout Pure and Lumines. I was a little unsure about the concept of UMDs when the PSP was first announced because of the lack of cross-compatibility, i.e. having to buy DVDs of movies and games separately for the TV/computer. But having played the games now, I don't feel it so much anymore. :-P Anyways, now that UMD is a standard disk format, hopefully there will be some sort of cross compatibility initiative (wishful thinking :) ).

Jason Eaton
06-27-2005, 08:37 PM
This is good news, for awhile the only thing 'universal' about the disk was that it was a universe to itself.

With the possible move to PC I eagerly await the UMD burner for larger storage then what is available on the Sony DUO memory sticks. Hopefully they will make a more potent pbattery too to keep up with more disk access demand! =)

Jason Kravitz
06-27-2005, 08:55 PM
Congrats on your thesis... lumines is quite addictive!

ctmagnus
06-27-2005, 09:39 PM
1.8GB? 8O I have just three words for that: DVD+-RW, SD and CF.

I will NOT be purchasing UMD anytime soon if I can help it in the least.

BugDude10
06-27-2005, 10:58 PM
I'll be eagerly awaiting a way to burn my own UMDs, so that I can convert some of my current DVDs into UMDs myself (rather than being expected to buy a movie twice). I got one of the PSPs with the Spiderman 2 UMD, and the movie looks very sharp on the PSP's display; being able to rip movies to UMD (at 1.8GB) should allow similar quality (versus ripping movies to a 1GB MemoryStick). (And how about ripping tunes and photos to UMDs, also?! Much better than trying to cram everything onto one MemoryStick.)

And Suhit, if you think Wipeout Pure is sharp, try Ridge Racer. (I think you get a better sense of the power of the PSP when you can look at realistic landscapes zooming by rather than the futuristic ones in WP.)

mcsouth
06-27-2005, 11:54 PM
The advantage, if you can call it that, is that this opens the possibility of burning your own UMD's with personal content for use on your PSP, such as MP3's or movies/video/TV shows. That is assuming that Sony allows the release of that capability to the general public. I would think that general adoption by other companies will also depend greatly on Sony's licensing fee structure - the more royalties that Sony wants, the less likely that other companies will be willing to accept UMD's in their devices...

jlp
06-28-2005, 12:23 AM
1.8GB? 8O I have just three words for that: DVD+-RW, SD and CF.

I will NOT be purchasing UMD anytime soon if I can help it in the least.

Ditto 8) !!

Jason Eaton
06-28-2005, 01:44 PM
1.8GB? 8O I have just three words for that: DVD+-RW, SD and CF.

I will NOT be purchasing UMD anytime soon if I can help it in the least.

If you look at it from a storage standpoint alone, then yeah it still sucks. I don't think anyone is saying to give up or replace superior technologies, but instead people are happy for additional 'supporting' formats especially as it overcomes a shortcoming of the PSP.

If you don't have a PSP, then yeah this is rather uninspirational. At least that is how I see it. If you do have one and like to tinker... well could be great.

Movies, Music, Emulators... heck if one were talented enough how about linux burned to a UMD? Need a PDA pop in the disk and 'play' the OS. Write data to the memoy card. Anyhoots, just some day dreams that could get a boost if this tuff comes out.

jlp
06-28-2005, 08:54 PM
I read that Sorry doesn't want to make UMD burners publicly available to protect their very lucrative games ans licencing business.

I bet the entertainment industry (music, movies as well as games producers) as well would hate to see UMD burners in pirates/hackers/handymen mitts too!! :twisted:

Janak Parekh
06-29-2005, 05:56 PM
1.8GB? 8O I have just three words for that: DVD+-RW, SD and CF.
It's much smaller than a DVD, and much cheaper than SD or CF at that price point.

I wouldn't be surprised if Flash overtakes it eventually, but it's not a completely brain-dead format, now that there's a standard. I'd sing a different tune if it had remained Sony proprietary.

(And yes, you call can start calling him Dr. Suhit now. ;) We were evil and wrapped the PSP in an iPod box. The look on his face before he saw the PSP inside the box was priceless. :lol:)

--janak

Suhit Gupta
06-29-2005, 11:18 PM
(And yes, you call can start calling him Dr. Suhit now. ;) We were evil and wrapped the PSP in an iPod box. The look on his face before he saw the PSP inside the box was priceless. :lol:)
Oh, that was only because I so love the idea of getting an iPod. ;-)

Suhit