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The UMD and PSP Getting Off The Ground
1up is running a piece examining Hollywood's relationship with Sony's UMD format. From the article: "Two UMD movies sold 100,000 units within two months. By contrast, one of the earliest DVD releases, Air Force One, took nine to achieve the same goal. DVD and ticket sales are on the decline, Hollywood needs a new source of revenue while they pick up the pieces, and PSP's handheld UMD format is turning into the glowing solution." Relatedly, Next Generation is running an article taking a look at the increasing quality of original games coming out for Sony's handheld. From the article: "After an embarrassingly slow start, the PSP has begun to find its niche with developers; likewise, Sony's internal studios and publishing division have gotten really adventuresome lately, with big and little games, both in tested genres and genres those games serve to test."
...to proprietary media formats.
I'm using the term "proprietary" loosely, of course... but buy into any media format that's tied to one specific device, and it's a given that someday you're going to have a stack of media that you can't play and a much lighter bank account to go with it.
Anyone who has purchased one of these care to explain the reasoning? The PSP is cool, but I just dont understand why anyone would buy a movie that can only be watched on it, when DVD + laptop works perfectly well. The Spiderman 2 disc is neat to wow people with but i mean how many times can i watch the same movie on the same portable system? Especially since I got the system for gaming...
Why would people be *more* likely to buy an overpriced low-quality version of a movie that they can only watch on their PSP when they could just buy the DVD and watch it on their fantabulous home theater system?
Any high sales at the moment are probably solely due to novelty. Once the novelty wears off, sales will drop off (rather dramatically, I'm guessing). In any case, this isn't going to be a cash cow for Hollywood, as the studios will be less likely to sell a DVD for every UMD they sell of the same movie.
Those numbers may not be declining, but they are certainly flatlining, which could be forcasted as an eventual decline. Look at the growth... it was growing at least 10% a year until 2002, where it grew 0%, and then only 3% or so the next year. 3% or less growth is considered failing in the business world.
"Two UMD movies sold 100,000 units within two months. By contrast, one of the earliest DVD releases, Air Force One, took nine to achieve the same goal."
This comparison is not relevant.
First, the DVD player was a single-function appliance, and had to be adopted before people would buy one. The PSP was released as a game platform, so it was adopted by many more people.
Second, the DVD competed with a tech that already had very deep market saturation -- videocassettes. Early adopters had already invested in laser-discs and been burned. Adoption of DVD players was slower due to these factors. The PSP, on the other hand, competes (in re: movies) with portable DVD players, which do not have as deep market saturation.
"DVD and ticket sales are on the decline, Hollywood needs a new source of revenue while they pick up the pieces, and PSP's handheld UMD format is turning into the glowing solution"
Except of course, that the UMD format is not a new source of revenue. It is a new distribution method for an old source of revenue -- movie titles for portable video players.
The reason that UMD-format sales of selected movies have been high? Because the titles released are targeted to the same market as the PSP. Why doesn't the article reference the top-selling DVDs sold within the first few months of sale?
The reason people pay high prices for UMD-format movies? Because it beats paying $400 for a portable DVD player that (1) serves no other function and (2) takes up even more space in the pocketbook/bookbag/tote/man-purse.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
I have a PSP, and UMD movies are nothing more than a fad. Contrary to the Hollywood executives' beliefs, I don't exist to line their pockets every time they decide they need to have me re-buy my movie library on a different format.
As some people have stated, you can buy a dvd player for your home and a portable dvd player, but your forgetting something.
Not alot of people have alot of room when there carrying stuff on an airplane or a have a car packed full of people, would you rather have a clunky portable dvd-player in your lap (thats hot) or a small lightweight, kickass looking screen that you can rest in your hands?
Another thing is that while dvd movies were meant to be played in the home, UMD movies were meant to played on the go. Yes, you can take a dvd on the go with a portable dvd player but its really not worth it. The two mediums are for completly different markets and should not be compared.
A final note is that some of you are complaining about the PSP's proprietary format. Every handheld device has had its own format, and even the UMD has protection. Theres a reason why sony used the UMD format and not a cartidge or slimeline dvd like the gamecube.
1)It can be scratched easilly
2)Unlike a cartridge, a cd can hold alot more space.
3)While a cartridge would be the best idea for a portable system, a multifunctional system like the PSP cannot use them simply for the fact that it was meant for movies and games, you cant put a dvd-quality movie on a cartridge.
All in all, the PSP is doing well for what it was made for. It wasnt made for the poor twelve year old who doesnt travel much. It was made for the teenager or adult who spends his time traveling and doesnt have the space to lug around an mp3 player/dvd player/and a game system.
My current setup uses PSPWare for Mac. I typically rip an episode of the Office or Six Feet Under from DVD each night to watch on the streetcar in the morning. Also with this sync goes a daily bookmarks file for the browser, a random selection of 50 songs from iTunes, whatever my last roll of photos taken was, and a podcast or two. Syncins a PSP only takes a few minutes even with this large amount of data (go USB2!). Its made a gigantic difference in my commute; sometimes you wanna play BurnOut, sometimes you just want to read, or watch something, or listen to music. I don't have to decide before I walk out the door which device to take - that is the appeal.
I understand the argument from the DS fans but these features are killer apps for me.
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.