PAL DVD to PSP

I've been having a hell of a time getting VOB's to PSP format. I was spending a lot of time trying to just get the image size ratio correct. I knew I'd have to scale the movie to 320x? and was having trouble with the vertical settings. Most of my converted movies ended up looking stretched. I remembered that QuickTimePro allows you to reset the movie size and resave the movie. Looks like it worked. At least on my Mac. I'll have to upload the video to my PSP to see if it really worked. I'll have to upload the movie manually since PSPWare doesn't recognize FFMpegX converted movies. No big deal. I think it has something to do with the lack of a THM file. I just hope that my conversion and resizing efforts finally worked. I've converted Elektra like four times now.

Death of a PDA

I bought my Sony Clie PEG-NX70V/U a long time ago now. It must have been about five or six years ago now. I paid over $500 for it and for a long time I felt like it was an overly expensive purchase.

With time I began to love the basic features, using them the most often. I was lured to the multi-media version, but found myself only using the voice recording feature for my podcasts. I don't need a camera, video, etc. in a PDA. I still prefer a dedicated digital camera, my PSP for video and pictures, and my iPod for music and for use as a digital wallet. But I really used the PDA for reading eBooks, PDF versions of mainly text HTML files, my world clock, storing passwords and other secure information, and keeping notes during meetings. I liked the folding screen since it would keep the PDA at a comfortable distance while lying down and reading. So ergonomically and functionally, I grew to accept the Clie as a part of my daily life.

Now, living in Japan, it's difficult to just run out and buy a new one. I'm considering making a move to live without one and slim down my digital quiver.

• planner, to do list -> on my new cell phone
• phone book -> essentials on my cell phone, the rest on my laptop at home
• emergency on-the-go storage -> PSP
• world clock -> my brain (oh no!)
• voice recorder -> Edirol R-1 (often buggy and it's bulky)
• eBook reader -> ???

The last one is a major issue. I can't figure out how to convert my secure eBooks into a text format for reading on my PSP. I wish Sony would allow folks the leeway of hacks or legitimate 3rd party software for the PSP platform. They're so f*ckin tight-assed. I could boycott them on that issue alone. But that doesn't solve my problem. Back to the internet...

Downloads to SVCD

Well, I've been having fun with ffmpegx. It's a very powerful program with rather cryptic interface that converts tons of different video format into other ones.

Recently, I've figured out how to convert downloaded movies into SVCD which is more convenient for watching, cuz we can just pop it into the TV. The big titles I like to keep in DVD format for the big screen, but there's lot of "secondary" movies that I can easily be happy with at SVCD quality. They look fine on the TV.

I learned that I have to becareful about making sure the source file is on the system hard drive and not one of my larger capacity, storage drives. I also haven't been able to sucessfully convert a PAL DVD into a format that I can use on the PSP. I ripped the DVD into a VOB and then used ffmpegx to convert it into a PSP compatible format. It worked great, but the aspect ratio was screwed up. I'll definitely try again.

Belated PSP Review

The PSP has been getting a lot of attention and for good reasons. However some of those reasons are positive, others negative.

Some points that are missing from a lot of the reviews I've read are:
- I hate the layout of the controls, namely the analog disk. A majority of the games and applications use the analog control and it's too low for either extended periods or when using in any other position than when seated (i.e. laying down).

- The screen is way too glossy! It's impossible the screen images clearly when you have any natural lighting.

- The WiFi is a pain in the ass. I haven't been able to access any wireless hotspots here in Japan.