View Full Version : Travelling and media player - PSP or Ipod?
Hi all
Not sure 100% if this is in the right part of the forum (if not, could mods please move!)
I need to try and find something for travelling and for breaks away, and coming back yesterday I spent the entire flight hooked on my mates PSP!
I was half tempted to get an Ipod touch so I could watch avi's, listen to music and also play a few games but how do the two compare? The battery life on his PSP seemed to be really good as well, and he was telling me about the wifi access for net surfing too!
However, how does the resolution and memory compare to an Ipod? Does it win overall or is it worth getting a PSP as they are so cheap at the moment?
Also, is there anything else I should be looking at (Ideally not a laptop as just want something small for my bag and have one already!)
Cheers!
Tom Whitaker
29-01-2009, 10:56
Considered an iPhone at all? Perhaps not if video is the main thing, but always having my music and video to hand (albeit not as much as I'd like on the 16gb) and web-surfing anywhere via 3G makes it an amazing boredom-killer.
Mr Majestik
29-01-2009, 11:23
Buy a DS and a decent MP3 player.
The iTouch also has wifi capabilities and remember that you have to shell out for Sony Memory Sticks if you are going to play videos on the PSP.
Imho the main issue is battery life and I don't no what that is like on either with sustained video playback.
Note that the PSP will also run out of power more quickly if you are playing games since the umd drive is regularly accessed.
Cheers guys - ive been looking at the Iphone but at the moment im tied to a mobile contract, plus I dont really use the phone loads so cant really warrant spending a fortune on a new one!
DS is tempting too but not sure on that, I played one a little bit but think it might lose the appeal too quickly for me (I had the same issue with the Wii!)
Cheers - I didnt realise the Itouch had Wifi and im assuming decent browser then along the same as the Iphone?
Sandeep C.
29-01-2009, 11:32
I've tried both, iPod Touch for me. Better for music, movies and general surfing. PSP for games.
The iPhone and iTouch use a variation of the Safari browser and it's okay thought sometimes it doesn't seem particularly stable and crashes out.
Whether you enjoy the DS is dependant on your taste in games but it definitely has a far broader catalogue of games than the PSP and a far better battery life.
Cheers for that - How does the Itouch compare to that new Zune thing ive been reading about in the US?
Mr Majestik
29-01-2009, 13:02
Cheers for that - How does the Itouch compare to that new Zune thing ive been reading about in the US?
Forget about Zune. If you want a decent i touch rival have a look at the Archos media player. http://www.archos.com/
rainman999
29-01-2009, 13:09
I have iphone 16gb and PSP. I always use the PSP to watch movies, I can do it on the iPhone but it drains the battery too much, the PSP screen is bigger also which is a bonus. yes you need the memory cards but they are cheap enough. I would go for PSP for sure.
@rainman999: What's the battery life when playing movies? So far my iTouch seems to have a better battery life than the PSP; although I think that that has improved with the newer models of PSP.
Mr Majestik - cheers for that mate, I did see those at the airport and is another to check out :)
Rainman - thanks for the advice, im between that and the Touch I think now but the battery life I think is an interesting one, its mainly going to be watching stuff off the memory card rather than UMDs.
How does the picture quality compare between the two or are they both running at the same resolution?
Can't comment on the ipod, but battery life on the PSP improves vastly when just running of a memory stick (and that's on an old fat psp).
rainman999
29-01-2009, 15:03
I rip my dvds and/or convert video files to play on my psp so like anything the quality is what you make it. My friend likes his movies taking 1.5gb of space per movie and enjoying extra quality, mine are usually 700mb and I think that is great quality and on my 4gb stick I can get plenty of them on.
Don't take much notice how often i Have to chare but I would say I watch a good 4-6 hours worth on my old fat PSP.
UMDs are all very nice and everything but like others say whirring that disk around eats the battery.
All you need is a PSP and any decent MP4 tool.
For years I refused to get into the whole PSP thing, ingorantly slating my mate who swore blind they where the best thing since sliced bread.
Got one for use with my PS3 and have found its a great piece of all round kit, well made and very versatile. Play the odd game on it but mainly used as a portable AV unit.
Films are very watchable and as mentioned battery life is very good when playing off a memory stick. You can pick up an 8gb stick for as little as £15.
My little girl has a DS and it feels far more like a toy than the PSP does.
Argos still has the slim and lite (non 3000) for £107. The 3000 has a screen issue anyway.
/cashes sony cheque :D
My little girl has a DS and it feels far more like a toy than the PSP does.
Perhaps, but I bet you'd have more fun playing with the "toy"!
Don't forget the forthcoming DSi, which has an inbuilt mp3 player (and possibly video?)
I bought a PSP (one of the brand new ones) just for video and have been dissapointed.
3000 series has horrible interlacing on fast moving scenes
2000 series has horrible ghosting with fast moving black on backgrounds.
Dissapointed, so I vote not PSP :P
Cheers Jester and G@nvor there - interesting comments! I was looking at the new 3000 but had read the battery life had got worse. If you were watching stuff from your memory stick how long roughly does the battery last? Ive seen reviews saying about 3-4 hours max....
How does the PSP hold up for browsing the odd Internet site and listening to music?
Mr Flibble
30-01-2009, 11:15
I use the PSP all the time, it's a great media browser for me, and I have loads of films on mine that I take away with me in the train etc.
The MP3 playback is fine, but i wish there was a way to create a playslist on the fly on the PSP, which it doesn't do. Can't say I've ever had any problems playing back videos and having issues with the quality though
Ravenger
30-01-2009, 11:20
I mainly use my PSP for watching converted movies or TV shows these days, and it does that very well.
I can also play the converted movies on my netbook so it's a great way to have a portable media library that you can use virtually anywhere. I use the PSP when out and about, and my netbook when I need a bigger screen, for example when in a hotel or holiday accommodation.
well i watched a 2 and a bit hour movie the other day (1408) and from full charge it didn't seem to make a dent on the charge at all!
I carry my PSP everywhere (slim and lite version).
I don't use it for music, but always have movies and games with me. I wouldn't be without it :thumbs:
I've always found the PSP a little too big to just carry around without some sort of bag; the DS lite is more portable and the iTouch infinitely so.
Had a 5G ipod and now a PSP for this I can say the PSP is much better. The downside to the psp is ghosting (fixed in the new ones?, I have a phat).
The (massive) plus side to the psp is no bloat-ware needed to upload files to the psp, just plugin it in, drop the files into the right folder and that's it. The ipod needs the nasty itunes app to update its database :gag:
Oh and the screen size of the PSP is much better, the ipods are just too small IMO for serious viewing.
Had a 5G ipod and now a PSP for this I can say the PSP is much better. The downside to the psp is ghosting (fixed in the new ones?, I have a phat).
Stick with the phat (i have) as the later models, espically the absolute latest, have worse screens. The slim ones feel more breakable anyway and coupled with a Logitek case my phat one feels Bomb Proof
Mosschop
03-02-2009, 12:34
Another vote for the PSP . I spent ages looking at various media players at extortionate prices (Archos etc.) and then settled on a PSP. I've got no issues with the video quality at all (Slim 'n' Lite) and the battery life is superb. It'll quite happily chunter away playing games for 4 or 5 hours with a similar time for video play back.
...serious viewing.
serious viewing on the move eh!!! :lol:
(sorry, bit of an oxymoron if you ask me)
Mr Flibble
03-02-2009, 13:22
The thing to make the PSP complete would be compatibility with Iplayer files :)
For long train journeys, the PSP is a must. I have my podcasts, games, movies - it's all fantastic! If I'm away with work in hotel stays, it's good for gaming when you're away from home too - there's loads of decent games out there.
Get a PSP, a mahoosive memory stick, and you can't go wrong!
What the biggest stick the PSP can take, last time i looked it was 4gb but have they lifted that with the last firmware upgrade?
You can definitely run 8GB pro duo`s and M2`S with the most upto date ofw/cfw and there is even a 16gb official Sony card designed for psp but haven`t used it
The thing to make the PSP complete would be compatibility with Iplayer files :)
For long train journeys, the PSP is a must. I have my podcasts, games, movies - it's all fantastic! If I'm away with work in hotel stays, it's good for gaming when you're away from home too - there's loads of decent games out there.
Get a PSP, a mahoosive memory stick, and you can't go wrong!
Cheers guys - its basically what its for! Away with work at hotels or for plane journeys....
Dont really fancy buying games for it but always good to have the option - although my mate did tell my his Ipod touch is good as well just for small mini games like poker and stuff to play (and a lot cheaper and dont have to carry round game UMDs!)
UMD's? What are they? ;)
reasons threads like this get closed #167.....
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