Ask Dave Taylor: Tech and Business

Wednesday

How can I watch DVD movies on a Sony PSP?

Dave, now that the Sony PSP is out they're now selling UMD movies. Most of the movies I already have in my DVD collection, however. Is there any way that I can copy my DVD movies to a memory stick duo for my Sony PSP? If so what all would I need (cables, software, etc....)?

First off, if you want to watch DVDs on your PSP, you're going to need more than the 32MB Memory Stick that comes out of the box with the PSP Value Pack. You should at least be looking for something more like a 512MB Stick which is going to set you back around $70, unless of course you only want to watch 5-10min videos, in which case the 32MB stick will be fine.

To convert the files from DVD to play on your PSP you are going to need a couple of pieces of software that might or might not be completely legal, depending on how you read copyright and fair use law. Be careful what you do with them.

Your first step is to...