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| Universal Media Disc | |
 | |
| Media type | Optical disc |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 900 MB (single layer), 1.8 GB (dual layer) |
| Developed by | Sony |
| Usage | Games, movies, music |
| Optical disc authoring | |
|---|---|
| Optical media types | |
| |
| Standards | |
| Further reading | |
The front and rear view of a UMD
The Universal Media Disc (UMD) is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. It can hold up to 1.8 gigabytes of data. It is the first optical disc format to be used for a handheld video game system.
Contents |
ECMA-365: Data Interchange on 60 mm Read-Only ODC – Capacity: 1.8 GB (UMD™)Ecma International (June 2005). Data Interchange on 60 mm Read-Only ODC—Capacity: 1,8 Gbytes (UMD™) (PDF).
DVD region coding has been applied to most UMD movies, although a large majority of UMD games are "Region 0" ("All Zone") which makes them playable in all PSP systems.[citation needed]
In an effort to combat piracy and maintain exclusive control, the UMD format is proprietary, and neither blank media nor media writers are available to the public. Since no UMD-R or UMD-RW disks or drives exist, a good alternative is the use of Memory Pro Duo cards. Indie publishers can either distribute PSP compatible content via video download, CD-R and/or DVD-R labeled as (uploadable for the PSP) but a Memory Pro Duo 1GB or higher may be required.
The primary application for UMD discs is as a storage medium for PSP games, although the format is also being used for the storage of motion pictures, and to a lesser degree, television shows for playback on the PSP. The video is encoded in the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC format, with the audio in ATRAC3plus.
The BBC began releasing a number of its TV titles on UMD in the UK, including The Office, Doctor Who and Little Britain.
Some adult films have been released on UMD in Japan.PSP procures porn in Japan. GameSpot.com (June 2, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-07-20. Sony does not officially approve of such content, as a top level executive has called this development as being "highly undesirable".
Despite Sony\'s efforts, the UMD format has been cracked. Using a combination of insecure firmware and reverse engineering, the Sony PSP can now use a variety of homebrew games, and backup ISO images. Each disc uses a file system whose format follows the ISO 9660 standard. The ISO image can then be stored on a Memory Stick, and run via a special disc emulator program, such as Devhook, or launched in the XMB with a custom firmware. The ISO images cannot be burned to UMD discs as UMD writables and burners are not available. The same game will load much faster and become more energy efficient when stored as an ISO image on a Memory Stick as opposed to the original UMD.
According to the official ECMA specification Sony designed the UMD to support two possible future enhancments and products.
1. Protective Shutter: Similar to the MiniDisc and floppy disc, this protective shutter will shield the inner disc from accidental contact. If discs are ever produced with a protective shutter, they will still be compatible with all legacy UMD devices, including the PSP-1000 series.
2. Auto-Loading: UMDs were designed for possible future slot loading devices with Auto-Loading mechanisms. These would be very similar to the auto-loading mechanism used in slot loading MiniDisc home and car decks. It would also be similar to the VHS U-Matic auto-loading mechanism. Unlike the current clamshell loading design the PSP uses, a slot loading device using an Auto-Loading mechanism would be motorized and completely automatic. You would insert the disc into the device slot, similar in the way you insert a VHS disc into a VCR, and as you begin to insert it, the motorized mechanism would then then take over and completely draw the disc inside the drive, and complete the loading process. The disc would also be ejected fully automatically by the motorized mechanism, like a VCR. This would also mean that power would be required in order to insert or eject a disc.
Since the provisions for slot loading devices was designed into the UMD specification, it is possible that future products may be developed that use such a system. Such uses of a slot loading drive could include a possible future PlayStation version with a built in UMD drive, or an external UMD drive for PlayStation, similar to the external Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive. This would be used to enjoy UMD games and movies easily on a home TV, in a more elegant solution than the PSP-2000. A stand alone player, capable of UMD video and audio is also a possibility. Other possibilities could include a PC drive. Depending on the future success of UMD Audio, a car deck, or stereo system with UMD drive similar to MiniDisc products could be developed utilizing the slot loading drive Auto-Loading provision.
Although the UMD discs offer large capacity and the capability to store quality audio/video content, the format\'s proprietary nature and the lack of writers and blank media have spawned criticisms. Comparisons to Sony\'s MiniDisc format have brought forth further criticisms; for instance, the sliding shield which prevents direct disc contact on MiniDiscs is absent from all UMDs released to date, though it is an option according to the ECMA specification.
For security reasons, and to protect DVD sales, Sony had no plans to support UMD playback on normal televisions.Taylor, Jim; Johnson, Mark R.; Crawford, Charles G. [2006]. DVD Demystified, third edition, McGraw-Hill: New York, 9:71. This feature has now been added to the newer PSP-2000 model series, which can output at a resolution of 480p using proprietary component cables (sold separately). The PSP-1000 series cannot output to a TV set without either a third-party modification that requires the removal of the faceplate among other hardware modifications, or a device such as the Nyko PSP-to-TV adapter that uses a CCD camera to display the PSP screen on a TV using RCA connectors. It has yet to be seen if such products will help poor UMD movie sales.
The smaller capacity of the UMD discs necessitates that bonus content from DVD releases be removed in large part or entirely before the movie is released on UMD for PSP playback. This has made the UMD movie releases a difficult sell in the face of affordable portable DVD players that can output to TV sets and can play the full-featured DVD releases. UMD movie pricing was also originally higher than DVD pricing, although UMDs have largely fallen to a more reasonable price. Due to the slow sales of UMD movies, some retailers, such as Tower Records, began offering incentives on UMD purchases, such as “buy one, get one free” deals.
In February 2006, Paramount Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, and even Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that they were cutting back releases for the PSP, citing disappointing sales of about 50,000 per title.Michael Kwan (February 17, 2006). Sony PSP UMD movie sales not so hot. mobilemag.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. In March 2006, Reuters reported that Wal-Mart was considering abandoning sales of the format, and that Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Image Entertainment had ceased production.Thomas K. Arnold (March 30, 2006). Sony\'s Universal Media Disc facing last rites. Reuters. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. (Archive)UMD about to be ditched by Wal-Mart?. Engadget (March 30, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-20. Other studios have reportedly terminated their production to the format as well.
In mid-2006, Target began pulling UMDs from shelves and replacing them with a section of independent movies selected by the Independent Film Channel.Target Rep Confirms: UMDs "Discontinued" Nationwide. GamePro.com (July 19, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-20. While not yet effective at all stores, the response from the corporation was that the UMDs will be shipped back to distribution centers to fulfill online orders through the Target website.Target shifts UMD space to DVD. Video Business (July 20, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-20. PSP games on UMD discs will be unaffected by this change and will still be carried by all Target stores.
In September 2006, a lower pricing on 22 movies led to a tenfold increase of sales in Japan, suggesting one of the main causes of slow sales was the high price tag.UMD price drop leads to sales jump in Japan. Engadget (September 7, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-20.
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| Magnetic tape |
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| Optical disc |
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| Videodisc |
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| Solid state |
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| Other non-volatile storage |
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| TV recording |
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia
