I've just found the best solution to create MP4 files for my brand new PSP gadget. I've been looking for more than a month, testing different programs with really poor results. Either they were shareware versions with some functionalities reduced or they were free versions that produced incompatible formats.
But, HandBrake came into my help. HandBrake is an open source, GPL-licensed, multiplatform software to convert DVDs or video files to MPEG-4 format (which is the format used both by the PSP and Apple related gadgets). Its usage is really easy, guided by its simple GUI. You just only have to select a DVD drive or a video file as source, select an output folder (if you have already connected your PSP, you can select directly the VIDEO folder there) and choose the profile most suited to your device, PSP, iPod, iPhone or whatever other profile already provided on the right side of the GUI. The time needed to create de MP4 obviously depends on the source size, processor etc... but in my tests it has been quite fast. Moreover, you can also add a queue of tasks so you can batch all your video files conversions in just one shot and shut down the computer once the job finish.
Just one final important remark when using this program in Windows Vista. It is recommend to run it with Administrator privileges, that's said, right-click Run as administrator option in the context menu. I guess that it is something related with the cygwin backbone that the program seems to use. Hopefully, in next releases of this excelent program this will be fixed. Here below there is a screenshot of the GUI:
But, HandBrake came into my help. HandBrake is an open source, GPL-licensed, multiplatform software to convert DVDs or video files to MPEG-4 format (which is the format used both by the PSP and Apple related gadgets). Its usage is really easy, guided by its simple GUI. You just only have to select a DVD drive or a video file as source, select an output folder (if you have already connected your PSP, you can select directly the VIDEO folder there) and choose the profile most suited to your device, PSP, iPod, iPhone or whatever other profile already provided on the right side of the GUI. The time needed to create de MP4 obviously depends on the source size, processor etc... but in my tests it has been quite fast. Moreover, you can also add a queue of tasks so you can batch all your video files conversions in just one shot and shut down the computer once the job finish.
Just one final important remark when using this program in Windows Vista. It is recommend to run it with Administrator privileges, that's said, right-click Run as administrator option in the context menu. I guess that it is something related with the cygwin backbone that the program seems to use. Hopefully, in next releases of this excelent program this will be fixed. Here below there is a screenshot of the GUI:
