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[Agent X]

After seeing all the Sony haters spewing the usual venom about how horrible it would be to play movie discs on the PSP, I wonder how they feel about the release of Game Boy Advance Video cartridges for the GBA? After all, the GBA Video cartridges have far worse video quality than DVD or even Video CD, and far less storage capacity, yet they cost more. Shouldn't they be equally outraged towards Nintendo for allowing their attention to be diverted away from games, and enabling these non-gaming software products to be released on their video game system? Or do they have some justification for "playing videos" on a GBA that somehow doesn't apply to the PSP?

 

[Shoryuken]

After seeing all the Sony haters spewing the usual venom about how horrible it would be to play movie discs on the PSP, I wonder how they feel about the release of Game Boy Advance Video cartridges for the GBA? After all, the GBA Video cartridges have far worse video quality than DVD or even Video CD, and far less storage capacity, yet they cost more. Shouldn't they be equally outraged towards Nintendo for allowing their attention to be diverted away from games, and enabling these non-gaming software products to be released on their video game system? Or do they have some justification for "playing videos" on a GBA that somehow doesn't apply to the PSP?

I'm pretty sure most people don't care. Judging by the video series line-up these are mainly meant for very young children.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

^^^ Exactly. The quality of GBA Video is good enough that young kids won't care, and although it's not a very good deal considering you can get some great third-party accessories that let you play your own content, the GBA Video titles are priced about the same as VHS cartoons. I can't consider it a fleecing of young kids, since this market didn't exist before...Nintendo has to drum up interest for GBA Video from scratch, and if the content is too low-quality or too expensive for its target audience, the videos won't sell. So far, it looks like they're doing quite well.

 

[Kon Tiki]

People care more about movies than (kids) TV shows. If Nintendo released a new pokemon movie on GBAV first, then you might have a case.

 

[Culex]

The GBA was never designed to play movies from the get-go, though. The PSP is, and that's what's so damn annoying in that they are forcing you to buy their proprietary media to watch movies. You'd have to be a fool to want to watch video on the tiny GBA screen.

 

[Agent X]

While you've all brought up valid points regarding the children's market, the thing is it really doesn't disqualify PSP's ability to play video as a selling point. In fact, if anything, it mould make the PSP more attractive in that regard.

See, even though the GBA Video selection mainly consists of cartoons geared towards young children...couldn't the PSP also have a library of children's cartoons, also? Everyone's so caught up in thinking that they're only going to have recent feature films on UMD, that they forget that video is a wide market. It's very possible that the same cartoons that are out now on GBA Video could be produced on UMD for playback on the PSP. The difference is that with the UMD, you wouldn't be limited to having 45 minutes of grainy video--you could have 120 minutes of crisp, clean, near-DVD-quality video. This means that instead of having two separate Spongebob Squarepants videos on GBA with 45 minutes of video each, you could have one disc with 90 minutes of Spongebob for about the same price as just one of the GBA cartridges (maybe a bit cheaper even).

This is much more economical for the studios involved, and benefits the consumer in several ways, too. It may also be more desirable to release videos on UMD, since Sony has intentions of using UMD discs in devices other than the PSP. By contrast, GBA Video is not designed to be future-proof--it's already incompatible with the Game Boy Player (for the GameCube). This might not mean much now, but in 2-3 years when the PSP (and possibly other UMD-playing devices) become more prolific, it could be a huge incentive for studios to release video content on UMD.

 

[Agent X]

The GBA was never designed to play movies from the get-go, though. The PSP is, and that's what's so damn annoying in that they are forcing you to buy their proprietary media to watch movies. You'd have to be a fool to want to watch video on the tiny GBA screen.

Is this really any different than (to put a Nintendo slant on it) Nintendo forcing people to buy proprietary media to play video games on the Nintendo GameCube system?

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

I think the main selling point for these GBA videos is that many kids have a GBA in the first place, personally. It's just another thing parents can get their kids to keep them entertained. I don't know of anyone who would go out and buy a GBA just for these videos... and I've honestly seen quite a few kids get the carts over the past few weeks.

 

[Kon Tiki]

This is much more economical for the studios involved, and benefits the consumer in several ways, too. It may also be more desirable to release videos on UMD, since Sony has intentions of using UMD discs in devices other than the PSP. By contrast, GBA Video is not designed to be future-proof--it's already incompatible with the Game Boy Player (for the GameCube). This might not mean much now, but in 2-3 years when the PSP (and possibly other UMD-playing devices) become more prolific, it could be a huge incentive for studios to release video content on UMD.

If Sony comes out with a serious plan for UMD players (outside of the PSP) with major hollywood support, then I would be all for it. Till then I am calling UMD Betamax2.

 

[AniHawk]

Is this really any different than (to put a Nintendo slant on it) Nintendo forcing people to buy proprietary media to play video games on the Nintendo GameCube system?

Yes it is. Because you'd be paying for the UMD version of the same movie you already have on DVD (and in some cases, on VHS prior to DVD).

And the difference between a PSP and GBA Video is that these kids will be occupied in the car for maybe about 30 minutes. The problem with PSP is that you'll probably be the one driving the car in the first place.

 

[GDGF]

Who plays movies on their GBA? Some people are going to do it, yes, but it certainly isn't one of it's main features, the machine won't suffer for this ability either, as it is an add on and has no affect on the price of the GBA unless you want it. Also, it isn't going to cause my GBA batteries to wear out any faster.

 

[Culex]

Is this really any different than (to put a Nintendo slant on it) Nintendo forcing people to buy proprietary media to play video games on the Nintendo GameCube system?

Yes, because movies are already available in DVD format, which is the standard. You aren't forced to buy GC discs twice so that you can play them on your gamecube.

 

[Kon Tiki]

Yes, because movies are already available in DVD format, which is the standard. You aren't forced to buy GC discs twice so that you can play them on your gamecube.

GBAV and UMB are both propriety formats.

If you want to watch Spiderman or Spongbob on a handheld, you will have to uses a propriety format that (for the time being) can only be played in that handheld.

 

[Shoryuken]

Is this really any different than (to put a Nintendo slant on it) Nintendo forcing people to buy proprietary media to play video games on the Nintendo GameCube system?

This is a horrible analogy. The Xbox and PS2 also use a "proprietary" format. If you want to play PS2 games you can only play them on the PS2, and likewise for Xbox games. You can't play Xbox games on PS2 nor PS2 games on Xbox, therefore this point is moot.

 

[Culex]

GBAV and UMB are both propriety formats.

If you want to watch Spiderman or Spongbob on a handheld, you will have to uses a propriety format that (for the time being) can only be played in that handheld.

And once again we turn full circle back to the point at hand:

A) The GBA was never intended to have video playback like what Majesco or whatever other companies managed to do with it. It's a nifty niche market, and that's it.

B) The PSP was designed with movie playback in mind and therefore charging you a premium for the same damn movie you already may own on DVD is nuts. Or at least let you copy the damn file to the UMD somehow, regardless of copyrigthts.

C) Agent X is an idiot.

 

[Matt]

Also, you know, Nintendo didn’t make GBA Video, Majesco did.

 

[Kon Tiki]

A) Regardless. Video carts exist on GBA and Nintendo supports them.

B) Can DVDs fit in the PSP? You are ragging on Sony for coming up with a solution? You made it sound like foresight is a bad thing.

C) Here is a tip, do not buy the UMD movies.

 

[Kon Tiki]

Also, you know, Nintendo didn’t make GBA Video, Majesco did.

Nintendo is not shying away from the tech.

 

[GDGF]

C) Here is a tip, do not buy the UMD movies.

That's sage advice that I think many people will take.

 

[Agent X]

Yes it is. Because you'd be paying for the UMD version of the same movie you already have on DVD (and in some cases, on VHS prior to DVD).

Is this the same thing that happens whenever people buy Fairly Oddparents or Jimmy Neutron on GBA Video? Are they necessarily buying a video that they already have on DVD, just by virtue of them wanting to buy it for their child's GBA? Is this true of all GBA owners, that they only purchase GBA Video versions of videos that they already own on DVD? Are you required to have the video on DVD before you buy it on GBA Video?

And the difference between a PSP and GBA Video is that these kids will be occupied in the car for maybe about 30 minutes. The problem with PSP is that you'll probably be the one driving the car in the first place.

That might be true early on, but what about in 2-3 years when (hopefully) PSP is cheaper and more commonplace? It's very likely that a kid will have his own PSP...and if he wants to watch cartoons on it, then why wouldn't that be a good option to have on that machine?

Yes, because movies are already available in DVD format, which is the standard. You aren't forced to buy GC discs twice so that you can play them on your gamecube.

What is this hangup some of you people have with buying GC discs twice? What does that have to do with anything?

If you have a GameCube and the version of Tony Hawk's Underground for it, and you want to play Tony Hawk's Underground on your Game Boy Advance, can you stick the GC disc into the GBA and start playing the game? Or do you have to buy a separate GBA version of the game?

I guess by your twisted standards, Nintendo is an extremely crooked company, because they are forcing people to buy both GC and GBA versions of the same game, right?

And once again we turn full circle back to the point at hand:

A) The GBA was never intended to have video playback like what Majesco or whatever other companies managed to do with it. It's a nifty niche market, and that's it.

Couldn't PSP video playback be a "nifty niche market" by the same standard?

B) The PSP was designed with movie playback in mind and therefore charging you a premium for the same damn movie you already may own on DVD is nuts. Or at least let you copy the damn file to the UMD somehow, regardless of copyrigthts.

*sigh* Is it possible that someone going to the store to buy the latest Spongebob Squarepants video for GBA may already own it on DVD? Sure it is. Clearly, the market for these videos is for people who don't already own them on DVD...because if they did, then they'd clearly be buying portable DVD players and playing Spongebob Squarepants cartoons on those things rather than even thinking about buying them on proprietary GBA cartridges. Right?

C) Agent X is an idiot.

Wow, you sure showed me!

Do you want to have a meaningful discussion, or are you more interested slinging insults around?