ADS Tech's Instant Video To-Go offers up iPod / PSP video conversion on a USB stick

Sure, there's a myriad of fairly technical methods to convert DVDs, media clips, and TiVo captures to files that play nice with your iPod, PSP, or other portable video player, but ADS Tech is hoping to give us all an easy way out of transcoding every file in our ever-growing media library. Touted as the "industry's first hardware-based H.264 conversion solution for PCs," the Instant Video To-Go comes in a handy USB stick format, and houses a "hardware accelerator" that enables consumers to convert videos for handheld playback "up to five times faster than real time." The device reportedly supports MP4, MP3, AVI, WMV, MOV, RM, JPG, TIFF, and MTP, and provides a "two step procedure" for getting your videos ready for your PMP. Moreover, it can supposedly squash 100 minutes of MPEG2 / VOB into a 320 x 240 H.264 file in "approximately 20 minutes," which ain't half bad if things really work as described. Nevertheless, ADS Tech's sure-to-be-popular device will set you back just $79.95, and should be available on the web right now.

[Via CNET]

[netposer @ Jan 15th 2007 7:39AM]

So who has used this? Does it really work as fast as they say?

[Seth Porter @ Jan 15th 2007 9:31AM]

It looks pretty cool, but i'm wondering who would pay $80 in order to just shave an hour off of a dvd conversion. According to their website, software versions take about 5 hours to convert a dvd. I don't know where they are getting this data, all of the converters i've used (Videora, and 3gp Media Converter) all do it in at least real-time. Regardless, it does claim to convert a 40 minute TV show to ipod format in less than 10 minutes, which is quite impressive. Whether or not consumers will pay $80 for just saved time may be a different story.

[E @ Jan 15th 2007 10:37AM]

Netposer

I'm curious too... Any users out there??

In case you haven't used it, pqdvd.com has an app that does iPod DVD ripping to iPod faster than realtime. They have a demo, check it out.

[Jamez Dean @ Jan 16th 2007 12:28PM]

Yeah has anyone actually tried this thing?????

[Lee-1 @ Jan 17th 2007 4:59AM]

I don't believe it, I think it's a "pure software" solution. the USB stick is just a "Copy Protect"
device.

[chuck @ Jan 21st 2007 3:30PM]

There are a few favorable comments on amazon's site for this product. I would love to see it work to move my dvd's on the new 4 gig stick I just bought for my psp.

[Dude @ Jan 24th 2007 2:16AM]

Read some positive news abt this widget in other websites. I dont think its a software converter and uses a USB stick as a dongle or copy protect. Sounds dumb for selling a software solution for 70 bucks when there are tonnes available for free.
I bet there might be someone out there who has tried it or even dismantled the damn USB drive and figured out what is inside it.

[Deben @ Jan 28th 2007 8:10AM]

I Have one - and it's NOT as fast as they claim! :(

In my PC (an AMD Athlon XP 3200+ w/512Mb RAM) the only setting that approximates the 20 min. claimed is in (iPod H.264) 320x240 LOW QUALITY (320kbps V.Bitrate).

In 640x480 @ 1500kbps (H.Q.) it takes about 1.5:1 times Slower than real time. :(

It's as fast as an FFMPEG solution in my PC but with MORE quality, and YES it is a Hardware Encoder NOT a DRM device !!!

[oktoberheat @ Feb 4th 2007 8:19PM]

But I think they claim the 4-5 times capability only for the 320x240 resolution...Dont they..

[Deben @ Feb 5th 2007 12:22PM]

NO - You're wrong oktoberheat; they don't specify that is the 320x240 or lowest quality & lowest bitrate ANYWHERE (website or product packaging) for the 5X speed !

[oktoberheat @ Feb 9th 2007 12:08AM]

Debein....Maybe I have a really sucked up English.....

This is from this website itself...

"Moreover, it can supposedly squash 100 minutes of MPEG2 / VOB into a 320 x 240 H.264 file in "approximately 20 minutes," which ain't half bad if things really work as described. Nevertheless, ADS Tech's sure-to-be-popular device will set you back just $79.95, and should be available on the web right now"

[Deben @ Feb 9th 2007 3:32PM]

I know and I have read it HERE in THIS website oktoberheat -
When I said that they don't specify that is the 320x240... ANYWHERE (website or product packaging) for the 5X speed I meant in the Product Manufacturer Website http://www.adstech.com and in the original product packaging.

NOTE that I have one of those devices with the original packaging and all.

A positive thing about this product is that when transcoding a video the % of the CPU used is ONLY 30%-40%
(This percentage is because the software included Arcsoft Media Converter 2 transcodes the audio using the main CPU and the Video using the USB device) so you can continue to use your computer with other tasks :)