While still in the alpha (test) stage, The Core Pocket Media Player (TCPMP) is a media player that will allow you use your Treo 600 or Treo 650 the same way you would use a personal dvd player. First we combined our pda’s and cell phones, then we integrated our mp3 players and cameras, now we’ll have no need to carry around a dvd player! TCPMP plays most media formats including mp3 music files, but this short guide concentrates on how to use TCPMP to view DVD movies on your Treo.

What do I do first?

First you will need to download TCPMP. TCPMP comes in a zip file containing around 14 different .prc files. After unzipping, you will need to sync a few of these prc’s to your Treo. The main player (tcpmp.prc) has to be installed. I recommend installing it to ram and later moving it to your sd card. It runs well from the card, and saves valuable space. The other files in the zip files are codecs which will allow TCPMP to play different types of media. The important ones are the ones beginning with “tcpmp_mpeg.” If you have purchased music via ITunes, you might also want to install tcpmp_aac_plugin so that you can listen to your aac music using TCPMP - no more need for converting to mp3 for use with RealPlayer or PocketTunes. Once these three (or more) files are synced to your Treo, you’re ready to rock and roll!

What? You can’t rock and roll yet cause you don’t have any movies to watch? You have a dvd collection that is the envy of all your friends; all you have to do is convert them for your Treo. Piece of cake. All you need now is some software for your pc, and time.

So how do I get my dvd onto my Treo?

The first piece of software you’ll need is DVD Decryptor. Install DVD Decryptor to your pc, put your DVD into your DVD drive, open up DVD Decrypter put your DVD into your DVD drive, open up DVD Decrypter and under the edit menu select the option “Select Main Movie Files + IFOs” Still easy, right? Decrypt, and this step is done.

Next you’ll need PocketDivx to convert your .vob files to something viewable on your Treo. Open up PocketDivx, and at the top left, navigate to the directory where your .vob is saved, and chose it from the menu. On the right hand side of the screen, go to Advanced Options and click on the Tungsten T-3. That’s pretty much the only option you need for the Treo 650 (I have not seen the results on a 600, so you might need to adjust the settings slightly). Next click on Direct Encoding and sit back and wait. As soon as it’s finished you can transfer the movie to your sd card and return to TCPMP on your Treo.

Now how do I watch my movie?

All ready to sit back and watch your movie? Great - let’s take a quick trip through your settings. Options, Open File: chose your movie from your sd card and enjoy. Not quite right? In the main screen, chose Pref down at the bottom right. You can adjust the speed under General, as well as use the “repeat” or “shuffle” feature when listening to music. Under Video, you have options for video including rotation from portrait to landscape…not that this matters much on a square Treo screen, but landscape is easier if you want to put the Treo down and watch. Under Audio, you can adjust your volume, and set the sound depending on the headset you’re using to stereo or mono.

For further discussion or if you have any questions, see this thread here.

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