Neuros (through our mystic guru, Carol) sent me its iPod and PSP Video Recorder, AKA the MPEG-4 Recorder 2. It claims to be able to convert video to iPod video and PSP video formats, and in this aspect it succeeds. I was able to rip video from my TiVo onto a Memory Stick Pro Duo, and then watch it on my Sony PSP. It looked OK on the PSP's screen, though the video quality was a little noisy under critical viewing.

Note that the Neuros recorder isn't a full-blown DVR: there is no TV tuner, so anything you record needs to come through the included composite video cable. VHS, DVD, and recording from TiVo or external DVRs is doable, but you can't hook it up directly to your cable feed.  You'll also have to set both your settop box and the Recorder 2' timers if you want to do unattended recording. 

Last but not least, you can't edit out commercials unless yhou sit there and pause the recording manually, just like in the old days of duping VHS tapes. The Recorder 2 is available from one of your favorite sites, www.thinkgeek.com, for $150. All in all, not a bad product, but only geeks and those in that mindset will be able to use the Neuros MPEG-4 Recorder 2 before frustration kicks in.

The Good: Allows you to rip iPod video and PSP video to memory cards from a video source in real time. For PSP, no PC needed.

The Bad: The user interface is the usual semi-comprehensible group of nested menus. Transcode happens in real time, so a 2-hour movie will take 2 hours to convert.

The Ugly: No tuner (composite video-in only), and you need a PC or Mac to transfer files to an iPod.