Pinnacle has launched a USB device that can convert video files directly into a format that can be played on a portable media player - with no PC required.

The new Pinnacle Video Transfer connects to any device with a composite video or S-Video output - such as a camcorder or Freeview set-top box - and to any USB2 mass storage device, such as a USB memory key or Playstation Portable (PSP). It then stores the video it receives as a file on this storage device.

It creates MPEG4 video files, so the results will play on modern iPod devices as well as the PSP, and the results can also be edited using a PC.

The user can choose between three different quality recording levels - the higher the quality the larger the file size.

The Pinnacle Video Transfer will be available in February, and will cost around £100.