Entertaining backseat passengers has long been a source of frustration for many drivers, with parents in particular having to suffer through headache-inducing choruses of “Are we there yet?” While some modern cars come with built-in DVD players to entertain those in the backseat, these can be prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, i.Sound has come to the rescue with an innovative accessory that turns the PSP into a fancy entertainment solution for backseat passengers.

The Drive-in Cinema consists of an encasing shell in which the PSP fits, with straps provided with which the unit holding the PSP can be attached to the headrest of a vehicle’s front seat. In this way, the unit is mounted to the back of the headrest, serving as a screen for backseat passengers to watch UMD movies and other media. The casing itself is well designed, with the PSP fitting into it perfectly. Inserting or removing the PSP is a breeze and is done very quickly, making for hassle-free changing of UMD discs during a longer trip. With the unit mounted at roughly eye level for backseat passengers, it sits in the perfect position for viewing.

The unit itself contains four micro speakers through which the PSP audio plays. The speakers provide very clear and surprisingly loud audio, providing a noticeable upgrade from the PSP’s built-in speakers. Fortunately for drivers who don’t want to have to listen along, the unit also comes with two sets of ear-bud headphones that plug into it, so passengers can enjoy their movie without distracting the driver.

Also provided is a wired remote control used to control the UMD or media playback, which works as well as can be expected. A car charger which plugs into the car’s lighter socket is used to not only power the PSP during media playback, but also to charge it. The Drive-in Cinema can also be used indoors, as a built-in desktop stand allows it to be perched on tables, desks or other surfaces. This makes for more comfortable viewing than the PSP can offer by itself, and is an ideal solution for travelers.

One can see why the i.Sound Drive-in Cinema was a 2006 Consumer Electronics Show award winner for innovation and design. Admittedly, it caters to a need that not all too many PSP owners might have, but it does so almost perfectly. PSP owners who often need to entertain backseat passengers, or who are themselves backseat passengers on a frequent basis, will find the Drive-in Cinema to be a little marvel. Furthermore, the Drive-in Cinema’s simple, black design is attractive enough and looks like an official accessory.

There is a rather significant caveat, unfortunately. The Drive-in Cinema was first designed and manufactured before the PSP-2000 (“Slim and Lite”) model was introduced. Since Sony changed the serial port in the PSP-2000 (and thus also the PSP-3000) models, it rendered many older accessories useless. Such is the case with the Drive-in Cinema, as the connectors will not work with anything but the original PSP-1000 model. While the PSP itself can still fit within the unit and be mounted with the straps, users will need to stick to the PSP’s own speakers, which largely defeats the purpose of using a product such as this. Hopefully i.Sound will provide an updated version in the near future, as the Drive-in Cinema really is a great product that some PSP owners will find to be an invaluable accessory. PSP-1000 owners are, however, strongly recommended to consider investing in the i.Sound Drive-in Cinema, as it just might make those long road trips a little more bearable.

The iSound Drive-in cinema costs R499 and is available now. Thanks go to TCM Warehouse for the review sample.