Furrykitty
06-29-2006, 08:23 PM
Gamepark Holdings GP2X (http://www.gp2x.com/) - official site.
GP32X.com (http://www.gp32x.com/) - Community Homepage and Information Central!
If you know what this is you'll have to add your 2 cents please! :D
If you don't know and love gaming and game novelties then read on.
I found this little gem one night as I was just searching through eBay for Neo Geo Pocket games. Somehow it came up in a "search description" result. I had no idea what it was and usually I can spot a handheld unit a mile off so I had to see what this system was and what generation it was for.
The unit itself is a Linux handheld. There is no retail support for it. It's all open-source community supported (http://www.gp32x.com/). It does run emulation as emus are the easiest things to port and learn the system capabilities.
It is also mainly a homebrew paradise. Everything is open sourced as I mentioned. Things are still a bit light on this front as the console is only 6 months old but based on the GP32 support and same coding(previous generation of GP2X) things are moving right along.
The GP2X itself cost me $179.90 (http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=126&products_id=7728&) plus $24.00 UPS 2-day tracked shipping from Hong Kong. If you don't count the day I ordered it I got it in 2 days. I was pleasantly surprised.
The unit's main memory storage is SD(Secure Digital) cards and I'm told it can use the newest 4GB cards out(I use a 128MB and a 256MB and don't need more... yet). File storage is not really an issue since the media is removable and you can use multiple cards by swapping them.
The screen is very bright and responsive. I haven't seen any blurring as yet in anything I have done. Only downside I see is that there is no manual brightness control(and did I mention this is bright?). You can use a firmware utility to set the screen parameters but it has to be run every time. Thankfully you can set autorun for programs and utilities like this to be executed every time you boot.
This unit has an MP3 player in the OS. Just transfer your music and load it up on the go.
The GP2X will play avi files as well(no MPG support seen as yet). I love this feature for my Anime Music Video collection. I load them on the card and can watch my favorite AMV's on the go! Any avi file will play so you can easily drop 2-3 of your own DVD movies to a large card and they will play also!
It also has a text reader for those people that like eBooks. It's not perfect but it will do it. Some people have already come out with their own eBook reader to replace the one in the OS.
File transfer is as easy as hooking up your USB cable. The latest firmware (2.0.0) for the unit fixes the USB bug and it transfers smoothly between the SD card and PC. If you have a card reader already it will transfer faster if you remove the card and use your card reader but for those of us that don't have them this is a great feature I'm glad they fixed.
You can customize the unit also. People in the community have set up sets of skins so you can make your GP2X screens look the way you want them to. I also changed my boot-up sound to the Intellivision Space Spartans "Hello commander... computer reporting" file they distribute on the Intellivision Lives website.
If you can program you can download all the files necessary to homebrew on this system. Try that with a PSP. ;)
Two major downsides I found so far - and both required semi-expensive purchases -
1) This unit will chew up and spit out regular alkaline batteries in roughly 25-30 minutes. High-end rechargables(2500 mAhr or better) are a must for this unit. Those do get 5-6 hours of life but the package I bought was about $20. (Here's an example. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007SRTLI/sr=8-4/qid=1151633252/ref=pd_bbs_4/104-2993459-9978345?ie=UTF8))
2) It has a built-in 64MB of NAND RAM but it really isn't recommended you write beyond 20MB. That built-in drive is where the system is stored. You need to buy an SD card. It doesn't come with one. Fortunately 128MB cards are $16 at Wal-Mart and that will get you started.
I love this unit. I haven't picked up my PSP since I ordered this over a month ago.
(Note - I used the dirty word "emulation" in my post. This doesn't mean they give out roms nor do I support that. As an example - I use the Intellivision emulator because I have the roms from the retail disc (http://www.intellivisionlives.com/retrotopia/lives.shtml). Don't ask me for any, don't ask them for any... you'll be snubbed. Just FYI.) :)
GP32X.com (http://www.gp32x.com/) - Community Homepage and Information Central!
If you know what this is you'll have to add your 2 cents please! :D
If you don't know and love gaming and game novelties then read on.
I found this little gem one night as I was just searching through eBay for Neo Geo Pocket games. Somehow it came up in a "search description" result. I had no idea what it was and usually I can spot a handheld unit a mile off so I had to see what this system was and what generation it was for.
The unit itself is a Linux handheld. There is no retail support for it. It's all open-source community supported (http://www.gp32x.com/). It does run emulation as emus are the easiest things to port and learn the system capabilities.
It is also mainly a homebrew paradise. Everything is open sourced as I mentioned. Things are still a bit light on this front as the console is only 6 months old but based on the GP32 support and same coding(previous generation of GP2X) things are moving right along.
The GP2X itself cost me $179.90 (http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=126&products_id=7728&) plus $24.00 UPS 2-day tracked shipping from Hong Kong. If you don't count the day I ordered it I got it in 2 days. I was pleasantly surprised.
The unit's main memory storage is SD(Secure Digital) cards and I'm told it can use the newest 4GB cards out(I use a 128MB and a 256MB and don't need more... yet). File storage is not really an issue since the media is removable and you can use multiple cards by swapping them.
The screen is very bright and responsive. I haven't seen any blurring as yet in anything I have done. Only downside I see is that there is no manual brightness control(and did I mention this is bright?). You can use a firmware utility to set the screen parameters but it has to be run every time. Thankfully you can set autorun for programs and utilities like this to be executed every time you boot.
This unit has an MP3 player in the OS. Just transfer your music and load it up on the go.
The GP2X will play avi files as well(no MPG support seen as yet). I love this feature for my Anime Music Video collection. I load them on the card and can watch my favorite AMV's on the go! Any avi file will play so you can easily drop 2-3 of your own DVD movies to a large card and they will play also!
It also has a text reader for those people that like eBooks. It's not perfect but it will do it. Some people have already come out with their own eBook reader to replace the one in the OS.
File transfer is as easy as hooking up your USB cable. The latest firmware (2.0.0) for the unit fixes the USB bug and it transfers smoothly between the SD card and PC. If you have a card reader already it will transfer faster if you remove the card and use your card reader but for those of us that don't have them this is a great feature I'm glad they fixed.
You can customize the unit also. People in the community have set up sets of skins so you can make your GP2X screens look the way you want them to. I also changed my boot-up sound to the Intellivision Space Spartans "Hello commander... computer reporting" file they distribute on the Intellivision Lives website.
If you can program you can download all the files necessary to homebrew on this system. Try that with a PSP. ;)
Two major downsides I found so far - and both required semi-expensive purchases -
1) This unit will chew up and spit out regular alkaline batteries in roughly 25-30 minutes. High-end rechargables(2500 mAhr or better) are a must for this unit. Those do get 5-6 hours of life but the package I bought was about $20. (Here's an example. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007SRTLI/sr=8-4/qid=1151633252/ref=pd_bbs_4/104-2993459-9978345?ie=UTF8))
2) It has a built-in 64MB of NAND RAM but it really isn't recommended you write beyond 20MB. That built-in drive is where the system is stored. You need to buy an SD card. It doesn't come with one. Fortunately 128MB cards are $16 at Wal-Mart and that will get you started.
I love this unit. I haven't picked up my PSP since I ordered this over a month ago.
(Note - I used the dirty word "emulation" in my post. This doesn't mean they give out roms nor do I support that. As an example - I use the Intellivision emulator because I have the roms from the retail disc (http://www.intellivisionlives.com/retrotopia/lives.shtml). Don't ask me for any, don't ask them for any... you'll be snubbed. Just FYI.) :)