Bit Of A Last Minute Letdown (news)

[abigsmurf]

It'll be a Software patch that "GPH frown upon and absolutely cannot support you if you put an unofficial AC3 code on your system" ^_-

AC3 support isn't too hard to patch in. I believe there's no support for later versions of WMV because they would have to implement a DRM/plays 4 sure system. MP3 does costs to include in a hardware device (but not in free software player) but I believe it's pretty cheap something along the lines of $0.5-1

 

[garteth]

It'll be a Software patch that "GPH frown upon and absolutely cannot support you if you put an unofficial AC3 code on your system" ^_-

AC3 support isn't too hard to patch in. I believe there's no support for later versions of WMV because they would have to implement a DRM/plays 4 sure system. MP3 does costs to include in a hardware device (but not in free software player) but I believe it's pretty cheap something along the lines of $0.5-1

​

Well I was talking about if GPH release an improved gp2x with this type of support, surely that would be official.

 

[DijiTao]

To bad on AC3 support and WMV, but it’s not that shocking given the technical/political problems with using such closed codecs. I pretty much stay away from both of these codecs to begin with so I’m not really concerned.

 

[Yuglooc]

That's strange... they always say 'we will try to add feature xx on the next version of gp2x'. But they also say that they have no plans for the successor of the gp2x...
I really hope there won't be an improved version of the gp2x in the near future.

What about point 4? 'Preorder date in Korea has moved from Oct 1st to Oct 4th.'
- Well, is this some kind of... release date? They always said mid to end of October for preorder in America and Europe.
FAQ says 'Late October - Early November'.
I thought, GBAX will get the first batch, so does that mean that we'll get our gp2x really SOON?

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I'm rather curious at this to. Well, it did take craig 3 weeks to get a 30 sec video up and running. But dont tell us we are getting GP2x a month after korea >_<

 

[denwebbx85]

I too hope they are not planning to turn around and release a better gp2x soon. Why would I have bought the first one if this was going to happen?

 

[Watto]

I too hope they are not planning to turn around and release a better gp2x soon. Why would I have bought the first one if this was going to happen?

​

You pays your money and takes your chance <_< .

This is always the risk you take, when you are an early adopter.

IMHO its still worth the risk and I'm eagerly awaiting my unit

 

[Squidge]

Hmm, I don't think October 4th is the date they send out units in Korea, as it's simply too early. GPH themselves say that the software & SDK isn't ready yet, and it's going to take longer than a week to test it after it is ready, I'm sure. Maybe it's the date they accept pre-orders in Korea.

 

[denwebbx85]

I too hope they are not planning to turn around and release a better gp2x soon. Why would I have bought the first one if this was going to happen?

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You pays your money and takes your chance <_< .

This is always the risk you take, when you are an early adopter.

IMHO its still worth the risk and I'm eagerly awaiting my unit

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Well, that could be said about anything really. <_<

Money doesn't grow on trees you know.

Hopefully though, the price of the Gp2x in general will come down in time and would be affordable to replace.

 

[mrsnature]

So if they do release a future gp2x with this type of support do you think it will be just a matter of a software or firmware upgrade for existing gp2x owners?

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That's what I assume they meant by the next version of gp2x, i.e. a new batch with new firmware etc. Maybe some hardware changes but only in a NLU/FLU/BLU way..

I too hope they are not planning to turn around and release a better gp2x soon. Why would I have bought the first one if this was going to happen?

​

Well you could wait and save your money forever for the next best console just round the corner...personally i'm saving my money for psp342, its gonna be wicked

actually i think i'll wait til psp343, wouldn't want to waste my money...

 

[Ninjia^]

I too hope they are not planning to turn around and release a better gp2x soon. Why would I have bought the first one if this was going to happen?

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Im pretty sure when Gamepark holdings say the "next version" they mean the newest firmware or software package they plan to release. I cant see them changing the actual unit specs a great deal in the near future I mean how long was it after its original launch date that the GP32 BLU version came out. Two years??

As for AC3, a lot of my avi movies use this codec but Im sure it wont be long before someone releases an unofficial version for the GP2X. I always stay away from WMV & WMA files so this isnt a great loss in my eyes, I always get the feeling Im being watched by microsoft while using them anyway. h34r:

 

[Seraptin]

It doesn't grow on trees ??? well now that i think about it... the tree behind my house might be illegal.. ill better burn it... just the last few fruits..


back to the topic: Well ac3 and wma are nothing i need... so i dont really care but please stop making such scary newsposts, my pants are wet now... gotta change them

 

[Denus]

I bought one of the first japanese PSP units available in January this year (no, not back in 1996... ) and I took the risk to be sticked with early bugs and so on.
But surprisely, this unit was even better than the new ones which are on sale in every store today. No dead pixels, no flaws...nothing bad.

So it's not always a bad thing to be the first served.
It's also fun to be a beta-tester for real... LOL

My point is: buy the GPX2 if you want it so bad. If something betters comes out, then resell the old unit, and buy the new one... what the heck is the problem here?

I'm already waiting for my unit...oh boy oh boy... :wacko:

 

[iignotus]

Don't mind; ogg + flac > *

 

[Cahaz]

going to buy the first version of the gp2x. We'll see the next unit when it will be the time. I'm pretty sure i'll be able to resell it to one of my friend that never heard of the machine before, but this system is so damn cool,..


Anyway, i don't like WMV either, but alot of movies downloadable on the web are using this format. Guess it will be unoficial then.

 

[Morwynd]

AC3: Who cares? This is not a DVD player. I certainly wasn't expecting to copy full VOBs to the unit, and the vast majority of re-encoded sources (ie Xvid and DivX) just use stereo MP3. Plus, even if you do have the odd video with AC3, it should be relatively quick and painless to recode just the audio stream with VirtualDub... transforming & recompressing video is what takes hours. (Also, as others have pointed out, an "unofficial" AC3 filter will likely be available anyway)

WM: I'm actually HAPPY this will not be included. The smaller the marketshare for M$'s restrictive crap the better. MP3/Ogg and DivX/XVid are plenty.


As for the benefits/perils of early adoption... BLU vs BLU+. Nuff said. (Yes I know... it's the exception that proves the rule)

Ordered mine on Saturday.. can't wait!

 

[polooo2]

to clear some stuff:

1. Next version of GP2X does actually mean the 'next' version in terms of hardware. In various interviews and news GPH has stated that they wanted to make a version of GP2X boarded with hard drive/disc. And it seems that the next version will likely be targetted to those who have the cash, thus GPH will also include some expensive codec support.


2. They've only started 'taking' preorders in Korea, which is coming Oct 4th. They're not shipping them out.



Oh, and GP2X will have a support for .smi subtitle formats.

 

[Apeiron]

About the next version, I clearly remember the early gpx2 website said about "a harddrive will not be included...due to price...time...but might be considered for future versions" I don't think its there anymore, maybe they realized this would put people off buying the current version.
That's my only reservation about preordering, so I'm waiting a few months to keep my eye on the news and when the software comes in I'll probally get one

 

[junker]

morwynd is spot on. audio reencoding won't take much with virtualdub!!

 

[Ninjia^]

Even if they do release a new version somewhere down the line I am spending £130 already on the GP2x which quite a lot for a handheld. And if the cost of the AC3 license is true, thats already another $30/£20 extra. Then theres the price of the hard drive/disk drive and whatever else they throw in, more and more £$£$. And then you have ask yourself how long exactly do you wait... 3 months ... 6 months by that time 2Gb SD cards will hopefully be a lot cheaper as will the 1Gb...

Maybe Im just trying to justify things to myself and I suppose it comes down to how much people are willing to spend and how long a person is willing to go without a GP2X, especially when everyone else is raving about it... I know I wouldnt last 5 minutes seeing all the threads started by people receiving the first batch before I wanted one.

Just my oppinion anyway

 

[trooper]

If people are perpared to wait 3-4 years for the next version of the GP hardware to appear (which is a similar time span between the GP32 and GP2x releases) then thats upto them. But i want my new and improved GP experience NOW.

Trooper