Finally Got My Gp32- And It Won't Turn On


MrDark,

Just wanted to say how sad I am to hear you're having this trouble. :( It sounds as if the damage might ave happened in transit somehow, it's hard to say. On ething I recall from my FLU days, is that the wiring to the screen light is a bit dodgy, and could've come lose. It's an easy fix. But the problem is, as DaveC told you - with fresh batteries inside the red LED should light up no matter what.

I really hope you can get it worked out to your satisfaction. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advice and the sympathies guys. Like how it's been this whole time, many of you have lent me a hand understanding things and I'm glad you're on my side!

I've been in contact with the seller. I've been ripped off before, and I honestly just don't get the impression that that's what happened here. I do get the feeling that somehow it was messed up in transit between here and the UK. He's offered to fully refund my money, which is good since I've learned that I paid a lot anyway. Besides, I already committed to one of the liquidated new models from gbax on ebay. Now I get a new one with a one year warranty, YEAH!!

Yes, I know I should have waited for a GP2x or even maybe a PSP. Fact is, I've invested 3 weeks already waiting for this thing, and lik-sang says late november for the new system. I want to play my GP32 and I want to play it yesterday, and more than that, i want one that I'm already most familiar with and have all these understandings of and expectations for. The other systems will come later when they're cheaper and I know more about their faults and virtues. I try not to be an early adopter unless I REALLY want a new system. Oh, and this new GP32 that I bought today cost me 203 USD, or about 50 dollars less than the used one. Better deal, now I just have to be refunded.

Thanks again for the sympathies. A lot of you guys know I've been on here 3 weeks learning and asking questions and voicing concerns, so it's lame that after all that the damn thing doesn't work. With the new one, I'll be happier I think, and I believe it will be a rocky yet ultimately satisfying road to refund. Then it's all good.


One last thing- HOW picky is this thing on batteries? SHould I really be shaking every time I put two in, worried that they'll fry the system permanently just because they're not BRAND new? I mean, this madness started today when I took the system out of its box, put in two new Energizers, and watched it do nothing. Later I tried 4 Rayovacs, and still nothing. I'm already afraid of using an adaptor thanks to all the horror stories, but should I be THIS worried about the batteries too? I know enough about electronics to not put them in backwards, or mix old with new, etc. I just put in two fresh batteries that went on to work fine in my cd player, yet they did nothing for the GP32. Surely this was NOT my fault ???

Well again, thanks to everybody who listened.
 
I don't find the GP32 to be that picky with batteries... Then again I only use Energizer or Duracell AA's when I use normal AA's, which is very rare. Normally I use my good old Radio Shack rechargeables. :)

The important things is to try 100% fresh AA's from a good brand. Then you can be sure it's not the batteries. Which it sounds like you already did several times so it does seem the unit itself has a problem.
 
Prophet speeks the truth, try some brand new brand name batteries, just to be sure. Wow man, this is really fucked up. I'm sorry your going through all this shit, but at the very least you are getting a better deal with the gbax liquidation (not to mention the fact that this guy is giving you a refund, as he should).

Good luck; I hope all goes well
 
Prophet posted on Oct 3 2005 at 05:48 PM said:
I don't find the GP32 to be that picky with batteries... Then again I only use Energizer or Duracell AA's when I use normal AA's, which is very rare. Normally I use my good old Radio Shack rechargeables. :)

The important things is to try 100% fresh AA's from a good brand. Then you can be sure it's not the batteries. Which it sounds like you already did several times so it does seem the unit itself has a problem.

Yeah man, that's the case. I've been so conditioned to fear messing up this system that I took overt, anal steps to CAREFULLY snap the batteries in, making sure that they were new right off the bat. And from the very first attempt, I got absolutely nothing. No light, sound, nothin'.

The first ones to go in were in fact Energizer, then came Rayovac, two of the more common, popular, and reliable batteries. I don't have Duracell here but I can only assume that it wouldn't make THAT much difference. All I know is that the ones I used today were as described, and I ensured that they were labeled, in very tiny writing, as AA, 1.5V, alkaline. In other words, plain old double-A batteries like those I use in everything else. Like I said, I went and thew them in my cd player and they worked just fine.

This new ebay auction I bought is, as I understand it, officially from gbax. They say it comes clocked "between" 160 and 166, and comes with a carrying case and adaptor among other things. I don't even know if I can use the adaptor though since it's from the UK which as different plugs than here in the USA.

Oh and I don't know if I should post that link to the ebay auction, I don't want to give all kinds of stuff away. Maybe it's normal, but I don't know, just feels weird.
 
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mrdark posted on Oct 3 2005 at 06:01 PM said:
Prophet posted on Oct 3 2005 at 05:48 PM said:
I don't find the GP32 to be that picky with batteries... Then again I only use Energizer or Duracell AA's when I use normal AA's, which is very rare. Normally I use my good old Radio Shack rechargeables. :)

The important things is to try 100% fresh AA's from a good brand. Then you can be sure it's not the batteries. Which it sounds like you already did several times so it does seem the unit itself has a problem.

Yeah man, that's the case. I've been so conditioned to fear messing up this system that I took overt, anal steps to CAREFULLY snap the batteries in, making sure that they were new right off the bat. And from the very first attempt, I got absolutely nothing. No light, sound, nothin'.

The first ones to go in were in fact Energizer, then came Rayovac, two of the more common, popular, and reliable batteries. I don't have Duracell here but I can only assume that it wouldn't make THAT much difference. All I know is that the ones I used today were as described, and I ensured that they were labeled, in very tiny writing, as AA, 1.5V, alkaline. In other words, plain old double-A batteries like those I use in everything else. Like I said, I went and thew them in my cd player and they worked just fine.

When I can afford ordering some good rechargeables I definitely will but for now I just gotta stick with the batteries I have. And since I've got like a dozen of them, and don't plan using the light all the time, they should last okay.

This new ebay auction I bought is, as I understand it, officially from gbax. They say it comes clocked "between" 160 and 166, and comes with a carrying case and adaptor among other things. I don't even know if I can use the adaptor though since it's from the UK which as different plugs than here in the USA.

Oh and I don't know if I should post that link to the ebay auction, I don't want to give all kinds of stuff away. Maybe it's normal, but I don't know, just feels weird.
 
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Aah, ridiculous. Sorry about the triple-post guys. Computer hiccup. Or maybe I'm just really stressed about all this, I don't know. But apologies nonetheless.
 
It sounds like you either got ripped off or something got loose/broke in shipping it. I have taken my gp32 apart at least 20 times but it definitely shows (especially my crappy modifications :p ). But i think you made the right decision not opening it and just returning it and buying a new (and cheaper!) one. Just make sure you remember to get a memory card (I would recommend 128MB, initially you might not mind only having 64MB but later you will wish you had one. Just don't get over 128MB as the gp32 doesn't support it). Good luck!
 
Well, I'm glad that you got through all of this. It's good to have another member in the community :), have fun with your Gp32 when it comes!
 
Good on you for sticking to the GP32 for a replacement. It's so far along in it's development that almost every new development is great. It seems the dev's have a real handle on it. This new 3D engine could provide us with some really interesting titles to come too!

I only use Duracells (as they're insanely cheap when bought in bulk from SafeWay). As far as I remember, if the batteries are not capable of powering the system, it's only the screen that doesn't work, not the console, so the light still comes on. I *think*..
So I guess the screen (mine's a blu+) has some threshold of voltage below which it just won't run. I know that when the batteries run low the screen goes from fine to off in around 2 seconds.

You'll truly love your GP when you get a working one!
 
For starters, thanks to that link to the rechargeable batteries. I believe I'd seen that before, but I'll mark it this time so I can look 'em up. I don't have a lot to spend, but I want to get ones that I KNOW people here have used successfully, so there's no chance in screwing this machine up. I'm so scared of messing up the GP32 now...

Thanks for the votes of confidence everyone. It's nice to have people who know what I'm dealing with here. The guy offered to send a refund, though it might take some time. If not I guess there's always ebay and Paypal to force an investigation. I never get rid of emails until the deal is done, in case proof is needed to show that we discussed the problem and so on. But anyway thanks, I'm glad you guys think I'm doing the right thing here. After I was sad that the gbax auctions began RIGHT after I won mine, I can now take part in it while there's still a couple dozen left. that's a relief. At least I'll finally get this system and be able to enjoy it even before I get the other thing resolved.

Has anyone here had a problem with units they bought from gbax? I feel I can trust them since everyone reccommends them, and since they're official distributors. But has anyone had a problem that they wouldn't replace, resolve, etc? I mean, should I have a heads up for dealing with warranty issues or anything?

Oh yeah- it comes with an adaptor. Can anyone tell me if the one gbax provides is compatible with US outlets?

Lastly gamingmaster, sorry to not satisfy your curiosity, but it just feels odd to post a bunch of details of my sale and ebay history. It's a shared account with my girlfriend, and it would just seem odd to link it to just anybody who wants to check it out. Nothing special, I'm just a more private person I guess.
 
You may want to try a 3V AC adaptor, just observe the polarity. It could save some hassles. It doesn't make any sense that you don't even see the LED light up. Even a GP32 with a bad flash would light the LED. I think that the LED is wired to the battery fairly direct so even if the CPU was blown to bits the LED would still light. It is almost like the wire to the battery terminal came un-soldered or something, it is like no power is getting through. How about if you wiggle the power switch? it may have dirty contacts or something. An AC adaptor would be a good test as it is wired separately. It is already busted so you couldn't hurt anything anyway.
 
DaveC posted on Oct 4 2005 at 12:07 AM said:
You may want to try a 3V AC adaptor, just observe the polarity. It could save some hassles. It doesn't make any sense that you don't even see the LED light up. Even a GP32 with a bad flash would light the LED. I think that the LED is wired to the battery fairly direct so even if the CPU was blown to bits the LED would still light. It is almost like the wire to the battery terminal came un-soldered or something, it is like no power is getting through. How about if you wiggle the power switch? it may have dirty contacts or something. An AC adaptor would be a good test as it is wired separately. It is already busted so you couldn't hurt anything anyway.

a good idea. I have heard of ac adaptors frying gp's in such a way that it renders batteries useless (which is why you should be careful when using an ac on a gp). it may be a usefull test to see if the gp you own is truly fried, not that it really matters b/c a gp that only runs of an ac adaptor ruins the whole portability aspect.

and a daceC said, if you do this, be sure to check the polarity!
 
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triksR4rabits posted on Oct 3 2005 at 08:33 PM said:
DaveC posted on Oct 4 2005 at 12:07 AM said:
You may want to try a 3V AC adaptor, just observe the polarity.  It could save some hassles.  It doesn't make any sense that you don't even see the LED light up.  Even a GP32 with a bad flash would light the LED.  I think that the LED is wired to the battery fairly direct so even if the CPU was blown to bits the LED would still light. It is almost like the wire to the battery terminal came un-soldered or something, it is like no power is getting through.  How about if you wiggle the power switch?  it may have dirty contacts or something.  An AC adaptor would be a good test as it is wired separately.  It is already busted so you couldn't hurt anything anyway.

a good idea. I have heard of ac adaptors frying gp's in such a way that it renders batteries useless (which is why you should be careful when using an ac on a gp). it may be a usefull test to see if the gp you own is truly fried, not that it really matters b/c a gp that only runs of an ac adaptor ruins the whole portability aspect.

and a daceC said, if you do this, be sure to check the polarity!

yeah, you're both right. I don't think I have any adaptors of that voltage laying around, but I'll check for some. You're right, I have nothing to lose right now anyway. This adaptor frying is part of why I was so scared to hurt the system in the first place.
 
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on the topic of batteries:

i use sony rechargable NiMH batt's. it think it cost me like 20 bucks or so for four with a charger. they don't get a full 6hrs out of my FLU after a good year or so, but damn close enough.

$20 !!! (or 30.. i forget.. pretty sure $20 though) Point is, any of you who are not using rechargables, time to get on the wagon. best part is, you get FOUR, so you always have 2 charged on hand when the current ones run out. Hey, ain't math the shit??
 
I'm glad it all worked out for you and you will be getting a new one rather than a used unit. I know for sure you will enjoy it as much as the rest of us have even after the gp2x comes out the gp32 back catalogue will still keep you well entertained.
 
Hell YEAHHHH, he already paid me back. Granted, I had to upgrade my Paypal account to accept it, and I was charged an extra percent just because he doesn't live here in the USA (as if that should matter, online is online). But the point is, he already offered to pay back in full and now I just await my bank statement to show that it went through. Whew!

Man, what a rough ride. You know what my history is with this thing? I first heard about the Pocket Famicom while looking up my Nomad on Wikipedia.com around september 10th. The PF led to talk about the same company's device for the GBA SP. THAT led to talk of GBA flash cards. THAT led to a website that talked about the Gameaxe and Zodiac, whatever the hell those are. THAT stuff led me to the Gamepark on lik-sang. That led me to a dozen websites trying to buy one. Then I saw it available only (I mean ONLY) on ebay, which led to staying up til 6:30 am to win the auction after being up-bidded by 40 bucks. A week later I finally get to pay the guy because of Paypal issues between countries, a week after that he finally sends it out because of program altering and adding for my benefit. A week after that I finally get the thing, today, 3 WEEKS after even buying it. Finally, at the end of the day, I get a refund for it because it doesn't work, and I buy one of the gbax auctions that popped up just AFTER I bought this used unit. Jesus Christ!!!!!

Well, hopefully this short history can illuminate to you guys why I've been so excited about the unit, and had the time to ask so many questions about it. AND why I've been so scared of it screwing up!!!!

Thanks yet again for all your help. I really appreciate you being on board to give me advice, and cheering my decision and (eventual) good luck with the transactions. Thanks everybody.

And when I get the cash, I'm definitely gonna get some rechargeables. Anyone have any other brands to suggest?
 
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