Gamepark Best Idea Ever!

[dogeymon]

With the WIZ being so many consoles all in one amazing little device, what's stopping GP2X (or Gamepark Holdings) from doing the same thing altogether in a game console that you hook up to your television?? And actual game deck?

I know some Gamepark handhelds have the ability to connect to your television, but it's not the same. Basically the entire unit, as well as controller is all in one, and those gamedecks are not exactly comfortable to hold and play some heated gameplay.


Can't there be a GP2X Game Console? And you can put an SD CARD in it for memory, just like the Nintendo Wii? And it could have USB ports for USB controllers or your choice to use?


Anyone think this is a good idea?

 

[rsuryase]

Bad idea. :blink:

 

[b1ueskycomp1ex]

With the WIZ being so many consoles all in one amazing little device, what's stopping GP2X (or Gamepark Holdings) from doing the same thing altogether in a game console that you hook up to your television?? And actual game deck?

I know some Gamepark handhelds have the ability to connect to your television, but it's not the same. Basically the entire unit, as well as controller is all in one, and those gamedecks are not exactly comfortable to hold and play some heated gameplay.


Can't there be a GP2X Game Console? And you can put an SD CARD in it for memory, just like the Nintendo Wii? And it could have USB ports for USB controllers or your choice to use?


Anyone think this is a good idea?

No, because the whole selling point is that you can play those games on the go. What would be the point of having a game console? I can use my computer to play emulated games much faster than on a Wiz or Caanoo or Pandora, and I can use my modded XBOX or Wii to do that, too. Being able to play those games anywhere, with a device that fits in your pocket is the real draw of the GPH devices, not to mention that you can use external controllers and TV-OUT on the Wiz or Caanoo (although right now there's very little support for it on either console) to do the exact same thing.

And I had an original XBOX, softmodded with an 80GB harddrive full of classic games from the Atari 2600 to the Nintendo 64. That's actually not very hard to do, the controllers are decent enough to play classic games with, and the system is powerful enough for a lot of games. The xbox itself is now only around 30 dollars to buy on ebay or something, and software modding them is relatively easy to do. I'd recommend a soft modded xbox if you're looking to have a dedicated classic gaming system to hook up to your TV.

 

[Reo]

With the WIZ being so many consoles all in one amazing little device, what's stopping GP2X (or Gamepark Holdings) from doing the same thing altogether in a game console that you hook up to your television?? And actual game deck?

I know some Gamepark handhelds have the ability to connect to your television, but it's not the same. Basically the entire unit, as well as controller is all in one, and those gamedecks are not exactly comfortable to hold and play some heated gameplay.


Can't there be a GP2X Game Console? And you can put an SD CARD in it for memory, just like the Nintendo Wii? And it could have USB ports for USB controllers or your choice to use?


Anyone think this is a good idea?

No, because the whole selling point is that you can play those games on the go. What would be the point of having a game console? I can use my computer to play emulated games much faster than on a Wiz or Caanoo or Pandora, and I can use my modded XBOX or Wii to do that, too. Being able to play those games anywhere, with a device that fits in your pocket is the real draw of the GPH devices, not to mention that you can use external controllers and TV-OUT on the Wiz or Caanoo (although right now there's very little support for it on either console) to do the exact same thing.

And I had an original XBOX, softmodded with an 80GB harddrive full of classic games from the Atari 2600 to the Nintendo 64. That's actually not very hard to do, the controllers are decent enough to play classic games with, and the system is powerful enough for a lot of games. The xbox itself is now only around 30 dollars to buy on ebay or something, and software modding them is relatively easy to do. I'd recommend a soft modded xbox if you're looking to have a dedicated classic gaming system to hook up to your TV.

I'd buy a GPH console just because it would be mostly open, not using an illegal SDK, and would use a real controller. Besides portability, one of the draws of the Wiz and Caanoo is that it's not trying to stop you from doing whatever you want with it. Or at least that's why I have one.
I do enjoy my soft-modded Xbox though.

 

[traylorpark]

...
I know some Gamepark handhelds have the ability to connect to your television, but it's not the same. Basically the entire unit, as well as controller is all in one, and those gamedecks are not exactly comfortable to hold and play some heated gameplay ...

Can't there be a GP2X Game Console? And you can put an SD CARD in it for memory, just like the Nintendo Wii? And it could have USB ports for USB controllers or your choice to use?

Will it not be possible to plug in a USB controller ... into the bottom of the Canoe for example?

 

[Amon_Re]

I'd buy a GPH console just because it would be mostly open, not using an illegal SDK, and would use a real controller. Besides portability, one of the draws of the Wiz and Caanoo is that it's not trying to stop you from doing whatever you want with it. Or at least that's why I have one.
I do enjoy my soft-modded Xbox though.

You would basically be buying an x86 box with linux in a nice casing and a custom front-end, bundled with a joystick. You can do all that already with of the shelve parts.

 

[dogeymon]

Good points everyone. Yeah, I know you can currently already play games on a computer with emulators. And I can hook those up to my TV also. But it's so much hassle dealing with a computer. I gotta get it out, boot it up, get out the s-video cables, the audio cable, hook it up to my TV. And switching between game consoles gets annoying with a computer. I just want a simple game console hooked to my TV with a straight-forward menu at the beginning, where you select your system, and then your game.


People don't want to mod game consoles because the majority of us don't know anything about that. Many of us like XBOX to stand alone by itself as another console, and we don't want to destroy our warranty. I've already gotten my XBOX 360 replaced by Microsoft. I want to have that option available when that thing breaks.


The WIZ, from what I've known from the beginning, is that it's not compatible with a TV-out adapter.


I still think some GP2X console would be a great idea. Could look real compact and snazzy. And they make Genesis and Super Nintendo USB controllers online. I could use those on the other console emulators on it.

 

[Reo]

I'd buy a GPH console just because it would be mostly open, not using an illegal SDK, and would use a real controller. Besides portability, one of the draws of the Wiz and Caanoo is that it's not trying to stop you from doing whatever you want with it. Or at least that's why I have one.
I do enjoy my soft-modded Xbox though.

You would basically be buying an x86 box with linux in a nice casing and a custom front-end, bundled with a joystick. You can do all that already with of the shelve parts.

Who said it has to be x86?

 

[Amon_Re]

I'd buy a GPH console just because it would be mostly open, not using an illegal SDK, and would use a real controller. Besides portability, one of the draws of the Wiz and Caanoo is that it's not trying to stop you from doing whatever you want with it. Or at least that's why I have one.
I do enjoy my soft-modded Xbox though.

You would basically be buying an x86 box with linux in a nice casing and a custom front-end, bundled with a joystick. You can do all that already with of the shelve parts.

Who said it has to be x86?

Price/Performance wise that's your best pick in a console, anything else is eighter slower or a lot more expensive.

 

[Amon_Re]

Good points everyone. Yeah, I know you can currently already play games on a computer with emulators. And I can hook those up to my TV also. But it's so much hassle dealing with a computer. I gotta get it out, boot it up, get out the s-video cables, the audio cable, hook it up to my TV. And switching between game consoles gets annoying with a computer. I just want a simple game console hooked to my TV with a straight-forward menu at the beginning, where you select your system, and then your game.

That's why i suggested a small PC that's permanently hooked to the TV, heck, throw in a DVR card and use it as a setup box and console, you can always hack together a nice menu, you could even use a web based front-end with apache running in the back-end to manage it, this way you don't even have to write a nice gui, just a (php?) site with various icons that launch scripts.

 

[darfgarf]

That's why i suggested a small PC that's permanently hooked to the TV, heck, throw in a DVR card and use it as a setup box and console, you can always hack together a nice menu, you could even use a web based front-end with apache running in the back-end to manage it, this way you don't even have to write a nice gui, just a (php?) site with various icons that launch scripts.

or just use xbmc as it's less work, we've got one ion box for films/etc, and another dedicated to emulation and gaming, with about 10TB of server space in the basement

 

[Amon_Re]

That's why i suggested a small PC that's permanently hooked to the TV, heck, throw in a DVR card and use it as a setup box and console, you can always hack together a nice menu, you could even use a web based front-end with apache running in the back-end to manage it, this way you don't even have to write a nice gui, just a (php?) site with various icons that launch scripts.

or just use xbmc as it's less work, we've got one ion box for films/etc, and another dedicated to emulation and gaming, with about 10TB of server space in the basement

Well, my way you only need one box

 

[u9i]

...
I know some Gamepark handhelds have the ability to connect to your television, but it's not the same. Basically the entire unit, as well as controller is all in one, and those gamedecks are not exactly comfortable to hold and play some heated gameplay ...

Can't there be a GP2X Game Console? And you can put an SD CARD in it for memory, just like the Nintendo Wii? And it could have USB ports for USB controllers or your choice to use?

Will it not be possible to plug in a USB controller ... into the bottom of the Canoe for example?

Hey Traylorpark, I don't want to sound like the grammar police or anything, and God knows, i have difficulty myself writing the name correctly, but I was thinking it is probably better for search engines and indexing and such, if you spell Caanoo correctly. That way when people search for usb controller and Caanoo, i would find this post... ok, maybe this post isn't so important, but you get my point Some of your posts I'm sure are important to people

EDIT: On topic, maybe GPH has a lot of Wiz' with broken screens they could sell as a cheap-ass TV console.

 

[dogeymon]

No offense but when you guys talk about setting up a mini-PC, and making a mod menu and stuff, you're not speaking my language. I get a console, hook it in the yellow, white, red and start playing. I don't know about modding, or any of that stuff.

Never mind, I'm sure it'll never happen. But it would just be neat to have a GP2X console, that's configurable and customizable, perhaps with the same OS as the Wiz in it. With USB ports for controllers. Seems like something I would buy. Just for the style. Style sells. Look at the Wii.

 

[kev256]

A good docking station for the handheld units would be a better idea. You could leave it hooked up to the tv with the controllers attached, then when you get home, you could pop your handheld into it and continue whatever game you were playing on the big screen. Then, when you have to leave, you could take the handheld with you and continue the game on the go.

 

[dogeymon]

A good docking station for the handheld units would be a better idea. You could leave it hooked up to the tv with the controllers attached, then when you get home, you could pop your handheld into it and continue whatever game you were playing on the big screen. Then, when you have to leave, you could take the handheld with you and continue the game on the go.

Hey, I'd settle for a docking station like that!! That's a great idea!

 

[wongojack]

@dogeymon I agree that the responses you have gotten are complicated which is not what you are looking for. Docking station would be a good idea, but this is yet another thing you could simply do with an existing computer.

This question has come up on the boards. On a basic level, what you are dealing with is a Linux computer thats been moved to a handheld which is extremely cool. I'm reaching here, but seems like most people who get excited about GPH handhelds have allready done all of this on a computer. If you are coming at this as someone who hasn't done emulation on a computer (or very little of it) then you've got a different perspective.

I would encourage you that setting up your own tv connected 'console' is not hard. If you've taken the time to understand the details of the various emulators on your Wiz/Caanoo then you are already qualified.

The roadblock you are hitting is what equipment should I have for emulation that I am SURE is going to work. That is probably why you want someone to sell you a 'console.' If you can answer that question for yourself then you won't want to buy it from GPH.

Previous posts referred to the ORIGINAL Xbox. These are easy to find and relatively easy to make them do what you want. They also play nice with your TV and come with a dedicated game controller.

I'll offer another suggestion which is that most of us know someone who has a laptop that they think isn't worth anything. You may own one yourself. I contend that one of these laptops 'out there' could function as your dedicated emulation machine. Its low profile and you could leave it hooked up permanently to your TV. This lets you benefit from having a keyboard which is more useful than you'd think when dealing with emulators, and once its hooked up it becomes just as easy as the Wiz - copy files and play.

You don't have to use Linux for this as an old install of Windows 98 will (probably) do everything you want, the laptop simply needs to be able to do TV out. After that the work is exactly the same as the Wiz - find an emulator and go. Just like the Wiz some will work better than others but for the most part emulation on a computer is 1000% easier and you have a lot more options.

I'll also add that finding Windows 98 out on the inturwebs is usually easier than finding ROMs.

 

[dogeymon]

@dogeymon I agree that the responses you have gotten are complicated which is not what you are looking for. Docking station would be a good idea, but this is yet another thing you could simply do with an existing computer.

This question has come up on the boards. On a basic level, what you are dealing with is a Linux computer thats been moved to a handheld which is extremely cool. I'm reaching here, but seems like most people who get excited about GPH handhelds have allready done all of this on a computer. If you are coming at this as someone who hasn't done emulation on a computer (or very little of it) then you've got a different perspective.

I would encourage you that setting up your own tv connected 'console' is not hard. If you've taken the time to understand the details of the various emulators on your Wiz/Caanoo then you are already qualified.

The roadblock you are hitting is what equipment should I have for emulation that I am SURE is going to work. That is probably why you want someone to sell you a 'console.' If you can answer that question for yourself then you won't want to buy it from GPH.

Previous posts referred to the ORIGINAL Xbox. These are easy to find and relatively easy to make them do what you want. They also play nice with your TV and come with a dedicated game controller.

I'll offer another suggestion which is that most of us know someone who has a laptop that they think isn't worth anything. You may own one yourself. I contend that one of these laptops 'out there' could function as your dedicated emulation machine. Its low profile and you could leave it hooked up permanently to your TV. This lets you benefit from having a keyboard which is more useful than you'd think when dealing with emulators, and once its hooked up it becomes just as easy as the Wiz - copy files and play.

You don't have to use Linux for this as an old install of Windows 98 will (probably) do everything you want, the laptop simply needs to be able to do TV out. After that the work is exactly the same as the Wiz - find an emulator and go. Just like the Wiz some will work better than others but for the most part emulation on a computer is 1000% easier and you have a lot more options.

I'll also add that finding Windows 98 out on the inturwebs is usually easier than finding ROMs.

I know what you're saying, but you're missing the point. It's more about style, than ability. I know my computer can already do these things. But I like how consoles look as opposed to computers.

 

[Shirohagen]

You mentioned the Wii, perhaps look into that, as I have the Homebrew Channel installed on my Wii and can play various retro games on emulators through my TV from the SD Card with the Wii remote. It's pretty much exactly what you're looking for...

...just Google into homebrew on the Wii, as far as I remember, the installation process was extremely simple.

http://hbc.hackmii.com/

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