Gp2x Dying, Please Help!

[TimmyNinja]

Hi guys, I wonder if someone can help? Here is an extract from an email I sent to the official GP2x/Wiz website:

"I was wondering if you could help me - I took delivery of a GP2X in May 2007. I've been very pleased with it and think it's a brilliant handheld. Unfortunately, I've recently had problems when powering up. It starts to boot up as normal, with the opening tune playing along with the message 'starting up'. But then freezes before getting to the desktop screen, and it looks like the pixels start to deteriorate and the screen goes all fuzzy. The GP2X did boot up normally once about a week ago, but now will not at all, and I just get the problem as described. It has firmware 3.0.

Please can you help? I suppose it's now out of warranty, but I would have expected the GP2X to last longer than 18 months - I've had a Japanese import PSP for 4 years with no problems!

Any suggestions would be most welcome. My GP2X is invaluable for retro games and movies on the move!"

Any, ideas chaps? Someone emailed me back and suggested I ask you guys. Their only suggestion was to change the batteries! Um, well actually, I DID try that...

 

[ledow]

Certainly sounds like batteries. You need *good* batteries... if you're still using the original ones, they may have lost quite a bit of their charge by now, especially if you've used them a lot of not managed their charging properly. The only way to tell definitively is to try a PSU - that would be the first thing I would try, before I suspected anything else.

 

[senquack]

Yep, I've had a high-quality set of Maha NiMH 2700mah batteries show the same problem, even after only 100 charge cycles. I thought the GP2X was at fault, but a new set of Annsman's fixed the problem for good.

 

[TimmyNinja]

Many thanks guys, I'll try some new high power batteries.

Incidentally, I know it's hard to source an official GP2x PSU in the UK. Is there an equivalent power adaptor available? I get a little confused with all the 3.3v 2.5a stuff. :huh:

 

[loki666]

I'm having the exact same issue.
It seems that the power switch is the cause (there is a short-cut in it)
The workaround i found was to not push the switch fully down.
When you switch it on, just lift it slightly up (you may have to try, an retry before finding the trick)

loki666

 

[Squirrel61]

I've got this one. They're shipping all over the world, but sadly the site is in German so you might want to try and run it through a translator.

The PSU is perfectly safe, because you select the voltage by inserting a coded plug. That means, there's no rotating or sliding switch which can be put in the wrong position, frying your GP2X.

 

[Tag5]

Many thanks guys, I'll try some new high power batteries.

Incidentally, I know it's hard to source an official GP2x PSU in the UK. Is there an equivalent power adaptor available? I get a little confused with all the 3.3v 2.5a stuff. :huh:

I have 2 of these Multi-Volt Adaptors and they work great with my GP2X and cradle. They are cheap too!

:excl: Make sure that it is set to 3V negative polarity (-) for the GP2X and 5V positive polarity (+) for the cradle. Otherwise you'll fry it! Expensive mistake! :excl:

 

[TimmyNinja]

Thanks guys, and especially to Tag5 for recommending the power adaptor from Argos - I picked one up yesterday, and it works. My GP2x lives! Just got to get some new batteries and I'll be all sorted. Again, many thanks for all your advice guys.

 

[Tag5]

Thanks guys, and especially to Tag5 for recommending the power adaptor from Argos - I picked one up yesterday, and it works. My GP2x lives! Just got to get some new batteries and I'll be all sorted. Again, many thanks for all your advice guys.

No worries for the help, everybody in this community forum is here to help each other.

Glad to see the GP2X is working again for you! :lol:

 

[thumpgun]

duracell 2650 mah or great...