Gp32 Blu Or Flu?

[carapalida]

hello everybody...

i have been doing some reading about this gp32...i just got myself into this emulation stuff...learning step by step.

i am a bit confusing with the two "lit" versions of the gp32...the blu and the flu. i understand that one is backlit and the other is front...but i still don't get it. can someone explain to me please?

for example...i have a gba sp...so...i guess it is backlit, right?

anyhow...what i am really trying to get are the pros and cons of the two versions if i would get one...which one is better?

i do play at night a lot and i like the idea of getting the one that has the "light" option.

also...does the light turn off and on like the gba sp? or does it stay on all the time?

thank you all...

PS> thank you DAVEC and others from the www.emuboards.com that told me about this wonderfull site here.

cara.

 

[bast525]

someone probably gonna get a bit miffed by this question...

heheh so I'm just gonna say, and I'm not saying it in any flaming tone... but... you could easily find answers to this question by searching thru old posts. It's a pretty common question.

However, I'm at work, and got nothing to do, so I'll answer anyways

The GBA SP is front lit. The difference between backlit and frontlit is just what it sounds like... the light on the SP is actually in front of the actual LCD display, whereas a backlit is lit from behind the LCD.

Backlite is usually preferable. Frontlighting produces artifacts, like the 'trapezoid effect' which is basically one or two brightly reflected diagonal lines across the screen viewed when the light is on. Also, frontlighting doesn't have the visual clarity of backlighting... there will be a 'washed out' look to the colors, and blacks will appear more dark blue than actual black. Then there's the issue that a front light, since it actually uses a lense placed in front of the LCD... will actually suffer just a tad bit in bright light/sunlight conditions as well, compared to a backlit or unlit LCD. Then there's also the issue, in the case of the GP32, of the frontlights usually having quite a bit of dust trapped between the light element and the screen, which shows up as very bright white specs when the light is on.

Backlighting used to suck... because it used to be that on any backlit things you could NOT see anything with the light off, and also they were almost unusuable in daylight conditions. However, the GP32 BLU, as well as the Nintendo DS... dont' have this problem. i dont know what has changed in backlight tech, but now you can turn the light off and use them same as you would a regular unlit LCD. If you want an idea of how the BLU looks compared to the FLU, compare your SP to a DS, if you or anyone you know has one handy. The DS looks much nicer.

One problem with the BLU... is that it seems all retailers now carry the newer version of the BLU ('affectionately' dubbed the BLU +) which use a different LCD screen and are apparently incompatible with some older software... not COMPLETELY incompatible, but rather, show up with an annoying blue/grey bar over the top 1/4th of the screen. The details about that are also covered very well in other threads in these forums. Personally i would still get a BLU (in fact, I did, knowing full well I'd probably get a BLU +). I love it... the quality of the screen is amazing... and people are already working on getting much of the software with compatibility issues working with the newer units.

 

[retroboy111]

A GBA SP is frontlit you stupid ****.

 

[Mark]

3 letter searches don't work, and that's far too harsh retroboy. I mean, come on, he's asking an honest question, he's new here and he's polite.

It's a tricky question at the momment, and I'm looking into buying a BLU too; but it will have to be a secnd hand one from somewhere, as I'll be damned if I'm buying a BLU+.

 

[RatchetMan]

I would wait if I was you. See how many programs are ported to BLU+ before you part with your money.

 

[BaDToaD]

A GBA SP is frontlit you stupid ****.

​

retro BOY is about right. Grow up and have some respect.

 

[PiNa1971]

I have a BLU+ and If I were you, I'd buy it asap. Most of troubles with BLU+ are already solved. There is still that scan line bug, but it is not so big trouble, at least for me. And sice GP is not gonna produce old BLUs anymore, it's the way to go.

I have GBA SP and since I got BLU ... it is just collecting dust. BLU rocks and its backlit LCD is amazing ...

 

[worldwriter]

I have a FLU version and my colors are apparently less vivid and my screen is prone to dust infiltration but I haven't really noticed either issue on my gp32... with the state of the new blu+ I'd go flu.

 

[SickPunk]

I just recieved my BLU+ yesterday and I love it! The screen is amazing! If you can, I definitely recommend picking one up. I have a few other systems(GBASP, Zodiac2) and this is a much cooler machine. I doubt I'll be using my others much anymore... Seriously, pick one up-you'll love it

SickPunk

 

[DaveC]

hello everybody...

i have been doing some reading about this gp32...i just got myself into this emulation stuff...learning step by step.

i am a bit confusing with the two "lit" versions of the gp32...the blu and the flu. i understand that one is backlit and the other is front...but i still don't get it. can someone explain to me please?

for example...i have a gba sp...so...i guess it is backlit, right?

anyhow...what i am really trying to get are the pros and cons of the two versions if i would get one...which one is better?

i do play at night a lot and i like the idea of getting the one that has the "light" option.

also...does the light turn off and on like the gba sp? or does it stay on all the time?

thank you all...

PS> thank you DAVEC and others from the www.emuboards.com that told me about this wonderfull site here.

cara.

​

The GBA SP is frontlit which causes the colors to be very washed out. This is true of the GP32 FLU as well as it has the same type of lighting. The GP32 BLU is the one to get as it is a true backlit unit. The difference in color quality and contrast is stunning (you saw that Sonic picture on the GBA forum, it was real).

Recently, as said, the display in the BLU was changed to a different supplier causing some emus to have a one pixel thick line on the bottom of the display. It is not a big deal with those. This is the case with most of the emus. The Commodore 64 computer emulator is the worst with a bar on the top. This is still updated so it will probably be fixed eventually.

The Genesis emulator is perfect on the new units as it was programmed with the new ones in mind.

This will be a temporary situation as most of the emus are still updated occasionally and will be fixed.

I would still get the BLU because it looks so much nicer than a FLU or GBA SP.

 

[bast525]

I just recieved my BLU+ yesterday and I love it! The screen is amazing! If you can, I definitely recommend picking one up. I have a few other systems(GBASP, Zodiac2) and this is a much cooler machine. I doubt I'll be using my others much anymore... Seriously, pick one up-you'll love it

SickPunk

​

Yeah? Why do you personally like the gp better than the zodiac? just curious, thinking of getting one.

 

[chris_r]

Wait Im confused. What is the difference between the BLU and the BLU+

Edit: never mind

 

[DaveC]

I  just recieved my BLU+ yesterday and I love it!    The screen is amazing!  If you can, I definitely recommend picking one up.  I have a few other systems(GBASP, Zodiac2) and this is a much cooler machine.  I doubt I'll be using my others much anymore...   Seriously, pick one up-you'll love it

SickPunk

​

Yeah? Why do you personally like the gp better than the zodiac? just curious, thinking of getting one.

​

Some like the zodiac, some don't. I had a zodiac 2 and it just annoyed me for some reason. I sold it after getting the BLU, I don't miss it. Most people that like it need and use a PDA. It is basically a palm pilot with a joystick, and a slow one by today's PDA standards. For one thing the sloppy analog stick was just pants for emulation. Another thing is the hardwired sealed in battery. Unlike the GP32 if the battery goes dead you can't just swap it out for a charged one (Kudos for Sony with the swappable battery on the PSP) you have to get to a charger and wait 5 hours to charge. Plus since it is a PDA the battery will drain even if you don't use it. So you have to remember every 2 weeks or so to put it on the charger otherwise you will lose everything stored in RAM. Most of the games for it were crap too, although to be fair there aren't too many AAA titles for the GP32 either. With the PSP comming I can't really see buying a Zodiac now unless you need a PDA. The GP32 is good enough for emulation (more playable too with the digital stick), and the PSP will crush the Zodiac for commercial games, and actually even the GBA has better games than the Zodiac.

 

[TeDaDeS]

My flu can go over 200MHz without any problems, the BLU couldnt do that straight out of the box...

Most games work fine with 133MHz, and you will see everything clearer on a BLU.

 

[K-teto]

My flu can go over 200MHz without any problems, the BLU couldnt do that straight out of the box...

​

And your flu did it right out of the box? anyway, i know about the existence of 200Mhz blus.
The light has nothing to do with processor or ram afaik.

 

[carapalida]

thank you all again for all the support/answers. i really appreciated the time you put in reading and asnwering my question.

sorry...anyhow...ok so i guess the blu would be a way to go huh? ok...what you guys all said made sense. and thank you...i did not know the gbasp is frontlit...living and learning

anyhow...another question here if you don't mind (and yes for some of you i have read some posts already on this question but i kind of wanted to hear from your personal experience...

i am actually thinking on getting this blu to emulate sega genesis games, master system games, atari 2600 games...and also of course gba sp games. i am wondering if you guys have had a chance to do that and what do you think? does it really work? playable all the way?

i got most of the emulators so far...but i was wondering...which one should i try first for the sega genesis? (drmd) sega master system? (drsms) atari 2600?

let me know your opinion when you have a chance please...

thank you all again...

cara

 

[SickPunk]

I just recieved my BLU+ yesterday and I love it! The screen is amazing! If you can, I definitely recommend picking one up. I have a few other systems(GBASP, Zodiac2) and this is a much cooler machine. I doubt I'll be using my others much anymore... Seriously, pick one up-you'll love it

SickPunk

​

Yeah? Why do you personally like the gp better than the zodiac? just curious, thinking of getting one.

​

I bought the Zod2 after saving for a little while, primarily to play games on. I do like it, and I use it for stuff other than gaming, but the analog contoller isn't my cup o' tea. As a PDA, it's alright and having no other PDA I do use it for those functions. But as a gaming system... Well, the GP32 is just more fun to play. The D-Pad is much better for those old Sega Genesis games than the Analog on the Zodiac, and I found that after playing a game on the Zodiac for a while my hands started to cramp because it's so thin. That doesn't happen with my GP32, and I've been playing it much longer than I played any games on the Zod.

What it comes down to is that I want to play games. I'll hold on to my Zodiac, but the GP32 is a much better gaming platform IMHO.

 

[DaveC]

thank you all again for all the support/answers. i really appreciated the time  you put in reading and asnwering my question.

sorry...anyhow...ok so i guess the blu would be a way to go huh? ok...what you guys all said made sense. and thank you...i did not know the gbasp is frontlit...living and learning

anyhow...another question here if you don't mind (and yes for some of you i have read some posts already on this question but i kind of wanted to hear from your personal experience...

i am actually thinking on getting this blu to emulate sega genesis games, master system games, atari 2600 games...and also of course gba sp games. i am wondering if you guys have had a chance to do that and what do you think? does it really work? playable all the way?

i got most of the emulators so far...but i was wondering...which one should i try first for the sega genesis? (drmd)  sega master system? (drsms) atari 2600?

let me know your opinion when you have a chance please...

thank you all again...

cara

​

Genesis - DrMd all of the way. Nothing else is close anymore.
Master System - fSMS, there is no DrSMS, yet. Reesy has his hands full with DrMD right now. fSMS is real good though, full speed with sound.
VCS 32 - This one is still early. Many Atari 2600 games work fine, but some games don't work yet.

All of the above work all of the way. They have save states too (except Atari 2600) so you can save your game. Yes you can actually beat a genesis RPG like Phantasy Star on your GP32.

GBA, no. There is no handheld that can emulate a GBA I am sorry to say, except for the Pocket PC PDA. There is one for the GP32 but no real games run on it , it is slow and has no sound. Forget GBA. The GP32 is still well worth it even without GBA.

@ ignore the jerks here. Most of us are rather polite but you will always get the odd lamer with his panties in a bunch that will flame anyone. Then there is the "Use the search function" droids. These guys have photographic memories and remember what was posted from between now and 3 years back. If any keyword should pop up in your post, they immediately spew out "use the search function". Don't be discouraged though, they can't help it, it is automatic

 

[diablo2]

don't forget masterlator for sms
isn't that done completely in asm
it is very impressive

if you don't want to spend the extra money you could buy a non-lit
i have one and it works fine for me
i love it espcially because it goes 256mhz out of the box
i can see it perfectly in poorly lit areas
although it probably isn't as good as a blu

 

[DaveC]

don't forget masterlator for sms
isn't that done completely in asm
it is very impressive

if you don't want to spend the extra money you could buy a non-lit
i have one and it works fine for me
i love it espcially because it goes 256mhz out of the box
i can see it perfectly in poorly lit areas
although it probably isn't as good as a blu

​

No offense, but Bahhh on the non-lit for a newb that hasn't bought one yet. If that is what you already have and like it that is fine. I have one and it gave me a headache trying to play it at just the right angle to a light source. 99% of the emus don't support 256 Mhz anyway, and if they did your batteries would last about 3 minutes.

Go for the BLU all of the way, that is my opinion.