I Just Got My Gp2x!!!

[dockthepod]

My GP2X came today! I didn't expect it so fast so I left my big SD card at work No neogeo for me until monday unless I can find one that will run off a 32meg SD card...

But... DrMD is running like a dream. I can clock up to 290 stable, but I only need 280 to make it run silky smooth on all games. This is great stuff. I haven't played sonic for years and years. Looks awesome on this screen.

I'm looking forward to developing for this little guy. I do PS2/PSP/(soon PS3) development for a living but it will be a nice change of pace moving some sprites around on screen... not to mention understanding the entire codebase

 

[Optimus]

Hey, I just got my GP2X (well,. the day before yesterday,. still messing with it!)

Mixed feelings at the beginning. About the design (annoying grabbing (no, I got used to it), stupid +/- volume keys (but handy to code extra buttons in emulators or programms that need it!), THE VOLUME IS TOO LOW EVEN AT MAX!!!, when I plug the DC jack I can't put my hand into the controls (it blocks me), and way more (what's that screen fuzz when I open it and move through the menus? The LCD settings didn't make much diferrence). Oh,. and at the beginning I transfered through USB to my SD, because my card reader has problems. That one took 60kb/sec at best, I think a bit less than my old GP32. And I had to transfer for 2 hours, till.... my bateries went off!!! ;PPP WTF?

Some impressive stuff (nice bios menu, tv out, amazing LCD quality (luv it!!!))
I tried some emulators and games, but with most of them I had problems at first and I had to search for 24hours how to fix them. I have finally managed running Quake which broke my nerves (wouldn't work with the shareware pak0.pak, it wanted the original pak0.pak (and then + pak1.pak). DrMD and MAME are AMAZING smooth and playable!!! Uae4All is fun to watch that it works even slow. I haven't tried yet PSX, Dosbox and others because I had problems in some. HTF can I run DosBox? Ugh..

Today I got SDL and devkits and tried to port my 3d engine that I once was developing in GP32( for the demo that is not yet released but really soon it might be. (it MUST)). I've seen a 80% increase in speed (some huge 5000 polygon 3d object envmapped went from 12fps to 20fps). It's ok. I think I expected more, but maybe, 1) I should write to framebuffer directly instead of SDL, 2) maybe I miss some compiler optimization or something that I have mislooked. 3) I don't know what is the default speed of my project? Does it run in default 200Mhz speed? Couldn't find some commands to overclock through software, searched the forums but not yet ;P

Anyways rulezzzz. I'll be bothering the forum by asking more questions later

 

[Dzz]

THE VOLUME IS TOO LOW EVEN AT MAX!!!

Just in case you haven't tried it yet, go into Setting/System and turn off "Volume Limit".

 

[bbodin]

DrMD is running like a dream. I can clock up to 290 stable, but I only need 280 to make it run silky smooth on all games.

You shouldn't need to overclock DrMD. I have mine at default and all games run smooth.

 

[Optimus]

THE VOLUME IS TOO LOW EVEN AT MAX!!!

Just in case you haven't tried it yet, go into Setting/System and turn off "Volume Limit".

Hmm,. I have checked and switched that option twice, it's off now but still no matter how much I press the volume_up button, some programms still have quite low sound for my taste (I should get some headphones and be happy ;P).

 

[dockthepod]

DrMD is running like a dream. I can clock up to 290 stable, but I only need 280 to make it run silky smooth on all games.

You shouldn't need to overclock DrMD. I have mine at default and all games run smooth.

Most games run at 60fps at a lower rate, but some (like sonic 2/3) will dip to 40ish at times. I'm a sucker for 60fps, what can I say? I'm still playing around with this stuff (just got it yesterday!) so I'll fine the right balance at some point here.

 

[timk99]

Well I just got mine.

Very, very disappointed.

The joystick is an absolute joke. For example, in an emulator, when you press diagonal to jump, it is almost impossible to then readjust the stick so you are just running to the right. You just end up jumping again.

Status of emulators seems poor. So many are just average. This thing doesn't have the horsepower.

 

[gaterooze]

The joystick is an absolute joke. For example, in an emulator, when you press diagonal to jump, it is almost impossible to then readjust the stick so you are just running to the right. You just end up jumping again.

Try unscrewing your cap a tiny bit, perhaps it's getting caught on the rim? I've never experienced the problem you describe. Also, many emulators allow you to remap controls so you can assign "up" to a button.

Status of emulators seems poor. So many are just average. This thing doesn't have the horsepower.

Which emulators do you think are poor?

The only ones I can see being described that way are MSX (still a bit fiddly, but that's nothing to do with horsepower), and PSX, which has already achieved 200% more than anyone ever expected. Oh, and DOSBox, but that was never expected to run at all.

 

[zektor]

I think that there is a major over-expectation going on with some newcomers. Some people believe that since the GP2X is pegged as an emulation machine that it should be right up to par with the emulation on your PC. NOT the case.

The system is obviously not as fast as even today's low end PC's, so some emulation will not be what it is on your desktop. BUT, for what it does do it does very very well. I really can't remember running Genesis games (via Genecyst back in the day) on my 233mhz desktop at such fluidity as I do at 200mhz on the handheld. Yes, the CPU's are completely different I know, but I am just trying to make a simple comparision.

Try to look at it at that standpoint, and you will rationalize that it is pretty amazing doing what you are doing (Neogeo on a 200mhz handheld?!?) on this device. I guess you have to let the techie geek inside of you out to really appreciate the device.

 

[Optimus]

Status of emulators seems poor. So many are just average. This thing doesn't have the horsepower.

What? DrMD is awesome. MAME is (finally) awesome!!! Snes is finally a bit playable. The 8bits are perfect as in the oldie. There are even some new promising stuff like Uae, Dosbox and PSX, well a bit slow but they are still very early versions. Well, I am always comparing to the GP32 that's why I am so enthousiastic. If you came from the PC and thought you'd have emulators that run perfectly, wtf? Of course it doesn't have the horsepower (Still it has enough, combined with some optimizing of some emuls, we may see perfect things oneday. But still, some 8bit/16bits are amazing, smooth enough, playable with good sound, and I have much more fun playing 8bit/16bit games than PSX games anyways

I have to agree though about the stick being a bit lame, some design aspect of the unit, and few more problems appearing, but these might be solved, you can get used and the most important that keeps me happy is the chance for a good homebrew and (hopefully demo too) scene. When you like coding on such handhelds, it's of lesser importance whether this thing is playable or you get bored of it's games.

And yes, at the beginning I was also a bit dissapointed by several facts but impressed by several other facts. And I got used to the unit now, though I still have my questions about things not working for another thread soon..

p.s. The sound is loud enough in some applications now. I guess it's a matter of the app, not the unit. But why the other apps keep the sound low? Maybe the older units play it a bit louder???

 

[timk99]

I think that there is a major over-expectation going on with some newcomers.

That is probably true to an extent. But the joystick is inexcusable - it is, in my opinion, seriously sub standard.

I was a little hasty in my judgement of the emulators. I was hoping for a really good Amiga emulator but in reality it is poor to average. I was also hoping for a good SNES emulator but again this is poor to average. I will try out some of the emus that the GP2X is supposed to be good at and hope for better things.

 

[g4m3r]

I just got my GP2X

I am very impressed so far. I expected much worse from the joystick, but I find it comfortable.

My SD (2GB A-Data) hasn't come yet, is it safe to write a small bit to the NAND just for a short while?

 

[dsd28]

<snip>
I was also hoping for a good SNES emulator but again this is poor to average.
<snip>

Check out this version of Squidge's SNES emu: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=28897

works a lot better for me than previous versions.

 

[Zybex]

Hello! I'm new here.
Just got mine today. I must say it is much smaller than I expected. I thought something the size of a gamegear and weight of a brick would arrive but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm still waiting for my batteries to charge fully, but I had enough left in them to play a quick round from the inbuild Vektar demo, and to watch the demo video that came on the disc bundled with the unit.

First impressions are that it is a decent piece of kit, build quality is better than I anticipated and it will give me the motivation I need to finally sit down and learn to code.

 

[loxley108]

Hi

Got my GP2X today - fantastic!

However i am struggling to get the emulators to work.

I have downloaded MAME and Caprice (cpc) and can't work out where I should put my rom files in order for them to see them.

The mame ones are in the mame ROM directory but when it loads it comes up with no files available.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Brad

 

[X-Code]

Welcome to the world of GP2X, I'm not sure about the problem, I don't even know if you're missing a bios file for the emus, but I will suggest that you navigate to the north, south, east and west, the answer is within this site ( at most times :lol: )

But, one thing that I shall say is, congratulations on your new purchase... It is the best.

 

[bbodin]

I just got my GP2X

I am very impressed so far. I expected much worse from the joystick, but I find it comfortable.

My SD (2GB A-Data) hasn't come yet, is it safe to write a small bit to the NAND just for a short while?

It's safe to do it even for a long while

Hi

Got my GP2X today - fantastic!

However i am struggling to get the emulators to work.

I have downloaded MAME and Caprice (cpc) and can't work out where I should put my rom files in order for them to see them.

The mame ones are in the mame ROM directory but when it loads it comes up with no files available.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Brad

Not sure about mame, but it's almost always in the readme as to where each emulator is expecting the roms.

 

[gaterooze]

I was a little hasty in my judgement of the emulators. I was hoping for a really good Amiga emulator but in reality it is poor to average. I was also hoping for a good SNES emulator but again this is poor to average.

It took me a while to work out how to make both of those run well. For UAE4ALL, try setting the CPU/Chip bias to either 1 or 3, Frameskip to 1 or auto, and overclock as high as you can. I find most things run well at 250mhz, and great at 275mhz. I was actually surprised but how GOOD it was! I mean, *handheld* Amiga at playable speeds? Wow.

With SquidgeSNES, you really need to overclock to get the best out of it. I use a script to run it at 275mhz, but try whatever your unit can handle. The autoframeskip hacked version seems fastest. Many games run fullspeed with sound (e.g. SF2 Turbo, Contra 3, Mario World), though some are still a little slow or skippy (e.g. Ninja Warriors, Mario Kart, Axelay). The emu does still need a lot of work, but I wouldn't call it poor by a long shot.

 

[Radek]

The joystick is an absolute joke. For example, in an emulator, when you press diagonal to jump, it is almost impossible to then readjust the stick so you are just running to the right. You just end up jumping again.

Try unscrewing your cap a tiny bit, perhaps it's getting caught on the rim? I've never experienced the problem you describe. Also, many emulators allow you to remap controls so you can assign "up" to a button.

Unfortunately the stick doesn't have any angle constrains. It means it can be moved at every degree (thought it can only register discrete directions). This is a problem for some people - it doesn't give any feedback at what direction is being pushed mechanically.

So those mistakes can happen and it's easiest to see in the Prince of Persia running in Outcast.

I could use to it and even finish Turrican I and II (and some other games) but if game depends on diagonals for jumping then it needs a carefull handling. MKII improved its characteristic to a degree but GPH should go further and really change it for something more appropriate.

Hey, I just got my GP2X (well,. the day before yesterday,. still messing with it!)

Mixed feelings at the beginning. About the design (annoying grabbing (no, I got used to it), stupid +/- volume keys (but handy to code extra buttons in emulators or programms that need it!), THE VOLUME IS TOO LOW EVEN AT MAX!!!, when I plug the DC jack I can't put my hand into

Curious - for me volume is too loud! Even more is that volume control works in too big steps. There should be analog type wheel volume control imho.

the controls (it blocks me), and way more (what's that screen fuzz when I open it and move through the menus? The LCD settings didn't make much diferrence). Oh,. and at the beginning I transfered through USB to my SD,

Well... the "MKI" screen has one flaw - visible interlacing type phenomena. The MKII doesn't - no it has it too but it's far, far less visible. And we are again at the same point as in audio - no analog wheel for brightness control.

because my card reader has problems. That one took 60kb/sec at best, I think a bit less than my old GP32. And I had to transfer for 2 hours, till.... my bateries went off!!! ;PPP WTF?

Some impressive stuff (nice bios menu, tv out, amazing LCD quality (luv it!!!))
I tried some emulators and games, but with most of them I had problems at first and I had to search for 24hours how to fix them. I have finally managed running Quake which broke my nerves (wouldn't work with the shareware pak0.pak, it wanted the original pak0.pak (and then + pak1.pak). DrMD and MAME are AMAZING smooth and playable!!! Uae4All is fun to watch that it works even slow. I haven't tried yet PSX, Dosbox and others because I had problems in some. HTF can I run DosBox? Ugh..

Today I got SDL and devkits and tried to port my 3d engine that I once was developing in GP32( for the demo that is not yet released but really soon it might be. (it MUST)). I've seen a 80% increase in speed (some huge 5000 polygon 3d object envmapped went from 12fps to 20fps). It's ok. I think I expected more, but maybe, 1) I should write to framebuffer directly instead of SDL, 2) maybe I miss some compiler optimization or something that I have mislooked. 3) I don't know what is the default speed of my project? Does it run in default 200Mhz speed? Couldn't find some commands to overclock through software, searched the forums but not yet ;P

Anyways rulezzzz. I'll be bothering the forum by asking more questions later

The internals of GP2x are alright (the MMSP2 chipset is a fine one). If only GPH would be more forecasting in some external things...
At least they got the firmware right - anyone remember how long it was taking to boot in pre 2.0 era?

 

[DaveC]

Hi

Got my GP2X today - fantastic!

However i am struggling to get the emulators to work.

I have downloaded MAME and Caprice (cpc) and can't work out where I should put my rom files in order for them to see them.

The mame ones are in the mame ROM directory but when it loads it comes up with no files available.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Brad

MAME is tricky as is GnGeo. Both of those emus need the correct versions of ROMs for them to work. You need older MAME roms from .34 for the games to work. The new MAME ROMs won't work.