If You Were Going To Design A Super-gp2x

[Magnulus]

All I'd want to add would be an option in the firmware to make the GP2X do the dishes for me.

 

[OmarNawaz]

My ideal gp2x would have:

1.Powered USB host ports
2.Built in mini-keyboard
3.Speaker Upgrade
4.Built in WiFi

Im currently working on one using a DS shell

I just hope it works out my gp2x all naked like is scary

Ouch, that seems like it will drain your batteries even worse than now. How do you plan to power it all?

lithium pack

 

[PSyMastR]

You know, the wifi doesn't have to always be on, and the powered USB ports dont always have to be on as well.

 

[daclassicgamingmaster]

my super gp2x would include a realistic feeling vagina so I can hav sex with it.



you asked.

 

[Lint]

Any reasonable memory dedicated to second processor, perhaps 1mb would be a minimum
SDIO instead of SD (wi-fi)
USB-host for devices < 100mA and/or powered hubs
IR interface would also be great
A not-so-simple battery charger, just add a NTC or PTC resistor and *perhaps* a dac (if not controlling charge rate by pwm) to recharge batteries anywhere you go, one could slow-charge automagically in background (low extra psu demand) or use a program to quick-recharge batteries

 

[nubie]

Edit: I am sorry about the mess, damn boards are screwing up (unless of course you see some problem with my formatting code)

I used to have a PDA as my portable media/gaming machine. I ditched it in favor of the GP2X. The improvements were great, but I miss some things I left behind. If I could design a "perfect" handheld gaming machine, it would be based on the GP2X, but I would add in just a few of the things that I lost.

IMHO the perfect gaming machine would be an winXP/win98 machine the size of the GP2X with the power of the Xbox and a 640x480 screen at 5 or 6 inches (IE the same size as the GP2X, but the screen would reach from top to bottom). The technology is available, AMD has the GeodeNX and nVidia could do a nForce integrated SOC for the chipset, it would be fully code-compatible with all existing games and emulators up to a 1GHZ Athlon and a GeForce 3/4 (Not MX, the real ones). At 640x480 it would look just fine, also there would be no need to port apps , but people could optimize current stuff because the hardware would all be the same, unlike current PC's. The HDD would be a 1.8" 60GB or greater, optional, CF and SD as main portable storage medium, Wifi option for a top USB port, or PCMCIA slot for Wifi.

Touch Screen. I don't know what it would cost to use a touchscreen lcd instead of what we have now, but it can't be too much considering there are <$150 PDAs with touch screens. If it cost less than $40 to add then I would be willing to pay for it, it opens up SO many opportunities. Playing RTS games with a joypad cursor is a pain, ditto for navigating almost any sort of unorganized gui (read: web sites).

Read my Sig, the MMSP2 supports so much stuff silly, including touchscreen. (it has been speculated that touch-screen alone would be responsible for a $35 price hike

CF Slot. Would cost under $10 to add. Controller chip is dirt cheap, additional hardware fabrication isnt expensive. It could fit above the battery bay, making the bulge on the back of the unit cover the full height, but not increasing the total dimensions of the unit at all. CF storage is cheaper than SD, and you can get a wide range of non-storage devices in a CF card form factor (wifi, gps, camera, etc).

Yeah, or better yet PCMCIA, it is only a bit longer and would give us 60GB HDD option, CF option, and Wifi/LAN or modem options. (Fully supported by MMSP2 btw)

USB Host without the BoB. Cost is negligible since we know we already have USB Host via EXT. With just one host port we could hook up a keyboard+mouse, or a gamepad for some 2-player action.

Agreed, the Surface Mounted Component necessary for proper termination is likely under $2, add a power circuit and we would be home free for ~$5 to $10

Bluetooth. Chipset costs under $10. Would allow us to use mice and keyboards without a BoB. Could also allow sync and transfer with phones and such.

meh, I wouldn't use it, unless there is a Bluetooth mouse as small as the Targus Ultra-mini mouse.

IR. $10 for the chipset and hardware. An IRDA port would allow the system to be controlled by remote when it is being used as a TV-out media player, and would allow the unit itself to be used as a universal remote.

Hmm, why not just a plug-in deal that uses the EXT, oh wait, you could build this yourself, PASS. (there are options using the Palm Pilot EXT Serial, simply use one of those modified for the GP2X, no biggie)

Total increase in cost, assuming $40 for the LCD change, is going to be around $65. Would you pay $245 instead of $180 to get a "GP3X" with those features?

No, I would if:

PCMCIA(or just IDE for 1.8" HDDs, they run on 3.3 volts you know )
VGA out
A/V IN
(these three features are technically free, requiring only traces out on the board and a different Conexant chip[for the video IN, it already has full support for VGA onboard],

A GoForce 5500 would make instant OpenGL possible, and I think might be able to do TV-Out (I can't recall if it does though.)

My cost for that with the goforce 5500, probably pushing $300, I don't know if it would be worth it, add a 1 or 2GB NAND and $300 would be very very tempting.

I am hoping to spur some serious debate here. Some of these ideas can be implemented by the really good hardware modders. But what would be nice is to provide GPH (or maybe even GP) with ideas for their next console. Who knows, we might see it in a year or two.

If the Xbox portable would be a "pocket Xbox" WITH media center XP FULL running on it I would part with $300 to $400 for it. Unless the GP3X sports a "real" full openGL compatible 3d accelerator I will likely remain unimpressed by it (I need to see at minimum a GeForce 3 level of acceleration, should likely be possible with some form of 7300 core at half-clock or half transistor count, the 7900 core is AWESOME, the 7600 and 7300 are offshoots.)

I guess my real dream is that AMD and nVidia could partner for a System On A Chip with a GeodeNX and an nForce2 (North and South bridges) redesigned for low-power on a small process such as 65nm (or smaller ), then we could see some sweet Portables.

Wifi a necessity.
3d hardware accelerated in some small way (instead of 2nd cpu?).

Wifi OPTION is a necessity, but we already have it , put a USB thumb wifi under your shell, plenty of room you know.

My ideal gp2x would have:

1.Powered USB host ports
2.Built in mini-keyboard
3.Speaker Upgrade
4.Built in WiFi

Im currently working on one using a DS shell

I just hope it works out my gp2x all naked like is scary

Ouch, that seems like it will drain your batteries even worse than now. How do you plan to power it all?

lithium pack

NOOOOO!! Lithuim pack OPTION, I can run everything off of 4 AA NiMH (USB Host, 1.8" or 2.5" HDD, Wifi, the GP2X, etc), the oly problem now is the chunky design of the GP2X, the front panel could be squeezed in a couple MM's and the back panel could easily incorporate 4 AA.

Or make the battery a "pack" or modular option, IE, use AA, or slimmer (and more expensive) Li-Ion batteries.

A comprimise would be 4-8 AAA and/or a couple AA batteries to power various voltages.

 

[g4m3r]

My "super-gp2x" would just have...

- an improved joystick (the stick is fine, but it feels as if the stick is rubbing against the side)

- a slight performance upgrade (maybe 250mhz normal and minimum of 300mhz overclocked)

- better speakers

Those are the only things I would like. I don't really want WiFi (web browsing with a joystick is a pain (PSP <_<), and a BoB is fine if I want USB hosting.

 

[z32fairlady]

a dpad is a must. Without anything else if counting battery constraints in.

If battery constraint is not a problem I'll want wifi and powered USB port too.

Touchscreen? Powerful CPU (as those PDAs do)? Only if somebody could do this in exchange for a fee

 

[___]

I would also like a d-pad, bluetooth would be nice, wifi is not needed if we have bluetooth. Also a touchscreen would be awesome (*dreams ds emulation* lol)... everything else is secondary. My unit has always worked just fine the way it is.

 

[Epicenter]

MagicEyes, maker of the MMSP2 IC that is the heart of the GP2X, offers a custom ASIC service. I'd have them build a custom unit using a higher-clocked ARM9 core (if possible, 300 Mhz+ at stock, ideally overclockable to the ~400 Mhz range. Maybe 400 Mhz stock even.) If possible, I'd opt for an ARM11 with hardware floating point unit (!!).

I'd have them switch out the ARM940T for a 2D Processing Unit, their model with full hardware scaling, rotation and alpha support-- this would provide massive acceleration to 2D titles like that which I'm developing. If this would prevent inclusion of the 3D accelerator, so be it. If both could be shoehorned in, that'd be excellent.

I'd raise the RAM spec to 128MB and up the onboard NAND at least 256MB. I would add at least one USB port on the unit for hosting external devices, which could then be attached to a small hub. There'd be a microphone input port in addition to the output for recoding capability. Volume would be handled with a potentiometer on the outside and just locked to 100% in software.

The display I'd probably leave the same, really-- probably opt for the MK2 display.

I'd alter the control scheme; switch the stick for a D-Pad or a microswitched model. B/A/X/Y would have stiffer membranes underneath for slightly faster popup so they're a bit less mushy-- not that they're much of a complaint now. The shoulder buttons would also be a bit clickier.

I really have been meaning to compile these suggestions into a list for GPH to consider for their next machine, if they make one (I hope they do.) Perhaps some could be added in future revisions of the GP2X, though I wouldn't recommend switching SoCs unless they could say; add the 2D Accelerator without removing the 940T.

 

[michaeljustman]

SNES style button layout.

Definitely wifi.

Second SD card slot for more data or SDIO.

Host mode USB port, (maybe powered by a third battery?)

 

[Sonic-NKT]

the gp2x sd slot does support SDIO, there are just no (opensource) linux driver (yet)

 

[mittens]

Well, as long as AA-design is one of my favorite points of GP2x, most suggestions in this thread sound not for me, sorry. I like the idea of FPU and larger ram, though.

I hope all GP2x successors have ultimate mobility - AA. (and of course, less power consumption, longer play time)

 

[OMars]

Ok here we go:
-Remove any unnecessary parts from the SoC(to lower cost and battery consumption)
-Make the NAND a lot bigger(256/512MB, for apps and better firmware)
-Make the standard clock rate 300mhz(better performance)
-Add some kind of wireless(for file transfer or multiplayer)
-Make the enclosure more like the GP32's
-Maybe add a built-in charging mechanism

That is all. :blink:

 

[gamefan999]

I think we need a life, the Universe and everything emulator.

Doh! You skipped a step, dinn'ya? Just give us "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", had to be some serious processing power in that baby.

Anyway, I would add (in deference to my first and still love, the Archos PMA 400)
- 30GB + HDD (PMA has!)
- wireless access (PMA has!)
- bluetooth (could be useful, use cellphone to access internet out of wifi hotspot range)

All the rest stays as is. Especially the awesome non-proprietary batteries! Whoever would change the screen is a lunatic (touchscreen excluded). Additional CPU power/RAM/whatever it takes to get the thing more processing power is also on the list.

%^)

 

[jmetal88]

I think we need a life, the Universe and everything emulator.

Doh! You skipped a step, dinn'ya? Just give us "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", had to be some serious processing power in that baby.

Anyway, I would add (in deference to my first and still love, the Archos PMA 400)
- 30GB + HDD (PMA has!)
- wireless access (PMA has!)
- bluetooth (could be useful, use cellphone to access internet out of wifi hotspot range)

All the rest stays as is. Especially the awesome non-proprietary batteries! Whoever would change the screen is a lunatic (touchscreen excluded). Additional CPU power/RAM/whatever it takes to get the thing more processing power is also on the list.

%^)

We need the Deep Thought processing core.

 

[gamefan999]

We need the Deep Thought processing core.

Ha! GP equivalent = "I now present to you every ROM ever conceived. Now, what's this thing you are calling an emulator?"

 

[nubie]

My "super-gp2x" would just have...

- an improved joystick (the stick is fine, but it feels as if the stick is rubbing against the side)

- a slight performance upgrade (maybe 250mhz normal and minimum of 300mhz overclocked)

- better speakers

Those are the only things I would like. I don't really want WiFi (web browsing with a joystick is a pain (PSP <_<), and a BoB is fine if I want USB hosting.

It probably is, my motherboard in my mark 2 is shifted. I just haven't got around to shifting it straight.

The First Edition I owned got its board in to the side a little, I shifted it and the stick was properly centered.

The only real problem with the stick is that it has to move too far to take up all the slack before the "press" actually happens, I would shim it if it were possible. (it would likely be the simplest mod to the existing set-up)

 

[g4m3r]

My "super-gp2x" would just have...

- an improved joystick (the stick is fine, but it feels as if the stick is rubbing against the side)

- a slight performance upgrade (maybe 250mhz normal and minimum of 300mhz overclocked)

- better speakers

Those are the only things I would like. I don't really want WiFi (web browsing with a joystick is a pain (PSP <_<), and a BoB is fine if I want USB hosting.

It probably is, my motherboard in my mark 2 is shifted. I just haven't got around to shifting it straight.

The First Edition I owned got its board in to the side a little, I shifted it and the stick was properly centered.

The only real problem with the stick is that it has to move too far to take up all the slack before the "press" actually happens, I would shim it if it were possible. (it would likely be the simplest mod to the existing set-up)

Shim the stem of the cap?

 

[DrDerekDoctors]

I will no go into processing power because there is never enought of it.

Sure there is! There's enough at the point that movie playback is nice and smooth and the machine can emulate the SNES and every arcade machine up to 1997 perfectly. That's *precisely* fast enough.