Leapfrog Didj Homebrew

[chad78]

I don't see why you'd want to spoil that nice hardware by throwing Linux on top of it.
That is such a weird thing to read coming from a guy who has Tux as his avatar.

 

[Orkie]

That is such a weird thing to read coming from a guy who has Tux as his avatar.

Linux is fine, but for such a simple low power system, you may as well use raw HW code (in my opinion anyway).

 

[elan]

But what is smallest Linux??? I mean for mobile phones or game handhelds...
Maybe can be smaller than 48MB so still there will be more than 128MB for homebrew.
And when will be SD card adapter available [developed] than can be that 256MB for Linux and SD-card for homebrew...
I mean like arm DS LINUX... with PIXL...

 

[JSW]

So is this an actual homebrew platform or just something that can be hacked to play homebrew? If it's the former I might buy one to tinker around with, but if it's the latter I really don't see the point.

 

[TaG]

So is this an actual homebrew platform or just something that can be hacked to play homebrew? If it's the former I might buy one to tinker around with, but if it's the latter I really don't see the point.

It's not a homebrew device - its by leapfrog who design 'learning' devices. This ones targetted at 6 to 10 year olds, or should I say this one is targetted at moms to buy for their 6 to 10 year olds because it will have nice gentle games targetted at kids (as PSP and even gba/ds games can be too complicated for 6 year olds).

 

[Nova]

So is this an actual homebrew platform or just something that can be hacked to play homebrew? If it's the former I might buy one to tinker around with, but if it's the latter I really don't see the point.




Exactly!

 

[elan]

True true... It is handheld for small kids... BUT!
IT IS ALSO NEARLY 400MHZ ARM9 PLUS 3D OPENGL 1.1ES HANDHELD FOR 90USD!!! :blink:
So why not???It is not homebrew yet... To make it homebrew is point of this topic

 

[TaG]

True true... It is handheld for small kids... BUT!
IT IS ALSO NEARLY 400MHZ ARM9 PLUS 3D OPENGL 1.1ES HANDHELD FOR 90USD!!! :blink:
So why not???It is not homebrew yet... To make it homebrew is point of this topic

I agree - I was only answering a specific question, ie it was not primarily designed for homebrew.

As Chad has said, any device seems to be a homebrew device these days - some are just 'harder work' than others.

For those with kids you can use the excuse its for them and wait until they get bored with it.

 

[DisgruntleElf]

Has anyone contacted the manufacturer and asked about a development kit? Perhaps if the device doesn't sell to their expectation they might consider going in a homebrew direction if they knew there was an interest. Never hurts to try.

 

[prpplague]

Has anyone contacted the manufacturer and asked about a development kit? Perhaps if the device doesn't sell to their expectation they might consider going in a homebrew direction if they knew there was an interest. Never hurts to try.

Leapfrog is adamant about no thirdparty developers. since the early days of the leapster handheld they have done everything in their power to prevent homebrew development on their devices. i consider their products the "Mt.Everest" of reverse engineering. they obfuscate pcb traces, along with getting custom markings for the IC's they use. i've started a wiki page to document my attempt on getting linux running on the didj, anyone and everyone is well to register there and contribute:

http://www.elinux.org/Didj


prpplague

 

[elan]

Thank You Prpplague!!! Awesome!!!

 

[TaG]

Leapfrog is adamant about no thirdparty developers. since the early days of the leapster handheld they have done everything in their power to prevent homebrew development on their devices.

That's probably because some of their software does not look very complicated and I suspect that people would be able to make stuff that put some of theirs to shame.

 

[nightwheel]

I think it would be smart on Leapfrog's behalf to allow homebrew on the Didj. Isn't Leapfrog's main goal is to teach and allow people to learn to do stuff. And by allowing people to make homebrew on the Didj. They could have system where old kids and teens could have a system. In which they could learn to code and make games for. And these days, lots of older kids and teens. Want to learn to make video games.

It's basically a license to print money if they did that.

 

[elan]

Well but any console manufacturer do same...
Well I will buy DIDJ when will be here in European shops...

 

[prpplague]

I don't see why you'd want to spoil that nice hardware by throwing Linux on top of it.

well there have been some exciting breakthroughs on the Didj device hacking. we have confirmed that the Didj firmware is linux based. the firmware appears to have been built with buildroot, contains uclibc, is eabi based, uses busybox, and a 2.6.20 linux kernel. i've successfully removed the nand flash and dumped it to confirm that the device is loaded with linux. we've also downloaded a firmware update from LeapFrog and confirmed that it has the linux kernel and root filesystems. we've started a page that includes instructions on extracting the image files using a pc running linux:

http://www.elinux.org/Didj_How_to_Extract_Files

more information to follow


prpplague

 

[Orkie]

Get the source from Leapfrog then.

EDIT: I would be tempted to get involved in this, but I can't afford it right now. Maybe in a few months if it is still going I will get one. Though I don't think it is available in the UK :S.
EDIT2: Haha, there is a huge list of swear words in that firmware .
EDIT3: This looks very similar to the Wiz stuff :S.

 

[prpplague]

Get the source from Leapfrog then.

EDIT: I would be tempted to get involved in this, but I can't afford it right now. Maybe in a few months if it is still going I will get one. Though I don't think it is available in the UK :S.

i've already made one call to attempt get source, the customer service representative had no information on source code or the availability of it. i've already made contact with the SFLC for them to investigate.

 

[Orkie]

Well we now know it isn't a Pollux in there at least. The kernel doesn't boot on the Wiz .

 

[nightwheel]

Well since we now know this thing is linux based. By law, doesn't Leapfrog have to give the source to anyone who asks for?

Also, Orkie can you PM a list a the swear words found in this kiddy system's firmware? I need a good a laugh today!

Edit: Orkie sent me the list of the words. AHAHAHA, it's quite the long list. Looks like the Didj devs have a wide vocabulary of swear words.

 

[prpplague]

Well since we now know this thing is linux based. By law, doesn't Leapfrog have to give the source to anyone who asks for?

that is correct, however that doesn't mean they will. it is pretty typical for these types of companies to drag their feet on compliance right up to the point where legal action is imminent. which is why i've been in contact with the SFLC to take care of this right away.