My First Experiences With The Gp2x...

[AniMisM]

So I was delighted at first to have received my GP2X a few days ago, but that was quickly over with as I ran into multiple problems with it.
First thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the box was that the Power/Battery plate was upside down, no way to pop it out and reverse it.. crap. Second thing I noticed was that there was no protective vinyl layer on the screen, but they did still manage to apply the tape tag directly onto the screen lol, needless to say the screen was not protected very well and got slightly marked up.. I'm getting pretty annoyed at this point.. I was told every unit was inspected and quality checked before shipping! Next, I pulled out the top screen (the one that sticks on) and noticed after removing the vinyl that in one corner there's a goop of glue and a little chip out of the black border. %#&!, I decide to test some funtionality... formatted my SD card to FAT32 using a card reader like I've read to do on these forums, copy the files to the root, stick it in the GP2X and fire it up, the GP2X just starts as normal with no firmware updating. The weird thing is it's reading the card because if I go into utilities I can see the patch file.. I held off running this as I've heard it will brick my GP2X if it wasn't flashed on boot first. I tried plugging in the USB cable to a PC and a Mac, niether detected it, I tried 2 different cables, nothing. I can't tell by the screen if the GP2X is connected or not because with or without a cable connected it says "USB Connected" with "Disconnect" at the bottom, nothing selectable. I bought from gbax with a 1GB Integral card, trying to get a hold of them now to get this fixed but it will take a while I'm sure. I didn't expect this kind of experience

</rant>

 

[tengen]

haven't you been keeping up around here? the gp2x first edition, the one you got, is more like the beta (or equiv.) i've heard that the actual "consumer" release will be january when gph will supposedly fix their hardware/software problems.

 

[Yuglooc]

First thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the box was that the Power/Battery plate was upside down, no way to pop it out and reverse it.. crap. Second thing I noticed was that there was no protective vinyl layer on the screen, but they did still manage to apply the tape tag directly onto the screen lol, needless to say the screen was not protected very well and got slightly marked up.

You have not removed the last layer.

Next, I pulled out the top screen (the one that sticks on) and noticed after removing the vinyl that in one corner there's a goop of glue and a little chip out of the black border. %#&!

My guess, the last layer, but post pic, I may be seriously wrong

I tried plugging in the USB cable to a PC and a Mac, niether detected it, I tried 2 different cables, nothing. I can't tell by the screen if the GP2X is connected or not because with or without a cable connected it says "USB Connected" with "Disconnect" at the bottom, nothing selectable.

Why would you If you got a card reader.

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

 

[AniMisM]

You have not removed the last layer.

Doubtful, but then please enlighten me how to do so.

My guess, the last layer, but post pic, I may be seriously wrong

I removed the layer, but regardless, what does that have to do with the scratched border?

Why would you If you got a card reader.

Because it didn't work using the card reader, I figured I'd try another method.

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

You don't sell pre-release beta crap if that's the case, you select people and let them try it for free. It's not like this is a multi-platform thing.

 

[Steve Warner]

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

I can only speak for myself here, but when I ordered mine, there was no notice indicating that the unit would be a pre-release, that the software was not finalized, or that I'd have to beta test anything. With the delayed release from October till now, it made me even more confident that the little bugs were being worked out and that the product would be in great condition on arrival. It wasn't until I found this forum that I became aware that I was part of a grand beta testing experiment and that my unit might be unusable or defective for any number of reasons.

I'm still happy to own a GP2X, but had I actually known the unit was a pre-release, I would have waited to order. I just didn't have that option.

 

[evilsaywhat]

I take it you think the red tag was applied directly to the screen because it peeled off by itself. I had to take the corner of a razor blade to the edge of the screen to get the sticker to start to come off, then I was able to peel it completely off.

 

[AniMisM]

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

I can only speak for myself here, but when I ordered mine, there was no notice indicating that the unit would be a pre-release, that the software was not finalized, or that I'd have to beta test anything. With the delayed release from October till now, it made me even more confident that the little bugs were being worked out and that the product would be in great condition on arrival. It wasn't until I found this forum that I became aware that I was part of a grand beta testing experiment and that my unit might be unusable or defective for any number of reasons.

I'm still happy to own a GP2X, but had I actually known the unit was a pre-release, I would have waited to order. I just didn't have that option.

​

Same here, I've just now learned that it's considered pre-release. Had I known this I definately wouldn't have bought it. There was no mention of it being pre-release at all. Why would anyone want to pay full price for a pre-release?? And why would a pre-release constitute backwards assembly and scratches?

 

[AniMisM]

I take it you think the red tag was applied directly to the screen because it peeled off by itself. I had to take the corner of a razor blade to the edge of the screen to get the sticker to start to come off, then I was able to peel it completely off.

​

Yes, and I tried with sharp objects to peel an edge too, but I didn't want to damage the screen, I'll keep trying I guess, nothing to lose.

 

[Hanz™]

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

I can only speak for myself here, but when I ordered mine, there was no notice indicating that the unit would be a pre-release, that the software was not finalized, or that I'd have to beta test anything. With the delayed release from October till now, it made me even more confident that the little bugs were being worked out and that the product would be in great condition on arrival. It wasn't until I found this forum that I became aware that I was part of a grand beta testing experiment and that my unit might be unusable or defective for any number of reasons.

I'm still happy to own a GP2X, but had I actually known the unit was a pre-release, I would have waited to order. I just didn't have that option.

​

Same here, I've just now learned that it's considered pre-release. Had I known this I definately wouldn't have bought it. There was no mention of it being pre-release at all. Why would anyone want to pay full price for a pre-release?? And why would a pre-release constitute backwards assembly and scratches?

​

Yeah I don't know where this pre-release thing was mentioned. I thought first batch != prerelease ?

 

[Rayek]

I honestly think you should not have been a pre-release tester, and should have waited for the propper release.

impossible unless he has some gaming crystal ball which tells him not to order things before anyone else knows they are 'betas'. if you pre ordered one and got one, it wasn't like you knew the unit was going to be faulty out of the box, they made the decision to re release the unit after the first batch had been distributed, you can't diss on him for not having the choice of being a 'beta tester' before actually knowing he had a choice.

 

[Yuglooc]

Well, GPH did it to raise money because they where going bankrupt.

 

[nubie]

use a plastic fork to peel up the screen vinyl scratch at the corner a bit and it will start to come up

 

[danchamp]

Same here, I've just now learned that it's considered pre-release. Had I known this I definately wouldn't have bought it. There was no mention of it being pre-release at all. Why would anyone want to pay full price for a pre-release?? And why would a pre-release constitute backwards assembly and scratches?

​

Then send it back for a refund and stop whining. If it's damaged you're perfectly entitled to do so.

 

[evening2005]

I take it you think the red tag was applied directly to the screen because it peeled off by itself. I had to take the corner of a razor blade to the edge of the screen to get the sticker to start to come off, then I was able to peel it completely off.

​

Yes, and I tried with sharp objects to peel an edge too, but I didn't want to damage the screen, I'll keep trying I guess, nothing to lose.

​

I wouldn't use anything that could damage a plastic surface! I just picked at a corner of mine with my fingernail until a corner of the film came away - it only took about 30 seconds to do it.

 

[Drak]

Noob. :rolleyes:

 

[Ferentix]

This actually nearly makes me glad to not be among the early pre-orderers I guess I'll wait until the "real" release...

 

[AireTamStorm]

Yeah I don't know where this pre-release thing was mentioned. I thought first batch != prerelease ?

​

The official release is January (or is it 1stQ) 2006. I knew the second I clicked "Pay up" that it was prerelease because I did my homework in the forums.

You don't go buying something online without reading up on the facts. If you do, sooner or later you'll pay someone, and nothing will arrive in the mail.