New Gp2x Mk2 Review.

[ingrin]

they replaced them because they couldn't supply the old ones, and the new CPUs may be the same as the old ones, just being clocked to 240mhz by default. Nobody has heard word from GPH.

They are the same rejected 266 CPUs as always. I don't even think they are clocked at 240 by default. The 240 # is what Craigx arived at given the fact that everyone can seem to get their processor to work at that speed. About 95% can get to 250 and a majority can get to 266...

The only thing that should have caught us by surprise is that they actually rotated the stick. We knew it had been suggested, but I don't think anyone knew it was actually going to be done. The rest of the stuff has been known for some time.

 

[Dzz]

well according to the link, it now has 240mhz dualcore cpu. and about the joystick, well, it doesent matter if its the same, the thing is, its altered so it now apparently works far better. and about the screen, it seems it now has a TFT screen, which doesent do interlacing, (somewhat like laptops), and i believe that is better than what was before, else, it would seems strange that GPH would replace them

Craig explained the '240 mhz' thing earlier in the thread. He used that figure because his analysis indicates that it is pretty much a 'guaranteed' safe speed for the gp2x's shipped so far. I don't think there is any hardware change at all, just a different marketing claim for the speed.

As has also been discussed, the screen changed because they had to change suppliers. I'm sure for marketing purposes it makes sense to say "new and improved" but so far only one person we know has even seen the new one.

 

[FluffyPanda]

And despite the fact that he wants to sell them, even he wasn't convinced that the new screen was an improvement.

 

[nickspoon]

Redeeman: You're saying that it's completely different hardware? In which case, if you bought a classic GBA and the GBA SP came out a few weeks later, do you go up to Nintendo and ask for a GBA SP because you bought the original? No.

 

[meancode]

well according to the link, it now has 240mhz dualcore cpu. and about the joystick, well, it doesent matter if its the same, the thing is, its altered so it now apparently works far better. and about the screen, it seems it now has a TFT screen, which doesent do interlacing, (somewhat like laptops), and i believe that is better than what was before, else, it would seems strange that GPH would replace them

Craig explained the '240 mhz' thing earlier in the thread. He used that figure because his analysis indicates that it is pretty much a 'guaranteed' safe speed for the gp2x's shipped so far. I don't think there is any hardware change at all, just a different marketing claim for the speed.

As has also been discussed, the screen changed because they had to change suppliers. I'm sure for marketing purposes it makes sense to say "new and improved" but so far only one person we know has even seen the new one.

I did not see Craig's reply on the subject. At a cursory glance, when it says 240 Mhz, that tells me its 40 Mhz faster and a newer CPU. Especially as Craig stated right after that about the over-clocking in software.

To someone who is not "in the know," reads this forum regularly, or is an expert in all things GP2X, that is a major change in hardware. I thought the idea was to sell to a broader user base, not confuse them. Do you see my point?

Anyways, thanks for clarifying this for me.

Ken

 

[nickspoon]

It's only overclocking if you're going higher than a normal functioning CPU is guaranteed to be able to.

 

[Dzz]

To someone who is not "in the know," reads this forum regularly, or is an expert in all things GP2X, that is a major change in hardware. I thought the idea was to sell to a broader user base, not confuse them. Do you see my point?

Sure, I understand your point. It's not a point about the gp2x itself, t's a point about Craig's article and that confused me as well (which is why I asked him about the 240 mhz statement).

The opinion that I'm trying to express is that GPH is not screwing their user base by making these minor hardware improvements. All products improve incrementally over time and when this year's refrigerator gets an extra light in the freezer compartment I don't bitch at General Electric about it because I bought the old crappy model.

 

[Redeeman]

that comparisin with the ipods are quite useless, as the different ipod models are marketed and sold as different products

 

[ingrin]

that comparisin with the ipods are quite useless, as the different ipod models are marketed and sold as different products

You're right,

Same with the comparison between SP and GBA, they are completely different models with different layouts and different features.

These extremely minor changes are too insignificant to compare to those examples.

 

[Radek]

Consoles and hardware go through revisions all the time. Nothing new here.

nothing as much as this. its basically an entirely different product, with different cpu, differnet joystick, and different screen.

Hmm, I'm not sure that is really true. I don't think the CPU has changed at all unless I missed something. The joystick is exactly the same except it is turned a little bit. The screen does have a different source but seems to be roughly equivalent -- slightly better in some ways, slightly worse in others. I bet that when people start getting the new units we'll see moaning about how they got screwed by not having the old better screen.

well according to the link, it now has 240mhz dualcore cpu. and about the joystick, well, it doesent matter if its the same, the thing is, its altered so it now apparently works far better. and about the screen, it seems it now has a TFT screen, which doesent do interlacing, (somewhat like laptops), and i believe that is better than what was before, else, it would seems strange that GPH would replace them

For the stick - it's better to have ordinal bias than diagonal one but rest of its issues will remain. I'm puzzled why GPH didn't go further with it... It needed PCB change so they could as easily mount something completely different. For signal compatibility a SMD demultiplexer would get job done at minimal additional cost.

For the new screen Craigx wasn't that universally impressed either - it looks like being more blurry for a change.
(it was actually changed because of problems getting the previous one)

So the MK2 is better but still not ideal.

 

[FluffyPanda]

that comparisin with the ipods are quite useless, as the different ipod models are marketed and sold as different products

It was really more of an upgrade, they stopped selling one and started on the next (I'm not talkin about the shuffle/mini/nano differences but the full iPod which is on generation 6 iirc). The price often didn't change. If you had just bought a 5th gen iPod and the 6th was announced the following day, tough. A lot like a mk1 vs a mk2 gp2x.

I have a 1st edition 2x, I've had it for quite a while already and the new revision is just an incremental update to me. You're aparantly one of the unlucky ones on the border of the changeover, unfortunately that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Think about the poor folk who bought a MacMini just days before the ram upgrade or the switch to the intel processor was announced. That's a serious shift in power, what's happening here is minor by comparison.

For the stick - it's better to have ordinal bias than diagonal one but rest of its issues will remain. I'm puzzled why GPH didn't go further with it... It needed PCB change so they could as easily mount something completely different.

Because that would have really pissed people off!

 

[reallynotnick]

I am confused why is it called MK2?

Man I wish there was a way to just fix my stick.... Then my gp2x would be perfect, well and the scanlines.

 

[Deed]

I am confused why is it called MK2?

This is marketing ...

 

[Epicenter]

I am confused why is it called MK2?

Man I wish there was a way to just fix my stick.... Then my gp2x would be perfect, well and the scanlines.

It is short for Mark II. People keep abbreviating it more and more; a correct abbreviation would be Mk. II, but a lot of people are using the more confusing MK2 (GP2X: Mortal Kombat 2?)

 

[gaterooze]

Same with the comparison between SP and GBA, they are completely different models with different layouts and different features.

These extremely minor changes are too insignificant to compare to those examples.

Then compare with the GBA-SP and unofficially-named GBA-SP+ -- the latter had a new screen which was MUCH improved.

Now look at the DS and DS Lite!

For the new screen Craigx wasn't that universally impressed either - it looks like being more blurry for a change.

No it's *sharper*, not blurrier -- but has a tighter viewing angle and no scanlines (which is good or bad depending on your view -- seems 90% think the scanlines were terrible). And Craigix has now said that after using it for a while he prefers it to the old one.

Horses for courses.

 

[Radek]

Same with the comparison between SP and GBA, they are completely different models with different layouts and different features.

These extremely minor changes are too insignificant to compare to those examples.

Then compare with the GBA-SP and unofficially-named GBA-SP+ -- the latter had a new screen which was MUCH improved.

Now look at the DS and DS Lite!

For the new screen Craigx wasn't that universally impressed either - it looks like being more blurry for a change.

No it's *sharper*, not blurrier -- but has a tighter viewing angle and no scanlines (which is good or bad depending on your view -- seems 90% think the scanlines were terrible). And Craigix has now said that after using it for a while he prefers it to the old one.

Horses for courses.

Yes... you are right. It was my reading mistake...

But for me the original GP2x's screen is sharp - I can see easily every pixel or even subpixel. It's all looks like different gamma/brightness settings for the new LCD.

And for sake of curiosity is there explanation what is causing the scanlines/interlacing in the current GP2xes?!
(encoder chip, lcd itself or some dumb firmware settings?)

 

[invinciblegod]

Does the new screen work better in sunlight?

 

[DaveC]

The only thing that should have caught us by surprise is that they actually rotated the stick. We knew it had been suggested, but I don't think anyone knew it was actually going to be done. The rest of the stuff has been known for some time.

Actually it is my fault that they fixed the joystick bias. I first discovered the problem here:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showt...4164&hl=dissect

then Craig had GPH look into changing it. I am suprised they actually did it

 

[Radek]

The only thing that should have caught us by surprise is that they actually rotated the stick. We knew it had been suggested, but I don't think anyone knew it was actually going to be done. The rest of the stuff has been known for some time.

Actually it is my fault that they fixed the joystick bias. I first discovered the problem here:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showt...4164&hl=dissect

then Craig had GPH look into changing it. I am suprised they actually did it

I'm too because it needed a change of mainboard PCB. If they were willing to do so then it means (probably) that there are some other changes as well. I doubt that GPH would change PCB design just for that stick.

 

[garteth]

So when's the Mk3 Due?