New Taiwanese LCD GP2 with White Bars

[Vimacs]

could anyone dump the news bios?
edit:
You have to run dumpfw.fxe and upload the created file someware

 

[bast525]

Someone PLEASE make this a sticky ASAP?!?!?!?!?


Thank you Donjj for the info, and to all the non believers who flamed me before for saying this was problem

 

[Drumaster]

Sounds complicated to me....

 

[evilmind]

could anyone dump the news bios?

​

What's the use since it's the same fw and bios than the old batch except for the Taiwanese indication?! :unsure:
It's the lcd hardware that is different in this batch, so coders have to change the actual fw to fit to the new BLUs.

​

I dont think it's the same bios, as someone with the blue line problem mentioned before, that he tryed flash newer version and then put back the original one (this one he thought is original, so probably not the 2004/10 version), and now he got blue line right after GP32 boot...

 

[Vimacs]

the bios did change, if it wouldnt have the firmware would also have the blue line, only programms that uses their own lcd init suffer from this problem,
stuff that dont (like comemrcial games) dont suffer from this problem, a bios dump would help to alter other stuff/see what exactly changed.

ps: the dev guys are working on it

 

[PiNa1971]

Can confirm that my "faulty" unit uses Taiwanese LCD.

FW Version :1.6.6 (2004.10.10) > That's what I have got after Test.

Anyway, situation is not that critical as it seems. For future releases there would be just one more option for coders to add to select if you have older or newer unit. And if GP doesnt plan to get back to Samsung LCDs, then it's the only way to go.

The question is, how the new code will affect old units, but it can probably be bypassed by automatic detection of FW or something. I am not a coder and therefore dont know how hard it is gonna be to add new settings to existing apps.

But I will keep my unit, that's for sure.

BTW: If someone explains me how to dump bios, I will do that.

 

[meandu229]

well i am glad i didnt buy a blu instead,, would annoy me lookin at all the games n apps that i couldn't play,, i know frodo does the line thing does everything screw up straight away or just a few things?? i am wondering,, i hope the magical devs sort it out 4 the unlucky lads/lasses so everyone can marvel at the wonders that is frodo.

 

[donjj]

There are still the original GP32 (without any light) or the FLU as alternative, until things calm down. It will definitely be interesting to see how the new settings work on a original unit with Samsung LCD.

The absolutely best would be to get a BIOS or FIRMWARE that automatically corrects everything, so that the existing emulators and programs don't need an upgrade.

If any moderator can read this, would it be possible to change the thread title to something else than "Lik Sang Dodgy GP32 units". You will agree that this is not Lik Sang's fault and might scare some people away while this is a very unfortunate situation for the complete GP32 community, including Lik Sang as supporters from day #1.

I’d suggest “Dodgy White Bar GP32 Units” or to go away from the dodgy you could use “New Taiwanese LCD GP2 with White Bars”.

 

[bast525]

Now see this is what I'm talking about...


I know I seem to have stepped on some toes with my remarks in threads regarding this problem, and I *AM* sorry if I came off wrong to anyone (really I'm not a troll!!!) but at least I am trying to make some progress... I hope you guys can see that now. I really was trying to be helpful....

So now we have a sticky thread where everyone can follow easily, what's going on, and we've gotten some very good important info that will most likely lead to the complete solution for everyone who got the 'faulty' units, very likely including myself

WITHOUT having to send your unit back to Lik Sang!


Now we really just need to get someone in on this who can really dig into it, a dev or coder or whatever, who can hopefully somehow fix this on the hardware side, via a firmware or bios adjustment, and not need to change every emu/app out there.

 

[aapje89]

BTW: If someone explains me how to dump bios, I will do that.

​

run dumpfirmware

 

[PiNa1971]

I left USB cable at home, so I am gonna dump new bios when I will get home.
If nobody will do that you are gonna find new bios here today evening.

 

[DaveC]

Wow Gamepark sure did create a big fucking mess, just so they could save 50 cents. New units not compatible with old ones, old not compatible with new ones what a mess. What a bunch of idiots! Coders to re-code all of their stuff? That is just rediculous. What about stuff THAT IS NOT UPDATED ANYMORE!! you will always be stuck with a fucked up screen? I say Lik-Sang, GBAX and everyone else stop selling units, drop them all together. They will listen then, if not fuck 'em, they can take their cheap shit Taiwan LCDs and stick them up their arse! Otherwise what will sellers do have to put disclaimers in all adds saying that some stuff is screwed up on the new units? Yeah a big selling feature <_<

Here is one result of their "brilliant move" :

http://www.emuboards.com/invision/index.ph...6205entry206205

MORONS!

 

[Jarska333]

I'm betting the reason for the change is not cheaper price. I'm willing to bet that samsung simply does not produce the lcd's in such quantities as are required.

 

[PiNa1971]

Ok, I just dumped firmware of my "faulty" BLU, you can download it
here

 

[PiNa1971]

I'm betting the reason for the change is not cheaper price. I'm willing to bet that samsung simply does not produce the lcd's in such quantities as are required.

​

Well, I am working at company that sells all electronic components including LCDs. We are sourcing POWERTIP brand from far east. And these days there are HUGE problems there as major supplier of STN glass (company called CPT) stopped production of glass for gfx LCD from 128*64 and up. Most of LCD manufacturers were sourcing glass from them and at the moments it's critical situation there. As no glass means no LCDs. From what I know POWERTIP is trying to produce their own glass but 1st samples will be available at the beginning of the next year. Maybe that's the reason GamePark decided to change LCDs.

 

[DaveC]

I'm betting the reason for the change is not cheaper price. I'm willing to bet that samsung simply does not produce the lcd's in such quantities as are required.

​

Well, I am working at company that sells all electronic components including LCDs. We are sourcing POWERTIP brand from far east. And these days there are HUGE problems there as major supplier of STN glass (company called CPT) stopped production of glass for gfx LCD from 128*64 and up. Most of LCD manufacturers were sourcing glass from them and at the moments it's critical situation there. As no glass means no LCDs. From what I know POWERTIP is trying to produce their own glass but 1st samples will be available at the beginning of the next year. Maybe that's the reason GamePark decided to change LCDs.

​

They should at least have made sure that they actually WORKED though

 

[woogal]

Wow Gamepark sure did create a big fucking mess, just so they could save 50 cents. New units not compatible with old ones, old not compatible with new ones what a mess. What a bunch of idiots! Coders to re-code all of their stuff? That is just rediculous. What about stuff THAT IS NOT UPDATED ANYMORE!! you will always be stuck with a fucked up screen? I say Lik-Sang, GBAX and everyone else stop selling units, drop them all together. They will listen then, if not fuck 'em, they can take their cheap shit Taiwan LCDs and stick them up their arse! Otherwise what will sellers do have to put disclaimers in all adds saying that some stuff is screwed up on the new units? Yeah a big selling feature <_<

Here is one result of their "brilliant move" :

http://www.emuboards.com/invision/index.ph...6205entry206205

MORONS!

​

We all have something to bring to this conversation, but from now on the thing you should bring is silence <_<

It currently seems that the only software effected are apps that hit the hardware directly instead of going through the sdk, which means that most stuff shouldn't need recoding (but that is just based on the limited amount of testing done so far). As Vimacs has already pointed out, coders in #gp32dev have been discussing the problem and mr spiv thinks he may have a plan (described as an evil plan ). I don't know what that plan is, how it would be implemented, or even if it would work, but no-one understands the hardware and bios of the gp32 better than spiv so lets just keep our fingers crossed and try to be constructive rather than destructive.

To all those out there with a 'faulty' blu - could you try testing other apps and post your results here. GpQuake would probably be a good one to try as it runs at high clockspeeds and also uses the gp sdk (the working doom v8 uses the sdk, doom v9 doesn't). Also try and find apps that have been written using mirko's sdk.

 

[don]

Woogal is right. There are some people working on that problem. Mr. Spiv was pointing out that it has something to do with the drawing routines of the official gamepark SDK, those are working, other (optimized?) gfx routines ain't. I'm not sure if it has something to do with high clockspeeds though. If anyone could test that, it would be great - does gpcinema work? Do applications built with mirko's sdk work? (you can get some from my page, cavecopter runs at 133mhz and liquid seawolf with 50). This way, we can try to narrow the potential error sources. Damn I'm really saying exactly what woogal did. Sorry.

 

[Neptune]

None of the overclocking utils start up without the white line...
one of the SNES emus has the white line (cant remember name)

 

[PiNa1971]

I just tested GPQuake v0.4 - all speeds till 166Mhz ... at 166Mhz I played for about 10 minutes ... detail level Low, Very Low, High ... no problems at ALL. I was surprised how the speed improved when overclocked.

I was a bit affraid to go over 166MHz, dont wanna fry my new BLU yet

I there is anything I can test for you, just lemme know.