New User - Please Help With Questions

[Fueler]

1. The GP2X I received has 3.0.0 firmware installed. Should I downgrade to an older firmware ie. 2.1.1 (+SDHC support 2.1.2)? What is the pros/cons of using 3.0.0?

2. Can the GP2X be powered through the EXT connector? I would like to just power the cradle and set the GP2X in the cradle. I have tested powering the cradle through the GP2X wall power.

3. In 3.0.0 there is no Utility menu. To install the SDL libraries I just ran the .gpe file from the Game submenu. Is there a good guide to which SDL library to install and how? The GP2X wiki only gives links to the GP2X archive which contains multiple links to the SDL libraries. The one I would like to install is paerns(sp?) HW accelerated version, but unsure if I did the right steps. I have successfully compiled/ran the demo in the wiki on the GP2X.

4. Where is a link to information on creating a JTAG connector to the cradle and software needed to use it?

5. In 3.0.0 firmware the tester app does not show icons for the buttons so all I see are white blocks that turn black when I press the associated button.

6. How do I clean the NAND in 3.0.0. I could care less about the installed games. I have tried to mount the NAND on boot but the Explorer app does not allow the NAND to as a selection. Right now it seems as if I cannot manage the NAND memory.

7. What are the best batteries? So far the system seems to drain batteries' souls. =] I guess a better question is what steps should I take to reduce battery usage?

 

[hal9000]

1. The GP2X I received has 3.0.0 firmware installed. Should I downgrade to an older firmware ie. 2.1.1 (+SDHC support 2.1.2)? What is the pros/cons of using 3.0.0?

That has been treated a billion times. Firmware 3.0.0 is slower on boot (something like 5 sec more), but look nicer. However, Firmware 2.1.1 can look really nice too with additional software (gp2xmenu...). No major compatibility issues.

3. In 3.0.0 there is no Utility menu. To install the SDL libraries I just ran the .gpe file from the Game submenu. Is there a good guide to which SDL library to install and how? The GP2X wiki only gives links to the GP2X archive which contains multiple links to the SDL libraries. The one I would like to install is paerns(sp?) HW accelerated version, but unsure if I did the right steps. I have successfully compiled/ran the demo in the wiki on the GP2X.

SDL is usually statically linked, and the developper decides himself whether he wants to use HW accelerated version or not. You do not have to care about that. If you find an app which needs SDL installation, steps will be explained in its readme.

6. How do I clean the NAND in 3.0.0. I could care less about the installed games. I have tried to mount the NAND on boot but the Explorer app does not allow the NAND to as a selection. Right now it seems as if I cannot manage the NAND memory.

You can telnet your GP2X and do whatever you like on the NAND. But I would advice to let the NAND alone and play with your SDCARD. The NAND contains the system itself, and you don't want to destroy it.

7. What are the best batteries? So far the system seems to drain batteries' souls. =] I guess a better question is what steps should I take to reduce battery usage?

The one given with the value pack are actually quiet good. I did not find any batteries significantly better than them.

 

[Orkie]

Should I downgrade to an older firmware ie. 2.1.1 (+SDHC support 2.1.2)?

No.

 

[woogal]

1. Downgrading is generally considered a bad thing to do. Ignore anything people may say about 2.x being quicker etc because what's more important - having a system that works but is a fraction slower at booting, or risking a brick for hardly any benefit.

3. The gp2x already comes with SDL installed, and most apps don't use the built in libs and include their own instead. The libs you've installed are for a very old version of the firmware that didn't come with some additional sdl libs.

4. There's no need for jtag unless you have a brick or you intend to try and play around with firmwares of your own and you think you may create a brick a few times in the process. If you need the info it should be in http://wiki.gp2x.org somewhere.

6. Use sd cards instead. I believe open2x (a replacement for fw3) will overwrite the nand area anyway and stop you using it for your own apps so you might as well get used to not putting anything there.

 

[juanvvc]

1. The 3.0.0 has a slow boot but the default theme is nicer. You can install more themes and additional menus, so both versions will look exactly the same. The loading time is a little disturbance compared to the risk of bricking the gp2x in the downgrading process.

2. No, it can't. But the cradle can be powered though the EXT connector. Well, actually only the MK2 can, but since you've got a Gp2x with 3.0.0 I suppose yours is modern enough.

3. You have run the SDL demo, so you have installed the correct SDL

4. What do you want the JTAG for? If you compile kernels of your own or develop new firmwares, you need JTAG. Any other case (custom and external hardware), use USB instead.

5. Do you use very often the button test application? I heard that there are nice games and emulators for this console...

6. If you really care, install utility applications as Sterm and Pv2x in the NAND, but leaving the NAND alone is actually the best thing that you can do.

7. To save batteries, run every application with as low frequency as possible. A typical battery will last about two hours. Never under one hour, even if you connect the TV-out and an additional pad.