Potential Buyer

[mm0204]

Howdy everyone... well, here's what happened... my iPod just died and i've been looking at getting a new one op perhaps a psp, but, they're just so darn $$$$$... so, whilst googling around, i discovered the gpx2...

1. plays mp3 - just like ipod
2. plays ogg - ummm, not like ANYTHING unless u run RockBox... hmmmmm
2. plays divx, xvid, mp4 vids - just like ipod
3. runs linux (i'm an open source fanatic) - well.... ipodlinux is out there but....
4. plays SERIOUS amounts of video games - not even close to ipod... obviously the psp plays more games but...
5. has a huge developer base - uhhhh just apple and sony... hmmmmm....

so, here's what i'm getting at... i am NOT a programmer but i LOVE gadgets, love linux, love games, can't live w/o music, love movies... is the gp2x a good choice for me? is the music player up to snuff? can it handle .m3u playlists? xml playlists (a la iTunes)? are there any homebrew/community driven music players that do handle the before mentioned? i read a review on someone's blog of their personal experience and this guy ended up busting his joystick after like 2 months and essentially bricking the whole thing... is this a common experience?

my birthday is in like 3 weeks and i know i'm gonna have bday $$ burnin a hole in my pockets...


thanks,

Matthew aka Dawg

 

[gavie]

1. plays mp3 - just like ipod
2. plays ogg - ummm, not like ANYTHING unless u run RockBox... hmmmmm
2. plays divx, xvid, mp4 vids - just like ipod
3. runs linux (i'm an open source fanatic) - well.... ipodlinux is out there but....
4. plays SERIOUS amounts of video games - not even close to ipod... obviously the psp plays more games but...
5. has a huge developer base - uhhhh just apple and sony... hmmmmm....

I wouldn't compare a GP2X with an ipod..
Anyway if you like linux, and open source, then that's a big plus for the GP2X..
Next to a nice developer base, this is also a very nice community, I can't say that when checking some of the psp forums..

so, here's what i'm getting at... i am NOT a programmer but i LOVE gadgets, love linux, love games, can't live w/o music, love movies... is the gp2x a good choice for me?

As for games, it depends on what kind of games you love, the GP2X is a nice machine for emulation, it has homebrew, and it's not to hard to program your own stuff for it..
If you like fancy 3D games, go for a PSP
As for movies, the player is very nice, but with high quality movies, the sound might be out of sync, then you just have to re-encode it to a smaller format (does fit better on SD anyway) and everything is fine

is the music player up to snuff? can it handle .m3u playlists? xml playlists (a la iTunes)?

The standard music player is very good, but it can't handle playlists.. There are other homebrew apps for that, so yes, you can do about anything..

are there any homebrew/community driven music players that do handle the before mentioned?
As for movies, the player is very good, if you have an high quality movie, video and sound might be out of sync, you just have to re-encode it to a smaller format (will ask less space of your SD card anyway) and everything will be fine

Yes

i read a review on someone's blog of their personal experience and this guy ended up busting his joystick after like 2 months and essentially bricking the whole thing... is this a common experience?

No it's not, the joystick is pretty good on the new model, and very durable. If you don't do anything strange updating firmware (use an adapter while updating, no batteries), your system won't brick.. Bricking it is very uncommon, and if it happens you can either send it back or try to unbrick it.

 

[Orkie]

If you brick your system, the chances of it being permenant are slim to none assuming you have some kind of JTAG connection.

 

[MrHillBilly]

are there any homebrew/community driven music players that do handle the before mentioned?
As for movies, the player is very good, if you have an high quality movie, video and sound might be out of sync, you just have to re-encode it to a smaller format (will ask less space of your SD card anyway) and everything will be fine

I have made videos at 1200 kbps with no problems with sound, when I used DVDFab to convert them.

Plus your videos do not cost anything other than the rental fee to make videos for the GP2X, and you can also play them on a regular TV for $10. I think the PSP TV adapter is still over $80.

 

[Zeladin]

Only major disadvantage over an ipod, is that it hasn't got a built in harddrive... but it can take 4gb sd cards, about $30 ish I think, and you can connect a HD using the usb host, with a little bit of applied technical expertise.

Bigger screen than any Ipod I've seen... runs off AA batteries, so if you run out in the depths of some South American/ middle of that big flat state that has no people living in it, you can probably still get replacement batteries...

But to really get the most out of it, you'll have to try some homebrew stuff, I think craigamp does playlists.. The movie player is dead easy to use, and provided you use Pocket divx to encode(Its free) videos should do fine.

The Gp2x does not compare to the PSP in terms of 3d, but it can do it, and its only likely to improve.

It has a TV-out too, which is deadly cool...

 

[bhess]

This is what I say to anyone who is considering getting a GP2X: If you like retro gaming, the GP2X is what you're looking for.

 

[J201605]

I would never recommend the gp2x as a dedicated music player. Based on the interests you stated I think you should get one but you should also get some little 30 dollar mp3 player along with it because the gp2x is not a good mp3 player to just have sitting in your pocket while your doing things around the house or running. It has a large exposed screen which makes it not very durable. It is big. It is hard to control in your pocket. The headphone jack is in an awkward position for having in your pocket.

 

[Auritribe]

The GP2X is the jack of many trades, master of maybe one or two.

It fails as a dedicated music player, but shines as a back up if you're in a bind.

That's the way I see it at least.

 

[mm0204]

The GP2X is the jack of many trades, master of maybe one or two.

It fails as a dedicated music player, but shines as a back up if you're in a bind.

That's the way I see it at least.

This is sorta what i figured... i really like retro-gaming, i would LOVE to be able to carry a few movies arround w/ me as well... i probably would get a cheepo mp3-player for day to day stuff... the emulators are all very cool... i was reading about GPE today and it looks cool, don't have a good handle on exactly what it does or how well it would work on the GP2X... not so concerned about 3d gaming on the move, i have my PS2 at home so... any other thoughts or advice are welcome...

i've been reading that GamePark has gone out of business, but Game Park Holdings is not... i'm very confused about what this all means? i would have thought they were the same... does this mean no more gp2x consoles to be built? is the platform going away?

thanks again,

matt

 

[Ravnos]

i've been reading that GamePark has gone out of business, but Game Park Holdings is not... i'm very confused about what this all means? i would have thought they were the same... does this mean no more gp2x consoles to be built? is the platform going away?

No. Game Park Holdings make the GP2X and they're still in business. Game Park, the company that GPH split off from, previously made the GP32 and were planning to release the XGP handheld. That's the one that won't be built. The GP2X is fine.

 

[Micket]

Who cares about mp3 and ogg?
nsf, spc, vgz, gym, kss, hes, sap, xm, mod, sid, stm, okt, far and a shitload more.
Now thats the shit!

 

[Lint]

Everybody cares for mp3 and ogg

If you do use linux, keep in mind that most people here use windows based encoders to re-encode mpeg4 files to be able to play correctly on gp2x, all of my mplayer/mencoder linux encoded xvids were useless when trying to play in gp2x (crappy playback), don't trust the video playing in gp2x, it's a game console.

Also a bunch of people have joystick-related problems, often is the first joystick which had no grip, but I see a large number of people who got a 2nd gen. gp2x that the left direction won't register anymore in the stick

For music playing, you can stick with the regular mp3 player that's quite crappy or get a much better player, but I don't know if the other players are capable of driving the lcd screen off, which saves much of the battery life

If you're looking for snes or gba, I would go for a psp, anything else gp2x will do
The best thing in buying a gp2x is that you're buying a console that is minded for consumer satisfaction, not this drm'ed crippled hardware we see today that is defective by design...

Remember that buying gp2x you'll most likely have to buy a battery pack and a charger or an AC power supply and eventually a protective case, so the console is a bit more expensive than what it looks like

 

[mm0204]

Everybody cares for mp3 and ogg

If you do use linux, keep in mind that most people here use windows based encoders to re-encode mpeg4 files to be able to play correctly on gp2x, all of my mplayer/mencoder linux encoded xvids were useless when trying to play in gp2x (crappy playback), don't trust the video playing in gp2x, it's a game console.

anybody else care to weigh in on the joystick problem? if i'm gonna spend US$200 on a console and then the joystick craps out... also, anybody else care to weigh in on the linux encoded vids? i also have a couple mac's and i wonder if that would be better... i don't run window$ at my house!!!!

thanks for all the input

Matt

:blink:

 

[moxie]

The joystick is an eternal debate on these forums. Some people hate the stick to death, other people swear by it. I probably would have been happier with a D-pad kind of thing, but it really, honestly, doesn't matter. Not to me, at least. I have no trouble with my stick

Mind, a lot of the more outspoken stick-haters bought the GP2x in its MKI incarnation. The stick (along with a lot of other things) definitely was worse on those. If you get a new one (with "new" being something like "Not more than a year old"), it's a MKII model, on which the stick is much improved. Or so they say - I waited for the MKII before buying, and has been happy ever since

I don't watch much videos, but the few times I have done that, it went quite well despite being reencoded on my linux box. Then again, "video encoding" seems to be this hardware generations equivalent to "SCSI chaining and termination", in that it really is not a repeatable science, but rather a black art where every instance is unique and needs a unique solution, and every practitioner worth his salt has a super saver pack of black wax candles in the cupboard and a few small animals ready for sacrifice, should the need arise.

 

[b._.o._.b]

it really is not a repeatable science, but rather a black art where every instance is unique and needs a unique solution, and every practitioner worth his salt has a super saver pack of black wax candles in the cupboard and a few small animals ready for sacrifice, should the need arise.

Edgar Allen Poe or Moxie? Anyway, quite impressive for someone living in Sweden

 

[Goemon4]

Howdy everyone... well, here's what happened... my iPod just died and i've been looking at getting a new one op perhaps a psp, but, they're just so darn $$$$$... so, whilst googling around, i discovered the gpx2...

1. plays mp3 - just like ipod
2. plays ogg - ummm, not like ANYTHING unless u run RockBox... hmmmmm
2. plays divx, xvid, mp4 vids - just like ipod
3. runs linux (i'm an open source fanatic) - well.... ipodlinux is out there but....
4. plays SERIOUS amounts of video games - not even close to ipod... obviously the psp plays more games but...
5. has a huge developer base - uhhhh just apple and sony... hmmmmm....

so, here's what i'm getting at... i am NOT a programmer but i LOVE gadgets, love linux, love games, can't live w/o music, love movies... is the gp2x a good choice for me? is the music player up to snuff? can it handle .m3u playlists? xml playlists (a la iTunes)? are there any homebrew/community driven music players that do handle the before mentioned? i read a review on someone's blog of their personal experience and this guy ended up busting his joystick after like 2 months and essentially bricking the whole thing... is this a common experience?

my birthday is in like 3 weeks and i know i'm gonna have bday $$ burnin a hole in my pockets...


thanks,

Matthew aka Dawg

Ok first off, its mp3 playing functions are nice imo, i to am a music junkie (and also just lost my ipod due to constantly hacking/modding it) but i find the 2x's music playing functions quite nice (with CraigAmp, GMU, or the built in one) idk if any support play lists, but you could always throw all the songs onto a folder on your sd and play it from there

i like its movie player to, i hardly use it, but if you encode it right (which is simple) its quite good, i have clerks 1 + 2 on my 2x, and they play fine

yes, it has linux, but unlike ipodlinux it is actually functional..... and yes, its games are great, it has tons of good homebrew, but really shines in retro emulation, i find it alot better than the psp in this area, since most of the psp's homebrew isnt that good (imo) and all the psp is really about is psx emulation and XMB hacking, i dont enjoy running to many emulators, since most of the stuff i play, the 2x emulates better (or the same) and the joystick is ok, im having problems with mine but thanks to the post about the 2x supermod (i forgot the poster) i have a clear idea of how to fix it (now to learn how to solder )

i would say get it, it can do just about alot and i dont really see any faults except for the stick, but mine is old (but still a MKII) so the newer ones are probably alot better, and dont forget, if your into media, definatly get a good sd card, or else you wont have to much fun!

 

[woogal]

plays ... mp4 vids

No it doesn't. If you have any .mp4 you'll need to convert them to .avi

 

[moxie]

Edgar Allen Poe or Moxie? Anyway, quite impressive for someone living in Sweden

*takes a bow* I have my moments. It's the actual time passing between those moments that is the problem

 

[bhess]

Also, make sure you read the readme's for everything you install......

 

[mm0204]

well... i think it's decided... if i get enough $$$ for my birthday next month i'll probably be buying one... i c that play-asia.com has the value pak listed at US$189 and gp2x.co.uk (or whatever it is) has it listed at US$209... any thoughts what the best place would be for me in the good ole USofA should get one? Also, i'm gonna try to find a 4GB SD card, are there particular brands to use that are better? particular brands to avoid?

LOL @ Black Art (don't even mention SCSI chaining... i'm liable to end up in the corner in the fetal position whimpering!)... i use ffmpegx to convert on my Mac (uses mplayer/mencoder)

haven't really tried converting in Linux yet... also, i don't have USB 2.0 on any of my boxes... will it be worth it to add a card to my linux box for speed of file transfer? ( i always used ieee1394/firewire, with my ipod)


i have to say, the community seems very friendly... i see people posting about GBA games, i assume that's Game Boy Advance... what all emulators are out there? can someone point me to a (more or less) comprehensive list or source?

hope to post again soon as the proud owner of a gp2x!