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[OpenGLFan]

what a MESS

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It's your own mess though. If the feature list differs from the list of features you've made up without doing any research, it can only be your fault if you still bought one.

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Newbie here, but I'll have to agree: mess.

I can sort of understand the lack of wireless. Because GPH isn't getting the revenue stream of, say, Nintendo when licensing games, they have to shave a few features to make their sub-$200 price point. But the lack of a fully-featured USB-host capable port is not excuseable; they've shaved too far and cut an artery. If nothing else, a powered USB-host capable port would let you use a USB bluetooth dongle, annoying but small, or a slightly larger 802.11 dongle, annoying but not too expensive, and worth it for wireless.

I've been waiting for the gp2x for quite a while, but I'm not as optimistic as it once was. Maybe the GP2X doesn't have the PSP's 3D acceleration, but it's all about the gameplay, right? Well, without wireless you use the multiplayer movement that has contributed so much to Nintendo's DS success. If there were workarounds -- using USB or somesuch -- then it might at least be bearable; if you wanted wireless, you could have it, assuming you could stomach a dongle and another $40. But when there's no solution but removing your 1GB SD card and living with only 64MB flash -- that's not a solution, that's a downright crying shame.

 

[barnesy]

There a lot of devices on the market that don't have the features I want. That's why I haven't bought them.

GPH had to draw a line somewhere. You can be pretty sure that a bunch of people wouldn't agree with them whatever choices they make. With an audience like this, they really can't win.

 

[oneandoneis2]

Anyone know what sort of speed the Ext. port supports?

 

[Digital Awakening]

That's some speed difference but personally I'm not that much into media so I would have prefered host mode instead. For fast transfer we could have used cardreaders. They are getting more popular these days, I even have one built into my laptop. Sure transfering 1GB through 12Mb/s would take a long time but personally the stuff I put on my SD card would stay there for quite some time. If I wanted movies I would have bought a batery powered USB HDD to stream them from.

 

[newmark]

as said before you can't, because you don't have a usb host port.
So sorry but you can have ONLY your SD and nothing more

 

[Radek]

Anyone know what sort of speed the Ext. port supports?

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Yes. I know and it's 115.2K bps (as stated in the documentation).
So it's too slow for anything else than a keyboard, a mouse or a modem perhaphs.

as said before you can't, because you don't have a usb host port.
So sorry but you can have ONLY your SD and nothing more

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Actually not just SD but SDIO apparently. It gives more options and there are already SDIO cards both with flash memory and wi-fi for an example.

 

[gfxpulse]

what a MESS

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It's your own mess though. If the feature list differs from the list of features you've made up without doing any research, it can only be your fault if you still bought one.

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Well, I dont think you can blame the guy..
I mean, the FAQ on this site states "USB Peripherals: Since the GP2X's USB host is not powered, to use any peripherals they need to supply their own power. Some examples of peripherals that might work with the GP2X someday are the Apacer Steno Hard Drives and the Cyberpower USB Hubs. Such peripherals operate on their own battery power, so all we need is software to allow the GP2X to interface properly with them. These are NOT guaranteed to work with the GP2X, so don't run out an buy them just yet. But they represent good examples of what might work well with the GP2X in the near future."

So, the FAQ still states it has a USB host.. suckage

 

[Digital Awakening]

The official GP2X site says no host but SDIO (if someone writes dirvers).

Does anybody know if there are any SDIO cards that have WiFi + an SD card reader? Personally I rather plug in a separate SD card into my WiFi card then storing stuff on the WiFi card. The problem is that the WiFi cards have less memory and so I wanna be able to switch.

 

[OCA|]

The problem isn't necissarily that it doens't have USB host... the problem is that a lot of people thought it did because of the massive ammount of misinformation out there. I've been pointed to links to documentation of what was supposedly the SOC used in the GP2x that claimed the chip had USB host support. I don't know the explanation for why it doesn't, I just know that I was lead to believe through FAQs, messageboard posts, and the general community that it had USB host support. I ordered mine before I learned that it didn't have host support.

I'm not particularly upset myself - host support was something that would be neat and allow for a few more options, but nowhere near a deal breaker. But I can imagine if someone purchased it hoping to do WiFi multiplayer with a Wifi USB dongle and a 1 gig SD card, only to find out that's not going to be possible, would be a bit miffed. Along with those who have 20 gig MP3 players running off batteries that can act as an external hard disk and thought they could use the GP2x to watch movies stored on that drive.

I really think this would have been a non issue were it not for the misinformation spread before anyone knew for sure. I know personally I never assume that a USB port means it's going to have USB host support, and when I saw the GP2x, my initial thought was that it wouldn't - up until I read, over and over again, that it did =)


-OCA|

 

[nik166]

Wiki is your friend
Wiki: Secure Digital

"A number of other devices have been proposed but not yet implemented, including RS-232 serial adapters, TV tuners, fingerprint scanners, SDIO to USB host/slave adapters (which would allow an SDIO-equipped handheld device to use USB peripherals and/or interface to PCs),

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yep, i made another part of your text bold

 

[Radek]

Wiki is your friend
Wiki: Secure Digital

"A number of other devices have been proposed but not yet implemented, including RS-232 serial adapters, TV tuners, fingerprint scanners, SDIO to USB host/slave adapters (which would allow an SDIO-equipped handheld device to use USB peripherals and/or interface to PCs),

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yep, i made another part of your text bold

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At first I was very angry about this usb issue. Now I'm much less as there will be workaround. Imho the Ext's UARTs will be usefull for connecting a keyboards and the like. The SDIO for more demanding peripherals.

 

[Digital Awakening]

Right now it seems that a host USB SDIO card is the best solution to any problem. Plug in a USB hub to your SDIO card and then you can connect WiFi, HDD, mouse, keyboard, joystick etc to the hub pretty much turning your handy GP2X into a semi portable entertainment system

So what we need is a USB hub with built in WiFi and HDD. That would be so cool. Skipp those 1GB cards and use a 40-80GB HDD instead to store all your games, music and movies. Don't bother with USB cords just transfer things over your WiFi. And you may be able to play linked or online games.

A problem with USB hubs seems to be power, I have yet to find a battery powered hub. Although, once you have plugged in a hub you get power for all other stuff you have.

Still it would be nice with an SDIO card with WiFi and a SD card reader. But unless that's avalible I guess a WiFi card with memory is the best option for multiplayer/online gaming.

 

[xafier]

Personally I'm not too fussed with the lack of USB host, even if we had it it would still be unpowered...

and why is everyone saying "oh no I cant have a HD and a keyboard and a mouse on my GP2X! what a waste of money"... erm, ever heard of a laptop? might be more use to you!

I kind of like the GP32/2X because its a handheld, no carrying some heavy laptop to play games on the move... once you start adding a HD, keyboard, mouse you might as well have bought a laptop!

 

[Prothall]

Laptops are expensive as the dickens, Xafier. People are now wowed by wide availability of usable $500 ones. GP2X is a nice cheapy and doesn't need an attache case to store it.

That lack of USB host stings me, as one of the niftiest things I was looking for was watching movies on it. That said, it was going to be with my Databrick of a Lacie drive (250GB), so I wasn't going to be going anywhere anyway, and the best thing about the GP2X for me is the games and not the media. In any case, I'm given hope by this SDIO thing - that said, I don't know anything about SDIO gadgets and have never heard of a hub coming out of one. Can someone link to one of those?

 

[Prothall]

Oh, wait, "not yet implemented" means USB Host SDIO things do not physically exist? Ow.

 

[xafier]

Laptops are expensive as the dickens, Xafier. People are now wowed by wide availability of usable $500 ones. GP2X is a nice cheapy and doesn't need an attache case to store it.

yes, but they also have all the functionality these people want, and I'm sorry but, if your paying $200 for a handheld to then use it to play movies from a big hefty HD then why don't people look at portable dvd/divx players? and if you dont plan to use it on the move then why bother investing in a handheld period? :huh:

it just seems from my oppinion people are thinking of the GP2X as some super duper mini computer and want to add all sorts of things to it... I'll be happy and content with playing games, emulators and the odd movie or something on it... if I wanted to play wirelessly or via the net or have a mass of movies on the go I'd look at a different product...

 

[newmark]

i don't understand, if you buy a car and inside your car there is an ibrid engine (gas and fuel), BUT your factory don't attache the gas box to a hole, so you PAY for an ibrid BUT you can't use it?
it's so difficult to understand?
and more... a media station that say that can look dvx and photo, IT's USEFULL with an usb host port, even if without power. don't you agree?

a laptop is not an handheld, but a handheld can permit what you do with your laptop at 80% without any cost (more i read that next gp2x version will have a host port, so why there is not on this, that have the chip inside?)

 

[Radek]

Laptops are expensive as the dickens, Xafier. People are now wowed by wide availability of usable $500 ones. GP2X is a nice cheapy and doesn't need an attache case to store it.

yes, but they also have all the functionality these people want, and I'm sorry but, if your paying $200 for a handheld to then use it to play movies from a big hefty HD then why don't people look at portable dvd/divx players? and if you dont plan to use it on the move then why bother investing in a handheld period? :huh:

it just seems from my oppinion people are thinking of the GP2X as some super duper mini computer and want to add all sorts of things to it... I'll be happy and content with playing games, emulators and the odd movie or something on it... if I wanted to play wirelessly or via the net or have a mass of movies on the go I'd look at a different product...

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Yes of course the GP2x isn't a personal computer however being so small and capable (playing movies, music, e-book, emulators) people get angry because no notebook would be comfortable as media station. SD flash isn't that expensive now but still cann't compete with a small (a not noisy) 2.5 hardrive with USB box. If we get inexpensive 10GB flash then alright but not now. And for a USB host port it could be usefull not only for storage media but also for a keyboard or a joystick. For what you migt ask? Even for an emulator to be able to use it properly when being connected to TV.

i don't understand, if you buy a car and inside your car there is an ibrid engine (gas and fuel), BUT your factory don't attache the gas box to a hole, so you PAY for an ibrid BUT you can't use it?
it's so difficult to understand?
and more... a media station that say that can look dvx and photo, IT's USEFULL with an usb host port, even if without power. don't you agree?

a laptop is not an handheld, but a handheld can permit what you do with your laptop at 80% without any cost (more i read that next gp2x version will have a host port, so why there is not on this, that have the chip inside?)

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A handheld is way smaller than a laptop and will run an batteries for far longer time. Batteries could also be changed quickly as the Ni-MH ones are cheap so I can have a literally tens of hours of actual use. This is not so even with best laptop. So to the question why it wasn't included (usb host) now I don't know. At other hand lack of usb host isn't that bad as there will be some workaronds and finally the uses demanding usb host probably wouldn't that common. In other words someone at GPH didn't think it must be included and given that the MMSP2's native usb is 1.1 version only, GPH decided to add external chip to support USB2. Bad decision? That's depending on a person who you ask and I'm sure we could find someone who would cry of lack of USB2.0.

 

[Digital Awakening]

Where would I use my GP2X? In my bed, on busses and in cars. A laptop is useable in a bed but not very comfortable, the rest is impossible. There are battery powered HDDs out there, getting like a 40GB one would be sweet because the movie capabilities are almost wasted when all you got are tiny expensive SD cards. And USB host would allow for simple linking of 2 units either for trading media or for multiplay.

 

[nik166]

and why is everyone saying "oh no I cant have a HD and a keyboard and a mouse on my GP2X! what a waste of money"... erm, ever heard of a laptop? might be more use to you!

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i have one
but it has 2 hours of battery only, and it doesn't fit in ANY of my pockets

unlike my mp3 jukebox who is also a self powered hard drive

so i'm quite perplex because i REALLY hoped( and i still hope! ) to access the 30G HDD on this player from my GP2x


boring

but by the way, there's still a way, because my MP3 player IS USB HOST ! h34r: but it's much less user friendly to access the GP2x from the hdd