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Xafier: Very valid. However, understand that people here are neither gushing about the glories of the GP2X nor calling it the spawn of Satan. I think the offering of opinions on this is a good idea, and I think the misleading published (non-official, of course) data and vast potential of a USB host are the reasons for this outcry. Just as they are not compelled to buy the system, do recall that you are not compelled to peruse this thread. Please do, though, as we can use a voice in opposition so we don't fall all over ourselves in our misery.
Radek - you have the nail on the head. I use my laptop in bed to watch movies, as it's so old it's no good for anything else (I paid $50 for it). I can say with certitude that, surprising as it is, you can watch movies over USB 1.1. I do so constantly using my 250GB USB HD. I would much rather use this USB HD, even if it requires a wall outlet, than a similarly priced SD card, since such a card would probably hold 4GB or less.
Supporting SD is fine - there's no other option for a genuinely portable system. Not having a USB host is a little confusing and sad, though I don't hate or detest GamePark H. for it and I still expect the console to see a lot of use - media was a pleasant dream.
In any case, are there really any workarounds? If a physical component is required to act as USB Host, the trickery required to get around that is beyond most end-users, right? How viable an option is replacing the USB card without altering much in the rest of the GP2X? Is there not something that can act as an intermediary or USB USB Host attachment? These are questions for people who are vastly more competent than I.
Naturally, this means I am utterly useless. Ah well.
Radek - you have the nail on the head. I use my laptop in bed to watch movies, as it's so old it's no good for anything else (I paid $50 for it). I can say with certitude that, surprising as it is, you can watch movies over USB 1.1. I do so constantly using my 250GB USB HD. I would much rather use this USB HD, even if it requires a wall outlet, than a similarly priced SD card, since such a card would probably hold 4GB or less.
Supporting SD is fine - there's no other option for a genuinely portable system. Not having a USB host is a little confusing and sad, though I don't hate or detest GamePark H. for it and I still expect the console to see a lot of use - media was a pleasant dream.
In any case, are there really any workarounds? If a physical component is required to act as USB Host, the trickery required to get around that is beyond most end-users, right? How viable an option is replacing the USB card without altering much in the rest of the GP2X? Is there not something that can act as an intermediary or USB USB Host attachment? These are questions for people who are vastly more competent than I.
Naturally, this means I am utterly useless. Ah well.
I think the GP2X has been misdesigned.
It should have had a CF slot the USB 1.1 Host of the MMSP2, and the USB2.0 Slave chip for fast downloads.
SD should NOT have been used, its more expensive, slower, propreitary, Linux-hostile, and has much fewer I/O options. Looks much more flimsy too. Did I mention the fact that Linux has no FULLSPEED SD drivers? SD will be using the older MMC speeds or a bridge chip if the faster 4-bit modes are used instead of 1-bit. The SD consortium has banned any sort of open source driver be made for SD as well (at least from the official documents).
CF also works just fine at 3Volts, or 5V.
Also whats with the connectors on the sides, hasn't anyone tried to play with TV out at the same time as holding the System?
Also putting the power connector on the side as well was a poor move.
Nothing an improved GP2X-F200 would not fix. (and GPH gets everyone to buy the same system again!) ^_^
GPH really should have tried to get more out of the MMSP2. it does many interesting things.
It should have had a CF slot the USB 1.1 Host of the MMSP2, and the USB2.0 Slave chip for fast downloads.
SD should NOT have been used, its more expensive, slower, propreitary, Linux-hostile, and has much fewer I/O options. Looks much more flimsy too. Did I mention the fact that Linux has no FULLSPEED SD drivers? SD will be using the older MMC speeds or a bridge chip if the faster 4-bit modes are used instead of 1-bit. The SD consortium has banned any sort of open source driver be made for SD as well (at least from the official documents).
CF also works just fine at 3Volts, or 5V.
Also whats with the connectors on the sides, hasn't anyone tried to play with TV out at the same time as holding the System?
Also putting the power connector on the side as well was a poor move.
Nothing an improved GP2X-F200 would not fix. (and GPH gets everyone to buy the same system again!) ^_^
GPH really should have tried to get more out of the MMSP2. it does many interesting things.
Gandysampras
Still Fresh
The TV Out connects through the EXT port doesnt it?
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codesmith
Member
Talk about the wild wild web... last night I was looking for something totally unrelated, and I ran into the Cypress CY7C67300 - it's a chip that (among other things) takes in RS232 in the one end and does USB 2.0 (device, host and USB2Go) out the other. That means that one should be able to build a gizmo that plugs into the EXT port at the bottom of the device (several have mentioned that there are UART signals exposed there) and does full USB. You won't get high speed (115Kbps at most, depending on what the MMSP2 UART supports), but if all you care about is plugging in a keyboard or some other low datarate device (or don't mind waiting 17 hours to transfer a CD's worth of data 
) that should help.
) that should help.Please elaborate for the low-level tech-stupid and interested, codesmith. This is some kind of external USB chip for all intents and purposes?
Anyway, recall that you can watch movies over USB1.1. If that's the case high speed isn't necessary, as you won't actually want to transfer that data onto the GP2X.
Anyway, recall that you can watch movies over USB1.1. If that's the case high speed isn't necessary, as you won't actually want to transfer that data onto the GP2X.
codesmith
Member
Sure. This is a chip that is designed to handle a large part of USB communications, making the job of people writing drivers easier. It is designed to connect to other chips in various different ways, one of which is (or should be, from comments I've read here) compatible with the signals that are available on the EXT port under the gp2x. Someone who knows electronics can design a circuit board with this chip and some other components (to do things like supplying the 5V USB needs), which when plugged into the gp2x's EXT port will allow USB peripherals to be plugged (indirectly) into the gp2x. One nice feature of this chip is that it supports USB2Go, which is a form of USB that can be used to connect two devices to each other, so that neither is master or slave (useful for things like networked games or plugging your camera directly to a printer). Note that someone would still need to write drivers, so the situation is still similar to what we'd have if the gp2x used the MMSP2's USB hardware, but now instead of having to open your gp2x soldering iron in hand and risk breaking it, it is possible for someone to sell you a widget you can plug in.
A note about the speed... as far as the gp2x is concerned, it is communicating with the outside world via serial port, so the speed you're going to get is "serial port speed", not "USB 1.1 speed". The bottleneck is not the USB chip, but the slow serial port.
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On serial port speed: ow.
While that's promising, I feel inclined to ask: what, other than reading large files (videos and the like) off of a USB HD would someone want a USB Host function for?
No reason to use it to transfer files - just use a compy and SD card.
WiFi? Seems a bit much work, especially with SDIO, but OK...
USB cupwarmer/vacuum cleaner? Now you're just screwing with us...
While that's promising, I feel inclined to ask: what, other than reading large files (videos and the like) off of a USB HD would someone want a USB Host function for?
No reason to use it to transfer files - just use a compy and SD card.
WiFi? Seems a bit much work, especially with SDIO, but OK...
USB cupwarmer/vacuum cleaner? Now you're just screwing with us...
codesmith
Member
Well, some have been speculating about plugging in keyboards and mice, for that sort of thing serial speeds are OK. Anyone thinking about plugging in a hard drive is going to have to look elsewhere though.
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PSyMastR
\m/O__O\m/
ooooh. A fan would be nice. Playing in the summer
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