GP32 Some Ideas For The Next Gp32

[Chip]

Since this is the "cool ideas and wishes" forum, here's what I really wish for: A next-generation GP32.

CPU: ARM1136JF-S (w/ VFP coprocessor) running 335-400MHz - That should be plenty fast enough to emulate anything up to and including the NeoGeo, especially with the VFP unit. Arm11 processors are backwards compatible, so with a properly coded OS, you could still run all your old GP32 programs. The ARM11 also has an expanded instruction set that would speed up 3d/2d graphics processing code for games and media players.

Memory: 64 meg SDRAM - RAM is cheap, and you need a lot of space to hold those bigger roms

Screen: Kyocera 3.8" frontlit RFC LCD - slightly bigger and slightly better than the 3.5 incher they use now.

Storage: StorCard reader - 100mb to 5gig storage in a credit card sized disk. 5MB/sec is plenty fast enough for DiVX playback and ROM loading.

AV hardware: MPEG4 encoding/decoding hardware chip - This will allow very smooth playback of high-bitrate video (which you will have no trouble fitting on your large storcards). Since it can also encode, you can record straight from any video source (like a VCR or DVD player). Although the built-in screen is only capable of 320x240, recording resolutions up to 720x480 are available for TV-out playback. With an add-on CCD camera, you now have a large-capacity digital camcorder.

AV jacks: Audio and video, in and out via 1/8" jacks on the unit - That way you could hook your GP32 up to a VCR, DVD player, TV, microphone, or anything else without needing proprietary cables.

Audio: A simple, small, low-power DSP - It would be nice just to offload the sound processing from the CPU.

Connectivity: USB 2.0 - for linking with a PC or another gamepark. It will have a REAL USB interface, not the slave-only crap the GP32 has now. It could also be used for keyboards, cell modems, you name it.

Controls: 6 buttons instead of 4 (not counting the start and select buttons) - The R + L buttons will be more responsive. I would also add 4 small buttons below the screen for play/pause, stop, previous, and next. In addition to controlling media players, these buttons can be used as additional function buttons in other programs as well. The D-pad gets to stay EXACTLY the same

Power: 4 AA size internal Li-ION batteries - These could be quick-charged with an AC adapter, or trickle-charged through the USB connection.


I think that just about covers my list of "demands" B) . I think this would be just about the greatest portable media device ever built. It would cock-block the Sony PSP for the "walkman for the new millenium" title, before it was even released. The thing is, an ambitious company could build one of these TOMORROW. All the technology already exists (except the storcard, which is supposed to be out in a few months) to put one of these masterpieces together.

OK, enough dreaming. I think I'll just go play some Tetris and be happy lining up simple blocks

 

[Prophet]

Sounds good to me.

I'd settle for a GP32 with just a 200-300 MHZ CPU (the 200MHZ ARM's are easily and usually safely OC'ed to 300MHz anyway) and 64MB RAM. Those are the two things that would really take emulation to the next level on the system.

 

[JDUK]

Yep, but you know if they did make it some smart arse would build a £20 mobile phone into it and add £300 to the price.

Remember: Mobile phones are like your penis if you play with it in public you look like a total wanker.

Also the general public dont want/know/care about open source kit like the GP. So no matter how cool it seems to us geeks or how much we drool over it, Joe PlayStation dosent give a crap so it wont sell. Unless it can some how be made a status symbol, fool proof and have adds with busty women using it. wont happen unless Sony or MS make it. :angry:

Graaa. the moral of this story is: Life isnt fair, People are stupid, Snazzy mobiles are for tossers.

 

[Prophet]

Remember: Mobile phones are like your penis if you play with it in public you look like a total wanker.

I SO agree.

They're not status symbols anymore - every janitor and their 5 year old kid has a cell phone these days. Nobody is impressed anymore. Not even little kids. Put the thing back in your pocket and use it when you NEED to use it.

 

[Mofokubik]

I agree it should be more powerfull, but its a portable gaming system not a home entertainment system. Buttons are fine and the screen is good, but storage ram and cpu should be bigger and faster in gameparks next handheld.

Chip, I wouldnt buy gameparks next handheld if it had all the features that you want. Sorry but it just bothers me cause there was another topic about this same thing that bugged me cause all of the peoples requests were outrageous.

That storcard thing is very interesting though. Wouldnt mind owning one of those...

 

[Octavius]

The D-pad gets to stay EXACTLY the same

As for the Stick, it would be nice if they made it a little more sturdy, sometimes it feels too weak.

 

[khephren]

Chip, you seem to have thought this through really well! I'd go for Li-on since it's got all these new features to support, and at least a 5inch screen so you could do 640x480. And one of those new Light Emmiting Polymer screens. Thay use way less power than TFT, better response time, don't need a light, and are cheaper to manufacture.

I'd build wireless into the machine, and have an optional fold down clip on keyboard, that acts as a screen protector (rather like a clam shell PDA).

'single' sized CD or mini DVD player. These small disks would be perfect, and are cheap. Even a mini CD can hold more than the biggest SMC. Although SMC would be kept for compatability, +with support for 256MB 5V cards. Maybe even CF. If you support SMC and CF you might as well add digital camera JPEG support. Then camera buffs could use it for decent previews.

Add a web browser that works over the wireless connection. People would love that.

ARM have just finished designing a 3D module which can optionaly be built in to ARM chips. I'd include it.

I wouldn't bother with AV jacks other than a headphone jack, and maybe TV out. But even that could be an extra plugin accessory.

I wouldn't bother with a video decoder. The GP manages that OK, so a machine 3 or 4 times as powerfull would not need it, i'd rather have the 3D module.

I agree with the extra buttons+ I'd add an analogue stick.

 

[SatanClaus]

Should an fullspeed PS2 and XBox Emu be included?

 

[Zider]

I would never buy a gp32 with all that junk listed. The only things I want in a new gamepark is;

CompactFlash or other larger storage media (no movable parts. noway. never.)
A better joypad (not a stick)
Higher sound volume. The audio volume in the speakers are piss weak.

Other than that I'm fully satisfied.

 

[Shrike]

I'd buy a gp32 with all that junk, in fact I'm tempted to build it myself
shame I suck at hardware stuff but its technically possible

 

[Twimfy]

There are only two problems with all of these comments.

1.Cost
2. Size,

Q.When does a portable stop being a portable?
A. When it's a brick!

We're talking game gear size at least with all of this stuff going on, I bet the only reason they never showed sony's PSP at E3 was because it was currently the size of Hideo Kojima's bedroom until they work out a way of making it compact.

 

[khephren]

I think you'd be surprised, extra screen real estate is the only thing that would add much to the size of my example, and wifi and 2d are available built in to ARM chips as optional modules. Maybe your right about the mini-cd though!. I do love minicd's, they're so dinky and cute.I remember I got a covermounted netscape in that format. And a cheap development media (or at least a lot cheaper than SMC/CF). It's an idea iv'e had for years, and now sony have built something similar into the PSP. *sigh* , another get rich idea gone.

 

[Chip]

Cost would be an issue, but this is the WISHES forum

As for size, it wouldn't have to be much bigger (maybe 10%) than the current GP32.

The reason I didn't go for a miniCD or miniDVD drive is because they would reduce battery life by a LOT. Even miniDVDs, with their fairly high capacity, aren't very effecient. It takes a lot of juice to spin those thick plastic discs! Plus, unless the mimiDVD drive in the GP32 was a miniDVD-R, most people wouldn't be able to ues it for much. The StorCard (if it's not just vaporware) really is the ideal storage solution. If it never becomes available, then my next choice is an internal HD. They can make them pretty damn small nowadays.

As for video ins and outs, I just plain like them It would be cool to use my GP32 like a TIVO. Just let it record my favorite shows at night, and watch them at work the next day! Plus you need video in and audio in for the camcorder feature.

To be honest, the MPEG4 hardware isn't really needed if you don't want near-DVD quality. The ARM11, with it's special graphics instruction set, should be able to encode VCD quality video and audio in real time. I just figured that if we were making WISHES, I'd go all out

 

[Mofokubik]

You have got to be kidding...
If this is what you want you shouldnt have gotten a gamepark, why in the hell dont you just get an xbox with a portable screen. It has all of that crap you listed. And why dont you just put your whole entertainment center in your car while your at it.

 

[khephren]

And why don't you calm down and be polite. This is the wishes forum, and the guy can wish for whatever he likes.

 

[Snooty]

I agree with Chip. There's no reason why such a handheld shouldn't be built. I've been thinking along similar lines. Only perhaps a few custom chips could be thrown in for graphics.

Other thoughts:

Linux OS (but with specially coded whatsits to allow it to run existing GP32 software)

Many ports to allow connectivity of other items. For instance, keyboards, webcams etc etc.

I'd also like one large expansion port, so that you could add extra modules onto the unit. Like a digital-camera/camcorder add-on (such as the Archos Multimedia Jukebox/ AV320 range already has).

I don't even have an original GP32 yet, so perhaps I'm expecting too much

 

[Chip]

If someone had gone on a GB message board 5 years ago (well before the GBA or GP32 were out) and said"

"My GBC is cool and all, but here's what I really want: I want a handheld that will run all kinds of emulators, even SNES games! I want it to have a big, color screen! And WIRELESS multiplayer! And it will use CF or SMC cards so you could store THOUSANDS of games on one card. And it would be so cool that all these programmers would want to make stuff for it and there's be hundreds of homebrew games and ports and emulators. It would be freaking awesome! w00T!"

Most of the people on that board would have said he was being unrealistic and should just calm down. And besides, what do you need all that stuff for anyway? Dr. Mario and Pokemon Blue aren't good enough for you? Jerk. Just be happy with what you've got.

Less than 10 years from now, portable processors over 1GhZ will be common. They'll probably have 3d engines built in that put my geforce4 to shame. Someone will probably say "hey, what would happen if we put one of these in an open-arcatecture handheld gaming system?" And then I'll have my wish

Of course, 2 years from now the PSP comes out, and all this becomes pretty much moot. :lol:

 

[abbibi]

An intersting idea, but it would end up with the same problem that the GameGear had. No battery life. As small as all those chips are, they take up a lot of electric real estate. A prorietary lithium battery could be used, but that's annoying. An internal battery could be used (like the GBA SP), but that's REALLY annoying.

Then there's the whole question of how compatible all your features would be with each other.

But still, it is an interesting idea, and it looks like you put a lot of thought into it. Slap it on a resume and fly to Korea. When it comes out in a year or two, I will be able to say, "I was there, I SAW it happen..."

 

[Chip]

In the end it's all just wishful thinking. 10 years from now there'll be a unit that perfectly emulates PS2, xbox, and gamecube, and there will be some whiny bastard like me complaning that it doesn't project a true 3d image directly into your brain like all the newest games systems

 

[Mofokubik]

The thing is, I dont wanna have to spend 1000$ for a gaming handheld that also happens to play dvds in the dark running with 8d batteries. The only thing i want to be improved is the ability to play games. A master usb port could be useful for a few reasons, but I dont want any of this extra stuff.

What I wish for is that "Gaming" consoles and handhelds could go back to being made for games. The new xbox and playstation scare me, too many unnecessary features.... People spend more time trying to make their games better than they spend time playing the games.