The Next Gp*x Revision

[rokdcasbah]

it's going to be a long time before a viable mobile x86 solution appears, geode or no. the manufacturers just don't have the experience, and for the last couple of decades, they haven't had the will.

companies like ARM Ltd and MIPS Tech have been around for a long time, and for that entire time have been researching and building very efficient processors. It's because of advances in RISC technology that the current x86 chips have pipelines.

so even though nice mobile x86 stuff is coming, ARM and others already have better solutions, and a big head start. for instance ARM has chips that use .5 watt, as compared to geode's .9 watt. maybe if batter technology improves a ton we'll see some more high-end stuff taking on x86, but as of right now i'm just not convinced. then again, i'm not in the industry or anything (haven't even escaped school yet), so take it fwiw.

ps. i've gotta say that it would sadden me a little bit to see x86 widely adopted in the mobile market. most linux & unix solutions (that i know of) are built on x86, obviously windows is, now apple's made the switch...it seems like we're approaching a development monoculture in desktop pc's. i hope that doesn't spread to everything else as well.

here's an idea...toss a cell cpu in your phone

 

[earx]

it seems MagicEyes has now put the specs of the MMSP2+ online.. seems like a 70% faster version of MMSP2 + 3D support. also it is built in a .13 micrometer process which should make it more powereffecient at the same clockrates as the MMSP2.

If GPH use their common sense they will use this chipset.. I really hope it's code compatible to the MMSP2..

Check it out:

MMSP2+ info page

 

[sehs33]

I do not think it is code compatible:
From the same page earx posted, those seem to be totlly different CPUs:
"Over 700MIPS CPU Performance with dual ARM9 processor
- ARM926T : Host processor, 360MHz(I/D:16KB/16KB)
- ARM946T : Programmable Coprocessor, 300MHz(I/D: 4KB/4KB, 16KB D-TCM)"

 

[OrR]

What the next GP*X could/should have:
640*480 touchscreen, preferably multitouch.
D-pad and button d-pad on the other side with two additional buttons on each side (+ - and start select). Buttons should be better quality than on the 2X. Four shoulder buttons, one for each corner.
Two versions: One that is a phone with bluetooth, wifi, maybe GPS, ... The other is just a gaming device with either bluetooth or wifi for connectivity. (Should use OpenMoko Linux as OS.)
I don't care that much about raw power. Faster chips are always nice but it depends on the value for money you get.
The gaming version shouldn't be more than 250€ with a price drop to 200€ being possible in 1.5 years. The phone version could be up to 450€.
I'd like to see this in 1.5 to 2 years, though. What I want to see in half a year is a full hardware revision of the 2X that is fully compatible with the present one but has an improved built quality with better buttons, a d-pad or another good solution, better placement of the headphone jack and similar improvements.

 

[Alex.]

Lol 4 shoulder buttons.. better also add five sticks while you're at it, and that third LCD screen too

- Alex

 

[Mudi]

I think the ARM926T will run ARM920T code... the question is are all the registers in the same place... in any case, it would just be a recompile if the program is using SDL or similar.

 

[sam fisher]

It would just be a recompile if it was a 533mhz ARM11 aswell....

 

[Series-8]

CPU wise, a recompile is probably not even needed.

Mind you there could be some extra features you'd want to recompile for perhaps (Processor integrated 3D matrix transforms or video encoding/decoding hardware), Java engines (really fast java apps)...

The only possible thing to go wrong is the hardware registers for stuff being moved.

That would really only effect drivers and some over clocking related stuff.

The MMSP2+ would add the 2 things the MMSP2 currently really lacks (and needs besides USB 2 Host)

3D and.... MORE SPEED!

A 360Mhz nominal speed will be more like 400+Mhz with overclocking.

There is STILL the 2nd CPU, waiting to be used.

In many ways, this CPU looks like a very good choice for GPH to use for an upgraded GP2X.

A GP2X+.

 

[Alex.]

In many ways, this CPU looks like a very good choice for GPH to use for an upgraded GP2X.

A GP2X+.

That's a great idea! They could release the GP2X+, with a DPad and the beefier processor That would be a power pack

- Alex

 

[sam fisher]

I kinda like that idea, shame there aren't enough braincells between the GPH employees to form a sentient conciousness above that of a small worm's. They'd never understand what to do :S

 

[Rambozo]

640*480 screen, 500+ Mhz CPU, and a capable 3D accelerator of some kind. Oh, and keep it under $300.

That's all I ask.

 

[icurafu]

In many ways, this CPU looks like a very good choice for GPH to use for an upgraded GP2X.

A GP2X+.

That's a great idea! They could release the GP2X+, with a DPad and the beefier processor That would be a power pack

- Alex

Awesome. This was only released three days ago. Great find.

http://www.mesdigital.com/english/News/new...2&year=2007

If this was to be used by GPH, it would be a GP3X, because it has a 3d accelerator, proper tv-out, DDR and a heck of an improvment in clock speed (360/300). (Still based on ARM9)

Apparently, it supports 5.1 sound and apparently, so does the GP2X?? :S

It also suports divx with Q-PEL which is not available on a lot of PMPs.

It also has Jazelle Java Hardware Accelerator.


More likely to be used by GamePark anyway.

 

[fargo]

WOW

MMSP2+ is defiantly the way to go. GPH, please do one thing correct and use MMSP2+ !!

 

[Mudi]

Looks awesome, too bad by the time they get funding to do a new handheld this chip will be outdated most likely...

 

[Alex.]

Looks awesome, too bad by the time they get funding to do a new handheld this chip will be outdated most likely...

Outdated for what, Gamecube emulation? If anything, it'll be cheaper and the price of the GP3X will be the same (or hopefully lower) than the GP2X's.

- Alex

 

[DaveC]

In many ways, this CPU looks like a very good choice for GPH to use for an upgraded GP2X.

A GP2X+.

That's a great idea! They could release the GP2X+, with a DPad and the beefier processor That would be a power pack

- Alex

Awesome. This was only released three days ago. Great find.

http://www.mesdigital.com/english/News/new...2&year=2007

If this was to be used by GPH, it would be a GP3X, because it has a 3d accelerator, proper tv-out, DDR and a heck of an improvment in clock speed (360/300). (Still based on ARM9)

Apparently, it supports 5.1 sound and apparently, so does the GP2X?? :S

It also suports divx with Q-PEL which is not available on a lot of PMPs.

It also has Jazelle Java Hardware Accelerator.


More likely to be used by GamePark anyway.

I wonder if it is backwards compatible with the one used in the GP2X. It would be nice so that you didn't have to re-write everything to work on it (and have to wait for that to happen), that would suck. If it was BC you would have a ton of apps on it instantly.

 

[icurafu]

Korean friend tells me that it ca be purchased clocked to 400mhz/360mhz.

What is listed is just the typical setting.

I'm not sure if the current apps will work. I wish they worked on both, but it might be for the better. Just to make sure that devs check that they compile on both units.

 

[OrR]

Lol 4 shoulder buttons.. better also add five sticks while you're at it, and that third LCD screen too

- Alex

The thing has four corners so why not add four shoulder buttons? It would add interesting possibilities to two/four-players-on-one-device games and vertical games. Also, how about diagonal games?
Another thing I've recently come to like from the DS is a built in motion sensor. The DS Motion Card ( http://ndsmotion.com/ ) uses quite an awesome sensor that makes even more creative games possible.
What really bugs me about the 2X is the limited input possibilities with the buttons. A touchscreen really is a must in the next gen device (multitouch preferred), a motion sensor would be a plus. Analog sticks on handhelds still don't work, though.

 

[nubie]

MMSP2+ looks AWESOME!

n64 and PSX should be readily and handily emulatable on that chip.

USB 2.0 Yesss!! (NVM it is only device 2.0, still Host 1.1)

Not to mention I might even see Descent II running full-speed on it.

128mb Ram minimum.

 

[Zeladin]

Okay, done with airy fairy talk - interested in making a revision happen; See here;

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=35052

MMSP2+, lotsa ram, Oled 640x480/800x600 4" display. Sold as virtual PC + Media player + VOIP, 4G wireless internet... Compatible with GP2x...