Very Disapointing Linux Support

[psantucc]

I've just gotten a GP2x for Christmas, and I have to say that my first attempts to use it are not encouraging.

I run Linux (Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft) as my primary desktop, and assumed that an embedded Linux device such as the GP2x with so much buzz in the linux community would work well with Linux.

My desktop cannot detect either an SD card in the GP2x or the NAND memory. A friends Window's box has no trouble with either.

My desktop can detect and read/write to the same SD card using the same USB cable to an Aiptek digital camera, so I know that neither the cable nor USB storage detection on my desktop are completly non-working.

I cannot even read the included documentation CD - Firefox 2.0 doesn't properly recognize the CSS tree in the left pane, or there is some configuration required that I don't understand.

I'm inclined at this point to attempt to return my GP2x as defective. Any thoughts?

 

[mth411]

Er, don't blame the linux support. Works great here on a AMD64 version of Ubuntu 6.10 (edgy eft).
Even if the cable worked with something else, try using a different usb cable, the usb cables were cheaply made (or just not well made). I have to use the cable from my digital camera.

Also, if you got it from gp2xstore or gp2x.co.uk, they will probably still have the free deal on usb card readers.

Once you get it up and running, you will realize that linux support is pretty awesome, you can even ssh into your gp if you have it setup right (and run x11 fowarding with the x11 app for the gp2x).

Good luck, and just keep asking for help till you get it working, it really is awesome when setup.

MTH411

 

[dosteridge]

Don't lose heart, it's an amazing piece of kit you have there. I had mine for Christmas last year and began to lose heart when things did'nt seem to be going my way, but since then I have used it daily. I even had a PSP for christmas, but still hav'nt put my 2x down. Any problems you have, somebody will be able to help you here.

 

[mrben]

Works fine on my Ubuntu box too. (Don't forget to select the USB connection from the setting menu) It just appears on the desktop as per normal.

I don't have the CD, so I can't comment on that.

Check out the unofficial user guide (which I believe is better) which is linked from the frontpage at http://wiki.gp2x.org

 

[virusx]

Well, I don't use Linux on my Pc but I think that the Cd that came with your 2X is useless...
Everything is on the archive !
+1 for the shiti usb cable
+1 for the usb ON button on your 2X

 

[Redeeman]

to get usb ethernet working with linux you must replace the kernel module though (apparently gph doesent care about this, they seem to prioitize rndis)

 

[Squidge]

Replace the ethernet module (if it's still required to do so under the latest fw - I've not looked or tested), and then the gp2x simply becomes another network, and you can access the sd and nand via samba. You can even get the gp2x to mount your available shares and run programs directly from your pc.

 

[Parkydr]

It's strange that you can't detect the GP2X, it worked "out of the box" for me. It might be worth looking at dmesg and see what happens when you plug the GP2X in. On mine it adds it as the next free /dev/sd device e.g. /dev/sde.

I prefer using USB networking - read all about it here

 

[kanzlr]

just to be sure, you did go to settings -> USB -> selected SD?
it might be obvious, but if not, that connects to your PC as usb-mass-storage.

other than that you can, of course, always use USB networking and samba.

 

[psantucc]

Er, don't blame the linux support. Works great here on a AMD64 version of Ubuntu 6.10 (edgy eft).
Even if the cable worked with something else, try using a different usb cable, the usb cables were cheaply made (or just not well made). I have to use the cable from my digital camera.

I confess - I thought this sounded totally mad. It means that there exists a cable which allows Windows to detect and communicate with both a camera and a GP2x on my hardware, and allows Ubuntu 6.10 to connect to the camera only, but prevents detection of the GP2x. It's a bit of wire! If I wanted to design a cable that met those criteria, I wouldn't know how to begin.

Mad though it may be, it is true. I used the only other A- Mini B cable I had, supplied as a connector to one of my hubs, and using it I can read and write to NAND and SD from Linux. Many, many thanks to mth411.

Now I'm in a quandary, though - I want to keep the cable I tested with with the hub, since I travel with it professionally. I'd like to buy a new cable, but I now know that it is possible to make one that doesn't work with a GP2x. How do I order one and know that it will?

Replace the ethernet module (if it's still required to do so under the latest fw - I've not looked or tested), and then the gp2x simply becomes another network, and you can access the sd and nand via samba. You can even get the gp2x to mount your available shares and run programs directly from your pc.

As cool as this sounds, I don't see how I can do it if I can't transfer files to the GP2x - or see how it will work if the cable makes the GP2x undetectable. Somehow, my PC has to be able to reocognize the hardware, yes?

It's strange that you can't detect the GP2X, it worked "out of the box" for me. It might be worth looking at dmesg and see what happens when you plug the GP2X in. On mine it adds it as the next free /dev/sd device e.g. /dev/sde.

I prefer using USB networking - read all about it here

Not a peep out of dmesg when I connect with the supplied cable, nor /var/log/messages. I think the camera which was detected shows up as the next /dev/sd.

 

[psantucc]

This is off-topic, but inspired by the very helpful replies I've recieved from this group for my problem. I hope it does not offend

There seems to be a general sentiment here that it is the job of the end user of a GP2x to compensate for the problems of GamePark Holdings. I am very impressed by the quality of community support - you've certainly got me running - but I'm equally resentful of GamePark Holdings.

I've got from them documentation and a cable I can't use, and the SD card and reader they specify as optional is pretty well regarded as necessary by this community - I note that nobody directed me to set my usb connection to NAND. The usb networking advertised as available turns out to not work at all without a user upgrade.

I am very angry because I thought I was buying a product and it seems I've bought a kit. On that basis alone I'm considering attempting a return. Do the rest of you not feel this rage, or have you perhaps gotten over it and accepted dealing with a lying vendor in order to get the unique cababilities of the hardware?

Thanks for the time you have already given, and in advance if you indulge my curiosity about your feelings re GPH .

 

[kanzlr]

i think most of us - at least me *g* - expected it to be this way.
knowing GPHs background from reading the gp2x was all i was expecting it to be. a kit, really, yes

 

[craigix]

Even us distributors have pretty much given up trying to knock some sense into gph.

They will never really understand exactly what their GP2X is used for...

 

[kanzlr]

what do they actually think its used for??
if they don't get it, why did they even produce a successor to the gp32?

interesting...

Even us distributors have pretty much given up trying to knock some sense into gph.

They will never really understand exactly what their GP2X is used for...

 

[craigix]

They think it is used for media and playing games - they don't really understand the games are mostly emulated and I very much doubt they know what linux is.

The only person at gph who actually understands the device is their engineer who speaks no english.

 

[Orkie]

Don't they sell it as an English learning tool in Korea?

 

[EvilDragon]

Don't they sell it as an English learning tool in Korea?

Yep. That was created for some other company, AFAIR.
But it's true - GPH have no idea what people do with the gp2x. They still haven't got an idea what GPL is, everytime they ask me about it...

 

[Fishbong]

I'm inclined at this point to attempt to return my GP2x as defective. Any thoughts?

Yeh, just give it back, you know that it works ok, but it´s not automatically detected by an alternative OS that about 0,01 percent of all PCs use, so its clearly defective, also dont bother to configure your PC correctly or buy a cardreader, because it´s clearly not worth it, instead just return it and cause a lot of work to the distributor.

You are one whiny fellow... <_<

 

[Alex.]

Don't they sell it as an English learning tool in Korea?

Yep. That was created for some other company, AFAIR.
But it's true - GPH have no idea what people do with the gp2x. They still haven't got an idea what GPL is, everytime they ask me about it...

Hmm wait, they don't know what people do with it? Wasn't them who ported a GBC emulator in 30 minutes before launch to prove its capabilities?

- Alex

 

[Mudi]

The problem is almost certainly on your end, not the fault of the GP2X... I use Kubuntu 6.10 Edgy as a dev environment for the GP2X, and it works perfectly.