Who Is Going To Wait?

[rooterman]

Yah, I'm not at all bashing the gp2x, I'm extremely psyched for it. I just needed something working now and is low maintenance. Plus I wanted wireless internet right away like I'm getting with my new pocket pc, and I'm still getting all the emulators I wanted and ability to play multimedia relatively hassle-free. But I will get a gp2x, I really want one bad, just not now.

Oh, and I do apologize for the "untried" and "first product" statements I made earlier. I thought this was being made by a group that split off from the original guys that made the gp32, my mistake.

 

[gleng]

Problems with playing video is just a little silly as anyone should know who has downloaded codec packs knows, its based on mplayer so should be improved with a new patched mplayer.

​

Am I right in thinking that I could grab the source code for mplayer and build a statically linked version with support for all the available codecs, framebuffer or SDL output support, and targetted for arm cpus, and it should just work like any other program once it's copied to the gp2x on an SD card?

If so, I think I know what I'm doing when my gp2x turns up

 

[scoobydew]

timthepig, I think you should wait until the bugs are ironed out before you purchase the gp2x. Joystick problem, unreasonable battery life(unless you buy special batteries for it), Divx/Xvid playback issues, cheap quality feel to the outer casing, headphone jack unreliablity, etc... all have been mentioned on this forum so if I were you I would wait until you have what you paid for.

The specs look good on paper but the real world application is hardly stellar at this point in production.

Remember also that some of those that say this is/will be eventually the greatest thing they've ever owned then they either sell the handheld(craigix, ED), are a devoted developer for it(squidge, pea), or just like owning the latest big buzz gadget on the scene.

Personally, I canceled my preorder with gp32z(they rock by way!!!) so I could wait till I have a less vaporware more usable gaming handheld but that's just me since you can't enjoy it if it runs on promises and eventual future firmwares.

 

[Cyclops]

Am I right in thinking that I could grab the source code for mplayer and build a statically linked version with support for all the available codecs, framebuffer or SDL output support, and targetted for arm cpus, and it should just work like any other program once it's copied to the gp2x on an SD card?

If so, I think I know what I'm doing when my gp2x turns up

​

http://www.fear.me.uk/gp2x/

timthepig, I think you should wait until the bugs are ironed out before you purchase the gp2x. Joystick problem, unreasonable battery life(unless you buy special batteries for it), Divx/Xvid playback issues, cheap quality feel to the outer casing, headphone jack unreliablity, etc... all have been mentioned on this forum so if I were you I would wait until you have what you paid for.

The specs look good on paper but the real world application is hardly stellar at this point in production.

Remember also that some of those that say this is/will be eventually the greatest thing they've ever owned then they either sell the handheld(craigix, ED), are a devoted developer for it(squidge, pea), or just like owning the latest big buzz gadget on the scene.

Personally, I canceled my preorder with gp32z(they rock by way!!!) so I could wait till I have a less vaporware more usable gaming handheld but that's just me since you can't enjoy it if it runs on promises and eventual future firmwares.

​

Thats an outrageous post. Esp from someone who hasn't got one. Esp the bit about the Cheap quality feel to the outer casing, thats an outright lie. I mentioned before I only saw one person not like the look, and I couldn't belive it.

The harsh reality is its good now, and getting better.

 

[racoon]

My few bits about that story...
First of all I really had no idea about the gp2x until about 10 days ago... I only read once before that such a stuff like gp2x would be realeased in some time....
So I am pretty surprised that so many people are misinformed... I do not own a gp2x yet but as I can see most problems are firmware related as said before ... Of course, when I heard that headphone jack thing I got a bit upset but that seems to be the only real issue... and besides you should not forget that people shout much louder if they DON'T like something than if they DO like something... so it likely only affects very few units anyways....
It's true that some features are still missing but you can easily upgrade them because you dont have a use-it-or-die firmware like the PSP has.... Of course the battery drains more if theres a firmware bug so the TV decoder chip runs if you listen to music ;P .... I think this device is highely extendable until 2x266MhZ (power-mode) chips don't deliver enough power anymore... but you got your notebook for that stuff, and thats a lot bigger .....
I admit I ordered from lik-sang so I do not get the bloody very first units so if they ran into a serious bug it would be fixed by now.... (and cause it seems to be cheapest for me)....
I am not a developer, I don't always need to have all bleeding-edge gadgets but still, I preordered the GP2X and hell I know why !!

 

[x68000]

@cyclops

i have to say that compared to the gp32, the gp2x case does feel cheap with things such as the sharp unfinished edges under the L and R buttons, also on the bottom middle of the battery cover. The buttons are spongy, unresposive and too small, then lastly the stick itself, the only way to get a comfortable position on it is by pressing it in quite firmly which then means that the action button is continually pressed, despite being quite a stiff action thats ok but the feel of the stick is very cheap with an insufficient grip on it.

I just wish i could cram the hardware into my gp32 case

 

[Cyclops]

@cyclopos

i have to say that compared to the gp32, the gp2x case does feel cheap with things such as the sharp unfinished edges under the L and R buttons, also on the bottom middle of the battery cover. The buttons are spongy, unresposive and too small, then lastly the stick itself, the only way to get a comfortable position on it is by pressing it in quite firmly which then means that the action button is continually pressed, despite being quite a stiff action thats ok but the feel of the stick is very cheap with an insufficient grip on it.

I just wish i could cram the hardware into my gp32 case

​

LOL your making me get my GP32 out again. (Oddly I thought there would be more comparisons with the GP32 than there is)

No sharp and unfinished edges. In fact the whole thing is smoothed all they way around(damn those rubber protectors. The only thing I've really not liked). I can't find anything other than smoothness with the battery cover. The A/B buttons are itsy bit less responsive(I had to check) than the GP32, they are smaller, but then I can see why. I've got big thumbs and don't see an issue, and would personally have the benefit of having more buttons. The joystick, is better IMO. The GP32 felt fragile, I hated the click(and bizzarly miss it now). I would prefer a concave one, and I hope one comes out as an add on, but I don't find I have to press it down to turn it all the way. I have loosened mine up a lot.

The things I miss of the GP32 is possibly the on/off switch but its stetching it, and I liked the jog dial for the volume, but overall its 20X better. I loved the look of the GP32 but its dated, the GP2X looks the buisness, It looks powerful. It looks the money.

 

[Rob]

i will wait until the XGP come out! then decide which one is better...

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I will do exactly the same thing because although that we know almlost nothing for the console almost everyone here think that it is gonna crash or never appear. Funny!

 

[scoobydew]

Simply put, the reality according to some of those who "do" own the gp2x is it doesn't yet do everything it says it does(low battery life, play divx and xvid properly, connect easily to XP etc...). Surely the other posts on this forum aren't made up are they Cyclops?

I'd rather have a finished product then what is out today. Those members like Cyclops who like it now are welcome to say how great its limited functionality is but not everyone wants to wait several months checking the forums for the latest firmware update so they can at least do the basics with the pretty paperweight they have.

timthepig I think you should wait for the real gp2x not the preproduction release out now.

...or maybe get a gp32 BLU since it does do what it says
it does TODAY. gp32_console

 

[g4m3r]

I have a question.
Yes, I know that the hardware problems are very small. Even though some people are unhappy with it. If I waited until next year would the hardware be better overall? I personally don't mind a bit about beta firmware, you just download the update, and you're good to go. My problem is the hardware. So would the system look and feel better in the future?

 

[gaterooze]

So would the system look and feel better in the future?

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It seems to be a matter of opinion that it doesn't look/feel great now. I've seen a total of 2 people think it looks/feels cheap, but several more thinking it's great & sexy. Personally, I love the look of it but haven't held one yet. To me the PSP feels cheap & tacky & unresponsive, so I dunno...

Regardless of that... no, I don't think the hardware will change much in the future (because it seems it doesn't need to -- MOST people are very happy with it). There may be replacement (concave) joysticks that you can swap, same with stronger button membranes (as on the GP32).

The question is, what specifically would you want to be "better?"

 

[DyslexicDan]

I’m waiting till there are emus for all the systems I want to play first. I will be just getting into developing when I get mine and by the time all the emus I want will out the wiki will be full of examples and the system will have mature by then.

I’m basically waiting to see if it will do what I want it to do.
gp32_console

 

[Rayek]

It is an untried company and their first product.

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Obviously you have no idea why there's a 32 in the sitename? Or why there's another subforum for the gp32? (names sound familiar?

​

ummm... it is.

GPH is different than Gamepark. it is GPH's first product.

edit: I ordered mine from a company that probably won't get the same units to me that everyone's getting now. Since GPH is stting back the release date, they'll probably be working on fixes for thefirmware, and the hardware, so i'm not worried at all, nor am i pissed cause i don't get mine right away. i couldn't fathom the dissapointment i would feel having my computer not recognize my sd card. that's something i couldn't fix, because without the sd card, i can't really upgrade the firmware, now, can i? so because i'm getting it late, hopefully with problems fixed, i don't have to deal with that.

in other words, i'm cool if it's late and fixed, and i'm cool if i get it next week

 

[Jaw]

at the moment, the gp2x runs nothing i'm interested in, so i don't require one, and will wait till there's something worth wile out.

otherwise, gp32 is fine for what i need.