Gamepark's GP2X Linux PMP now shipping

You remember the GP2X right? That Linux-powered, game centric PMP with a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 display, the usual smattering of audio and video format capabilities, and support already developed for Quake, Doom, SNES, and MAME? We knew you would. Well they started accepting pre-orders back in September, but they've finally started shipping the little guy for £124.99 in Europe and $189.99 everywhere else. They're a little backlogged right now, but that just means more homebrew apps for you when it actually arrives.

[bv @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

my life is now complete, i sold my 3 day old video ipod for this portable god.

[dudeInAmerica @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

PSP: But why must this be master?

ME: Becuase you are not substantial.

[Monk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

A console that encourages homebrew development is going to get my money over Luminees and a shitty GTA any day of the week.

And full-speed SNES and MAME? Awesome!

Off to order.

[TennisD @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

For this price, with these capabilities, I'm seriously tempted to go for one of these badboys...

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Interesting. Anyone found a full review online yet?

I'm curious what kind of rendering horsepower it has. The price and form factor is certainly attractive.

[David Hart @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

It looks good but it needs to have Wi-Fi and I have a little problem on why it only has a 10 hour battery life for playing audio. If it can play games for 6 hours, I would think the audio time would be roughly double the amount.

[TZK @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Where are the full specs? Ilike the basic look too, believe it or not.

GIMME PAC-MAN!!! :-P

[Rik @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

if they can add aac support (non-drm of course) then I'll be queueing up for one! Any idea if it has usb host capabilities? It would be very sweet with an external hdd or microdrive

[Motoxo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Hmmmm... SD Wifi Card. Yeah, that's it.

[Blaje @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Finishally!!!!!!!

[Alan Erickson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

If the reviews are good, about the only thing this would be missing would be a 20-30GB hard drive.

[AFD @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

The only thing I don't like about the GP2X is the use of AA batteries, and not a rechargeable Li-ion. 6 - 10 hours on 2 AA batteries could get rather expensive. Everything else about it is f'ing sweet, though.

[baezzae @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

spec


size 143.6 x 82.9 x 34 mm
weight 220g (with battery)

processor
MMSP2 (Dual CPU cores)
ARM 920T: host processor
ARM 940T: video coprocessor
LCD 3.5" TFT LCD (320x240 pixel)
260,000 color

memory internal: 64MB
external: SD card
compatible file: MPEG4, Xvid, Divx, AVI, WMV
MP3, OGG, WMA
internal speaker : 200mW + 200mW (8 Ohm)
battery : AA * 2
video: 6hr, audio: 10hr
image view JPEG, BMP,PNG, GIF
text view O
voice recording X
USB host X
TV out: S-Video, Stereo AV out
USB 2.0



http://www.gp2x.co.kr

[baezzae @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Here is review. But, not english.

http://www.gp2x.co.kr/product/product_review.asp?part=06

[Cameron @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Here is an english review http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3708

[tiuk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I've been tempted to get a PSP just to run homebrew on. Glad I saw this before I made a mistake like that, this thing looks to be a real head turner. And the price is incredible. Anyone know how well it'll run on NiMH batts?

[jc @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

oh man.. i was about to get psp.... screw psp. I'm soooo gettin this now!

[Zack Brandenburg @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Noooooo!!! I just bought my DS! Argh... another three months of ramen noodles... :(

[abigsmurf @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

should have mine in the first batch o/

[bluetrane @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

LOL #19 ^_^

[jon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

uh guys, where are you gonna put all of those divx videos and such? sure the ipod needs converted movies, but you get 60gb of space.... this thing has 20mb free internal space, and SD cards.... think of your storage hassles!

[john @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

this looks amazing. the underdog appeal is through the roof.

the only thing holding it back is storage. they should have thrown in a usb-host option to use with 1.8 and 2.5 inch usb hard drives.

[PeteC @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

If this things takes off, someone will think of a way of whacking an HD onto it PSP style soon enough, then this thing could be rocking.

[Edwin Avalos @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

This thing looks lnice im might be getting it rather then a new ipod...damn decisions

[jay vaughan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

mine is on its lovely little way to me as we type .. can't wait to get it, can't wait to port my code to it, can't wait to get rockin' on it ..

[yuujin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

the future of this little thing is going to be exciting... the gp2x just takes off from where gp32 found it's limits.

[deadlychicken22 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

It will not have usb host support but I think people are working a way around this. AA batteries is great because they will never disappear from the market and are cheap. Just pick up some NiMH rechargable ones and you'll be fine. Just to clarify, there is no SNES emulator or MAME emulator on it yet, but thats because there are only a few (about 10 total) developers who actually have theirs yet. Mame will be ported by Franxis as soon as he gets his GP2X(I asked him) and I expect that someone will port SNES to it sometime soon. It looks like DrMD (the FULLSPEED gp32 genesis emulator) will be ported to it and ScummVM (a lucasarts adventure game interpreter) will also be ported. Quake, Quake2, and Duke3D have been ported and are now being optimized.

For more information on the gp2x/gp32 scene, check out the gp32x forums, thats where everythings happening:
www.gp32x.com

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Damn, I may be buying one of these some time. Very cool alternative!!!

[CowMix @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

so basically its a psp with full hombrew support and no developer support?

[Roberto @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

This thing can be as good or even a little better for homebrew than the psp, but the hot thing here is the homebrew developer's support.
sony does all those updates in order to finish homebrew, while the gp2x will always have great support for it.
expect perfect snes and genesis to be possible, then expect good neogeo and gba :)

Emuholic is a great community site/forums about the GP2X, check it out!
http://emuholic.emuboards.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=7&tbid=7
http://www.emuboards.com/invision/index.php?showforum=59

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I ordered mine awhile ago. This is gonna be bigger than the gp32. I'm sure that it will do very well in korea and europe.

[Bodhammer @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I also am very tempted but it just has a few shortcomings for me.

It needs:
1) Twice the battery life - put in 4 AA batteries.
2) WiFi/Bluetooth
3) More Storage - give it a CF instead of SD slot and put a 4GB microdrive inside.
4) 16x9 aspect ratio screen with higher resolution.
I would pay $100 more for those features.

[tiuk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

You honestly think those features could be implemented for $100 more, #30? I can't see a major player like Sony doing that, let alone a small company like GPH. Keep dreaming.

[AH @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

The Neuros 442 is also linux-based... open source once they get beyond the "gamma" phase, and it has a 20 gb hard drive and the ability to play anything and everything unconverted. They have the gamma out now for about 400 USD. I see no reason to get this or a vIPOD

[Jeep Commander @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I just ordered mine from Lik-Sang with 2GB SD card! Cant wait, says it should ship 11/30.

[MonkeyHAHA @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I dont know why there are so many people complaining about the GPX2 not having WiFi and for its use of AA Batteries......This is a gaming handheld not an Laptop or an iPod....If u are worried about the WiFi there have been plans on possibly adding it later...but for now get over it.......

And this is for poster 33...The Neuros is not a gaming machine!!!!

[tiuk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

#33, the gp2x can play stuff unconverted (don't have a full list of currently supported formats, but if I recall correctly it's pretty much everything but WMV and AC3 for copyright reasons). As for buying the Neuros 442 over this, from what I learned from a quick Google search, the Neuros is more of a DVR/Player, whereas the GP2X aims to be more of a gaming system/PMP.

[Phill @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

WiFi is the deal breaker for me. The potential of this handheld to go beyond just a game/video portable is HUGE. We're seeing this with the PSP browser. I can't tell you how much I'd love a little handheld which I can run some version of gaim on and/or an SSH client. It keeps me intouch while I'm in the lounge, or on the newly wifi enabled train etc. This is where i see the PSP homebrew scene going. There are only so many consoles you can emulate before you need to start doing something new, its only a matter of time.

Seriously, I love everything about the GP2x, except the lack of wifi. I don't need another gaming machine, the nintendo DS + flashcart is more than enough gaming for me, but a small portable, powerful, wifi enabled console... designed with homebrew in mind... it's drool worthy.

[Roberto @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

replying to bodhammer:

1) get good rechargeable batteries.
playing audio or videos can turn off the screen or underclock one of the processors, so itll save power.
all the processors inside it are very economic.

2) it doesnt need it at first, as its supposed to be a pvp with the ability to play games such as ports and emulators.
if it ever needs wireless connectivity, there is both the sdio slot and the EXT port for future hardware.

3) you can get 2GB sd cards for pretty cheap now.

4) 4:3 is what most videos and emulators are now. higher resolution can be good for some things but certainly not for the things the GP2X aims to do better.
emulators would require stretching up on higher resolution screens, so this qvga setting can play all emus on 1:1 pixel perfect resolution without the need of stretching.
for example, play an snes emu on the psp and see how small the picture is. on the gp2x, itll be very big.
also, videos downloaded from internet are rarely bigger than 352x tv resolution, so qvga screen can play everything very smoothly (it has dedicated hardware video decoding chips).
This is really something up to each one's taste and you just have to watch videos of the handheld running to know what we are talking about

no need to pay one more hundred bucks for this. this products aims to be cheap but extremelly good at what it proposes to do, so it can achieve many adopters with ease. even with all the things it can do, its only 190 dollars for gods sake!

http://www.gp32z.com/gp2xinfo.html

[m3 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Can connect to TV without any $100 usd add-on like PSP. That is what I love. Playe Emus and DivX on any TV i can connect to.

[JamesP @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Wow what a machine, where's the catch??

[Roberto @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

the catch? it'll not have popular commercial games at all, only unknown(but still great) games.
Its made for emulation/port/homebrew audio/video playing first, commercial gaming second.
Thats either a good and a bad thing, so its really up to each one to know if they need this or not. For me, I think its worth it based on snes emulation and audiovideo playback :)

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Just a note that the original beta firmware that pre-order customers are getting will be updated very soon. It has a couple of minor bugs, but they will all be fixed so ignore what rumours you may hear. It's going to rock hard! A SNES emulator (alpha build) is already out, and so is a Quake port!

[Ortwin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Replying to #32:
Why would you want to put 4 AAs into the unit? O.o You can just carry a bag with 20 AAs with you and change them when you need to. Before anyone complains that they are expensive: Well, there are rechargables.

[MrPerson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I'm wanting it, but I wanna see actual reviews first... The Liksang review that was linked earlier is just a preview that explains the features. On paper, it looks like just what momma ordered, but with the danged import taxes in Norway, importing this thing is just a bit too expensive a gamble without knowing if the emulators run at full speed with all effects enabled (stuff like Mode 7, for instance) and proper sound...

[Schnurpsi @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

There is now an other official certified European Online store who sells the GP2X. The store is based in Germany and really big and trusted. Look: http://www.comtech.de/product_info.php?pID=7117

[Carl George @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

No.45.

Check out gp2x.de or gp2x.co.uk to get around the taxes.

[Richard @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

myGP2X is a great source of info on the GP2X. A review will be posted just as soon as the pre-order arrives but in the meantime, there is a lot to be getting on with, including a huge FAQ.