Wikipedia

GP2X

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The GP2X is a 2xAA battery-powered handheld game console, media player, and video game device, created and sold by GamePark Holdings of Korea.

File:GP2X.jpg
GP2X Final Design

Overview

Released on November 10th, 2005 in South Korea, the GP2X is a handheld game console that uses a Linux-based operating system and is designed to support videos, music, photos, and games in an open architecture allowing any user to develop software for the device. Expandability for future upgrades (new media formats, features, operating system, etc) has been made possible by flash upgradable firmware.

The GP2X natively supports codecs and formats such as DivX, XviD, MP3 and Ogg Vorbis, but because the player is based on the open-source media player mplayer, it will be easily possible to add others non-supported at the launch. It is also expected to be able to emulate games for many systems, including the Nintendo, Sega Master System, PC Engine, GameBoy, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis. There are even discussions about the possibility of emulating systems as complex as the Sony PlayStation and even the Nintendo 64. Actually, because GP2X units were sent to some developers before the official commercial launch, there are projects of some emulators, like a Neo Geo CD emulator ported to GP2X by a Korean developer. Curently (1-7-2006) there's even a beta of a mame port running almost 1000 games from diferent arcade systems.

Software

A Software development kit is available and users are free to develop their own programs. The main component of the SDK will be the use of the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) Library which allows for easy access to graphics hardware. Because the system uses Linux, it can be easier to port programs to the GP2X than it was to the GP32 - for example, on 1st September 2005, Gamepark Holdings was able to port a Gameboy Color emulator to the GP2X in less than 30 minutes (video).

Hardware

The GP2X unit has 64 Megabytes of NAND flash memory where files and software can be stored. The unit also has a SD Card slot which serves as its main storage medium. It can take SDs up to 2GB.

DRM

There has been discussion[1] of the inclusion of DRM (Digital Rights Management) in the GP2X.

Gamepark Holdings has confirmed[2] that DRM will only be used to guarantee the security of commercial games made for the system, and will not be used to restrict what the user can load onto the system (video, music, or software development) since most if not all GP2X built-in software is open-source.

Besides that statement, nothing is known about this DRM and how it limits the use of the device at the moment.

History

Several years after the release of the GP32, GamePark, the Korean company responsible for the system, began to design its next handheld. A disagreement within the company about the direction of this system prompted many of the staff (including the majority of engineers) to vacate and create their own company, GamePark Holdings (GPH) to create, produce and market a 2D handheld system (which is seen as the evolution of the GP32) that would come to be known as the GP2X. In contrast, GamePark has developed a 3D system similar to the Playstation Portable, known as the XGP.

Eventually, GPH would run into difficulty with the GPX2 in the form of a possible trademark violation as the name of a Japanese printer, the GPX, was considered too similar, as GPX thought that it would be confused with a "second generation printer" A contest for a new name was therefore announced on the 3rd August, 2005. Some 1500 names were submitted by the deadline of the 15th of August but trademark issues delayed the registration of fifteen selected names. GamePark Holdings eventually decided to name their handheld the GP2X in part because of brand recognition but also because of its availability as a trademark.

Photographs

Specifications

  • CPUs Dual-core: ARM920T (host 200 MHz) + ARM940T (200 MHz) - Overclockable by software
  • Chipset: MMSP2
  • NAND Flash ROM: 64 MB
  • RAM: SDRAM 64 MB
  • Operating System: Linux based OS
  • Storage: SD Card (SDIO support probable in future)
  • Connection: USB 2.0 High Speed
  • Power: 2 x AA battery
  • Display: 3.5 in 320×240 color TFT LCD
  • TV out: yes (with optional cable; S-video only, not to mention audio relay)
  • AC power: 3.3 V
  • Physical size: 142mm wide, 82mm high, 27mm deep (exc. joystick) approx

Media support

Videos

  • Video file: MPEG, MPEG4, DivX 3/4/5, XviD
  • Resolution: Max 720×480 (hardware scaling for TFT screen)
  • Frame Rate: Max 30 frames per second
  • Max. Bit Rate: Video: 2500 kbit/s, Audio: 384 kbit/s
  • Captions: SMI
  • Battery Life: ~10 Hours (test by user: 2 × 2200mAh AA battery) - Lifetime in video will probably rise in the future with new firmwares due to inefficient use of the processors in video play.

Audio

  • Audio Formats: MP3, Ogg Vorbis (GPH has promised eventual WMA support as well)
  • Frequency Range: 20 Hz-20 kHz
  • Power output: 100mA
  • Sample Resolution/Rate: 16bit/8-48 kHz
  • Equalizer: includes "Normal", "Classic", "Rock", "Jazz", "Pop" presets
  • Battery Life: ~10 hours (info given by manufacturer: 2 x 2850mAh AA battery)

GPL

  • Although the G2PX is based on Linux there have been some reports of inaccessibility to recent source code.

References

  1. ^ Linux based handheld has DRM
  2. ^ Clarification from GamePark

See also

  • GBA Movie Player - serves similar purposes (i.e. plays NES games, e-books, etc.)

Official Site

General Information

  • GP2X FAQ - an excellent up-to-date FAQ covering everything about the GP2X
  • wiki.GP2X.org - The GP2X Development Wiki
  • Gamepark Newbie - Another excellent up-to-date FAQ, Also includes info about its predecessor the GP32

Distributors

Note: Except for GP2X Shop (which will only ship within the EU and not to the UK), all of these distibutors will ship internationally.

Community and News Websites

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