GP2X The Penguin Must Die!


gp2brew

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GP2Brew Editor
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Ok, so from what Reesy said in another thread about his emulator projects, the built-in sexy lookin' Linux within the GP2X is actually not so hot when it comes to really hitting the hardware.

Seriously, how many people carrying over from the GP32 really care whether or not the GP2X has some fancy GUI based on Linux or not. Fancy GUIs don't need Linux, but then there are some apps that are made for the o/s that could be handy at some point. Like when there's a keyboard for the GP2X, and some clever linux geeks have ported some apps that will actually work on the thing.

I've no experience with embedded Linux systems and what it is possible to run on them, but it seems like quite possibly with the overhead of the o/s itself, a lot of stuff could be off limits. I dunno, maybe it would be possible to hack some ARM code into an app to make it run faster, I'm just rambling now. I mean, it'd be cool to see maybe GIMP running on the TV at 740x480 or something, how practical that would be is another matter.

I hope that in the case of the GP2X GPH or another company will come up with some gadgets to add-on, k/b and a mouse maybe would be nice, until that time the embedded Linux is going to be a bit of a novelty and I reckon many of us wouldn't be phased in the least if it wasn't in there.

Which brings me to the wacky topic of this post, how are the assasination plans coming along to knock off that damn penguin?

I'm sure I read some mention of devs that receieved prototypes had made some effort at seeing what could be done, and don't flame me if there's 50 threads about this already, some fresh discussion is needed judging by Reesy's comments in the emulator thread.

Has anyone had any success, or planning to do something to club that penguin senseless so we can have releases that actually have full axs to the power of the GP2X rather than have emulators and such crippled by the geek trophy that is the current operating system?

Frankly I couldn't care less about what seems to be little more than Linux being used as a bloated launcher with some nice icons and a few basic apps.
 
wow.. usually it is a case of 'oo can it run linux?' but now its 'how fast can we ditch linux?'

funny stuff.. :)
 
Some devs have already killed the penguin and have been working in "hit the hardware" mode for quite some time :)
 
Some devs have already killed the penguin and have been working in "hit the hardware" mode for quite some time :)

Squidge...

Does the user have to do anything special to run the programs that are knocking on the hardware or will the software take care of shuffling that pesky Linux out of the way?
 
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i would say we should have both. a boot option for linux and for a firmware (like on the gp32).
i really dont want to miss the media features of the gp2x, it could take long until someone get the custom video decode hardware running in a homebrew player.
 
i would say we should have both. a boot option for linux and for a firmware (like on the gp32).
i really dont want to miss the media features of the gp2x, it could take long until someone get the custom video decode hardware running in a homebrew player.

Strange you should say that, as that's exactly how it's been planned by certain devs. You switch on the machine, and can choose between Linux or Hardcore Homebrew(HH) :)

File format for HH has already been through many changes, and is about ready, SD drivers are looking good (2764KB/sec - much faster than Linux's driver), LCD driver works, etc...

Also, processor speed can be modified via HH, 100Mhz, 200Mhz & 266Mhz modes have been tested.

+ lots more in the works.

UAE will be a HH exclusive, and will support several cpu speed selections.
 
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i would say we should have both. a boot option for linux and for a firmware (like on the gp32).
i really dont want to miss the media features of the gp2x, it could take long until someone get the custom video decode hardware running in a homebrew player.

Strange you should say that, as that's exactly how it's been planned by certain devs. You switch on the machine, and can choose between Linux or Hardcore Homebrew(HH) :)

File format for HH has already been through many changes, and is about ready, SD drivers are looking good (2764KB/sec - much faster than Linux's driver), LCD driver works, etc...

Also, processor speed can be modified via HH, 100Mhz, 200Mhz & 266Mhz modes have been tested.

+ lots more in the works.

UAE will be a HH exclusive, and will support several cpu speed selections.


:D

See, I figured you guys would be workin' away on that one, but then when Reesy posted about DrMD needing help from the "magic hackers" it got me worried. Does Reesy not know about what you're doing with this well titled "HH"? ;)

Excellent stuff btw, great to hear, and I can't wait to have a handheld Amiga. Yee-ha! :)
 
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Strange you should say that, as that's exactly how it's been planned by certain devs. You switch on the machine, and can choose between Linux or Hardcore Homebrew(HH)


Hey that's cool :) But I hope it won't be annoying ... Maybe it would be good to "save" the last value.

For example you choose Linux, it will boot from now everytime, until you press for example 3 buttons at start, then you will again come into the menu!

A bit like an Bootloader
 
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Strange you should say that, as that's exactly how it's been planned by certain devs. You switch on the machine, and can choose between Linux or Hardcore Homebrew(HH)


Hey that's cool :) But I hope it won't be annoying ... Maybe it would be good to "save" the last value.

For example you choose Linux, it will boot from now everytime, until you press for example 3 buttons at start, then you will again come into the menu!

A bit like an Bootloader
Thats annoying, that feauture really pissed me off when I used to use mr-spiv's firmware for the GP32. You will end up with loads of n00bs not knowing why their GP2X is stuck not going into linux etc...
 
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i would say we should have both. a boot option for linux and for a firmware (like on the gp32).
i really dont want to miss the media features of the gp2x, it could take long until someone get the custom video decode hardware running in a homebrew player.

Strange you should say that, as that's exactly how it's been planned by certain devs. You switch on the machine, and can choose between Linux or Hardcore Homebrew(HH) :)

File format for HH has already been through many changes, and is about ready, SD drivers are looking good (2764KB/sec - much faster than Linux's driver), LCD driver works, etc...

Also, processor speed can be modified via HH, 100Mhz, 200Mhz & 266Mhz modes have been tested.

+ lots more in the works.

UAE will be a HH exclusive, and will support several cpu speed selections.

Am I dreaming? I know I woke up this morning but this sounds almost too good to be true :)

Edit: Isn't the brick risk high though? How do you test out these things?
 
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Sounds the ideal solution if it's safe! Perfect.

Also, processor speed can be modified via HH, 100Mhz, 200Mhz & 266Mhz modes have been tested.

and software under/overclocking! Is the overclocked 266Mhz "safe" and reasonably reliable? If so then :ph34r: :wub:


Will UAE run at a good speed?
 
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