A Few Questions

[trevorv]

Hi, I've already asked this on another forum, but haven't got a reply yet, and thought posting on two would get me a better range in answers anyway.

I first came across the GP32 a couple of years ago, and whilst being impressed, did not need anything like it at the time and proceeded to forget about it. Since then I've developed an interest in Linux and Open Source in general. I was looking for an MP3 player which also supported Ogg Vorbis, and came across the GP2X. I'm really impressed, and after realising I'd also get video and PDF support, and get NES/SNES emulators, decided I'll have to get one.

So, although I'm probably going to get one whatever the answer to these questions, I'd still like to know.

1) How hard is it to add support for extra audio and video formats? I'd like to have support for FLAC, Speex and Ogg Theora (yeah, I'm a sucker for open stuff). Is it simply a matter of copying over some codecs or is it more complicated than this? MIDI would also be nice, but I'd imagine that's harder as it's not an audio format.

2)Any possibility of support for the OpenDocument format? I'd imagine the answer is no, but I thought I'd ask.

3)Any chance of support for PNG images?

4)What programs can be installed on it? Can any command line programs be used, or do they need to be ported first? Specifically, I'd like to be able to edit metatags.

5)I use Linux as my only operating system, and just want to make sure it's easy enough to use the GP2X with this. It seems obvious that it would be, as it runs Linux itself, but I've known stranger things so I thought I'd ask. Is it just a matter of copying files onto an SD card?

6)On liksang.com, the console is referred to as the "second edition". What's the difference between this and the first?

7)I thought it had been released, but liksang.com says 2006. What's that all about?

Thanks in advance for your help! Sorry that was a bit long!

 

[fomit]

Welp...

This thing is Linux. The only boundaries are memory, processor speed, screen size, etc...

You can port many things to this environment. You could probably port X if you wanted to. I don't see OpenOffice support happening. That thing is a resource hog. Who knows though, maybe someone will write an O reader.

But... As I said above, all things will have to be written from scratch or ported. That means making sure that it has the correct libraries and that it will function within the confines of the GP2X. Applications will have to be recompiled for the ARM srchitecture.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I've said something misleading.

 

[taras]

The current edition is the First Edition. The second edition comes out in 2006, presumably with fewer bugs.

 

[Rayek]

Did you call him a whelp?...

anyway...

1) How hard is it to add support for extra audio and video formats? I'd like to have support for FLAC, Speex and Ogg Theora (yeah, I'm a sucker for open stuff). Is it simply a matter of copying over some codecs or is it more complicated than this? MIDI would also be nice, but I'd imagine that's harder as it's not an audio format.

You have to port any codecs or launchers into a format that the gp2X's hardware can play. All prorgams that use the files (mplayer in this case) will have to be recompiled to know to look for different file extensions, as well.

2)Any possibility of support for the OpenDocument format? I'd imagine the answer is no, but I thought I'd ask.

I've been told this plenty (when asking about dosbox... ):Unless YOU do it, no. Or, you can post and post and post and annoy devs left and right and HOPE it gets done .

3)Any chance of support for PNG images?

All of the menu images and icon images are in .png form. The GP2X can display them already, but the photo viewer doesn't know it can. Until someone tells it it can .

4)What programs can be installed on it? Can any command line programs be used, or do they need to be ported first? Specifically, I'd like to be able to edit metatags.

Command line stuff ON the gp2x will be difficult as there isn't official keyboard support (that will change, someone's working on distributing one). I don't know to what extent you can control metatags from your pc with a serial cable.

5)I use Linux as my only operating system, and just want to make sure it's easy enough to use the GP2X with this. It seems obvious that it would be, as it runs Linux itself, but I've known stranger things so I thought I'd ask. Is it just a matter of copying files onto an SD card?

Most likely, in any OS case, you will need a card reader (20usd) to copy files onto the SD. Once you've done that, it's pretty easy, copy the files, run them on the gp2x

6)On liksang.com, the console is referred to as the "second edition". What's the difference between this and the first?

Lik-sang is waiting for a 'stable release' so they won't hurt their customers by selling them what they call a 'defunct unit'. I've been bugging them to buy up some units with the 1.0.2 firmware on them, as it fixes many, if not all the problems they listed in their gp2x message:
http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3742
they have yet to give me a response.

7)I thought it had been released, but liksang.com says 2006. What's that all about?

see above.. I'll update with more info if I get an email back from Lik-sang (not looking too promising, as I emailed them two days ago and haven't heard peep one from them).

 

[Rayek]

The current edition is the First Edition. The second edition comes out in 2006, presumably with fewer bugs.

​

I've made a post on this in this thread:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=23269

A distributor said that there is no such thing as an "official release" or a 'Second Edition'. Lik-sang could be waiting till doomsday for a handheld that was never planned.

 

[trevorv]

Thanks for the info, especially Rayek, that's all really useful.

I am just starting to cross the line from user to developer (I have just begun to learn C), and would like to implement some stuff on the GP2X. I would be interested in porting the codecs in particular, but I've got no idea where to start! If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it.

The Lik Sang situation does seem a bit odd, from the link you gave;

We have not yet received Gamepark Holdings feedback about the postponed release at Lik-Sang, but we do hope that they can be convinced to revise the unit for a release to a broader user base, not just system hackers and professional technicians.

does make it sound somewhat like they're just praying GPH will decide to release a second edition, with no idea if they will or not.

Which of those issues isn't fixed with the latest firmware?

 

[racoon]

The Mplayer is still a bit buggy, there is no stereo sound for the speakers yet (there is already a patch but I think it isnt integrated into the newest firmware yet), and without chaning it through a program the gp2x runs at full power cnsumption activating all (co)processors even if they are not really needed, which means it drains much more power than actually used...

But anyway, the only difference between the 1st and 2nd edition is the firmware, but you can "upgrade" your 1st edition firmware to any later firmware, so its no real problem.