GCW Zero - Open Source Gaming Handheld


Emulators look and run better on the gcw compared to android. There are a few exceptions, like gba, which runs better on android. And of course n64 ps x etc that aren't supported on gcw. The gcw does have its problems though. Software is in really early stages. In couldn't get pocket nes so save states. Gba has a lot of sound crackling and some slowdown. As far as hardware goes I've got a shitty dpad version, though I've been told some silicone grease will fix that. There are no volume buttons and no sleep mode as of yet. This thing could be amazing, they have plenty of talented developers working on it already. Non emulated games from flawlessly from what I've played with. Quake 2 doom cave story, etc. Needs a year of development I'd say.
 
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^ I actually MEANT that type of niche device - NOT cheap Chinese Android knockoffs - no offense. I like the idea of actual gamers/users producing products for similar fans. Somehow I think that the Yinlips and other crap that I've seen just won't make my gaming experience better.


Edit 1: If it's not obvious, I'm in the corner of the perceived "underdog". I want the GCW Zero to succeed. I WILL buy one, but I suspect that the 320x200 resolution might have killed some interest - double that and you might have a winner, but maybe even not. The mobile-tech market NOW is really cut-throat.


I'm really enjoying my Pandora and I want similar products to win, or at least I think that I do - as long as that doesn't take away from the Pandora's successes. I think that they can coexist. I will buy one and enjoy some games on it, but I collect stuff and enjoy the genre.

There is just no way for us, big fat 'Mericans to compete with these cunning skinny Chinese. 
I probably shouldn't take this sort of cyber-"bait", but this comment comes off as a bit insincere, and almost condescending.  Maybe I'm reading a bit too much into your profile name (and questionable usage of the English language).  You may very well indeed be a "fat 'Merican", but it doesn't sound like it - if I'm any good at reading between the lines (of your numerous posts here).  I'm not oblivious to what sort of reputation Americans have amongst the rest of the world - it's just that it gets a bit tiresome.  The generalities and all.  No, I'm not fat, nor stupid or lazy...and I don't shop at Walmart...not that THAT is a bad thing. Soooo, enough of my nonsense on that topic...


I will still purchase and enjoy a GCW Zero.  I buy things for my own personal reasons.  I can't speak for others.  The GCW still seems fairly inexpensive (to me) and still offers things over the other Android gaming machines that I've seen, used, and heard of.  Being an opensourced handheld (running a version of opendingux I assume), and having decent analog controls wins over higher specs on an unsupported mass-produced android device with crappy digital controls.  I just like the whole user experience that an open handheld offers.  A chinese factory can't (or hasn't) provided that yet.  The manufacturers of most of these cheap products move onto the next product as quickly as possible and where is the support?  No where.  There is NO community.  What you see as an "advantage" may not be the same to me.  I enjoy a good gaming (or computing) experience.
 
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 I'm not oblivious to what sort of reputation Americans have amongst the rest of the world - it's just that it gets a bit tiresome.  The generalities and all.
It is funny though, its like the rest of the worlds trolling revenge for all the silly stereotypes about the rest of us you "muricans" have propagated through your television and movies over the years. I dont think anyone really believes it, but we like to let you think we do. :D
 
^ LOL....okay, fair enough.  I'm as self-effacing as anyone, and I enjoy being the butt of a joke as long as it's funny.  I still will call "BS" at certain times when I deem it as inappropriate or unfair.  Sarcasm is hard to read on any forum, especially a globally visited one...   ;)
 
The not so funny thing is that this thread was started on 02 May 2012 - 12:24 PM by Qbertaddict.  That was well over a year ago.  Must be tough to produce handhelds on a shoestring budget.  That's obvious.  Maybe Craig isn't the only one that suffered from this sort of start-up phenomenon. 
 
^^^^Sold my gcw zero se already, unused with extras. You lose sucka! I shall have 25 regular models, to sell this month sometime, hopefully 2 weeks or so.
 
You could say the project was on a shoe string budget while the prototype hardware was being developed
but alot don't know that about $160K was self funded from saving and retirement plan and supplemented by
about $22K in SE purchases.

Which out of the 22K only about 15K was ever used as Paypal froze the account and that is still an ongoing
saga which probably won't end until they can confirm all SE units are recieved. That in itself as the USPS
not tracking correctly and not showing them as delivered will continue to be a saga for sometime to go.

This has been a long hard journey but thank god the light is at the end of the tunnel on making sure all orders
of the SE will land in you the early adopters hands.

As for the MTK Soc it's an OK soc and maybe used in the future by us if we do another console which we plan to
but that is down the road and my eyes are more on Hi Silicon or RockChip or Samsung.
 
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Mine is making its way to me right now, just had shipping confirmation mail.

Cheers gcw
 
Got the GCW Zero SE today. On the directional pad the down position is harder to register. The directional pad also easily gets stuck in the down position.

First impressions it seems like a faster, updated, A-320. I like the A-320 so that is not a bad thing. More later.
 
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I got mine today, with tee shirt, sweeeet.


Going to charge it up then try out some classic gaming on it :)


Great looking console though, packaging design is also nice
 
Software is rather rough at the moment, and I got the dreaded sticky dpad making it really hard to use... otherwise it look great, and playing some SNES game not upscaled is great, it looks great...
 
Got the GCW Zero SE today. On the directional pad the down position is harder to register. The directional pad also easily gets stuck in the down position.

First impressions it seems like a faster, updated, A-320. I like the A-320 so that is not a bad thing. More later.

I don't notice any sticky, not yet anyway though only played for a half hour or so last night.

I do have the same thing with the dpad down position though, the other 3 directions are sensitive to a light pressing ... the down direction isn't and does need to be pressed more firmly.

I wouldn't say it's unresponsive, just definitely not as responsive as the other directions are, but those seem to accept input from almost a half-press.

Anyone tried the Unreal Speccy OPK with success?

I read that it can read most the tape formats but when I open it and browse to my dir with them in, nothing is shown in the list, just the usual 'up to root dir' icon you'd see if browsing to an empty dir.

Not sure if they are required to be saved somewhere specific perhaps?
 
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Anyone tried the Unreal Speccy OPK with success?
I read that it can read most the tape formats but when I open it and browse to my dir with them in, nothing is shown in the list, just the usual 'up to root dir' icon you'd see if browsing to an empty dir.

Not sure if they are required to be saved somewhere specific perhaps?
That sounds like a bug in gmenu2x rom browser we had. It is fixed in the latest firmware upgrade.
 
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