Homebrew Dilemma, Gp2x Or Gizmondo? Options

[Yablan]

Hi. My first post here. I have a dilemma. You see, I would like a handheld console with MP3 playback and homebrew support (MAME, PC-Engine emulation, not piracy).

So the obvious choice seems to be the GP2X, which is the logical sucessor to the GP32X (a korean handheld with strong homebrew following). It has just been released, and has good specs (3.5 inch screen, dual 200 mhz processors and 2D acceleration). The good thing about it, is that it is an open console, in the sense that it supports open source. Go to www.gbax.com for more information on the GP2X.

But now we also have the Gizmondo. Aarrgggh! Beautiful machine with even better specs than the GP2X (400 mhz processor, 3D acceleration, camera), but unlike GP2X, it does NOT have official homebrew support, even though I’ve seen in the Hello World-topic that homebrew is well underway.
Commercial games are not an issue, as both Gizmondo and GP2X are severely lacking in that area. The key issue here will be which one gathers more homebrew support. And in that sense, the Gizmondo unfortunately has it’s drawbacks, due to:
1) the machine is not officially open for homebrew.
2) the GP2X will surely gather more developer support, at least initially, from the hordes of GP32X developers jumping on the GP2X bandwagon..
3) if the upcoming widescreen Gizmondo is not backwards compatible with current Gizmondo software, this will effectively kill dev support for the current Gizmondo.

I suppose I’ll just have to wait a few more weeks, and see what happens with the “opening” of the Gizmondo, and with the newly released GP2X.
But still, I know that this is a Gizmondo-focused forum, but I would appreciate some feedback on my reflections, how high do you actually deem the probability of a Gizmondo homebrew scene actually florishing?

[Trevsweb]

yep leave it till homebrew software has been released then we all can see what we can do with it. but you know the gp2x will have the whole gp32 scenes backing.
i just hope some of those guys like firefly has come and give the giz a look

[GizmondoCentral]

yep leave it till homebrew software has been released then we all can see what we can do with it. but you know the gp2x will have the whole gp32 scenes backing.
i just hope some of those guys like firefly has come and give the giz a look

Yeah esp if he can access to the nvidia chip then it will open up loads of 3d homebrew games, remember that pd game on the Amiga,
The only thing worrying me is even if he does release a sdk, how many people will want to program for the giz? i know the Gp32 has a bigger following and the GP2x is their next 'baby' so to speak, so hopefully their will be room for both to be exploited esp as i said the 3d chip, maybe using the camera in some weird homebrew games etc its something different to play around with...

[Yablan]

Then, there's the fact that the upcoming Gizmondo will have it's current security holes patched by two means:
First, by the fact that Tiger Telematics themselves of course will see to it that the holes in the current Gizmondo is patched.
And second, it will be based on Windows CE 5.0 rather than 4.2, like the current Gizmondo.

So essentially, homebrew on the current Gizmondo has only a couple of months to actually gain momentum. And this depends on:
1. critical user mass (no one will develop homebrew for a small user group).
2. easy hackability of the Giz.
3. availability of decent developer apps.

The first point is the most critical, because after the unveiling of the new widescreen Giz in January, people will not buy the older/current gizmondo,
so the target users of potential homebrew apps will be owners of the current Gizmondo up till then, which might be too few people to sustain a homebrew scene. And let's face it, miracles must happen for the large masses to start buying Gizmondos.. Let's hope the US october release works miracles..

[squidge]

I think we all know which console is the better one, performance wise. The Giz however does seem to have a serious shortage of willing coders. Firefly is always interested in hacking things, and finding out how things work, but I don't think he'll be porting many emulators. fDave does like emu's though, with his Picodrive and Finalburn stuff.

However, like you say, there are a lot of gp32 developers moving to the gp2x now, and some of the key developers for the gp32 are being given free gp2x consoles prior to the launch, so the gp2x will probably launch with emulators and homebrew already available.

So, I'd say the GP2X is going to be the one with more homebrew at this stage, but who knows what will happen when everyone is able to write homebrew for the Giz.

[Axis]

I dont think they will be a Gizmondo homebrew scene florishing not for this version anyway but maybe things will change a bit when its released in the US, i hope so anyway or the Giz will die

[Blue]

I dont think they will be a Gizmondo homebrew scene florishing not for this version anyway but maybe things will change a bit when its released in the US, i hope so anyway or the Giz will die

Maybe US hackers will really get homebrew (and the emulators that are most important to everyone here) up and running on the Giz.

FireFly seems to have, and I mean no offense, his resignations on the homebrew angle. I think he's doing it more for sport and as a challenge, rather than to release anything in public.

My $0.02.

[Axis]

Maybe US hackers will really get homebrew (and the emulators that are most important to everyone here) up and running on the Giz.

FireFly seems to have, and I mean no offense, his resignations on the homebrew angle. I think he's doing it more for sport and as a challenge, rather than to release anything in public.

My $0.02.

Totaly agree and thats what im hoping for

FireFly is doing an amazing job just need more people like him doing it

[gruntyking117]

I'm not sure yet on the HB front, but if you get a Gizmondo, wait till 06. The Gizmondo WS should be out then. Check the front page for info on it.

[L337g4m3r]

GP2X has the advantage of being able to support homebrew and emus from day one. No hacking or cracking needed. No cat-and-mouse with firmware upgrades and DRM hacking etc.

It can run linux meaning there will be tons of things ported from linux scenes.

It has a larger screen than the Giz at 3.5" vs 2.8". It has 320 x 240 like the Giz which is actually a nice resolution for emus.

It does use AA batteries which is nice since you can get them from anywhere.

Only thing is it is slower than the Giz at only 200 MHz. It has 2 cores plus 2d acceleration, not sure how 2x 200 will compare to 1x 400 though. If there is a big weakness of the GP2x CPU speed is it. The 2d chip supports hardware decompression for movies for super smooth framerate though.

It has a TV-out feature which can play movies at full resolution on a TV. Emus and games can be played on a TV too.

No 3D chip, but that is what the Giz, Ds, PSP is for

The WS giz wont have that much of an advantage in emus except CPU speed over the current giz as widescreen and analog control will do nothing for running stuff like SNES.

Now that TT is abandoning the Giz for the WS version next year this Gp2x thing is starting to look attractive though...

I was going to buy a Giz at the US launch, but now not sure what to do now that they have announced this new one as I don't know how long they will support the current Giz.

[Yablan]

Well, I just caved in and went mainstream = bought a PSP.

As all of you might know, yesterday there was a huge breakthrough in the PSP scene, as a firmware downgrade from v2.0 to v1.50 was released. So I bought a PSP, preloaded with v1.52, ran the demo disc and upgraded to v2.0, and then downgraded to v1.50, which is the version with full homebrew support.

So you will not be seeing me here no more. Thanks for your kind inputs to my original dilemma. Good luck to you all, and may the Gizmondo scene prosper (which unfortunately seem unlikely now, as there will be a huge boost in the homebrew PSP scene, due to the recent downgrade).

Bye.

[garengarch]

Personally, I've gone for Giz and gp2x.
With the like of Firefly on the Giz and Squidqe on the gp2x, I figure I've got the bases covered

Can't help feeling the Giz is going to end up as a fulltime satnav tho' , time will tell..

[hein]

Personally, I've gone for Giz and gp2x.
With the like of Firefly on the Giz and Squidqe on the gp2x, I figure I've got the bases covered

Can't help feeling the Giz is going to end up as a fulltime satnav tho' , time will tell..

the satnav will make giz sell TONS, if they take it to somewhere like pc world.

[L337g4m3r]

This just released.

http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?act=ST&f=42&t=23033

Wow fullspeed Megadrive with sound. And it is not even optimised yet.

[bluemonkey321]

i used to like hacking my cybiko
couldnt afford a gp32

[supaimposter]

I got a GP2X and i gotta say its well good for homebrew full speed megadrive emulator nearly full speed snes, pc conversions such as flashback and another world, amiga, pc engine on the way.
All this from a machine that has only been out a couple of weeks.
I think you guys are waisting your time with giz homebrew, knowone is gonna write emulators for it anyways.
Lets just hope the commecial games for the giz start to roll in otherwize the giz could be dead

[dave]

IF U GET A GP@X THEN U WILL BE A FORUM TRAITOR!!! U WANT THAT TO HAPPEN THEN DO GET ONE GIZ FOR LIFE

[Exodus]

Shut the Hell Up

[L337g4m3r]

I got a GP2X and i gotta say its well good for homebrew full speed megadrive emulator nearly full speed snes, pc conversions such as flashback and another world, amiga, pc engine on the way.
All this from a machine that has only been out a couple of weeks.
I think you guys are waisting your time with giz homebrew, knowone is gonna write emulators for it anyways.
Lets just hope the commecial games for the giz start to roll in otherwize the giz could be dead

Yeah there is new homebrew every day being released on the GP2X. Today was ScummVM. What will it be tommorrow? A new version of a SNES emu? PC-Engine perhaps? Gameboy color emu, MAME or maybe Hexen or Doom? Maybe it will just be a simple upgrade of the PSX emu. All of this and the second CPU core hasn't even been tapped into yet.

I was going to get a giz when released in the US. But since it never happened I just settled with a GP2X instead. The screen is GORGEOUS the color and contrast is great and much larger than the Giz screen anyway.

I think you guys should just forget the Giz. If it is commercial games you want get a PSP or DS they have more games and better ones too. If Homebrew is what you want get a GP2X.

The Giz will go the way of the zodiac into oblivion. I mean you guys rest the whole future of the Giz on a perpetually delayed game called "colors" ? When that game comes and goes what then? I saw screens of it and it didn't look that great. It was like an alpha version of a DS WIP game that still needs alot of work. I came here interested in buying a giz but after reading all of the bitching here I decided it wasn't worth it. You really have to ask is the Giz and Colors worth banging your head against the wall every day? I say no.

[Zappo]

I guess its down to what you want from your handheld device. I bought the Giz primarily because it was a cheap Sat Nav solution, and I must say it does this brilliantly. Better than the other 'Sat Nav Only' devices I have tried which cost a lot more.
Remember, its also a digital camera. The resolution may not be too good for printing, but its still better than the majority of cameras in mobile phones and the pictures are clean and bright which is great for emailing or Web use.
Being able to send text messages is a good feature too. Like most people I carry a mobile phone around with me, but the Giz is handy if you run out of credit or your battery runs flat and you need to send that emergency text. Plus its cool if you want to keep your private txts seperate from your works txts.
I would love to be able to run homebrew on it, and who knows... perhaps we all will if Gizmondo have a flash of inspiration and decide to unlock them. Failing that, I might just have to apply to be a developer.