The GP2X is a handheld device that plays video games and media. It was created by a company in South Korea called GamePark Holdings and was released on November 10, 2005, only in South Korea.
The GP2X is designed for both homebrew and commercial developers. It is often used to run emulator software for game consoles such as Neo Geo, Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, NES, TurboGrafx-16, and MAME.
Overview
The GP2X was created to play music and videos, view photos, and play games. It used an open system based on Linux, which allowed anyone to create and run software. The device also had software that could be updated later, making it possible to add new features, such as support for different types of media files, in the future.
A common way people used the GP2X was by running emulators. Emulators let users play games designed for other systems on the GP2X.
History
After the GP32 was released in 2001, its maker, Game Park, began designing a new handheld device. A disagreement among employees about the future of the system caused many to leave and form a new company, GamePark Holdings. This new company aimed to create a 2D-based handheld system they viewed as a follow-up to the GP32.
GamePark Holdings consulted former GP32 distributors and developers to decide the new device’s features and marketing strategy. Meetings in Seoul, Korea, led to agreement on the final design of the console.
The first name for the new console was GPX2. However, this name could not be used due to a possible trademark issue with a Japanese printer named GPX. A contest to choose a new name was held on August 3, 2005. Over 1,500 names were submitted. Matt Bakse won the contest with the name GP2X and received a free GP2X console as a prize, though delivery was delayed.
The GP2X underwent several small hardware updates, including changes from the First Edition to the Normal Edition and then to the MK2. A newer version called the "F200," which included a touchscreen, was released earlier than planned on October 30, 2007.
By August 23, 2006, the GP2X was available for purchase in the United States through an online distributor.
As of October 16, 2006, 30,000 GP2X units had been sold. On August 31, 2008, the CEO of GamePark Holdings reported that 60,000 units had been sold. The Korea Times noted in 2009 that sales had exceeded 60,000 units.
On August 26, 2008, GamePark Holdings announced the successor to the GP2X, called the "Wiz."
As of September 1, 2008, a version of the GP2X was still being sold in Korea by Vocamaster. This version was designed for Koreans learning English. According to the official GP2X distributor in the UK, Craig Rothwell, most GP2X units sold so far were purchased through Vocamaster for use as English-learning tools.
Hardware
- Chipset: MagicEyes MMSP2 MP2520F System-on-a-chip
- CPU: 200 MHz ARM920T main processor, 200 MHz ARM940T secondary processor
- NAND Flash ROM: 64 MB
- RAM: 64 MB SDRAM
- Operating System: Linux-based system
- Storage: SD card (Newer firmware supports SDHC)
- Connection to PC: USB 2.0 High Speed
- USB Host: USB 1.1
- Power: 2 AA batteries or AC adapter
- Display: 3.5 inch, 320×240 resolution, 65,536 colors TFT LCD
- TV output
- Physical size: 143.6 mm wide, 82.9 mm high, 27 mm (excluding joystick, approximately) / 34 mm deep
- Weight: 161 grams (without battery)
The ARM940T processor was used in the GP2X to manage video processing tasks. While the ARM940T can also handle other tasks, it is more challenging to use it for these purposes. Using both processors directly improves performance.
The F-200 version of the GP2X replaced the joystick with a directional pad and added a touchscreen.
The GP2X has an "EXT" port on its base that allows special cables or adapters to connect up to four USB devices. The usefulness of these connections depends on whether drivers are available for the devices.
The connector used for the EXT port is not exclusive to the GP2X. Its design is fully open, allowing users to create their own cables.
The GP2X supports TV output through a special cable connected to the EXT port. This allows videos to be displayed at their original resolution on a TV instead of the smaller screen. Some software can display content on a TV, but third-party tools are needed for applications that do not support this feature.
The GP2X uses two AA-sized batteries when not connected to an external power source. Standard alkaline batteries do not last long due to high power use. NiMH or lithium batteries are better choices.
Battery life depends on the activity being used. With alkaline batteries, it may last as little as 10 minutes, but with high-capacity NiMH batteries, it can last over 6 hours. Turning off the screen and backlight while listening to music helps save power.
The GP2X has a socket for an external power supply. It must provide 3.3V DC at 1A with a standard center-grounded connector. The power supply must be regulated to avoid damage from voltage spikes.
The GP2X uses a Secure Digital (SD) card for storage, which fits into a slot on the top of the device. Older versions only supported SD cards up to 4 GB. SD cards must be formatted as FAT16, FAT32 (FAT32 is more reliable), or ext2. The GP2X also has 64 MB of internal flash memory, with 32 MB available for user data.
Starting with firmware version 4.0, the GP2X F200 supports SDHC cards up to 64 GB in size.
The two ARM processors in the GP2X can be run faster than their rated speed using software. The maximum speed achievable varies by device. About 1 in 50 devices can reach over 300 MHz, while others may only reach 240 MHz. Most devices can operate safely above 240 MHz. The highest speed advertised for overclocking is 266 MHz.
Multimedia support
- Video formats: DivX 3/4/5, Xvid (MPEG-4)
- Audio formats: MP3 and Vorbis
- Container files: AVI and OGM (WMA and MPG with additional software)
- Maximum Resolution: 720*480 (scaled to 320×240 screen resolution using built-in scaling chip)
- Captions: SMI, SRT
- Battery Life: 3.5 hours average, longer times may be possible with high capacity batteries and by using power saving modes.
- Audio Formats: MP3, Vorbis (more formats available with alternative players)
- Channels: Stereo
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Power output: 100 mW
- Sample Resolution/Rate: 16bit/8–48 kHz
- Equalizer: includes "Normal", "Classic", "Rock", "Jazz", "Pop" presets
- Battery Life: ~6 hours (information provided by the manufacturer) with 2 x 2500mAh AA batteries.
Software
The GP2X has many software programs available because the tools needed to create them are free. These programs include emulators, games, personal digital assistant (PDA) apps, and multimedia players.
Some software is built directly into the GP2X’s system. This includes a version of MPlayer for playing music and videos, an image viewer, an e-book reader that displays text documents, and a tool to adjust the screen’s update speed to reduce flickering.
Other programs are available but not shown in the main menu. These include a Samba server for file transfers using Windows network protocols, an HTTP server for sharing web pages, an FTP server for another type of file transfer, and telnet access for direct command-line control. These programs use the GP2X’s USB networking feature to connect to a network through a computer. The newer GP2X-F200 model does not support these network programs.
Firmware version 3.0.0 includes five games stored in the device’s memory: Payback (demo), Noiz2sa, Flobopuyo, SuperTux, and Vektar (freeware version). This firmware is included with new GP2X devices.
Many emulators are available for the GP2X, allowing users to run software from other systems. Most emulators work well, but some may have issues with speed or sound. Popular emulators include GnGeo (for Neo Geo games), GNUboy2x (for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games), MAME (for arcade machines), DrMD (for Sega systems), SquidgeSNES and PocketSNES (for Super NES games), Picodrive (for Mega Drive and Sega CD games), psx4all (for PlayStation games), and Stella (for Atari 2600 games).
The GP2X has fewer commercial games than other handheld consoles like the Sony PSP or Nintendo DS. Some commercial games available for the GP2X include Vektar, Payback, Quartz², retrovirus RTS, Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles, and Blazar. Two other games, Odonata and Elsewhere, were released for Korean distribution in October 2006.
Many games from other platforms, especially Linux, are available for the GP2X. Examples include SuperTux, Frozen Bubble, and the Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Doom game engines (which require the user to own the original game data files). Hundreds of free games, such as Tilematch and Beat2X, were created by GP2X developers.
Unofficial multimedia players are available for the GP2X to support more file formats than the built-in players. One example is a version of FFPlay that plays RealMedia and Windows Media files. Other unofficial versions of MPlayer add support for AAC audio files.
The GP2X can run Little Game Park Tracker, a free music-making program designed for the device. This program, also called LGPT, allows users to create music using samples and was inspired by the Game Boy music tracker Little Sound DJ. It has been adapted for other platforms like the PSP and Windows.
Two PDA-style desktop environments, Qtopia and GPE, are available for the GP2X. These include tools like web browsers and word processors, which can be controlled using the GP2X’s buttons or a USB mouse and keyboard connected to the EXT port.
Software development kits (SDKs) are freely available for the GP2X, making it easy for anyone with the right skills to create apps or games. Most SDKs use a gcc cross-compiler and SDL, a library that helps code work across different systems like Windows and Linux.
A version of the Allegro game library is also available, along with Fenix and BennuGD game toolkits. Other tools in development include Minimal Library SDK, which allows direct access to the GP2X’s hardware, and sdk2x, which lets users control the device’s hardware without an operating system.
A project called gpu940 is being developed to add 3D graphics capabilities to the GP2X. It uses the ARM940T CPU and can run basic OpenGL functions. In January 2007, this tool allowed the 3D game Egoboo to run on the GP2X at playable speeds, with improvements added later.
GP2X files have specific extensions. Games use the .gpe extension and appear in the Games section of the menu. Utilities use the .gpu extension and are listed in the Utilities section; in firmware 3.0.0, they are shown with the games.
DRM controversy
Before the GP2X was released, there was discussion about whether it might include DRM. However, after it was released, it was clear that the GP2X had no DRM.