GP32
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The GP32 (GamePark 32) is a hand held console built by Korean company GamePark. While it outwardly resembles a Nintendo Game Boy Advance, its features are quite different.
The console is based on a 133 MHz (software overclockable up to 166 MHz+, without risk) ARM CPU, backed by eight megabytes of RAM (upgradeable to 32/64 MB www.cobbleware.com (http://cobbleware.com/gp32/gp32ram.html)). Unlike similar gaming systems, which are proprietary cartridge-based, the GP32 uses rewritable SmartMedia cards, making it very appealing to amateur games developers. The console also has a USB port for connection to a PC and a serial expansion port.
There are three main commercial versions of the unit: the original GP32, with no light, the front-lit unit (FLU), modified for GamePark by Hahotech, and the back-lit unit (BLU), released in Europe on mid-summer 2004. All commercially released units are white with grey or white buttons. There are also a number of differently coloured promotional units, and several prototype units with wildly different designs.
Although the number of official games available for the GP32 system is limited, many open source/free software developers are working on various emulators and are porting PC games. In addition to this, a wide range of free, public-domain games are being created by amateur developers. GamePark does not ask any royalties to release games for its device, which makes it much easier for small editors or independent developers to release software.
The recent modification of Ericsson Chatboard micro-keyboards to work with the system has seen a new flourish of software development, including countless attempts at ports of Linux, GP32Linux (http://www.gp32linux.com/),and keyboard support being added to many emulators.
After months of confusion surrounding its European arrival, the GP32 BLU model was finally released in three European markets (Spain, Italy, and Portugal) on June 15, 2004 with a price point of €199. However, there are no plans to release the console commercially in America.
Even though it has just been officially released in Korea and Europe, it has a growing community of users and developers.
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BLU+
There's a "new version" (since December 2004) out of the BLU given the name BLU+ (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16448) by the community. This "new version" features a different LCD display (Taiwanese manufactured instead of Samsung) which has led to some compability problems with certain applications, problems such as annoying white lines. These BLU's are still commercially named BLU's (remember, they have just replaced the LCDs). The BLU+ (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16448) is, as stated, a name that the community gave it to notice the difference between the two.On a second note, there are many applications that work with the new BLU+ (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16448) (and of course other models) and there are people actively trying to find a good workaround (For example, programs made using Mirko's SDK (http://www.miroroller.de) can autodetect which version you have). All the big applications such as emulators, movie players, and the like work as well on the BLU+ (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16448) as on the other models.
A small collection of interesting links regarding the subject:
- New Wiki-style database of compatible software for BLU+ and popular emulators (http://www.berzerk.co.uk/gp32/)
- What works and what doesn't? (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16170)
- Some questions answered here (http://www.emuboards.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20081)
- Additional information (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16040&st=150)
Specifications
| Dimensions | 147 mm * 88 mm * 34 mm |
| Weight | 163 g |
| Display | 3.5" TFT, 16-bit colour, 320*240 pixels |
| CPU | Samsung S3C2400X01 (ARM920T core), 20 (and under) to 133 MHz (overclockable to 166 MHz+ in some cases. Some have even reached 256mhz (not always stable, low battery life). Overclocking ability is random, however all GP32s are supposed to reach 133 MHz. A few early "bad" units maxed out at 132mhz.) |
| RAM | 8 MB SDRAM |
| ROM | 512 KB |
| Sound | 44.1 KHz 16-bit stereo sound four-channels and up software WAV mixing (it is up to the coder, but four channel is built into the official SDK) 16-part polyphonic software MIDI (in official SDK) earphone port stereo speakers |
| Storage | SmartMedia 8–128 MB |
| Power Supply | 2 * AA batteries or 3-V DC adapter. Batteries last between 6 and 12+ hours, but actual amount depends on a number of factors. |
External links
Official Site
- GamePark Official Site (http://www.gamepark.com/eng)
Distributors
- GBAX (http://www.gbax.com/) - UK distributor of GP32s
- Virgin Play (http://www.virginplay.es/) - Official GP32 distributor in Europe (Spanish-language site)
Development Information
- mirkoroller.de (http://www.mirkoroller.de/gp32/) - Mirko Roller's unofficial SDK
- Simple DirectMedia Layer for the GP32 (http://sdl-gp32.sourceforge.net/) - See also SDL
- GeePee32 (http://users.skynet.be/firefly/gp32/project/geepee32/index.htm) - GP32 emulator for Windows
News and Community
- GP32x (http://www.gp32x.com/) - News and community website
- GP32x File Archive (http://www.gp32x.de/) - The File Archive for the GP32 (categorized with descriptions)es:Gp32