Firmware: Developer Release 3
I've finally made a third developer release of the Open2x firmware. This is a translational release between DR2 and a release candidate for a final public release. As far as I'm concerned, the filesystem is pretty complete and the kernel is in good shape.
New features in this release are plentiful. For one thing, the latest SVN version of GMenu2x is being used, which has a new 'Explorer' option so you can run applications without first creating a shortcut if you like. I've also added a new Open2x settings menu into GMenu2x to enable such things as USB host and USB networking on boot (as well as configure them). I will be uploading the code for this soon, but if you really need it now just contact me.
And that leads nicely onto some other new features thanks to working USB host support. USB mass storage and HID have been tested working thus far (you need to select the 'Mount EXT' icon in GMenu2x after inserting a mass storage device). Other USB drivers have been included but I know very little about them so they may not be complete and they certainly haven't been tested (Bluetooth should be in there, along with several USB ethernet devices).
Several applications have been integrated into the firmware, with more to come in future releases. Currently we have a file manager (Enexfi), video player (MP2X) and an E-book reader (Greader2x). Any suggestions are welcome (particularly for an image viewer), but they must be open source so we can recompile and distribute them with the firmware.
The base filesystem now has up to date libraries but I've had to compress them which adds a second or two onto the boot time of DR2 (still less than the GPH firmware and will be corrected with the next release).
Once the new features of this have been tested, I'll move on to DR4 (which I've already got plans for, but more on those closer to the time) which will be a release candidate of sorts in itself.
If you want a copy of this release, please contact me in #open2x on FreeNode (IRC).
In other news, I've found a way of clearing the fake bad blocks off the NAND without touching the bootloader so all those problems caused by 3.0 downgrades should soon be a thing of the past! I'm going to work on a dedicated NAND claner which may be integrated into the next Open2x firmware installer.
New features in this release are plentiful. For one thing, the latest SVN version of GMenu2x is being used, which has a new 'Explorer' option so you can run applications without first creating a shortcut if you like. I've also added a new Open2x settings menu into GMenu2x to enable such things as USB host and USB networking on boot (as well as configure them). I will be uploading the code for this soon, but if you really need it now just contact me.
And that leads nicely onto some other new features thanks to working USB host support. USB mass storage and HID have been tested working thus far (you need to select the 'Mount EXT' icon in GMenu2x after inserting a mass storage device). Other USB drivers have been included but I know very little about them so they may not be complete and they certainly haven't been tested (Bluetooth should be in there, along with several USB ethernet devices).
Several applications have been integrated into the firmware, with more to come in future releases. Currently we have a file manager (Enexfi), video player (MP2X) and an E-book reader (Greader2x). Any suggestions are welcome (particularly for an image viewer), but they must be open source so we can recompile and distribute them with the firmware.
The base filesystem now has up to date libraries but I've had to compress them which adds a second or two onto the boot time of DR2 (still less than the GPH firmware and will be corrected with the next release).
Once the new features of this have been tested, I'll move on to DR4 (which I've already got plans for, but more on those closer to the time) which will be a release candidate of sorts in itself.
If you want a copy of this release, please contact me in #open2x on FreeNode (IRC).
In other news, I've found a way of clearing the fake bad blocks off the NAND without touching the bootloader so all those problems caused by 3.0 downgrades should soon be a thing of the past! I'm going to work on a dedicated NAND claner which may be integrated into the next Open2x firmware installer.
posted by Orkie at
1:07 AM
8 Comments:
Greatest news EVER! Keep up the good work guys! You are truly the saviors of GP2X! Being a really nice console on the hardware side, it was really a shame to see that Gamepark Holdings didn't put as much effort in creating a nice firmware. One question though. Will the Open2X firmware be compatible with the f-200 models? Gmenu2X has many problems on these models(explorer doesn't work, usb and TV out modes don't work also, the memory card's free space is reported incorrectly) Hope to hear from you soon, i've been watching closely all the progress in the Open2X front and i am eagerly awaiting it's final release.
By
a6n0rma1, at 9:58 AM
a6n0rma1,
There are no current plans to support the F200 as none of the Open2x devs (Orkie, Lithosphere or myself) have F200's to test and develop on.
GPH's decision to change a number of features in the base hardware with the F200 make supporting it 'blind' a non-starter. It also does not present itself as a particularly attractive development platform.
John
By
DJWillis, at 10:32 AM
Sad to hear that...i own a f-200 model and was hoping something could be done for us poor f-200 owners...Will the Open2X firmware be totally incompatible with f-200 then? Or will there be the possibility to install Open2X on f-200 models also but with not all the features present? Thanks for the quick answer though, i appreciate that!
By
a6n0rma1, at 10:49 AM
I forgot to mention...i volunteer to help you test Open2X on my f-200 model, provided the risk of bricking isn't too high ;-)...even if risk is involved i'd like to help you bring Open2X -even with reduced functionality to f-200 models-
By
a6n0rma1, at 10:53 AM
a6n0rma1,
As it stands at the moment installing Open2x on an F200 would kill it.
It is not a case of 'reduced functionality' but rather a case of 'unacceptability high risk of bricking and no touch screen and not a lot else' ;-).
If we ended up with F200's then supporting it becomes an option but as the risk of totally breaking a GP2X while developing firmware is very very high (lets see, I think we much have got through a dozen or more GP2X's that are now in various states of disrepair).
With that in mind I don't think any of us would entertain coding blind for the F200 and relaying on users to test things. The risk is far too high and we all know how to recover our units should we brick them.
Having said all that, I do have some code worked out for F200 support that I am happy to look at as/when appropriate in the future but there is no way that F200 support will be in the first public release.
John
By
DJWillis, at 11:10 AM
Thanks for clearing that up! Keep up the good work and maybe you'll show Gamepark Holdings what a good firmware is!
By
a6n0rma1, at 12:35 PM
It's the fisrt time read news about Open2x since almost 6 months. I'm happy to see that things going right. Thank you for that and for not forgotten gp2x owners ! I hope to see a public release soon :D. (But take your time, I prefer a stable working firmware than a buggy one !)
By
Anonymous, at 5:37 PM
Just a question if I may, how does one go about requesting to download DR3? I've been very anxious to try it for myself ever since I first heard of Open2x last year. I'm have an F100 system, so it should run well on it. Thanks!
By
Paul, at 5:44 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home