GP2X F-200 or Modded PSP?

[Neogeofan12]

I would like to purchase a handheld manly for emulators. I would run MAME most of the time (and of course Neo-Geo, CPS2, and etc.). Which handheld is better for MAME? How does each handheld deal with vertical shmups?

I would also like to run movie files on the handheld (anime mostly). Which handheld is the best for this task?

Also I would like to read comics/manga on the go, and the GP2X F-200 has the touchscreen so I can scroll over the pages. How good is the touchscreen?

Oh yeah, how's the D-Pad on the F-200? I'm not a fighter person so I need a good D-Pad for shmups.

How good is the battery life on both units?

Which handheld is the easiest to run programs on it?

 

[Tehcno]

GPx2 is crap for controlling on fighting games. I say go with a PSP. Really easy to hack as well. And a member of the forum showed me a mod to make the d-pad work better on the old style PSPs.

 

[Ajax]

Well, if you aren't into fighters, but are into shooting games, your choice is already made: The GP2X.

PSP can run MAME, but can't run much of anything made past about 1984. Remember, I'm talking specifically about the MAME emulator here. The CPS2 emulator is pretty ace, though, and can run everything (I think) on CPS2.

GP2X, however, can run ESPrade, Donpachi, Dodonpachi, Guwange, Batrider, etc. and a whole lot more. There is a list of all the supported ROMs on GP2X somewhere on the net.

As far as ease of use goes, PSP is probably the winner here. I hear that some of the GP2X stuff is pretty complicated.

Movie files, GP2X probably wins on this one. It can play all sorts of files, whereas PSP can only play .MP4 files.

PSP definitely wins on battery life. I hear that the GP2X's battery life varies a ton depending on what type of batteries are used in it.

Ever since I found out that you could run all those awesome shooting games on GP2X, I've been considering buying one. Sounds like it might be the best choice for you as well.

 

[Jimid2]

I currently own a GP2X F100, a PSP phat (modded, running 3.90M33-3) and a PSP Slim (Sony OFW 3.90), and I'm getting an F200 next month... and the advice I'd give you is get both...

Ya, ya... I know, very helpful...

The GP2X is the better emulation machine, but the PSP is better built, with a nicer screen, and has an awesome library of original games; it also is much nicer for watching movies on. As far as the D-pad is concerned, neither is ideal, but virtually the same fix that you can do to the PSP to get its D-pad to work better also works for the GP2X... They get roughly equivalent battery life if you use 2500mAh NiMHs in the GP2X.

 

[Neogeofan12]

Thanks for the response guys.

I'm leaning towards the GP2x, but I would like to get feedback on the F-200 D-Pads. Does the GP2x accept SD cards?

How does vertical shooters play on the GP2x? That's very important to me.

I'm not planning to watch movies on the handheld, just TV shows (anime).

Actual games for the handheld are not important at all.

Any feedback on the touchscreen?

Keep the comments coming.

 

[Verythrax]

If you mod the d-pad, the GP2x can be a blast for fighters.

 

[Neogeofan12]

If you mod the d-pad, the GP2x can be a blast for fighters,

MMMM, any links for the mod?

How's the D-pad for shmups anyway?

 

[Verythrax]

MMMM, any links for the mod?

How's the D-pad for shmups anyway?

Well, never tried the thing myself, but all the four directions of the pad are separated pieces - now it's clear why it sucks.

The mod consists in disassembling and gluing the pieces together, and make the d-pad hole bigger. I'll be editing this post with the link soon enough.

EDIT: found it!

http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=39536&st=0

browse that thread and the forum for other cool stuff.

There's a vid of the mod in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jekUUfkIxcw

EDIT2: keep in mind that the GP2X is a very DIY oriented machine. You'll need to "get your hands dirt" putting emus and such to work.

And the first official games are just popping up. Look at gp2x.com and the You Tube about the korean fighting game Blood Cross.

 

[subcons]

If MAME is a big thing for you, don't even bother with a PSP. It's the one thing that it lacks and I don't think anyone is working on making it any better. Shame too as I'm sure it could run way newer stuff when it's running things like Dimahoo at full speed via CPS2PSP. Plus it's just awesome for verts once you get used to holding it sideways.

Even with the MAME issue, which is really it's only fault, I think the PSP is still the one I'd choose. It's got a better screen, is easy as pie to load and unload full of stuff, and the PSP game library is actually pretty good at this point. If you could just play some certain shooter PCBs of the past decade, it'd be absolute tops without a doubt.

 

[Neogeofan12]

From the looks of the D-Pad it'll be a problem with fighting games. I think it won't be a problem with shmups.

Separate button, it reminds me of the Arrow Keys of the Keyboard. You can play shooters on it but it's impossible to play fighters with it.

Then again I use joysticks for MAME.

Anyway, how the hell playing vertical games sideways is possible?
Is it possible to play it in Yoko?

Anyway I have no problems for the GP2x being a DIY machine. It's fun getting everything to work.

 

[BIG]

i refuse to buy anything that runs on AA.

yeah//

 

[Neogeofan12]

i refuse to buy anything that runs on AA.

yeah//

I was planning to buy rechargeable batteries.

 

[Verythrax]

Oh, I forgot to say about that cool cradle for the GP2X, that permits you to plug it to TV (emus run at full resolution, instead of the builtin screen res), a plug usb devices, like joysticks, hdds, pendrives and such. And have ports fpr development.

See the video at the site.

 

[Neo Geo MVS]

Originally Posted by subcons
If MAME is a big thing for you, don't even bother with a PSP. It's the one thing that it lacks and I don't think anyone is working on making it any better.

So basically MAME is worthless on the PSP. I planned on getting a slim soon but only to really play fighting games so what emu is everyone using to play if it aint mame? I wanted to play SSVS on the slim can anyone tell me how it gamed, was it worth it? Thank in advance.

 

[Verythrax]

From the looks of the D-Pad it'll be a problem with fighting games. I think it won't be a problem with shmups.

Separate button, it reminds me of the Arrow Keys of the Keyboard. You can play shooters on it but it's impossible to play fighters with it.

Then again I use joysticks for MAME.

Anyway, how the hell playing vertical games sideways is possible?
Is it possible to play it in Yoko?

Anyway I have no problems for the GP2x being a DIY machine. It's fun getting everything to work.

Well, tate will work just like PSP - hold the system sideways - the keys get remmaped, so the directions will still follow the screen orientation. Dunno if the emus have the option to letterbox, when you play vertical games in yoko.

And you can plug other usb joysticks on the cradle, when you play at home.

EDIT: there are at least 4 different MAME distros for GP2X, and a port of GnGNeo, a linux Neo-Geo emu.

 

[Verythrax]

So basically MAME is worthless on the PSP. I planned on getting a slim soon but only to really play fighting games so what emu is everyone using to play if it aint mame? I wanted to play SSVS on the slim can anyone tell me how it gamed, was it worth it? Thank in advance.

MVSPSP and CP2PSP. There's one that people use NeoCD OSTs, but I'm not sure if its MVSPSP - wasabi has being using it since from the early PSP hacks.

 

[subcons]

Anyway, how the hell playing vertical games sideways is possible?
Is it possible to play it in Yoko?

It's better than you'd think. I usually map autofire to R, then make regular fire/charge shot X and bombs Circle so my thumb can hit them easily. Works quite well. Star Soldier for PSP actually has an option to keep firing without pressing anything which is nice... all you have to do is move your ship around.

And yes, you can play anything in yoko. Looks like shit IMO though. Looks glorious flipped taking up the whole screen. And you do know Progear runs smooth as butter in CPS2PSP, right?

So basically MAME is worthless on the PSP. I planned on getting a slim soon but only to really play fighting games so what emu is everyone using to play if it aint mame? I wanted to play SSVS on the slim can anyone tell me how it gamed, was it worth it? Thank in advance.

Yeah. There's a list out there for the latest MAME for PSP showing average FPS on games that will boot up, and it's pretty pitiful. Basically anything released after the early to mid-80s, is unplayable. You're stuck playing Pac-Man and Donkey Kong... which isn't all bad, but I'd rather be playing Guwange and ESPrade.

As for fighting games, CPS1/2PSP and MVSPSP run everything smooth as silk. There's a separate emulator for NGCD by the same person I believe. With those systems plus whatever actual fighters you can buy for the PSP, you've got a pretty decent library to choose from.

 

[BIG]

I was planning to buy rechargeable batteries.

dude it's 2008.

'sides, are AA's still being made?

 

[Gotenks326]

PSP has better screen for 3D games and what not, but I believe the GP2X has a much better screen for emulating classic 2D games (Some people hate having black bars on the side, so the GP2X has the right resolution for Megadrive, etc.). The PSP also has slight ghosting (at least I noticed it) that I found noticeable in playing classics.

 

[evil wasabi]

does anyone know how I can get a 3.95 modded to play roms? It seems like it only works for 3.93 and below.

 

[SSS]

does anyone know how I can get a 3.95 modded to play roms? It seems like it only works for 3.93 and below.

as far as I know it doesn't matter what firmware you've got as long as you use a pandora battery. I'd highly suggest picking up a slim psp if you still have the old one. better d-pad and twice as much ram means CPS2 roms don't need cache files anymore, only the really large neo games do. took me about 5 mins to install custom firmware on my slim after I made the battery and put all the necessary software on a memory card.

 

[evil wasabi]

as far as I know it doesn't matter what firmware you've got as long as you use a pandora battery. I'd highly suggest picking up a slim psp if you still have the old one. better d-pad and twice as much ram means CPS2 roms don't need cache files anymore, only the really large neo games do. took me about 5 mins to install custom firmware on my slim after I made the battery and put all the necessary software on a memory card.

I have the slim, but the battery isn't the right model. I have a psp-s110 battery :-/

Can I just borrow your battery and downgrade it?

 

[Neo Geo MVS]

Damn I thought you could just buy a slim and not fuck with the firmware to make it work with emu's

Don't certain emu's work with 3.XX firmware?

 

[BIG]

Damn I thought you could just buy a slim and not fuck with the firmware to make it work with emu's

Don't certain emu's work with 3.XX firmware?

lol

 

[subcons]

I have the slim, but the battery isn't the right model. I have a psp-s110 battery :-/

Can I just borrow your battery and downgrade it?

There's a battery tool (I think Datel makes it). Just Google it and try to buy one of those so you can downgrade.

Damn I thought you could just buy a slim and not fuck with the firmware to make it work with emu's

Don't certain emu's work with 3.XX firmware?

You can't do anything without a custom firmware.