Python on GP2X (Linux Based Handheld Console)

[Michael Sparks]

Hi,
I hadn't seen any announcements regarding this, but there's a little
device recently released called a GP2X which is a small dual CPU
(2x200Mhz) device which runs Linux.

Anyway, I thought there might be someone in here interested to hear
that python AND pygame have both been ported to it already (not by
me). I've also ported some of our code to it (the bouncing cats demo
I've shown at a couple of python conferences), and found it really nice
to work with so far. The cats bounce at an acceptable (to me)
framerate :-)

Link for python:
http://gp2x-emulation.dcemu.co.uk/python.shtml

Link for device:
http://www.gp2x.com/product/product.asp

Just thought I'd post about this, since I thought someone might find it
useful :)
Michael.
--
Mi************@ rd.bbc.co.uk, http://kamaelia.sourceforge.net/
British Broadcasting Corporation, Research and Development
Kingswood Warren, Surrey KT20 6NP

This message contains personal views which are not the views of the
BBC unless specifically stated.

[Peter Hansen]

Michael Sparks wrote:

I hadn't seen any announcements regarding this, but there's a little
device recently released called a GP2X which is a small dual CPU
(2x200Mhz) device which runs Linux.

Anyway, I thought there might be someone in here interested to hear
that python AND pygame have both been ported to it already (not by
me). I've also ported some of our code to it (the bouncing cats demo
I've shown at a couple of python conferences), and found it really nice
to work with so far. The cats bounce at an acceptable (to me)
framerate :-)

But is the rate at which they bounce truly acceptable *to them*?

;-)

-Peter

[Jérôme Laheurte]

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:43:34 +0000, Michael Sparks wrote:

I hadn't seen any announcements regarding this, but there's a little
device recently released called a GP2X which is a small dual CPU
(2x200Mhz) device which runs Linux.

Anyway, I thought there might be someone in here interested to hear
that python AND pygame have both been ported to it already (not by
me). I've also ported some of our code to it (the bouncing cats demo
I've shown at a couple of python conferences), and found it really nice
to work with so far. The cats bounce at an acceptable (to me)
framerate :-)

Nice! Another toy to buy! As if I had enough pockets left :) Considering
the threading limitations of Python, I assume it runs on the GP2X as if it
were a single 200MHz CPU... How much RAM does this thing have ?

I'm interested because I ported Python to the Sony PSP, which can run at
333Mhz and has 32Mo of RAM, and almost no OS overhead. I wondered if this
setup would be enough for pygame to run... I know of at least one person
who's trying to port pygame to PSP-Python...

[Michael]

Jérôme Laheurte wrote:

On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:43:34 +0000, Michael Sparks wrote:

I hadn't seen any announcements regarding this, but there's a little
device recently released called a GP2X which is a small dual CPU
(2x200Mhz) device which runs Linux.

Anyway, I thought there might be someone in here interested to hear
that python AND pygame have both been ported to it already (not by
me). I've also ported some of our code to it (the bouncing cats demo
I've shown at a couple of python conferences), and found it really nice
to work with so far. The cats bounce at an acceptable (to me)
framerate :-)
Nice! Another toy to buy! As if I had enough pockets left :) Considering
the threading limitations of Python, I assume it runs on the GP2X as if it
were a single 200MHz CPU...

Yep. As an update to the above, I'll probably release a simple subset of
Kamaelia to make games run identically on a desktop as on the machine
itself. (Hmm... Interesting thought, I can even ramp back the apparent CPU
availability transparently to something similar, which would be useful
when developing :)
How much RAM does this thing have ?
32Mb - according to free & /proc/meminfo
I'm interested because I ported Python to the Sony PSP, which can run at
333Mhz and has 32Mo of RAM , and almost no OS overhead. I wondered if
this setup would be enough for pygame to run...
I know of at least one person who's trying to port pygame to PSP-Python...

I must admit personally I wouldn't be interested in python on a PSP because
you never know when homebrew code on a PSP is going to be locked out...

Michael.

[Jérôme Laheurte]

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 02:50:29 +0000, Michael wrote:

I must admit personally I wouldn't be interested in python on a PSP because
you never know when homebrew code on a PSP is going to be locked out...

Yes, but it only concerns new buyers and people who upgrade their
firmware. Upgrading the firmware brings new functionnalitie s, but these
are often already implemented in some homebrew app, so I'm staying at 1.50...