Dingux vs The Original Firmware On The GameGadget - What Works And What Doesn't?
29I managed to get Dingux running - an Open Source alternative to the stock OS - running on the GameGadget. So is it worth it? Or should one stick to the Stock OS? I will extensively show gameplay on the Stock OS.
Alan very kindly sent me a GameGadget - a 'unique' open source handheld in gaming history that had a shelf life comparable to the Dreamcast.
GameGadget 1.0 Hardware-Spezifikationen:
CPU core: 433mhz dual core CPU
Internal Ram: 64MB RAM / 2GB Flash RAM
Input: D-Pad, 2 shoulder, 4 face, Start, Select & Reset buttons
Outputs: Stereo Speakers, Headphones Jack & TV-out
Display: 3.5” LCD
Screen Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels resolution (16 BIT colour)
Battery: Li-Ion (rechargeable)
Additional Storage: SD/SDHC
Connectivity: Micro USB
Dimensions: 140 W x 75 H x 16 D (mm).
The hardware was released around 2012 and the Dingux OS around the same time but it was meant for the Dingoo hardware which is somewhat similar.
The Dingoo was quite popular when the GameGadget came out and apart from an attempt at digital distribution of licensed games the GameGadget had nothing else to offer so it flopped. The remnants of the big launch at E3 are still visible on the web, as well as the empty shell of its original website. Support by third party developers (using the sandbox mode) was almost non existent and dwarfs in comparison to much older open source handhelds that still get new releases sometimes.
Getting the official licensed Genesis games up and running requires one to register the device with the company through either PC or MAC software that cannot be downloaded anymore and also can't be used anymore mere three years after its inception. Without registering the device it won't use its internal OS and you cannot access the internal Genesis games. A good look into the future of gaming I say with existing consoles that turn into something much less as soon as support is stopped.
A link to Alan's MameMeister Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/mamemeister
http://www.gamegadget.net
http://www.open-consoles.com/ (French)
http://dl.openhandhelds.org/ and http://www.openhandhelds.org/
http://repo.openpandora.org/
A french site on OpenDingux on the GameGadget
http://underground-portables.com/2012/05/opendingux-sur-la-gamegadget.html