[Gllug] Playstation 2 Linux

[honos]

Sarah Ewen wrote:

>Hello,
>
>This would be one for me then! I work at SCEE, and handle Linux for
>PlayStation 2 stuff for PAL countries & support wise, the states too
>:)
>..but all that really means is that I've got root on the webserver.
>It's not particularly glamourous.
>
>There's been a few replies, but I can hopefully add a few tidbits.
>
>It's very usable with a PAL TV if you use a Euro Scart AV cable
>(that's what SCEE call them I think), and only use the console. X
>supports PAL but the real estate barely makes it worth it. It's as
>simple as editing /etc/X11/XGSConfig, if you want to experiment, just
>swap the commented VideoMode lines.
>
>The distribution is based on Kondara Linux, which is based on RedHat
>from just after 6.2 time, and yes, everything will seem very dated yet
>familiar.
>
>The ethos behind the kit was to cater for the Linux community by
>providing a full distribution, and also cater to the graphics and
>hardware programmers by giving them development tools. We provide
>hardware manuals and access to the vector units through th e Linux
>kit. It's a very unusual combination of open source philosophy and the
>usual highly competitive and secretive environment the video games
>industry is reknowned for, and it doesn't sit perfectly with both, but
>having seen it from the inside I'm very impressed that it was released
>at all, let alone with 6 of the 7 professional developer hardware
>manuals.
>
>Because of all the real power of the PS2 being locked up in the vector
>units, you're looking at a 300Mhz MIPS chip running Linux on its own,
>and yeah, it's not going to seem as zippy as you'd have expected; 32MB
>RAM doesn't leave much free once you've started X. However, if you run
>window maker, or blackbox, or fvmw2 or suchlike, it helps immensley.
>There are small fast browers like dillo that you can use for basic web
>browsing, but yeah, firefox does run eventually. One of our users
>actually fixed a MIPS based problem that was breaking firefox builds
>for other MIPS platforms too :)
>
>If you're interested in uses of Open Source at SCE I'm speaking about
>that at a BCS event in London next week, which will include a demo of
>the Linux for PlayStation 2 kit again. I think there are details on
>the BCS website, you may need to be a member as it's the launch of
>their open source SIG (hurrah!).
>
>I'm not sure what you've seen Tet, but contrary to screwing over Manu
>and the xRhino guys we're actually hosting the whole apt repository
>for the Blackrhino port. (!)
>
>We're hosting precompiled versions of some handy packages, among
>development and graphics projects, on http://playstation2-linux.com,
>and the FAQ is growing fairly comprehensive:
>http://playstation2-linux.com/faq.php
>..I'm always open to new questions to stick on there.
>
>The kit is 99 Euros + delivery + tax, if you can claim any educational
>connection at all, and  149 Euros otherwise. So 200 quid is way off
>for an asking price! Order from http//linuxplay.com. If you(anyone)
>think your Uni would want to install a handful of kits, speak to me
>and I can help you with original size PlayStation 2 units.
>
>It's probably best to mail me if you've got any more questions before
>I'm accused of advertising :\ I've written way more than I was going
>to, sorry.
>
>Sarah.
>  
>
Hi Sarah,

Nice to see you are active in this forum, I'll be attending the event as 
I'm a member of the BCS, and I know u'll be main presenter on the day!

regards,
honos

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