Caanoo Knowpia

Caanoo
Manufacturer	GamePark Holdings
Type	Handheld game console
Release date	SK\|EU: August 16, 2010;
Introductory price	$150
Discontinued	September 2011
Media	SD / SDHC card
Operating system	Linux based
System on a chip	MagicEyes Pollux VR3520F
CPU	533 MHz Host ARM9
Memory	128 MB (SDRAM)
Graphics	3D capable
Sound	Wolfson Microelectronics WM1800
Predecessor	GP2X Wiz

The GP2X Caanoo, more commonly known as Caanoo, stylized CAANOO, is an open source, Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player developed by the South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on August 16, 2010 in South Korea and was also sold throughout Europe. It is the successor to the GP2X Wiz, and was showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010.^[1] The device's launch price was about US$150, which did not reach any retail stores in North America.

The Caanoo is not a direct competitor of handheld consoles like Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable, but rather an alternative open source device. Because of that, any software that is compatible can be run without the need of creating custom firmware or other homebrew applications. This is the last open-source gaming device by GamePark Holdings, as they ceased production and development of gaming hardware to focus solely on software.^[2]

Hardware edit

Specifications edit

SoC (System on a Chip): MagicEyes Pollux VR3520F
CPU: ARM926EJ 533 MHz embedded on SoC (architecture version ARMv5TEJ)
GPU: 3D hardware^[3] engine embedded on SoC (OpenGL ES 1.1 support)
3D performance: 133 million Texel/s and 1.33 million Polygon/s
System RAM: 128 MB^[4] DDR SDRAM 133 MHz (peak memory bandwidth: 533 MB/s)
Video buffer: about 16 MB of main RAM are reserved for the video/texture information
Operating System: Linux based^[5]
Flash memory: None (128 MB reserved to the OS)
Connection to PC: USB 2.0 High Speed through EXT Port
USB Host: USB 1.1 standard socket
Supports SD / SDHC memory cards (up to 32 GB)
Accelerometer^[6]
Vibration motor^[6]
High precision analog stick
Display: 3.5 inch OLED^[7] 320×240 pixel (resistive touchscreen)
Stereo audio DAC: Wolfson Microelectronics WM1800
Embedded microphone and stereo speakers
Power: Internal 1850 mAh Lithium Polymer Battery (approx. 5/6 hours game/video playback)
Dimensions: 146 by 70 by 18.5 millimetres (5.75 in × 2.76 in × 0.73 in)
Weight: 136 grams (4.8 oz)
WiFi via adapter (USB dongle – Purchased separately)
Colors: Black/Blue, White

NB: the CPU embedded on Pollux has a good tolerance to overclocking (until 750 MHz the system shouldn't have problems, just a shorter battery autonomy.)

Not all CPU/SoC are created equal and these results are theoretical. Some may not be able to push much past stock frequency. Overclocking will vary between each Caanoo.

Games/Applications edit

The Caanoo had only four commercial retail games:^[8]

Asura Cross
Propis
Rhythmos
Wiz Party

The Caanoo can run several applications that emulate consoles^[9] or computer systems, such as DrPocketSnes for the Super NES, GnGEO for the Neo-Geo, Hu-Go for the PC Engine, PCSX ReArmed for original PlayStation games, MAME4all for arcade games and Picodrive for the Mega Drive/Genesis and its add-ons, as well as freeware homebrew games/applications. These applications are created by the community itself and not by the manufacturers. Most, if not all of this software can be found at OpenHandhelds, a community-driven website.

Gamepark Holdings also had a website focused on downloadable content named FunGP. It sold commercial Caanoo and Wiz games, as well as some retro Arcade games. It has since ceased operations.

Caanoo is not compatible^[10] with software built for previous GPH devices (such as the GP2X Wiz) without an application to allow it to do so. A compatibility layer named Ginge allows for most software to be compatible, and most applications have already been ported.

Multimedia capability edit

The Caanoo is a video player, an audio player, photo viewer and E-Book reader.

Video edit

Container files: AVI
Video formats: DivX, XviD, MPEG4
Audio formats: MP3, WAV
Maximum Resolution: 640×480 pixel
Maximum Frame Rate: 30 frame/s
Maximum Video Bitrate: 2500 kbit/s
Maximum Audio Bitrate: 384 kbit/s
Captions: SMI

Audio edit

Audio formats: MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WAV
Channels: Stereo
Frequency Range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Power output: ?
Sample Resolution/Rate: 16-bit/8–48 kHz, in 8-bit/22 kHz

Photos edit

Supports JPG, PNG, GIF, Bitmap File Formats

E-Books edit

Native support for text files, with support for other formats such as PDF available via third-party apps

External TV output edit

The SoC Pollux embeds (besides to the primary LCD controller) an NTSC/PAL encoder with internal DAC to manage an external analog video signal (CVBS output: 720×480 or 720×576 pixel interlaced, respectively 60/50 Hz vertical sync and 15 kHz horizontal sync).

References edit

^ Engadget article about Caanoo presentation at E3 2010
^ "Forum discussion on GamePark Holding's change of plans". Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
^ "GamePark's GP2X Caanoo handheld hits this August, picks up where the Wiz left off (video)". Engadget. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ "Achievement unlocked: Four open consoles for homebrew gamers". opensource.com. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ Biggs, John (23 August 2011). "An Old-Style Arcade in Your Hands". Gadgetwise Blog. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ ^a ^b Willington, Ray (12 July 2010). "GamePark GP2X Caanoo Open Source Handheld Debuts". HotHardware. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ "Caanoo Emulator Review: Great Hardware, So-So Software | TIME.com". 9 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-06-09. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
^ "Hardcore Gaming 101: History of Korean Gaming". Archived from the original on 2013-01-15.
^ Cutlack, Gary (February 2013). "Retro handhelds". Stuff. 167: 93. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
^ "Caanoo emulation support discussion". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2019-06-19.