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BlackRhino Linux Now Available for PlayStation 2
Mr. Spock writes "BlackRhino Linux has been released for the PlayStation 2. It's developed independently by xRhino, a middleware developer. Check out the details and download instructions on the official website. A Playstation 2 Linux kit is required to use BlackRhino."
First off, where the hell do you get it from?
And I'm wondering about this:
"NOTE: Linux Kit (for PlayStation 2) is a tool for Linux enthusiasts and programmers only. It will NOT enhance your PlayStation 2 games. The hard disk drive formatted for Linux cannot be used with HDD-compatible PlayStation 2 games."
So can you still play games? If you wanted to play a HDD compatible game (if one existed) would you have to switch HDDs?
And whats the deal with the requirements?
"REQUIRES A PLAYSTATION 2 SYSTEM, VGA MONITOR [WITH SYNC-ON-GREEN CAPABILITY] AND MEMORY CARD (8MB) (FOR PLAYSTATI0N 2) [DEDICATED TO LINUX KIT USE], ALL SOLD SEPARATELY."
1st off, why cant I use the TV as a display? And what is an 8 meg memory card needed for if it comes with a 40 gig HDD?
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Let me get this straight - I need the linux kit to run this linux distro?
:P
Wake me up when there's a bootable DVD distro that doesn't require any additional hardware.
Back in my day all we had for input devices were dual shock controllers
...is that this is NOT about the cool things you can do with linux. It's about a tool for people who are interested in learning how to develop games for console systems.
I agree, if you just like playing games on your PS2 and working with linux in general, then the PS2 linux kit is a HUGE waste of money.
HOWEVER: For the people out there who would like to someday make a living actually developing games for the PS2, it's a VERY inexpensive way to come really close to Sony's actual Playstation DevKit (last time I looked, the prices for a DTL-10K from Sony was WAAAYYYY more than the price of the linux kit.)
Remember, it's just a matter of the right tool for the job. If you're coding for AMD, use an AMD system. If you're coding for the PS2.....
I use my PS2 Linux kit as a set-top embedded device. It makes a very nice home MP3 player (I have a cherry GTK GUI going on it), and I can play old NES games on it. These are things you could do with a cheap PC, but if you already have a PS2, I think it's better to go with the Linux kit.
Oh, and that 40G hard drive it came with is by far the biggest one I have outside my TiVo, so I sometimes use it as a file server, though it's not great for that.
Don't get me wrong, 'yay' for doing things for the hell of it, but what's the point of this past that?
Simple. I'm a developer who works with set top boxes and interactive TV. We wanted to do a proof of concept using the PS2 as a STB (Set Top Box). The POC would do things like digital TV, VOD (Video On Demand), and Interactive TV.
A Sony PS2 Dev kit will cost you $100,000 USD. A Sony Linux Kit will cost you $150. You also can't get a dev kit unless your work has been "OKed" by Sony in Japan. They will OK games work....but will rarely other stuff....certainly without lots of negotiation etc.
So we bought 5 ps2s and Linux kits. Sure, we missed out on a lot of sampe code, dev help, and all sorts of stuff, Inside of 6 months our dev team had a working POC. Digital TV (off cable/Sat), VOD, games downloads, as well as some sorts of iTV. I'm sure we could have done it in 4 months if we had Sony support...but it would have taken 6 months just to get the OK (in fact, we are still waiting for it). Sony (and others) loved our demos. Talked big time the possibilities. Lots of talk. No action.
Anyway, 4 days ago our project was buried as our company has decided that Cable TV ain't their core buisness.
Our code is now rotting away in CVS, never to see the light of day. And it was cool stuff. Such is life.