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Homebrew Linux For PS2 Planned?

Posted by simoniker on from the linuxize-all-consoles-immediately dept.

DCEmumaniac writes "Today news appeared on PS2Vision about work on a homebrew version of Linux for the PlayStation 2 that will not need any hardware modifications to use it. According to the project, which is being hosted on the PS2Dev site: 'The Great Experiment (TGE) is an Open Source PS2/Linux Kit RTE replacement and bootloader. It's being written to provide a binary interface compatible with that of the RTE shipped with the PS2/Linux Kit and other Sony products that use Linux. The end goal is that anyone who owns a PS2 will be able to run Linux (or other programs written to use the RTE, such as NetBSD) on their PS2 without hardware modifications or expensive hardware bundles'."

5 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. Neat .. but just a second ... by polyp2000 · · Score: 3, Informative

    But there is already a "no-modifications" (no-modchip) version of Linux that comes directly from sony. Granted its based on the 2.2 kernel and is loosely derived from an old version of red-hat. I suppose if there was some buffer overflow hack that required no modchip it would be cool. But it sure is nice to have PS2 branded mouse, keyboard 40gb hard drive etc in my ps2.

    --
    Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp
    1. Re:Neat .. but just a second ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I've got the Linux kit and there's nothing to stop you from porting 2.6.x to it. As it's Linux they've given you the entire source of the kernel and there aren't any binary only modules as all of the proprietory stuff is built into the RTE.
      The only downside is that you must have the RTE disc in your PS2 when booting up so it can then load up your proper kernel off the memory card.

      One minor problem with the USB keyboard, everybody gets a US format one! If you're not in the US then it's quite annoying switching between the PS2 one and your real one. You could use a USB keyboard but then it wouldn't be the cool PS2 branded black one...

    2. Re:Neat .. but just a second ... by polyp2000 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I beleive there is a gentoo port in progress, and then of course there is Black Rhino.

      Its a nice bit of kit to own and adds some extra functionality to the box.

      --
      Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp
  2. Re:Seems like a great idea... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    There already is a media player for the PS2. It's at http://www.ps2reality.net/
    You'll either need a chipped PS2 or the RTE disk from the Linux kit to run it.

    With the RTE disk you can actually break out of it's environment and run your own software at the bare metal level.

  3. Re:Good. by Ooobles · · Score: 3, Informative

    Look through the site ps2dev.org and you'll find a huge amount of information and tools required to program your ps2. Check the loaders section and look at ps2link.. look at ps2lib.. see the various graphics libraries available including two openGL implementations. Look at the various sound players.. look at the tcpip stack that runs on the ethernet adapter. All the source code is there and ready to use. Check out www.thethirdcreation.net and look at the demos that have already been done. The real hard work of getting stuff together has been done. Now we just need more people writing programs for the PS2.