Leapster Explorer

This device is part of the LeapFrog Pollux Platform, it's recommended to start there for general information.

The Leapster Explorer (Leapfrog Enterprises)

Platform

LeapFrog Pollux Platform

The Leapster Explorer is part of 3 different devices that all share a common hardware platform, based around the Pollux SoC. The platform page contains information generic across these devices, and it is recommended that you refer to that page as it is a good starting point to understanding the Leapster Explorer, and contains some basic How To's and Tutorials to get you started.

Project Summary

The Leapster Explorer (like its predecessor the Didj) is a toy produced by Leapfrog marketed as an educational handheld gaming console for kids aged 4-9. Although it has a proprietary graphical front end, it runs a generic Linux distribution on the same ARM9-based processor as the Didj. Console access to the Explorer is achieved using the same method as found on the Didj.

Lots more information on the Didj

Bootloader

• Emerald Boot

Sources and Toolchains

• Sources and Toolchains

Tutorials/How To's

General

• Common Command Reference
• Overclocking
• Console Access
• Cartridges
  • Cartridge Settings
• Extract lfp/lf2 Archives
• CBF File Format
• DFTP

Booting

• GPIO Subsystem Boot Options
• USB Booting
• USB Boot without LFConnect
• Modify Kernel for USB Boot
• USB Boot Settings
• Surgeon

Networking

• Networking Setup
• Networking Applications
• Internet Access from Device
• Mount NFS Directory

LeapFrog Flash UI

• Play Your Own Theora Video Files
• Play Your Own Flash Game Files

Cartridge

• How to make a NAND cartridge

Kernel/RootFS/Firmware

• Building libSDL
• Building SDL_ttf font library
• Building SDL_image library with jpg and png support
• Building SDL_mixer audio library
• Building tslib
• SDL Resources
• Boot Kernel and Rootfs from SD w/Framebuffer
• Linux Framebuffer Driver
• Enable SD Card Module
• Building The Explorer Root File System
• Changing the fb driver to display the boot logo correctly
• TV Out

Firmware Image

• Mount UBI Image on Linux
  • Relevent Settings
  • ID Bytes 0x2C 0xDC 0x00 0x15

• Create UBI Image on Linux
  • Relevant Settings
  • vol_name=ubi_rfs
  • vol_size=87349248
  • -m 2048
  • -e 129024
  • -c 677
  • -s 512
  • -O 512

JTAG

• JTAG Pinouts
• Pollux FTDI JTAG How To
• Pollux JTAG Wiggler Config
• JTAG Kernel Boot

Compiling Source Code

• Set up the Build Environment
• Kernel Configuration

Technical Information

Device Comparison

Leapster Explorer Memory Map

Camera Interface

File System Contents List

1.0.8.6905

1.1.46.8291

1.3.4.2044

1.4.11.2128

Default Boot CommandLine

init=/sbin/init console=ttyS0,115200 mem=46M mlc_fb=0x82E00000,0x01200000 ram=0x80000000-0x83FFFFFF screen_module=ILI9322    
ebs=0x20000,0x0 root=ubi0_0 rw rootfstype=ubifs ubi.mtd=RFS

Partitions

Name	Location	Size	Device	Notes
Emerald_Boot	0x00000000	0x00100000	/dev/mtd0	On NOR
I18n_Screens	0x00100000	0x00100000	/dev/mtd1	On NAND
Kernel	0x00200000	0x00800000	/dev/mtd2	On NAND
RFS	0x00A00000	0x05600000	/dev/mtd3	On NAND
Bulk	0x06000000	0x1A000000	/dev/mtd4	On NAND
NOR_Boot		0x0007E000	/dev/mtd5
MfgData0		0x00001000	/dev/mtd6
MfgData1		0x00001000	/dev/mtd7
ubi_rfs		0x0534d800	/dev/mtd8
ubi_bulk		0x194f2800	/dev/mtd9
Cartridge	0x0000000	0x1000000		On Cartridge NAND

Images

• PCB Images
• 

  Scan of front side of Leapster Explorer mainboard.

• Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 12.5 MP

  With components desoldered - scan of front side of Leapster Explorer mainboard.

• 

  Scan of back side of Leapster Explorer mainboard.

• Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 12.5 MP

  With components desoldered - scan of back side of Leapster Explorer mainboard.

• 

  Leapster Explorer USB Host Pinout. http://wtfmoogle.com/?p=1190

• 

  Leapster Explorer USB Host Connector.

• 

  TVout BGA pin(2A) and suspected test pad (TP30 right).