PlayStation 3 ‘The Cell’ chip
p2pnet.net News:- Some of the key concepts of the Cell advanced microprocessor for next-generation computing applications and digital consumer electronics have been revealed by partners IBM, Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba.
Optimized for compute-intensive workloads and broadband rich media applications, including computer entertainment, movies and other forms of digital content, Cell is a multicore chip comprising a 64-bit Power processor core and multiple synergistic processor cores capable of massive floating point processing, the companies confirm in a joint statement.
The microprocessor adopts a flexible parallel and distributed computing architecture consisting of independent floating point processors for rich media processing, say the partners.
It supports multiple operating systems, including PC/WS operating systems, as well as real-time CE/Game operating systems. "In addition, the Cell processor is scalable and can be utilized in a variety of applications – from small digital CE systems within the home to entertainment applications for rendering movies, to scientific applications, such as supercomputers," they state.
The design work is taking place at a joint development lab the three companies have established in Austin, Texas, after the project was announced in 2001.
- Cell design highlights include:
- Multi-thread, multicore architecture.
- Supports multiple operating systems.
- Substantial bus bandwidth to/from main memory, as well as companion chips.
- Flexible on-chip I/O (input/output) interface.
- Real-time resource management system for real-time applications.
- On-chip hardware in support of security system for intellectual property protection.
- Implemented in 90 nanometer (nm) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology.
"Less than four years ago, we embarked on an ambitious collaborative effort with Sony Group and Toshiba to create a highly-integrated microprocessor designed to overcome imminent transistor scaling, power and performance limitations in conventional technologies," says Dr John E. Kelly III, senior vp, IBM.
"Today, we’re revealing just a sampling of what we believe makes the innovative Cell processor a premiere open platform for next-generation computing and entertainment products."
Massive and rich content, like multi-channel high-definition broadcast programs, as well as megapixel digital still and movie images captured by high-resolution CCD/CMOS imagers, require a huge amount of media processing in real-time, says Ken Kutaragi, executive deputy president and coo, Sony Corp, and president and group ceo, Sony Computer Entertainment.
"In the future, this digital content will fuse and converge on the broadband network, and start to explode,"
"To access and/or browse content freely in real-time, a more sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI) within the 3D world will become key in the future. The current PC architecture is nearing its limits, in both processing power and bus bandwidth, for handling such rich applications."
The Cell will be used for Sony’s PlayStation 3, says the BBC, going on:
"The PlayStation 3 is expected in 2006 but developers are expecting to get prototypes early next year to tune games that will appear on it at launch."
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See:-
key concepts – First Details of Multicore Chip Comprising Power Architecture and Synergistic Processors, IBM, Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba, November 29, 2004
PlayStation 3 – First look at PlayStation 3 chip, BBC News Online, November 29, 2004
November 29th, 2004 at 11:33 pm
“On-chip hardware in support of security system for intellectual property protection. ”
yeah.. i definitely want to buy a DRM hobbled motherboard..
it MAY work in consoles, but dont count on people taking that with their pc’s for long.
Placing it in consoles first isnt such a great idea either. Console hackers will inevitably find a way to destroy the effectiveness of their attempts to steal our right to govern and tinker with our own hardware.
November 30th, 2004 at 12:12 am
I would like to point out two concepts which are mutually exclusive….
“On-chip hardware in support of security system for intellectual property protection.”
“The progressive breakdown of barriers between personal computers and digital consumer electronics requires dramatic enhancements in the capabilities and performance of consumer electronics. The Cell processor meets these requirement”
analysis point 1. DRM does the exact opposite of enhance capabilities and/or interoperability.
point 2. it is obvious the new “services” and “features” for this “open” platform will only be those which are “approved” by sony.
point 3. it is also obvious that on chip DRM will prevent people from fairly modifying their hardware to:
-suit an unintended purpose
-allow fair use backups of games(in the case of the console)
-prevent unfair trust activities upon computer consumers via use of the integrated DRM chip(in the case of computer applications), including:
“upgrade fees” to manufacturers for the priveledge of changing the OS.
“software/hardware lockout” which will remove your right to choose what you install
“forced payment for installations” of upgrades and possibly software which could otherwise be installed by end users.
I personally use a modchip in my xbox to allow me to use the console as a player for nearly any media format. There are no cheat hacks for xbox live games, there are no game images from the internet, it is strictly an enhancement hack for my own individual purposes.
To actively prevent this activity is tantamount to ordering a storm trooper to walk about with me and obstruct me whenever i attempted “unautorized” behaviors in my own home.
November 30th, 2004 at 1:54 am
That’s because they do not want to sell you the hardware,
they want to sell you a LICENSE to use the hardware while it remains theirs.
But of course you still get to PAY for the hardware, no change in that.
That way they dictate everything you do with it,
while having nice monopolies and making truckloads of money out of it.
Of course the fact that we DO own the hardware
doesn’t prevent them from trying to dictate what we do with it.
December 1st, 2004 at 11:40 am
lets hope so