[passerby]

http://watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20041207/scei.htm

[Farid]

Originally Posted by PR

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and NVIDIA Announce Joint GPU Development for SCEI's Next-Generation Computer Entertainment System
Tuesday December 7, 3:11 am ET


TOKYO and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) and NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA - News) today announced that the companies have been collaborating on bringing advanced graphics technology and computer entertainment technology to SCEI's highly anticipated next-generation computer entertainment system. Both companies are jointly developing a custom graphics processing unit (GPU) incorporating NVIDIA's next-generation GeForce(TM) and SCEI's system solutions for next-generation computer entertainment systems featuring the Cell* processor.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020613/NVDALOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041207/SFTU096 )
This collaboration is made under a broad, multi-year, royalty-bearing agreement. The powerful custom GPU will be the graphics and image processing foundation for a broad range of applications from computer entertainment to broadband applications. The agreement will encompass future Sony digital consumer electronics products.

"In the future, the experience of computer entertainment systems and broadband-ready PCs will be fused together to generate and transfer multi-streams of rich content simultaneously. In this sense, we have found the best way to integrate the state-of-the-art technologies from NVIDIA and SCEI," said Ken Kutaragi, executive deputy president and COO, Sony Corporation, and president and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "Our collaboration includes not only the chip development but also a variety of graphics development tools and middleware, essential for efficient content creation."

"We are thrilled to partner with Sony Computer Entertainment to build what will certainly be one of the most important computer entertainment and digital media platforms of the twenty-first century," added Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO, NVIDIA. "Over the past two years NVIDIA has worked closely with Sony Computer Entertainment on their next-generation computer entertainment system. In parallel, we have been designing our next-generation GeForce GPU. The combination of the revolutionary Cell processor and NVIDIA's graphics technologies will enable the creation of breathtaking imagery that will surprise and captivate consumers."

The custom GPU will be manufactured at Sony Group's Nagasaki Fab2 as well as OTSS (joint fabrication facility of Toshiba and Sony).

Note:

"Cell" is the code-name for an advanced microprocessor under development by IBM, Toshiba and Sony Group.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these two platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

About NVIDIA

NVIDIA Corporation is a worldwide leader in graphics and digital media processors. The Company's products enhance the end-user experience on consumer and professional computing devices. NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs), media and communications processors (MCPs), and wireless media processors (WMPs) have broad market reach and are incorporated into a variety of platforms, including consumer and enterprise PCs, notebooks, workstations, PDAs, mobile phones, and video game consoles. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to the development of the custom GPU, the benefits of the collaboration, the benefits, uses, and capabilities of the custom GPU and computer entertainment systems featuring the Cell processor, the fusion of computer entertainment systems and broadband systems, the agreement between the parties, and the manufacture of the custom GPU are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to whether SCEI and NVIDIA continue the collaboration, whether SCEI continues to use the NVIDIA custom GPU as the foundation for a broad range of its applications, market acceptance of SCEI's next-generation computer entertainment system,, market acceptance of new products and technology, delays in ramping new products into production, manufacturing delays and defects, incompatibility of technologies, reliance on third-party manufacturers, general industry trends including cyclical trends in the semiconductor market, delays in integration of our products, the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives, and other risks detailed from time to time in the NVIDIA reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 24, 2004. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

[nAo]

[PiNkY]

[Vince]

Hey nAo, guess we can't be right all the time.

It'll be interesting to see exactly what type of architecture they mate with Cell, I can't imagine they create arbitrary walls by tacking on a conventional GPU to Cell. Hofstee has stated as much as to indicate this...

[passerby]

Translation:
<never mind - someone already posted the news in English>

[StefanS]

Now that sounds interesting

Sidenote: I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I am getting more and more the feeling that Nintendo will launch last in the next gen...

[PC-Engine]

[nAo]

Vince..we knew that..but we didn't believe it. Well..we were wrong

[one]

OMG it's truly shock and awe.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by nAo

Vince..we knew that..but we didn't believe it. Well..we were wrong

Exactly! I'm happy and sad for us! (I edited my previous comment BTW)

[PiNkY]

Since the term GPU is mentioned more then once, doesn't that imply that the patent's diagrams are out of date?

[j^aws]

Meh...I always knew they were sleeping together, ever since Square did FFTSW on GSCube and nVidia hardware...just didn't post it for fear of being flamed!


<RUNS>

[Farid]

This news is good, very good.

BTW, didn't JH Huang a few moons ago made a comment about the next Playstation being a "miracle machine". That was the first hint of the now unveilled deal.

edit: Now, this news puts a end to a lot of speculations, but it also brings some others.
Will the GPU be Cell based? If it is, to what extent? And will next Nvidia PC parts use this architecture?

[Readykilowatt]

[Vince]

Originally Posted by PiNkY

Since the term GPU is mentioned more then once, doesn't that imply that the patent's diagrams are out of date?

Not necessarily. The term "GPU" (or VPU for that matter) is more an arbitrary banality of common discussion, we have yet to see just how far deep the "combination of the revolutionary Cell processor and NVIDIA's graphics technologies" goes. At this point, we don't know if they've built just the Pixel Engines from diagram6 or the entire IC. To that extent, Peter Hofstee just spoke of moving 3D functionality on-die with Cell.

[j^aws]

Originally Posted by PiNkY

Since the term GPU is mentioned more then once, doesn't that imply that the patent's diagrams are out of date?

For all we know they could be tweaking the patent diagrams...

[passerby]

Never seen so many in a thread. B3D news of the year... of the decade!

So start your speculations about the GPU part already...

[nAo]

Originally Posted by Vince

To that extent, Peter Hofstee just spoke of moving 3D functionality on-die with Cell.

When? Where? Who?

And what about Panajev? I bet he's still sleeping...muahahahha..poor guy

ciao,
Marco

[j^aws]

Originally Posted by nAo

When? Where? Who?

And what about Panajev? I bet he's still sleeping...muahahahha..poor guy

ciao,
Marco

I thought we got proof this week to the contrary?

Mwwwaahhhaahhhaa!

I guess the sucessful applicant was nVidia!

[PiNkY]

That is what i was refering to. If Sony would incoporate NVidia Ip (i.e. e.g. their next generation ps-units) into a PE they'd certainly talk about it as IP-licensing. This, though, sounds more like NVidia is about to supply a whole discret GPU/VPU/Graphics chip to the system and i do not think (at this point) this means NVidia desgining the whole graphics PE (i.e. gaining access to all Cell IP) as otherwise you'd clearly have that pointed out in their press release (they have got stockholders to treat to after all).

[McFly]

I bet we will see a partialy cell based Nvidia gfx card in 2006, that's the big news. I'm pretty sure about that.

Fredi

[j^aws]

I guess this explains the NV50 cancellation this week...

[Vince]

Originally Posted by nAo

When? Where? Who?

Hofstee, in San Fransisco, Yesterday. I'm inclined, knowing more from the IBM angle, to think that this is NOT akin to the PlayStation3 having a conventional PC topology. Hofstee, a cool guy, was talking directly about this, firstly the moving of the North|South-bridge and Graphics/Vizualization Acceleration on-die.

He then talked about the movement from the the current "one-way" rendering pipeline:

[CPU] --> [GPU] => [Output] paradigm

towards a Cell based, "two-way" one:

[CPU] <=> [integrated Acceleration] => [Output]

He specifically talked about doing away with texture mapping and spoke of more "physics" based modeling.

Originally Posted by Pinky

That is what i was refering to. If Sony would incoporate NVidia Ip (i.e. e.g. their next generation ps-units) into a PE they'd certainly talk about it as IP-licensing. This, though, sounds more like NVidia is about to supply a whole discret GPU/VPU/Graphics chip to the system and i do not think (at this point) this means NVidia desgining the whole graphics PE (i.e. gaining access to all Cell IP) as otherwise you'd clearly have that pointed out in their press release (they have got stockholders to treat to after all).

Think about it, Sony Group & Toshiba want to use the architecture in CE applications in the scaled down Cell designs. IBM wants to use it in workstations and vizualization. Your thinking, IMHO, doesn't seem to be compatible or realistic in this regard to STI's ambitions and what they desire in a common|modular and scalable artchitecture.

[Shogmaster]