Can a firmware update make Wii a graphically competitive platform?

[Flux]

I was thinking if nintendo made a firmware update to change the BIOS of the machine. If nintendo made these modifications what results will you get?


1)(via BIOS)overclock the CPU to 1.1ghz
2)(via BIOS)overclock the GPU to 500MHz
3)(via BIOS) update to change to fan rpm (slightly higher)
4)(via BIOS) change gpu frame refesh rate to 24fps and optimize the game itself to run at 24fps. Lock the game at 24fps.
5)only multiply/divide on the SIMD unit at game fps speed(within 24fps).
6)make SIMD unit accessable outside the SDK
7)license DVD(purchasable by console owner through Wiishop or separate license disk).
8)Allow for 720px512 for DVD playback only.
9)make GGPO.net standard for all online game(MUCH less lag)
10)no 24bit textures. 32bit textures
11)allow for textures,music,etc to be streamed from the DVD-ROM
12)Allow for the middle point of the screen to be the focal point of the Wiimote rather than the bar.(Don't by manually tuning the "mid point" by the player before the game starts. Example: 25-34 inches below the bar is set as the center of the bar instead of the bar itself).

 

[eastmen]

I don't think so. Running everything overclocked will result in many problems. Its not just heat but also the voltage required to run. Thats assuming that every chip they have can run at your listed speeds.

Regardless of all of that they will still be limited by the amount of ram they have which if I recall correctly is less than 100mb across the whole console.

Now it is plausible that what your sugesting is the next wii.

I can see them making the gpu multicore perhaps 3 of them (45nm with the current cpu will make it really small) Clock the gpu higher and perhaps double the tmus rops and shader units (tripple perhaps ?) and put in 512 megs of ram and they will have a 720p console.

Of course I really think they may just go with amd cpu (perhaps a tri core) with a low end 2010 gpu. That hsould let them do 1080p easily

 

[inefficient]

1) No. The CPU runs at that speed for a reason.
2) No. The GPU runs at that speed for a reason.
3) No. The fan runs at that speed for a reason.
4) No. there is a reason games don't run at 24fps. 99% of TVs do not support that standard.
5) Question doesn't really make sense. But see #4 about frame rate
6) Already is the case. And has nothing to do with firmware
7) Adding a DVD player would do nothing to make it graphically competitive for games.
8) No
9) Selling a "lag free" gaming solution is like selling magic beans. All good online games have their code taliored to fit it's needs. There is no one size fits all.
10) Wii games already use this trick, it only makes games look worse.
11) To what?
12) This is the only one that is potentially possible for them to do in a FW update. The could allow for finer tweaks in the options instead of "on top of TV" and "under TV" But they probably won't because they don't want to over complicate the system.

 

[Flux]

I don't think so. Running everything overclocked will result in many problems. Its not just heat but also the voltage required to run. Thats assuming that every chip they have can run at your listed speeds.

Regardless of all of that they will still be limited by the amount of ram they have which if I recall correctly is less than 100mb across the whole console.

Now it is plausible that what your sugesting is the next wii.

I can see them making the gpu multicore perhaps 3 of them (45nm with the current cpu will make it really small) Clock the gpu higher and perhaps double the tmus rops and shader units (tripple perhaps ?) and put in 512 megs of ram and they will have a 720p console.

Of course I really think they may just go with amd cpu (perhaps a tri core) with a low end 2010 gpu. That hsould let them do 1080p easily

Well the 750CL can clock as high as 1.1ghz and the wattage for Broadway at 1.1ghz is 37W.

 

[Flux]

1) No. The CPU runs at that speed for a reason.
why?
2) No. The GPU runs at that speed for a reason.
why ?
3) No. The fan runs at that speed for a reason.
why?
So your nintendo's R&D department or did you test the machine yourself?
4) No. there is a reason games don't run at 24fps. 99% of TVs do not support that standard.
Whats the framerate to Raging Rabbits Wii (30fps) and Quake 4(16fps) on 360 again?
5) Question doesn't really make sense. But see #4 about frame rate
6) Already is the case. And has nothing to do with firmware
7) Adding a DVD player would do nothing to make it graphically competitive for games.
It already has a DVD drive. It doesn't have the DVD decryption license.
8) No
....yeah why debate it you being god and all?
9) Selling a "lag free" gaming solution is like selling magic beans. All good online games have their code taliored to fit it's needs. There is no one size fits all.
Tell that to Gunz online and Unreal championship for Xbox 1 smartone.Both lag horribly but they did thier "tailored" at least lower the lag.Nh and Capcom just licensed it for all thier new online fighters including Streetfighter 4, smartone.
10) Wii games already use this trick, it only makes games look worse.
what trick are you talking about? Is it the trick in your head? No I didn't how they were going to do this. Hmmm 6:6:6:6 mode is not the "trick".
11) To what?
RAM....good point.
12) This is the only one that is potentially possible for them to do in a FW update. The could allow for finer tweaks in the options instead of "on top of TV" and "under TV" But they probably won't because they don't want to over complicate the system.

Well seems the ram constrains make the Wii VERY underpowered graphically afterall.

Unless Wii get 1GB of RAM(at least 256MB added on top of the 128MB) it won't see HD resolution textures.

 

[Betanumerical]

Well seems the ram constrains make the Wii VERY underpowered graphically afterall.

Unless Wii get 1GB of RAM(at least 256MB added on top of the 128MB) it won't see HD resolution textures.

24fps is going to lag horribly on any games, games aren't movies.

CPU's run at clock speed, because they are speed binned for that speed, meaning that not all Wii's might be able to run the cpu at the overclocked clockspeed meaning your alienating some customers. Same thing for the GPU

upping voltage could fry the cpu.

 

[AlNom]

1)(via BIOS)overclock the CPU to 1.1ghz
2)(via BIOS)overclock the GPU to 500MHz
3)(via BIOS) update to change to fan rpm (slightly higher)

Consider chip yields, heat production, fan noise, and fan lifespan. Pushing the clock limits of a chip's production is not conducive to high amounts of usable chips. Pushing clock limits of a process entails a jump in heat production - consider CPU binning in the PC arena and think about what really separates the low end chips from the higher clocked chips. Especially make note of the difference between said higher clocked stock parts and low end parts overclocked to those high end speeds.

With regards to fan speed - note the fan diameter, the theoretical airflow, and the actual airflow in such a densely packed product. How much faster do you need to make the fan to make a significant difference in theoretical airflow? What does extremely high RPM do for wear and tear?

 

[PARANOiA]

I was thinking if nintendo made a firmware update to change the BIOS of the machine. If nintendo made these modifications what results will you get?

A lot of dead machines and a Wii that still looks like a last generation machine when compared to the PS3 or 360 (ie, no you can't make the Wii a graphically competitive platform).

 

[vazel]

lol if only things were that easy I wouldn't have to upgrade my PC. And believe me I tried to overclock the hell out of it but encountered stability and heat problems.

 

[Statix]

Overclocking isn't going to make Wii anywhere near competitive with the 360/PS3. Period.

 

[eastmen]

Well the 750CL can clock as high as 1.1ghz and the wattage for Broadway at 1.1ghz is 37W.

has someone overclocked it to 1.1ghz in the wii and played a few hours on it without i crashing.

Have you looked at the wii form factor.

 

[Flux]

why would it crash? If heat isn't an issue at its normal clock why would it be at a 50% increase?

 

[Flux]

24fps is going to lag horribly on any games, games aren't movies.

CPU's run at clock speed, because they are speed binned for that speed, meaning that not all Wii's might be able to run the cpu at the overclocked clockspeed meaning your alienating some customers. Same thing for the GPU

upping voltage could fry the cpu.

What framerate did Quake 4 run at on xbox360?

What framerate did Rayman RR run at on Wii?

I'll give you a hint it's not 60fps or 30fps.

 

[Boxercide]

Can a firmware update add more powerful hardware and more RAM to the Wii?

 

[Betanumerical]

What framerate did Quake 4 run at on xbox360?

What framerate did Rayman RR run at on Wii?

I'll give you a hint it's not 60fps or 30fps.

It doesn't matter, to restrict all games to 24fps is madness.

 

[I.S.T.]

why would it crash? If heat isn't an issue at its normal clock why would it be at a 50% increase?

...

I can't fucking believe you said that.

OCing always adds more heat. Now, if the system's cooling can keep up with that, there's no problem. However, I seriously doubt the Wii's cooling could keep up with a 50% increase! Nintendo built the system on the cheap, after all.

 

[eastmen]

why would it crash? If heat isn't an issue at its normal clock why would it be at a 50% increase?

The chip will need more power and produce more heat when overclocked. You should just look online about overclocking desktop cpus. however here your talking about overclocking both the cpu and a gpu in casing thats a bit bigger than a graphics card and with cooling no where near as good

 

[Shifty Geezer]

And a 50% overclock!! Heat output is on an exponential scale - a 50% clock increase is far, far hotter than a 50% increase in temperature!

 

[Acert93]

No, the overclocks you mention and whatnot would not make the Wii a graphically competitive platform. So there is no use dreaming about them.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

why would it crash? If heat isn't an issue at its normal clock why would it be at a 50% increase?

I think mods should destroy every evidence that this thread ever existed.