Could Sony create fixed function pipelines for the PS4 even after release?

[onQ]

Remember my question? Could Sony create fixed function pipelines for the PS4 even after release?

I asked that question because of the things that Cerny was saying about creating the hardware for the software in a few years, I know you all think I'm crazy but if Neo is going to use a 480 with 4 ACEs & 2 hardware schedulers then that's exactly what is happening.

 

[BRiT]

Remember my question? Could Sony create fixed function pipelines for the PS4 even after release?

I asked that question because of the things that Cerny was saying about creating the hardware for the software in a few years, I know you all think I'm crazy

Wrong way to interpret the data.

 

[onQ]

Wrong way to interpret the data.

No it isn't read the thread that's in the link this is exactly what I thought it would be.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Fixed function pipelines are only more efficient than programmable pipeline because they more efficiently use the hardware. It has to be achieved in hardware (either fixed silicon or programmable silicon, but on the silcion level). If you take a programmable shader unit and limit it's functionality to one shader, you get the same result as a fixed-function pipeline but not the gains in effiiciency. That's shader pipe will still work in the same way at the hardware level. Effectively all you'll write is a shader.

It's not possible to add fixed function units to a GPU after it has been manufatured. Everything you are suggesting is software. There's also little purpose to fixed function units these days - absolutely everyone has moved on to programmable (and unified) shaders. Even the ROPS are facing extinction, to be replaced with shaders. Only something exotic like a raytracing unit would make sense, and that would need custom silicon.