enter 'Hollywood' - ATI's Graphics Processor for Revolution

[Megadrive1988]

( i know the revelation that hollywood was the name of the gpu for revolution was posted in the nintendo gdc thread)



from xexex on gaming-age forum

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?p=1102178#post1102178

Hollywood is the name of ATI's graphics processor / GPU / VPU for the Nintendo Revolution

I wonder how the ATI Hollywood chip compares to the ARTX-designed Flipper (Flipper was designed from 1998 to 2000 *before* ATI bought ARTX) that is basicly the heart of Gamecube's graphics.... and also, I wonder how ATI's Hollywood chip for Revolution compares to other ATI VPUs like:

*R420 | R480 (in current Radeon cards)
*the upcoming R520 aka Fudo (SM 3.0 tricked out R300 core)
*the totally new Xenon | Xbox Next VPU (R500 or R5XX) which is based on a new architecture, the never-seen R400.
*the R600 for PCs, which should have SM 4.0 support, is based on Xenon |Xbox Next R500 | R5XX architecture, but will be even more advanced given the timeframe it is coming out in, probably after the new Xbox, and it will cost more.


Finally, after 3 years of knowing that ATI was working on the graphics processor for the next-gen Nintendo console, the thing has a name.

HOLLYWOOD

Revolution's technological heart, a processing chip developed with IBM and code-named "Broadway," and a graphics chip set from ATI code-named "Hollywood," are being designed to deliver next generation experiences hopefully on par with its competitors.

"We're excited to be developing the graphics chip set for Revolution, which continues our longstanding relationship with Nintendo," says Dave Orton, ATI Technologies Inc.'s president and chief executive officer. "As the leading graphics provider, ATI is committed to delivering exceptional visual performance that enables consumers to interact with new and visually compelling digital worlds. ATI is proud to support Nintendo's innovative contributions to gaming."

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3138770

 

[therealskywolf]

They do pick some cool names.
I think that Companies should allways codename their hardware with cool names like that. Its catchy and spawns interest.

 

[Carl B]

I'm guessing something along the lines of the chip ATI is providing Microsoft; maybe a little weaker, maybe a little stronger. Reason I say so is that with a launch of several months to a year later, the chip is not going to be nearly as expensive at that time Nintendo would incorporate it.

Microsoft knows this too and that's why they've gone with a licensing agreement this time and not the straight-up contracted purchase agreement that they ended up being locked into with NVidia. Whatever they're paying for the chip when the XBox 2 launches, it'll be much more than they're paying for that same chip two years down the line.

A year in the graphics world is a lifetime.

 

[jvd]

a hybrid of an r520 and ideas and tech used in the flipper

 

[tEd]

I think they will use a r500 variant. Maybe r500 refresh or maybe cut down r500(less ALUs or something) but r500 tech.

Anything else doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Iron Tiger]

They do pick some cool names.
I think that Companies should allways codename their hardware with cool names like that. Its catchy and spawns interest.

Judging by Jaguar sales, nobody was interested in Tom and Jerry.

 

[Megadrive1988]

why not a semi-custom VPU with sucessor-ideas from RCP (n64) and Flipper (cube) but also largely based on r500 / r5xx and r600.

somehow i think Hollywood will *not* be based on R520 / Fudo, which is basicly r3xx.

 

[Tysan]

Why do people think that 'Hollywood' will be less powerful or advanced than Xbox2 ATI GPU?

* Work for Revolution GPU started way before MS joined Ati.
* Revolution will be released way after Xbox2

IMO 'Hollywood' GPU will be at the very least as powerful and advanced as Xbox2 GPU, having more time to design it and releasing next year point to that scenario.

Maybe graphic power wil not mean anything next gen, but Im sure a lot of people is going to be surprised with 'Hollywood'

Oh and Im really satisfied that Revolution being backwards compatible, as a nice bonus we now know that aside from the inovative controls, standard control will be there for sure.

Awesome news without doubt...

 

[pc999]

If they will add new features shoudnt care more with CPU power than GPU

 

[Megadrive1988]

btw, part of me sorta kinda likes the showbiz theme:

Broadway and Hollywood.

it reminds me of the Shakespear theme for Jaguar's true sucessor, codenamed Midsummer, aka Midsummer Project aka Project Midsummer, aka Jaguar 2 aka Jaguar 3 (don't ask!) ................this Jaguar sucessor, lets just call it Midsummer to avoid confusion, had chips named 'Oberon' and 'Puck'.

Oberon (aka Tom II) was completed. but the graphics processor, Puck, also known as 'Titania' and sometimes known as 'Thesus' or 'Theseus' was never completed.
Puck / Titania / Thesus / Theseus was basicly a re-desinged 'Jerry' built for texture-mapping.

Atari Midsummer's Oberon and Puck/Titania/Theseus was based heavily on Jaguar's architecture Tom and Jerry (originally Flare 2 ?)... Midsummer was backwards compatable with Jaguar.


ahem. anyway, it will be interesting to see if Broadway and Hollywood are in anyway based on Gekko and Flipper architecture, since Revolution is going be backward compatable, to play Gamecube games.

does that mean Revolution's Broadway and Hollywood would have
to be micro-architecturely or macro-architecturely or binary compatable
(i am out of my league as far as those terms) with Gamecube's Gekko and Flipper ?

or will it be emulation, or what?

 

[quest55720]

I may be wrong.

I am no expert but I always assumed the revolution to be a world wide oct 2006 launch. If that was the case I would figure hollywood would be a R600 off shoot.

 

[Megadrive1988]

Tysan wrote:

Why do people think that 'Hollywood' will be less powerful or advanced than Xbox2 ATI GPU?

I for one, do not think that. I think they we be more or less, rivals, each with their own advantages. or possibly even, Hollywood could be somewhat more powerful. but i think the former is more likely.

* Work for Revolution GPU started way before MS joined Ati.
* Revolution will be released way after Xbox2

indeed, there is no doubt work on Revolution (and probaby Hollywood specifically) began well before work started on Xenon. Revolution was probably in development even as the original Xbox was still being designed. (2000-2001).

thus Revolution was most likely in development in 2000-2001, whereas Xenon entered development in 2002 i think.


Revolution will probably come out 6-9 months after Xenon. not a huge amount of time, but when you realize Revolution has been in development longer, it could have had an effect.

IMO 'Hollywood' GPU will be at the very least as powerful and advanced as Xbox2 GPU, having more time to design it and releasing next year point to that scenario.

very much agreed.

Maybe graphic power wil not mean anything next gen, but Im sure a lot of people is going to be surprised with 'Hollywood'

I agree here also.

Oh and Im really satisfied that Revolution being backwards compatible, as a nice bonus we now know that aside from the inovative controls, standard control will be there for sure.

Awesome news without doubt...

me too. I'm happy Revolution is going to be BC with Cube.... and I cannot wait to see what the revolution(s) in Revolution is.

 

[therealskywolf]

If they launch it after the Ps3, they are dead.

 

[Iron Tiger]

Oh and Im really satisfied that Revolution being backwards compatible, as a nice bonus we now know that aside from the inovative controls, standard control will be there for sure.

Unless we have to plug in GC controllers to play GC games, and Nintendo restricts developers from making new Revolution games that are compatible with the GC controller.

 

[V3]

I hoped with BC doesn't mean that Broadway is a faster clock, multi core version of Gekko and Hollywood is not a 16-32 pipes version of Flipper.

 

[quest55720]

If they launch it after the Ps3, they are dead.

After or before is the only chance against sony. Microsoft will do the before and nintendo will do after. No company can spend with sony to launch at the same time. Sony is spending billions just to get the PS3 into stores. God knows how much they will be loosing per unit for the first year. Any one who launches at the same time as sony will be DOA. You either launch first and pray that your console catches fire. Or you launch after sony because you will be able to use new and cheaper parts. If you launch after you will be able to match or excede the power of the PS3 for a hell of a lot less.

 

[jvd]

launch at the same time as sony and fight dirty and fight with big guns .

Launch x mass 2006 usa with mario 128 , a new lugi mansion , a new resident evil , get a final fantsy game a full line up of sports a few out there games like animal crossing 2 with ds link up through wifi and a pikiman 3 .

Price yourself lower while offering better graphics and then keep the hits coming .

Sony will be caught in a hard place .

If nintendo launched awya from sony , then they could have played the hardware game with ms saying they had better specs . but would that be true with a nintendo system launched at the same time ?

If sony launched by themselves they'd have all the news hype and all the magazine hype , with a nintendo system with most of nintendos big guns announced and launching with it can take away alot of the ps3 hype

And finally non of sonys launches have been spectacular in terms of launch line up . Now the same is true about nintendo. But nintendo can certianly have more control over games than sony does . So nintendo can line up a big triple aaa launch software .

 

[blakjedi]

Sony may be caught in t vise of neither launch first, best or with the most powerful hardware... good points. Looks like nintendo wants their #1 spot back...

launch at the same time as sony and fight dirty and fight with big guns .

Launch x mass 2006 usa with mario 128 , a new lugi mansion , a new resident evil , get a final fantsy game a full line up of sports a few out there games like animal crossing 2 with ds link up through wifi and a pikiman 3 .

Price yourself lower while offering better graphics and then keep the hits coming .

Sony will be caught in a hard place .

If nintendo launched awya from sony , then they could have played the hardware game with ms saying they had better specs . but would that be true with a nintendo system launched at the same time ?

If sony launched by themselves they'd have all the news hype and all the magazine hype , with a nintendo system with most of nintendos big guns announced and launching with it can take away alot of the ps3 hype

And finally non of sonys launches have been spectacular in terms of launch line up . Now the same is true about nintendo. But nintendo can certianly have more control over games than sony does . So nintendo can line up a big triple aaa launch software .

 

[Megadrive1988]

I hoped with BC doesn't mean that Broadway is a faster clock, multi core version of Gekko and Hollywood is not a 16-32 pipes version of Flipper.

would that be so terrible ?

not that that's what the hardware is.


Remember when Gamecube was new, Factor 5's Julian E. was asked if there was anything he wanted to see in Gamecube hardware that wasnt already there. He said he'd like to see a 100 fold increase in every area.... or something to that effect.

that said, lets also remember DaveB's comments that Revolution graphics processor would likely be something based off of something from ATI's roadmap. be that r5xx or r6xx.

 

[see colon]

Remember when Gamecube was new, Factor 5's Julian E. was asked if there was anything he wanted to see in Gamecube hardware that wasnt already there. He said he'd like to see a 100 fold increase in every area.... or something to that effect.

i remember an interview where julian ( i think, been a long time) was asked what the weakest part of the gc hardware was and he said geometry processing.