Is the PS3 on track to deliver full specs?

ShootMyMonkey said:
On top of that, I find it rather absurd to think that grabbing an extra SPE on demand and taking over an existing thread is feasible. I mean, the contents of the LS is part of the state, which means that if you interrupt a working thread, you have to back all of that up somewhere, and then restore it when you're done. Which could easily take hundreds of thousands of cycles.
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Yes, it's quite costly yet that's exactly what happens. The OS needs to perform some (presumably audio) tasks on demand, and swaps the lowest priority SPE thread.
This is exactly how Xbox360 operates as well, hence the use of core 3, which I've seen reported from 5% to 25%.
 
Barbarian since you're on the scene here, can you say whether it's one SPE 'on call,' two... or just sort of on into perpetuity as long as the OS needs the functionality?
 
xbdestroya said:
Barbarian since you're on the scene here, can you say whether it's one SPE 'on call,' two... or just sort of on into perpetuity as long as the OS needs the functionality?
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As I understand it, it's one SPE 'on call', presumably one that's running a low priority task. Of course these things change every day and it's not final until Sony ships the PS3.
 
Thanks for the clarification Barbarian. Definitely a weird mirroring of events between this thread and the other one, and strange connections as well. The most interesting aspect for sure is that at the same time that the present rumor is debunked, the old rumor is confirmed. That both originated with DopeyFish is just bizzarre, and one has to wonder what drove this extreme '3 SPEs' iteration of it.

So DopeyFish is two and two I guess for PS3 smear info; right on the SPE 'on call' and the current dev set-aside for the OS footprint, wrong on the 2.8GHz Cell endorsement and this 3 SPE fully reserved thing (which was too outlandish to ever have been considered by anyone anyway).
 
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xbdestroya said:
So DopeyFish is two and two I guess for PS3 smear info; right on the SPE 'on call' and the current dev set-aside for the OS footprint, wrong on the 2.8GHz Cell endorsement and this 3 SPE fully reserved thing (which was too outlandish to ever have been considered by anyone anyway).
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DopeyFish didn't confirm anything regarding the OS footprint AFAIK. Hardknock is the only one I've seen attribute that to him, and if he did I'd like to see a link confirming it.
 
liverkick said:
DopeyFish didn't confirm anything regarding the OS footprint AFAIK. Hardknock is the only one I've seen attribute that to him, and if he did I'd like to see a link confirming it.
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Well I think that in fact the 'on call' SPE thing may also just be a recent coincidence as well - it doesn't seem it was the case at the time he was touting it to be. So in effect, maybe that's zero for four. Who knows...

But anyway as for the 96MB thing, it's first reference on this forum seems to originate in this thread here: http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29840

...with original credit going to Red Cloak I guess. Though if it goes farther back than him, I wouldn't know, because I'm just going by what's in that thread.
 
Hardknock said:
So there was some truth to this afterall. Thank you good sir! :smile: I think I deserve an apology from a few folks, but of course I won't get one ;)
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Seeing as your info was a tiny bit, maybe 10% true, you can have 10% of an apology :p The truth that the OS can time-share a SPE on demand is very different to the claim that only 4 SPEs are available for games.
 
aselto said:
About this 96MB thing - I thought heliosphere (multiplatform dev AFAIK) basically confirmed it a while ago. Maybe the number changed over time, but I don't know if anyone here who knows it is allowed to talk about it.

But here are the posts: http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=736647&postcount=213
http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=735945&postcount=97
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Since we're in full post mortem mode:

Actually, no. It was our friend DF again! Same day, but several hours earlier. It was only explicitly stated later by Red Cloak, but it's clear he was aware of the real number.
http://opa-ages.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=56290&hl=

I think I'll repeat what I said on another forum the first I heard about the 4SPE rumour.
Mmmkay said:
At a guess, I'd say it's just DF being disingenuous again. Say 7 total, 1 less for 'audio', 1 less for 'OS', and another 1 for 'on demand OS' = 4SPE's for game code. It's not the first time someone's jimmied the numbers like that. Doesn't make it right though.
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We shouldn't be dismissing DF's information, but accepting that it is presented often in a disingenuous light. He definitely has an axe to grind, and that should precede his commentary. That forum has its uses at times, because it has a very small community of disgruntled and jaded insiders. Just don't take anything said at face value.
 
Mmmkay said:
Since we're in full post mortem mode:

Actually, no. It was our friend DF again! Same day, but several hours earlier. It was only explicitly stated later by Red Cloak, but it's clear he was aware of the real number.
http://opa-ages.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=56290&hl=

I think I'll repeat what I said on another forum the first I heard about the 4SPE rumour.


We shouldn't be dismissing DF's information, but accepting that it is presented often in a disingenuous light. He definitely has an axe to grind, and that should precede his commentary. That forum has its uses at times, because it has a very small community of disgruntled and jaded insiders. Just don't take anything said at face value.
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Great Post. Nice research. Yes he obviously has an agenda but I wouldn't immediately discredit him because he is often right on a number of occasions. Not sure who his contacts are but they're real.

And as for how much the OS reserves we'll probably never get an official answer, maybe someone could shoot heliosphere a PM? ;)
 
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patsu said:
Nice ^_^ (You meant 96Mb is no longer the upper limit right ?)
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No, it's gone up to 128 MB :devilish:

Just kidding, before anyone gets the wrong idea. I've no idea what the reserved memory is, and even then we don't know what that includes. Could be the OS takes charge of FB for starters for scaling, and maybe even BB. A portion of OS memory may go towards the game.
 
Hardknock said:
Great Post. Nice research. Yes he obviously has an agenda but I wouldn't immediately discredit him because he is often right on a number of occasions. Not sure who his contacts are but they're real.
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The claim is, I think, that he was right about the amount of memory reserved.

Let's just say that information wasn't particularly difficult to procure. If one did get that information, one could easily use it to..let's say, leverage some credibility for the subsequent spread of inaccurate gossip.

Regarding what else he's been right about..2.8Ghz Cell? I remember confronting him on that, and he defended that FUD to the hilt.

What else has he been right about?

Mmmkay said:
That forum has its uses at times, because it has a very small community of disgruntled and jaded insiders.
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Primarily it's a forum for those banned elsewhere. Hmmm.

Hardknock said:
And as for how much the OS reserves we'll probably never get an official answer, maybe someone could shoot heliosphere a PM? ;)
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Barbarian has told us above. One is reserved exclusively, one can be used for small tasks temporarily. I.e. 6 SPEs are available to the application.
 
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Mmmkay said:
:runaway:

I'm not defending the place, just pointing out that its somewhat questionable population has bred a very small community of people who have inside information.
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I've no doubt there are a couple of insiders there, I know of at least one (though he's not the one spreading these rumours, as far as I know) - but they've been banned elsewhere typically for quite good reasons. In terms of the rumours that have been presented there, they don't have a good track record. I think some of those you may be considering 'insiders' are people who've happened on a little information before, and are using that to leverage even more onto gullible people. I think we actually have a pretty classic case of that here, in fact (remember that 'interview' with their 'anonymous insider'? it was trading on the credibility of a single thing he got right before, and IIRC everything in that interview has subsequently turned out to be untrue).
 
Hmm. if im to try to remember from memory what the ps3portal/ps3forums info was, i think i remember the claim was sony reserved the right for the OS to be able to claim more than one SPE on demand, even if they maybe never was going to claim more than one extra.

The one posting it, was one of the top moderators of the site.

Even if its 100% accurate, it dont mean one jot, i think. Who opens a meny bar, and start do 3 way video chat with a plugged in small camera, while playing MGS? or Tekken?

Of couse, a game would need to be able to RUN in those conditions, but not perfect.
 
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