ISSCC 2005

[Deepak]

Can't we have some hidden camera in the conference room??

 

[nAo]

From The Inquirer who's quoting Wall Streen Journal:

ccording to papers to be presented at the ISSCC, the initial Cell chip has a single processing unit that can pass computing tasks out to as many as 8 other processors. Thus, working in tandem, it can process up to 10 sequences of instructions simultaneously.

If this holds true then we can consider a PU as a mulithreaded processor ( 2+8 )
IIRC it's not the first time we heard something along the same line.

Sony are due to present the full technical details of the machine in Tokyo next month.

That's nice

The WSJ outlines the purpose of the Cell processor, mentioning that the aim of the chip is to help break the Microsoft / Intel dominance of computing architectures, and to prevent it from extending into the living room.

Well..if Xenon is aimed to our living rooms as the PS3 then MS itself is trying to break Intel dominance going with IBM processors. To good to be true..

ciao,
Marco

 

[j^aws]

From The Inquirer who's quoting Wall Streen Journal:

ccording to papers to be presented at the ISSCC, the initial Cell chip has a single processing unit that can pass computing tasks out to as many as 8 other processors. Thus, working in tandem, it can process up to 10 sequences of instructions simultaneously.

If this holds true then we can consider a PU a mulithreaded processor ( 2+8 )
IIRC it's not the first time we heard something along the same line.
...

I swear the PUs and Xenons cores are the same!

 

[hey69]

"Sony are due to present the full technical details of the machine in Tokyo next month."

a bird under NDA told me he had huge news and was saying to me that it would point itself out 18 March . the sucker didn't want to tell me anything .. :? like I would tell someone..

 

[nAo]

I swear the PUs and Xenons cores are the same!

Xenon cores are expected to have powerful SIMD units and I don't think (CELL) PUs will have anything like that.
But well..maybe both of them (Xenon cores and CELL PUs..) are derived from the same base architecture. I bet we'll discover that soon.
One of the CELL leading architects (Dr. Gschwind) has been working on CELL and Xenon

ciao,
Marco

 

[j^aws]

I swear the PUs and Xenons cores are the same!

Xenon cores are expected to have powerful SIMD units and I don't think (CELL) PUs will have anything like that.
But well..maybe both of them (Xenon cores and CELL PUs..) are derived from the same base architecture. I bet we'll discover that soon.
One of the CELL leading architects (Dr. Gschwind) has been working on CELL and Xenon

ciao,
Marco

IBM iS TeH SLuT!

 

[ChryZ]

a bird under NDA told me he had huge news and was saying to me that it would point itself out 18 March . the sucker didn't want to tell me anything .. :? like I would tell someone..

18th of March? Weird date, 1 week after the GDC, 8 weeks before E3. Isn't Sony's fiscal year ending near that date, 31st of March, no? *puzzled*

 

[ChryZ]

Google News is listing 23 articles atm

PS3 'supercomputer' to be unveiled
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-1474355,00.html

Microprocessor design signals new 'ecosystem'
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/07/business/chip.html

Sony and IBM Cell technology emerges
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=21131

PlayStation 3 chip to be unveiled
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4242447.stm

Sony's "supercomputer on a chip" to make debut
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/

Smaller Than a Pushpin, More Powerful Than a PC
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/07/technology/07chip.html

Superbrain chip revealed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6b31ebfe-786b-11d9-9961-00000e2511c8.html

PlayStation 3 Cell chip aims high
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-5563803.html

Cell Processor Aimed At Home Entertainment Devices
http://www.mediacenterpcworld.com/news/208

More Cell performance claims emerge
http://spong.com/detail/news.asp?mo...305&n=More+Cell+performance+claims+emerge

CELL Processor Revealed Today
http://www.totalvideogames.com/pages/articles/index.php?article_id=7157

IBM, Sony to lift the lid on the 'Cell' processor
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/69058/ibm-sony-to-lift-the-lid-on-the-cell-processor.html

New IBM, Sony PowerPC chip cracks Moore's Law
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=10794&Page=1&pagePos=2

PC giants detail high-spec microprocessor
http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/computing/2005/0502071005.asp?A=LEG&S=Legal View&O=FPIN

PlayStation 3 Cell processor tidbits.
http://ployer.com/archives/2005/02/playstation_3_c.php

Superbrain chip to be revealed by IBM, Sony, Toshiba
http://eyeonit.itmanagersjournal.com/article.pl?sid=05/02/06/1940233

PlayStation 3 Cell chip details
http://www.dvhardware.net/article4135.html

IBM Taps the Power of One
http://www.newsfactor.com/hardware/...-One&story_id=30258&category=hardware

IBM, Sony, Toshiba to unveil 'Cell' chip
http://edition.cnn.com/money/2005/02/07/technology/cell_chip.reut/?cnn=yes

Debut for PlayStation 'Cell' chip
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/BUSINESS/02/07/superchip.reut/

Sony's 'supercomputer on a chip' to make debut
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1231803,0003.htm

PlayStation 3 Cell chip aims high
http://news.com.com/PlayStation+3+Cell+chip+aims+high/2100-1041_3-5563803.html

Sony's 'supercomputer on a chip' to make debut
http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=81911

 

[Megadrive1988]

ROCK ON 8)

 

[ChryZ]

It became 24 in the last 10 min

Results 1 - 24 of 24 related articles. Search took 0.20 seconds

 

[passerby]

It became 24 in the last 10 min

The really scary part is that STI hasn't really done a lot of serious PR by themselves yet. Oh and as I submit this post, we're about 8 hours from the first official presentation. I suppose we can expect the first 'resonably good' details in less than 12 hours.

 

[Titanio]

I see 33 now

That NYTimes article, btw, claims the PU is a "slightly" less powerful version than the Power core in Apple G5s.

 

[pc999]

I swear the PUs and Xenons cores are the same!

Xenon cores are expected to have powerful SIMD units and I don't think (CELL) PUs will have anything like that.
But well..maybe both of them (Xenon cores and CELL PUs..) are derived from the same base architecture. I bet we'll discover that soon.
One of the CELL leading architects (Dr. Gschwind) has been working on CELL and Xenon

ciao,
Marco

Well Sony had the patent for the Cell (e.g.software package like), but who hold the PUs,PEs and APUs tech is IBM right? So Cell and XeCPU could share a lot of tech, and from there we got the rumors from Cell=XeCPU and a (virtually) unexistent performance gap from a tech point, once I dont see why the network distribuition is need for PS3 (while in others sectors should be great).

In conclusion nothing holds MS and N to have a CPU as powerfull as Cell, RIGHT?

Correct me if I am wrong please.

 

[Titanio]

We have one exec who's "familiar" with Xbox2 saying that the Xbox2 CPU won't be as "radically new" as Cell, so that suggests it'll be a different setup (according to the NYTimes - who went on to say the Xbox2 CPU would be a 2 core PowerPC setup).

Do you really think Sony would invest so much in this only to have of their partners whisper the tech off to one of their biggest rivals? The driving force behind cell development is PS3, I'm pretty sure sony have themselves covered in terms of how IBM/Tosh could or couldn't share that with videogame rivals, in terms of agreements/contracts etc.

 

[pc999]

The Xe leaks talks about Power5, and the PU is also something like that, so they already share tech.

I am only talking who much tech they share.

And if they have similar tech but do not have THE CELL soft division then it won't be as "radically new" as Cell.

 

[sir doris]

I know I don't understand Cell as well as many (or most even) on this board, but in Cell don't the APUs do all the work?

I was under the inpression that the PPC core was there to run the OS and mannage the APUs but the software Cells that run on the APUs are actually the programs/ Games?

So the fact that both Xenon CPU AND Cell share the same PPC derived core means very little in comparing performance, as Xenon games will be running on PPC and PS3 games will be running on a large number of APUs?

Maybe I don't understand at all?

 

[V3]

bad news, hm my brother just found out , they are available for download only AFTER the exhibition . his collegues will return with the book they had with all the details next week, he will copy the relevant pages for me. of maybe i can let him download it .. but then again, the news isn't that HOT anymore

That's still alright

But the papers are already handed out, so somebody can scanned that thing and give it to us ?

 

[Farid]

Well Sony had the patent for the Cell (e.g.software package like), but who hold the PUs,PEs and APUs tech is IBM right? So Cell and XeCPU could share a lot of tech, and from there we got the rumors from Cell=XeCPU and a (virtually) unexistent performance gap from a tech point, once I dont see why the network distribuition is need for PS3 (while in others sectors should be great).

In conclusion nothing holds MS and N to have a CPU as powerfull as Cell, RIGHT?

Correct me if I am wrong please.

The Cell architecture project has been funded by Sony, Toshiba and IBM.
"The Cell architecture" belongs to STI.

That said, some part of the Cell architecture seems to, logically (No need to reinvent the wheel), use IBM technology. I talk about the PU which seems to be a POWER (PPC?) core.
This is where people started this XeCPU = Cell, since the XeCPU was rumored to be 3 Two-Way PPC cores.
People, then, using some sort of "straightforward" logic, said if there's a POWER core in the Cell, and in the XeCPU, therefore Sony and Toshiba spent hundred millions dollars to R&D the XeCPU! A conclusion that is as logic as 3*3=33.

Nonetheless, and more seriously, having the POWER architecture in common doesn't change that "a Cell CPU" is 1 (or more) PE (1 PU (the POWER core) + 8 S|APUs (capable of doing ops and flops)).
And the XeCPU seems to be, as far as we know, 3 (or 2?) PPC cores + theirs vector registers (VMX-like).

 

[pc999]

Why cant MS or N use those S|APUs , if we do not belive in the leaks, these tech are from IBM, Right?

 

[one]

Why cant MS or N use those S|APUs , if we do not belive in the leaks, these tech are from IBM, Right?

No, they are from STI