PlayStation 4 (codename Orbis) technical hardware investigation (news and rumours)

[Betanumerical]

No GCN based GPU has a dedicated constant cache. Constants are usually supplied through scalar loads and the scalar L1 backed up by the L2 serves as caches (except for the case mentioned in the last quote of this post).
Yes.
Exactly the same behaviour as with all GCN GPUs.

Interesting I must of read it wrong.

In your opinion what is Orbis's GPU, to me it seems like it has some bits from both GCN and GCN2.0 (GCN+) whatever you want to call. However it does not seem to be entirely based on it?. To me it seems to be somewhere in-between so GCN1.5 or something, do you think this would be accurate?.

 

[Gipsel]

In your opinion what is Orbis's GPU, to me it seems like it has some bits from both GCN and GCN2.0 (GCN+) whatever you want to call. However it does not seem to be entirely based on it?. To me it seems to be somewhere in-between so GCN1.5 or something, do you think this would be accurate?.

It has one additional graphics queue, but otherwise I havn't seen anything differing from the shortly available C.I./GCN 1.1 ISA document.

 

[Love_In_Rio]

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer...a-cut-down-version-of-sonys-playstation-4-apu

AMD told The INQUIRER that the APU used is a custom A-series part that has a mix of AMD and Sony technology.
However John Taylor, head of marketing for AMD's Global Business Units, said that a version of the same chip without Sony's technology will be available for consumers later this year.

Could we discuss what components are Sony technology?.

-custom chip to make downloads in background ( what if this is a spurs engine? )
-Sound DSP
-Scaler
.
.
.
?

 

[tunafish]

This is a very interesting route to binning. If AMD can sell the chips that don't quite make it as PS4s on the PC market, it would effectively make the chips that Sony can use cheaper, or allow them to run at higher clocks and with less disabled units.

The combination of high-core-count Jaguar and a very beefy GPU with GDDR5 would be "weird" on the PC market, to say the least.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

-custom chip to make downloads in background ( what if this is a spurs engine? )

Overkill.

 

[Love_In_Rio]

Via our onQ on neogaf, very interesting:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...mputer"&OS="sony+computer"&RS="sony+computer"

The CPU 104, the vector unit 106, the graphics processing unit 108, and the I/O processor 110 communicate via a system bus 132. Further, the CPU 104 communicates with the main memory 102 via a dedicated bus 134, while the vector unit 106 and the graphics processing unit 108 may communicate through a dedicated bus 136. The CPU 104 executes programs stored in the OS ROM 122 and the main memory 102. The main memory 102 may contain prestored programs and programs transferred through the I/O processor 110 from a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical disc (not shown) using the optical disc control unit 126. The I/O processor 110 primarily controls data exchanges between the various devices of the entertainment system 100 including the CPU 104, the vector unit 106, the graphics processing unit 108, and the controller interface 114.

Filled the 26th of February 2013.

It describes a vector unit apart from the CPU and the GPU and talks about the CPU being the one that communicates directly to the system RAM ( remember the rumor of the GPU accessing to the GDDR5 via the CPU ).

 

[loekf]

Via our onQ on neogaf, very interesting:

It describes a vector unit apart from the CPU and the GPU and talks about the CPU being the one that communicates directly to the system RAM ( remember the rumor of the GPU accessing to the GDDR5 via the CPU ).

/COPYPASTEMODEFROMCELL

Vector unit is instantiate-some-stream-processors-we-still-had-lying-around-from-the-PS3-Cell ?

Accessing system memory (GDDR5) via the CPU makes no sense to me, unless it's a simple arbiter. You have different kinds of traffic. Random traffic from the CPU cores and more structured (linear) access from the GPU.

 

[3dilettante]

It describes a vector unit apart from the CPU and the GPU and talks about the CPU being the one that communicates directly to the system RAM ( remember the rumor of the GPU accessing to the GDDR5 via the CPU ).

I don't remember that rumor. I do remember almost every diagram and other rumor saying otherwise, though.

 

[Love_In_Rio]

I don't remember that rumor. I do remember almost every diagram and other rumor saying otherwise, though.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1711064&postcount=746

 

[patsu]

Probably not PS4. It has FireWire interface.

May be one of the early experiments ?

 

[Love_In_Rio]

Probably not PS4. It has FireWire interface.

May be one of the early experiments ?

For the new PS eye?. It was not USB3.

 

[patsu]

For the new PS eye?. It was not USB3.

Hm ? Could you show me the link to PSEye news ?

 

[Love_In_Rio]

Hm ? Could you show me the link to PSEye news ?

All the ways take you to...neo...beyond3d!

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1710543&postcount=719

Speculation of our good Arwin:

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1710807&postcount=735

PS Eye looking good enough at least. It doesn't cover 1080p (though perhaps they can enhance the image a little by creating a more detailed 2D image from the 3D input). Would need to see the image quality under different conditions for a final verdict however, as that's the biggest bottleneck. I would more likely expect something like getting lower latency and more stable processing - something like firewire does this type of thing better than USB or Ethernet ports. It will also probably improve security.

By the way, any idea of what the DualShock 4 "Extension Port" is for?. cheap headset?.

 

[AzBat]

By the way, any idea of what the DualShock 4 "Extension Port" is for?. cheap headset?.

If it's like the 360 connector, it would support inline volume/mute or keyboard attachment. Maybe a LCD attachment is possible too?

Tommy McClain

 

[onQ]

Via our onQ on neogaf, very interesting:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...mputer"&OS="sony+computer"&RS="sony+computer"

The CPU 104, the vector unit 106, the graphics processing unit 108, and the I/O processor 110 communicate via a system bus 132. Further, the CPU 104 communicates with the main memory 102 via a dedicated bus 134, while the vector unit 106 and the graphics processing unit 108 may communicate through a dedicated bus 136. The CPU 104 executes programs stored in the OS ROM 122 and the main memory 102. The main memory 102 may contain prestored programs and programs transferred through the I/O processor 110 from a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical disc (not shown) using the optical disc control unit 126. The I/O processor 110 primarily controls data exchanges between the various devices of the entertainment system 100 including the CPU 104, the vector unit 106, the graphics processing unit 108, and the controller interface 114.

Filled the 26th of February 2013.

It describes a vector unit apart from the CPU and the GPU and talks about the CPU being the one that communicates directly to the system RAM ( remember the rumor of the GPU accessing to the GDDR5 via the CPU ).

Also add to this what Eurogamer said about an GPU like compute module.

"However, there's a fair amount of "secret sauce" in Orbis and we can disclose details on one of the more interesting additions. Paired up with the eight AMD cores, we find a bespoke GPU-like "Compute" module, designed to ease the burden on certain operations - physics calculations are a good example of traditional CPU work that are often hived off to GPU cores. We're assured that this is bespoke hardware that is not a part of the main graphics pipeline but we remain rather mystified by its standalone inclusion, bearing in mind Compute functions could be run off the main graphics cores and that devs could have the option to utilise that power for additional graphical grunt, if they so chose."

 

[3dilettante]

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1711064&postcount=746

The vector unit claim has thus far not been substantiated.

The memory claim sounds unlikely, or rather that the interpretation that this means the GPU must go through the CPU to read memory is a misunderstanding.
The CPU clusters are unlikely to be engineered with the bandwidth to match either the GDDR5 interface or the GPU's cache hierarchy.
This may indicate that paging or handling faults may revert back to CPU cores, but routine access shouldn't need CPU involvement.

 

[Love_In_Rio]

If it's like the 360 connector, it would support inline volume/mute or keyboard attachment. Maybe a LCD attachment is possible too?

Tommy McClain

It must be something like that. For headset not as it seems the jack has input/output functions:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...e=2#top_banner

"We've been having these discussions about putting a headset jack in there because everybody should be able to go online and have a chat, and they put it in there and it's awesome. It sounds like a lot of really simple features that we've put in there but they make all the difference because it's in one comprehensive package.

 

[patsu]

All the ways take you to...neo...beyond3d!

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1710543&postcount=719

Speculation of our good Arwin:

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1710807&postcount=735

PS Eye looking good enough at least. It doesn't cover 1080p (though perhaps they can enhance the image a little by creating a more detailed 2D image from the 3D input). Would need to see the image quality under different conditions for a final verdict however, as that's the biggest bottleneck. I would more likely expect something like getting lower latency and more stable processing - something like firewire does this type of thing better than USB or Ethernet ports. It will also probably improve security.

By the way, any idea of what the DualShock 4 "Extension Port" is for?. cheap headset?.

Amazing that I missed out PSEye specs entirely. Was on the lookout for it, thought they saved the specs for E3.

Glad that the PSEye has its own port. The newer PS3 only has 2 USB ports. 8^\
I guess FireWire sounds good too. Boy, this thing seems to be loaded with h/w.

Based on the VGLeaks GPU diagram, the CPU talks to the GPU via buffers and queues in the memory. There is also DMA that can access pageable memory. It doesn't look like the GPU must be fed via another mysterious vector unit. GDC may reveal more interesting tech notes.

 

[Love_In_Rio]

Also add to this what Eurogamer said about an GPU like compute module.

Richard Leadbetter doesn´t post here?. He should ask his source for clarification now that we know some real specs.

 

[patsu]

Also add to this what Eurogamer said about an GPU like compute module.

"However, there's a fair amount of "secret sauce" in Orbis and we can disclose details on one of the more interesting additions. Paired up with the eight AMD cores, we find a bespoke GPU-like "Compute" module, designed to ease the burden on certain operations - physics calculations are a good example of traditional CPU work that are often hived off to GPU cores. We're assured that this is bespoke hardware that is not a part of the main graphics pipeline but we remain rather mystified by its standalone inclusion, bearing in mind Compute functions could be run off the main graphics cores and that devs could have the option to utilise that power for additional graphical grunt, if they so chose."

Yeah, I thought of that immediately, but it's fading like the 14+4 rumor.

Holy crap, I can't believe you guys keep wanting more h/w in PS4. Man, you guys are greedy.