PS3 and Toshiba's Super Companion Chip..

[Nesh]

The whole matter confuses me a lot. I wonder when we are going to get a clarification on that chip. It would be crzy if its just in there without any plans to use it

 

[SPM]

I think it was intended for a media center version of the PS3 and high end TVs with live thumbnails on screen, multiple simultaneous live screens, and instant replay ans other special features. Maybe it is something for the future.

 

[DeanA]

The whole matter confuses me a lot. I wonder when we are going to get a clarification on that chip. It would be crzy if its just in there without any plans to use it

I'd expect no clarification on that chip to be forthcoming. Consumer electronics manufacturers (not just Sony) don't tend to put bits of hardware in that they will end up using at a later date.. it not only ties hands when it comes to cost reduction, but there are legal implications associated with enabling functionality at a later date (see Apple's run-in with Sarbanes-Oxley legislation that forced them to charge for an update to their 802.11n-capable wireless devices).

For all the speculation as to the SCC, it's not unreasonable (well, I think it's not unreasonable anyway!) to expect that chunk of silicon to be a custom job for SCEI. I would not read an official SCC specification/presentation and expect it to be exactly the same bit of hardware. Sure, it might be based on a full SCC implementation, or it might be a derived work. And it might be scheduled for further reduction and/or removal in the future as part of the continual cost-reduction processes that happen internally at SCEI.

But yeah, I wouldn't expect any official clarification as to what that chip does on PS3. PS3's end-user specification is public, and as such there's no commercial benefit in announcing non-public-facing component details.

Any speculation about it being for a mysterious 'media center' PS3, or other unannounced PS3-related product is just that.. pure speculation.

All IMO, of course.. *points repeatedly at signature*.

Dean

 

[Nesh]

I'd expect no clarification on that chip to be forthcoming. Consumer electronics manufacturers (not just Sony) don't tend to put bits of hardware in that they will end up using at a later date.. it not only ties hands when it comes to cost reduction, but there are legal implications associated with enabling functionality at a later date (see Apple's run-in with Sarbanes-Oxley legislation that forced them to charge for an update to their 802.11n-capable wireless devices).

But wouldnt that mean that they basically have a useless chip in the hardware since they wont use it at a later date to avoid any legislation implications? And if thats the case, that chip only increases cost of production which is inefficient. Normally they would have removed it already, especially if you consider that they are in huge need to reduce costs.

But instead they made a few modifications on it and still include it in the new PS3 models

 

[DeanA]

But wouldnt that mean that they basically have a useless chip in the hardware since they wont use it at a later date to avoid any legislation implications?

Not necessarily, as nobody has any idea how the mystery chip is related to SCC in any way. So for all we, the general public, know the SCC-a-like is (and has always been) a custom part derived from SCC designs but in a way that is ripe for cost reduction in future generations of PS3 hardware.

It's all ifs-and-buts, I know. But I guess all I'm saying is that nobody can say what the chip is, how it's derived from SCC (if at all), how it's going to be cost reduced, or what functionality it actually defines within the PS3 platform. Anyone who does know is likely to be keeping schtum due to NDA issues, or fear of attacks in the night by the SCEI R&D ninjas.



Dean

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It's all ifs-and-buts, I know. But I guess all I'm saying is that nobody can say what the chip is, how it's derived from SCC (if at all), how it's going to be cost reduced, or what functionality it actually defines within the PS3 platform.

No, but we can look at the size of that thing and say 'Look at the size of that thing!' and as a result expect it to do lots and lots of funky stuff...and yet seemingly adding nothing to the functions to the CPU and GPU in there. Whatever the chop is, we're back where we started. What is it and what does it do? The SCC theory gave some sort of quazi-explanation - an existing part added to serve a job that we know needs serving, but which is overkill. A custom part of that size (and thus cost) to do those jobs is even more crazy.