PSP microcontroller

[one]

Tomorrow at IEEE-hosted HOT CHIPS symposium at Stanford University Sony/Sony LSI Design/SCE will deliver a speech about the chip in PSP, entitled "A 90nm embedded DRAM single chip LSI with a 3D graphics, H.264 codec engine, and a reconfigurable processor."

http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/wcs/leaf/CID/onair/asabt/intvw/319758

The company appears to be planning a presentation of this microcontroller at "HOT CHIPS" (A Symposium on High Performance Chips), a conference related to microprocessors and signal processor chips to be held at Stanford University in the United States.

http://www.hotchips.org/hc16/program/

Tuesday, August 24th
Session 8: Low-Power Processors
"A 90nm embedded DRAM single chip LSI with a 3D graphics, H.264 codec engine, and a reconfigurable processor", Masanobu Okabe (Sony)

 

[Panajev2001a]

Nice find.

 

[one]

...And another account about the technology employed in the PSP chips:

http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6072659.html

In terms of sound, the PSP will feature 3D sound and 7.1 channels, adopting the use of a digital signal processor named the VME (virtual mobile engine). The VME is a technology developed by Sony for use in its portable MD and MP3 players, and it allows sounds to be processed with less energy consumption compared with traditional DSPs (digital sound processors). As firmware, the VME can be updated to the latest instruction codes when required. The PSP's VME will also allow playback of MP3-, AAC-, and ATRAC3-format music under SCE's current plans.

http://www.memorystick.com/en/msnews/interview/sony/

What is the secret of the NW-MS70D's amazing battery stamina that makes it possible to extend its continuous operation to 33 hours - three times longer than conventional models?

Mayama (Product team leader): The key is an innovative, low power consumption LSI technology called the Virtual Mobile EngineTM, or VME*1. We found that one of the other divisions of our company was developing the VME, and since we thought it fit our purpose, we proposed joint development.
Simply put, the VME is a dynamic reconfigurable circuit technology that enables an LSI to vary its function according to each situation by altering its configuration and operation in real time via software. Compared to current DSP-controlled processing, the VME makes it possible to reduce both the size of the chip and its power consumption.

This will add something to the debate about the battery life of PSP.

 

[thop]

Certainly a nice piece of hardware. It appears they put everything in they could, regardless if it's useful or not. Not sure if that was very smart, just driving the costs up. 7.1 on a handheld?

 

[Guden Oden]

It appears they put everything in they could, regardless if it's useful or not.

Whatever gave you that impression? Why would a reconfigurable chip that is smaller and draws less current than other solutions not be useful?

I'm still rather myself over the 7.1 claim though - there isn't any 7.1 audio outputs on the PSP that I've been able to tell anyway, and no digital audio out either. Guess time will tell about that one.

 

[thop]

I'm not talking about the chip, but the features of thw whole package.

 

[Guden Oden]

So what features would that be then?

 

[thop]

All! But let's start with 7.1 audio. Kinda reminds me of the STEREO sticker next to the single loudspeaker of the gameboy

 

[one]

Not sure if that was very smart, just driving the costs up. 7.1 on a handheld?

I don't know how PSP will be going in its future hardware versions. Making chips with the same requirements for long time enough will pay somehow (as in PS2).

Besides, I rather think it as a wink to UMD contents providers. You can sell contents in UMD with the least modification from their DVD versions. As the closed PSP-UMD contents pipeline has no analogue/digital "hole" from where contents are "stolen", if you don't mind its relatively small screen size, it's very lucrative media for providers. Personally I don't see viability of Hollywood contents on it very much, but long TV drama series, MTV-type things and learning stuff (that Talkman comes to mind) on a handheld will be nice.

 

[marconelly!]

Btw, that 7.1 sound quote is more than a year old, and since then it has never been mentioned. PSP, by the latest presentations that I've seen, is supposed to have a good-ole stereo sound.

 

[one]

Btw, that 7.1 sound quote is more than a year old, and since then it has never been mentioned. PSP, by the latest presentations that I've seen, is supposed to have a good-ole stereo sound.

7.1 is what the sound processor can handle, PSP itself has a stereo audio speaker.

 

[PC-Engine]

Btw, that 7.1 sound quote is more than a year old, and since then it has never been mentioned. PSP, by the latest presentations that I've seen, is supposed to have a good-ole stereo sound.

7.1 is what the sound processor can handle, PSP itself has a stereo audio speaker.

So if you wanted to listen to 7.1 ch audio how would you go about in obtaining it?

 

[one]

Btw, that 7.1 sound quote is more than a year old, and since then it has never been mentioned. PSP, by the latest presentations that I've seen, is supposed to have a good-ole stereo sound.

7.1 is what the sound processor can handle, PSP itself has a stereo audio speaker.

So if you wanted to listen to 7.1 ch audio how would you go about in obtaining it?

It's a Sony

 

[PC-Engine]

Btw, that 7.1 sound quote is more than a year old, and since then it has never been mentioned. PSP, by the latest presentations that I've seen, is supposed to have a good-ole stereo sound.

7.1 is what the sound processor can handle, PSP itself has a stereo audio speaker.

So if you wanted to listen to 7.1 ch audio how would you go about in obtaining it?

It's a Sony

So you need a huge pair of $300 headphones to actually make use of this 7.1 audio from PSP?

Could the 7.1 audio output fromP SP be something similar to Dolby Headphone which works with regular headphones?

http://www.dolby.com/Consumer/Technologies/DolbyHeadphone/

 

[jvd]

well u can get a 5.1 set of head phones those will cost u 30-80$


But its not a wink to movie companys .

7.1 channel sound will take up more disc space than stero .

 

[Guden Oden]

7.1 channel sound will take up more disc space than stero .

How do you figure that to be the case?

 

[Fafalada]

"It appears they put everything in they could, regardless if it's useful or not."
Whatever gave you that impression?

You're right, his comment would apply to the GPU, not the media chip.

 

[Panajev2001a]

"It appears they put everything in they could, regardless if it's useful or not."
Whatever gave you that impression?

You're right, his comment would apply to the GPU, not the media chip.

Ok, I had it.... GET HIM, LET'S GET THE SPEEEECS.

 

[Tysan]

Session 8: Low-Power Processors
"A 90nm embedded DRAM single chip LSI with a 3D graphics, H.264 codec engine, and a reconfigurable processor", Masanobu Okabe (Sony)

Just in case anyone wants to see the diagram.-

It seems like a simplified-Ps2-architecture-in-a-chip, I have some doubts though...

[Excuse my limited Ps2 architecture knowledge]

* Ps2 has some ineffient designs -or at least they have been tough bottlenecks to overcome- like embedded Ram in Graphic Sintetizer, although GS could access those 4 MB very fast, the access to main memory to swap textures was tough since GS didnt have direct access to main memory, this seems to be a reason why it has been hard for developers to feature richer and better resolution texture in PS2.

In this diagram PSP graphic core seems to have the same kind of embedded RAM, but slower and only 2MB. ¿Could this mean PSP could have the same texture problems that PS2 has?

[I know developers have somewhat overcomed embedded RAM limitations in PS2, but its still a notorius bottleneck in the architecture]

There are another embedded 2MB Ram, but it seems they are avaible to PSP Media Engine.

* Pixel/Vertex Shader seems to be one of the most influential advances in today Graphics, PSP demos showed some Bump Mapping and some added lighting tecnics in PSP demos, but it seems that the GPU is more or less GS-based with some extended features. -And Ive havent seen neither bump mapping nor armonical lighting in any game demo till now-

¿Shouldnt have Sony aproached Pixel/Vertex shaders advances in PSP architecture instead of reusing PS2 4-year old technologies?

Feel free to correct me in these random thoughts.

Theres a good spec breakdown at ign and the powerpoint-like image is from Lik Sang

One last thought, How many transistor will be that chip made of? :?

 

[Quaz51]

for the PSP sound i recommend to use this:

the Sony Qualia010 headphone for 2500-3000$
"nano-composite diaphragm technology, an oxygen-free copper cord, and an lightweight magnesium frame"