Question about cell and those 2xNvidia 6800

[Bossieman]

Im new here, have read these boards for some times now and find it the best source to get technical explainations.

Didnt nvidia and Sony make the RSX to work in a very special relation with the cell? They had to do some significant changes to the "original-chip" (If it is a modiefied chip). So how did they managed to produce the demos at E3 with 2x6800 chips? Didnt they have to make special changes to the 6800 cards? Or did they use a standard PC-chip and 2x6800.

I have been woundering about this for a while now.
Thanks for a superboard!

 

[jvd]

I don't think they used the cell + 6800ultras . The cell did the tech demos (Duckys and what not ) by its self and fight night and unreal were using g5s and 6800sli set ups not cell + 6800sli set ups . The rest were prerendered .

(If i'm wrong correct me )

 

[pc999]

I thought they already had taped out the RSX, and they are runing in early demo chips.

But, as jvd, I am not certain on this, I may very well be wrong.

 

[creon100]

I think Sweeney has said in interviews that the SLI 6800's kit is using Cell because he specifically references how the UE3 demo was only using the PPE and none of the SPU's.

I mean, I'd imagine it wouldn't be that difficult for Sony/Nvidia to put together some kind of bridging IC that would connect the PCI-Express connection over the Cell's FlexIO connection (though obviously the PCI-Express would cause a drop off in the bandwidth to the GPU compared to the final RSX part using the native FlexIO interface).

 

[Bossieman]

Ok, I find all this a little bit odd. Maybe they did manage to do some kind of bridge but that seems like a lot of work and then after doing that making UE3 run that smoth as it did?
The development kit that the UE3 guy only had start working on for 3 month, what is it in that? Is there also 2x6800 in those?

 

[one]

I thought they already had taped out the RSX, and they are runing in early demo chips.

But, as jvd, I am not certain on this, I may very well be wrong.

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23341

Ok, I find all this a little bit odd. Maybe they did manage to do some kind of bridge but that seems like a lot of work and then after doing that making UE3 run that smoth as it did?
The development kit that the UE3 guy only had start working on for 3 month, what is it in that? Is there also 2x6800 in those?

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22512

 

[Bossieman]

Thanks One, nice link.

 

[pc999]

Ok, thanks ONE.