XBox 2 Dev Kits

[Guden Oden]

It's a G5 variant(i think) - in turn a variant of the Power4(and a much cheaper variant, at that).

Well, G5 - unlike Power4 IS being mass-produced after all, of course it would be much cheaper. And it would seem the G5 does differ quite a bit from its closest Power relative from looking at the Ars blackpapers on the chip in question.

Sony is lucky ibm was welling to sell cell otherwise they'd be standing there with their bleep in their hand

For the love of god(s), IBM didn't SELL Cell to Sony. It was CO-DEVELOPED (together with Toshiba). Jesus...!

 

[Squeak]

Re: ...

because by going with a non X86 CPU they are deliberately running into a whole host of compatibility issues.

I think MS gave up on backward compatibility a long time. Hell, Xbox Next doesn't have a HD and even its controller will be missing a couple of buttons. Obviously, MS is cutting cost on all corners.

I wasn’t thinking specifically about backwards compatibility, getting their API, tools and libraries ported to a completely different architecture is going to be tough.

 

[Squeak]

IBM supplies windows with their PCs because they have to, and only reluctantly, after they had to admit defeat with OS2, first in the business market in the early nineties, and finally on home PCs in the mid-nineties.

I didn't mean that, I was referring to how they used to release new versions of their software for win32 first, before making them for their inhouse OS variants.
To use a stupid analogy, it's almost like Sony would pay TakeTwo to make XBox version of GTA first, before releasing it to PS2.

Well that is just incredibly stupid! (not your analogy mind )

But that is probably the danger of a corporation becoming so big, that it gets disjointled and communication flow within is hampered.
I guess in the case of IBM they were forced to break in that antitrust case twenty years ago, but still, that shouldn’t stop them from having some corporate spirit and sense of affection towards the company they are part of.
They should still be able to work for a common course.

 

[_phil_]

http://theinquirer.org/?article=14407

Xbox 2 SDK released on cool Apple Power Mac G5s

The Apple Power Mac G5 is based upon two of IBM’s 64-bit Power PC processors and features ATi RADEON 9800 Pro (R350) graphics. However the R350 is believed to be an interim solution and will, in due course, be superseded by the forthcoming ATI R420.

suspicious ,me thinks.

 

[Megadrive1988]

I'm very pleased MS is going with some PowerPC / POWER5 varient rather than an Intel Pentium 4.

 

[Deadmeat]

...

IBM's 90 nm is still not working, Intel's 90 nm is working but overheating, SCEI's "90 nm" is not really 90 nm...

I wonder how SCEI is going to pump out CELL with all these fab troubles... PSP? Delayed PSX3. Not coming until 2006(Can't launch two consoles in a year).

This leaves the door wide open for MS to take the market.... They are doing everything right so far, keeping the hardware spec conservative, watching the cost, and getting the dev kit out early.

CELL was built on the promise that SCEI's dominance will continue into 5th gen, but this looks doubtful at this time.

 

[-tkf-]

Re: ...

CELL was built on the promise that SCEI's dominance will continue into 5th gen, but this looks doubtful at this time.

You know.. the next Playstation is gonna dominate again, maybe Microsoft will get second place this time around (paying 4 Billion Dollars again?)
But right now they are making things worse, instead of turning a PC into a "Console" they are trying to turn a Mac into a PC into a "Console" with no harddrive.. i find it Weird, yet very exciting

SCEI's "90 nm" is not really 90 nm...

Wrong (and you know it)

I wonder how SCEI is going to pump out CELL with all these fab troubles... PSP? Delayed PSX3.

What fab troubles? Whats a PSX3 and where is the PSX2?

 

[MfA]

Re: ...

IBM's 90 nm is still not working

Xserve G5s are shipping AFAIK.

 

[Megadrive1988]

ok what are all the differences between POWER5 and G5?

the only thing I know almost for certain is, POWER5 is duel core, whereas G5 is not, its one core.

 

[randycat99]

Re: ...

But right now they are making things worse, instead of turning a PC into a "Console" they are trying to turn a Mac into a PC into a "Console" with no harddrive.. i find it Weird, yet very exciting

I find this to be a well-worded description, as well!

 

[Guden Oden]

Re: ...

IBM's 90 nm is still not working

Wrong. G5s are out in force at 90nm and running very cool.

Intel's 90 nm is working but overheating

Wrong, it's not overheating at all. Besides, you need to learn to differentiate between process and implementation.

SCEI's "90 nm" is not really 90 nm...

Wrong. Again, learn to differentiate between between process and implementation.

I wonder how SCEI is going to pump out CELL with all these fab troubles... PSP?

PSX3

WHAT?!

Anyway, considering Sony hasn't stated a launch date for ANY of their new hardware I believe you are a bit premature speaking of delays.

 

[DeathKnight]

Quit spazzing out over the X added in there. You know exactly what he's referring to, ie. Playstation 3, yet you're giving him a hard time about it for the sake of giving him a hard time. It's like the hardcore Nintendo fans insisting on the Gamecube being abbreviated as GCN instead of NGC.

 

[Paul]

yet you're giving him a hard time about it for the sake of giving him a hard time.

And we know exactly why he's doing it, it's the same reason why he calls the PS3 embodiment of Cell "Cell" instead of Broadband Engine(THE PS3 CPU), to piss everyone at this forum off.

Oh BTW, we all know how you keep up on your home theater stuff, how is the YHT-100 5.1 speaker system? I've heard nothing but good things, but then again who knows, you think there is a better deal? I have no need for a DVD player, just Reciever + Speakers.

 

[DeathKnight]

And we know exactly why he's doing it, it's the same reason why he calls the PS3 embodiment of Cell "Cell" instead of Broadband Engine(THE PS3 CPU), to piss everyone at this forum off.

If that's the case then you getting worked up about it is exactly what he wants. Ignore it and the problem will stop in due time (and even if it becomes a habit on his end, who cares?).

Oh BTW, we all know how you keep up on your home theater stuff, how is the YHT-100 5.1 speaker system? I've heard nothing but good things, but then again who knows, you think there is a better deal? I have no need for a DVD player, just Reciever + Speakers.

I see you like to keep tabs on me from different forums. Just like I said over at TXB, I think the system is mediocre. For the price B&M's like Best Buy are charging you can get at least the Kenwood HTB-505 from an online dealer (Digital Foto Club has it for less than $350 including the shipping). It'll easily spank the Yamaha system around.

 

[Guden Oden]

Quit spazzing out over the X added in there.

First ask yourself, why is DM adding the X in the first place.

It's like the hardcore Nintendo fans insisting on the Gamecube being abbreviated as GCN instead of NGC.

I just abbreviate it to GC. There's not a single N in either "game" or "cube". Aren't any Xes in "Playatation" either btw.

 

[Paul]

I see you like to keep tabs on me from different forums. Just like I said over at TXB, I think the system is mediocre. For the price B&M's like Best Buy are charging you can get at least the Kenwood HTB-505 from an online dealer (Digital Foto Club has it for less than $350 including the shipping). It'll easily spank the Yamaha system around.

I saw the system your talking about for 300 after a quick search. The room I'm doing this in is like 14X10, small stuff, so what are you thinking, will 5.1 even work in this room? The speakers do need to have like certain distances away from each other to hear the effects correct? For example, can't just be sitting a few inches from the back speakers can you?

I was thinking 2 speakers in each corner of the back wall, followed by the two other 2 feet in distance from the TV(26" widescreen HDTV) and then the center on top of the television.

The subwoofer I guess I'll decide later.

 

[cthellis42]

If that's the case then you getting worked up about it is exactly what he wants. Ignore it and the problem will stop in due time (and even if it becomes a habit on his end, who cares?).

Oh no, that's certainly not the case; the "stopping" part at least. Though it's certainly true that ignoring it is the best response. (And in most cases, the rest of his trollishness.)

Meanwhile, IBM's 90nm PowerPC 970FX (in the Xserve G5's and soon for the desktop stepping-ups) reportedly burn less than half the wattage at 2.0ghz than the 970 does at 1.8ghz--about ~25W. Supposedly they've also combined the techniques of silicon-on-insulator and strained silicon together to achieve this result. If this is "not doing good," then just what is going on elsewhere? Are they in need of "regime change"?

Sony used the tech to combine two IC's on one chip, shrink it notably under a performance sweet spot, and reduce the power consumption to--what--8W? The horror!

As usual, Deadmeat is on his tirade against whatever irritates him, with really nothing to say.

 

[DeathKnight]

It'll work in a room of that size. My room's only 10'x12' and 5.1 surround works flawlessly. The rears are about 5-6' to the sides of my listening position and a couple feet up on the wall. All three front channels are about 6.5' to 7' away (and in a slight arc). The key to a cohesive image all around is to calibrate the sound levels with an SPL meter and a calibration disc (the receiver with the 505 has a pink noise mode built in... I'd still recommend a calibration DVD like Digital Video Essentials, Avia, or S&V Tuneup). For the subwoofer you'll likely want to corner load it. An easy test to find the best spot for it in a corner is to place the subwoofer at the listening position and crawl around on the floor to find where it sounds the best. That's where you should put it.

 

[Bohdy]

It's like the hardcore Nintendo fans insisting on the Gamecube being abbreviated as GCN instead of NGC.

I don't see what that has to do with being a Nintendo fan?? It is the official abbreviation afterall so the only prerequisite you need to remind people to use it is being anal retentive ;-)

 

[randycat99]

I think I shall from now on arbitrarily refer to Xbox2 as Pippin2, because it suits me...