New chip packaging and 3D
Wayne Morellini writes:
> Quickly
Apropos 3d: embedded RAM has finally arrived. Thanks god.
And the thing comes with 400 MBps FireWire -- good for up
to 63 devices. Yea-haw!
http://www.playstation.com/press_releases/show.asp?spec=92
http://www.playstation.com/press_releases/show.asp?spec=91
http://www.playstation.com/press_releases/show.asp?spec=90
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/6114/cpu2.html
That's some damn funky shit, baby. Also, unlike MISC this comes from a
major vendor, which muses about using Linux for OS. Rumours say that
they plan a PC based on that technology.
http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/news/6061.html
http://www.rpgamer.com/news/030299a.html
TOKYO, March 2, 1999 - Sony Computer Entertainment has
developed the Graphics Synthesizer for the next generation PlayStation®
incorporating a massively parallel rendering engine that contains a 2,560
bit wide data bus that is 20 times the size of leading PC-based graphics
accelerators. Very high pixel fill rates and drawing performance is
achieved only through the use of embedded DRAM process technology
pioneered by SCE for use in advanced graphics technology.
The current PlayStation introduced the concept of the Graphics
Synthesizer via the real-time calculation and rendering of a 3D object.
This new GS rendering processor is the ultimate incarnation of this
concept - delivering unrivaled graphics performance and capability. The
rendering function was enhanced to generate image data that supports
NTSC/PAL television, High Definition Digital TV and VESA output
standards. The quality of the resulting screen image is comparable to
movie-quality 3D graphics in real time.
In the design of graphics systems, the rendering capability is defined by
the memory bandwidth between the pixel engine and the video memory.
Conventional systems use external VRAM reached via an off-chip bus
that limits the total performance of the system. However in the case of the
new GS, there is a 48-gigabyte memory access bandwidth achieved via
the integration of the pixel logic and the video memory on a single high
performance chip. This allows orders of magnitude greater pixel fill rate
performance compared to today?s best PC-based graphics accelerators.
When rendering small polygons, the peak drawing capacity is 75 million
polygons per second and the system can render 150 million particles per
second. With this large drawing capability, it is possible to render a
movie-quality image. With Z buffering, textures, lighting and alpha
blending (transparency), a sustained rate of 20 million polygons per
second can be drawn continuously.
This new architecture can also execute recursive multi-pass rendering
processing and filter operations at a very fast speed without the
assistance of the main CPU or main bus access. In the past, this level of
real-time performance was only achieved when using very expensive,
high performance, dedicated graphics workstations. However, with the
design of the new Graphics Synthesizer, this high quality image is now
available for in-home computer entertainment applications. This will help
accelerate the convergence of movies, music and computer technology
into a new form of digital entertainment.
Sony Computer Entertainment America, a division of Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc., markets the PlayStation game console for
distribution in North America, develops and publishes software for the
PlayStation game console, and manages the U.S. third party licensing
program. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc.
Graphics Synthesizer - Features and General Specifications:
GS Core: Parallel Rendering Processor with embedded DRAM
Clock Frequency: 150 MHz
No. of Pixel Engines: 16 (in Parallel)
Embedded DRAM: 4 MB of multi-port DRAM (Synced at 150MHz)
Total Memory Bandwidth: 48 gigabytes per second
Combined Internal Data Bus Bandwidth: 2,560 bit
Read: 1,024 bit
Write: 1,024 bit
Texture: 512 bit
Display Color Depth: 32 bit (RGBA: 8 bits each)
Z Buffering: 32 bit
Rendering Functions: Texture Mapping, Bump Mapping, Fogging, Alpha
Blending, Bi- and Tri-Linear Filtering, MIPMAP, Anti-aliasing,
Multi-pass Rendering
Rendering Performance
Pixel Fill Rate: 2.4 giga pixel per second (with Z buffer and Alphablend
enabled), 1.2 giga pixel per second (with Z buffer, Alpha and Texture)
Particle Drawing Rate: 150 million/sec
Polygon Drawing Rate: 75 million/sec (small polygon), 50 million/sec (48
pixel quad with Z and A), 30 million/sec (50 pixel triangle with Z and A),
25 million/sec (48 pixel quad with Z, A and T)
Sprite Drawing Rate: 18.75 million (8 x 8 pixels)
Display Output
NTSC/PAL
Digital TV (DTV)
VESA (maximum 1280 x 1024 pixels)
Silicon Process Technology: 0.25 4-level metal
Total Number of Transistors: 43 million
Die Size: 279 mm2
Package Type: 384 pin BGA
