PS3: What is the 8th SPE?
As you likely know, the PS3 will employ a spiffy new “Cell Processor” to do the massive graphical weightlifting necessary to render insane models like that of Snake in MGS4 (click to enlarge him, he’s pretty impressive).
In case you want to know what a cell processor is, there’s a pretty good writeup at cell-processor.org. Basically you have a bunch of tiny processors that share common memory. These mini-processors are called Synergistic Processor Elements (gotta love synergy).
In any case, the PS3 cell processor is going to have 8 of these SPE doo-dads. Only 7 of them, however, will be active. PS3Blog.net reports that the 8th SPE may or may not be redundant. Seems the official line from Sony is that it’s just a backup, allowing the processor unit to remain functional, even if 1 of the 8 is defective from the factory. This reduces waste, and cuts cost in the end, as they don’t have to throw away an entire chip if just one SPE is a dud.
There’s now a rumor flying about, however, that the 8th SPE will be reserved for security and DRM (Digital Rights Management). Perhaps Sony really doesn’t want to see any pirated PS3 games floating around. Or maybe it’s protection for some other kind of media. Or maybe not. Who knows?
November 7th, 2005 at 6:53 am
What’s to stop Sony from using one of the other 7 cells for DRM?
And, as the PS3 has an HDMI output, it WILL implement DRM, in the form of High-Def Content Protection (HDCP) - in the US, at least; and if the FCC and MPAA get their way…
November 7th, 2005 at 9:55 am
Indeed. In fact there’s no real reason for the PS3 to reserve an entire cell to do DRM stuff. My guess is that when developing for the cell processor, one would be abstracted from the details of which cell is doing what. I’d think DRM would run pretty much like any other process, and wouldn’t much care where it was running.
November 9th, 2005 at 3:42 pm
Apart from the evil DRM aspect, the story of increasing yield by allowing for redundancy in the processor is a nice approach: Saves throwing out a full die every time something doesn’t work. And, of course, allows overclocking/overprocessing potential by switching on an eigth, undamaged cell… an extra 12% processor performance without upping the mobo clock speed, anyone?!
November 13th, 2006 at 5:30 am
mt louco esse play3 ^^
não vejo a hora d ter o meu hehe
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