This broadband engine?

[Gexv8]

I noticed when people talk about the ps3s specs that they keep mentioning a "Broadband Engine"? What does this really mean? Does it mean that you have to be online to play your ps3? Or maybe it has more processing power? Whats going to happen to the people who don't have broadband or the people who don't even have internet? It would be great if somebody could clearify this for me.

[Scott R. Mraz]

I noticed when people talk about the ps3s specs that they keep mentioning a "Broadband Engine"? What does this really mean? Does it mean that you have to be online to play your ps3? Or maybe it has more processing power? Whats going to happen to the people who don't have broadband or the people who don't even have internet? It would be great if somebody could clearify this for me.

The broadband engine as outlined in the Cell patent is the name of the bus which interconnects the various APU's (Attached Processing Units). Basically it is the freeway in which most of the data travels between the various components of a Cell architectured system.

[Gexv8]

But, does that mean you need to be online?

[psychogenicscc]

But, does that mean you need to be online?

No....But since PS3 will most likely be connected to an always ON internet Connection it is possible the your PS3 will be used for extra processing power from another one..Although I believe that it will never be used in that way...IMO PS3 will never be Fully ultilized to the extent that it would need extra power from another PS3.

[Gexv8]

Could this mean alot of games could be online only or will they still at least make single player friendly games?

[Omega Blue]

Could this mean alot of games could be online only or will they still at least make single player friendly games?

no, SP is still a favortie to the devs, its gives them the feeling of a story that immerses the player. you will never see all games go completely MP only but you will see games that start to get alot more MP's support.

[Gexv8]

That is true. The best SP game ive ever played is ZOE2. I hope they make a third.

[solid_snake]

IMO PS3 will never be Fully ultilized to the extent that it would need extra power from another PS3.

Damn straight, the PS3 is like a Super Computer. One would be parallel processing PS3 if they were used for scientific purposes, and even by nations that don't are barred from procuring supercomputers. Just imagine ten of these small PS3 will mean 10 terraflops per second which makes places it atleast number 3 today. Most supercomputers today are massive so just imagine if >100 PS3s were used?

[julps31]

Well the broadband engine refers to the overall processor. The PS2s processor was called the emotion engine and the PS3 processor should be called the broadband engine because the amount of data it will be able to process. And you most likely won't have to be online to play your games or use your system but you will have to be online to utilize the feature of using other console processors.

[Scott R. Mraz]

Well the broadband engine refers to the overall processor. The PS2s processor was called the emotion engine and the PS3 processor should be called the broadband engine because the amount of data it will be able to process. And you most likely won't have to be online to play your games or use your system but you will have to be online to utilize the feature of using other console processors.\

Sorry, however you are in correct, the braodband engine as described in the patent only out lines the bus interconect between the processors.

[Gexv8]

So really its just a name is what you are saying? That the word broadband is not pertaining to the same as broadband connection. And that the engine has nothing to do with connecting to the internet, even though the ps3 will be able to play online, the enginge has nothing to do with it.

[Paul]

Sorry, however you are in correct, the braodband engine as described in the patent only out lines the bus interconect between the processors.

You are incorrect Scott.

As stated in the patent.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a broadband engine (BE) in accordance with the present invention.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, four PEs may be packaged or joined together, e.g., within one or more chip packages, to form a single processor for a member of network 104. This configuration is designated a broadband engine (BE).

The Broadband Engine is a single chip in which Sony and Toshiba state they are building even in the Toshiba, Rambus, Sony contract!

WHEREAS, SCE and Toshiba have entered into a joint development
agreement (the " Agreement") with to develop a broadband microprocessor
(designated as the "Broadband Engine") for a product;

WHEREAS, the parties desire to cooperate with each other to enable SCE
and Toshiba (and as SCE's sublicensee) to implement Rambus' Redwood Rambus
Interface Technology and Yellowstone Rambus Interface Technology as the bus
interfaces in and with the Broadband Engine

http://library.consusgroup.com/library_pvw/147201.asp

The Broadband Engine is a chip made up of 4 PE(from patent), it does have a bus; which will likely be Rambus Redwood.

[Scott R. Mraz]

Sorry, however you are in correct, the braodband engine as described in the patent only out lines the bus interconect between the processors.

You are incorrect Scott.

As stated in the patent.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a broadband engine (BE) in accordance with the present invention.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, four PEs may be packaged or joined together, e.g., within one or more chip packages, to form a single processor for a member of network 104. This configuration is designated a broadband engine (BE).

My Comments-------------------------------------------------------
Actually this quote right here, explains exactly what I am talking about- you just proved my point. You should probably learn how to read, before you start stating people ara wrong.
My Comments-------------------------------------------------------



The Broadband Engine is a single chip in which Sony and Toshiba state they are building even in the Toshiba, Rambus, Sony contract!

WHEREAS, SCE and Toshiba have entered into a joint development
agreement (the " Agreement") with to develop a broadband microprocessor
(designated as the "Broadband Engine") for a product;

WHEREAS, the parties desire to cooperate with each other to enable SCE
and Toshiba (and as SCE's sublicensee) to implement Rambus' Redwood Rambus
Interface Technology and Yellowstone Rambus Interface Technology as the bus
interfaces in and with the Broadband Engine

My Comments-------------------------------------------------------
Backs ups my statement again, "the bus inferaces", again you need to learn how to read.
My Comments-------------------------------------------------------

http://library.consusgroup.com/library_pvw/147201.asp

The Broadband Engine is a chip made up of 4 PE(from patent), it does have a bus; which will likely be Rambus Redwood.

My Comments-------------------------------------------------------
ROFL this is hillarious; "it does not have a bus" yeah, that shows just how ignorent you are to circuit engineering. You cannot have a system with multiple desperate processors and a shared ram without a bus.
My Comments-------------------------------------------------------

[Paul]

Actually this quote right here, explains exactly what I am talking about- you just proved my point. You should probably learn how to read, before you start stating people ara wrong.

Excuse me? Are you incapable of holding a conversation without reverting back to 3rd grade insults? Seriously, I thought everyone here would have moved on from that 15 years ago!

[quote]the braodband engine as described in the patent only out lines the bus interconect between the processors.

Are you trying to say the Broadband Engine is nothing but a bus?(Which is inherently wrong) or that the patent only describes the Broadband Engine bus?

Actually this quote right here, explains exactly what I am talking about- you just proved my point.

Ok. So we are on the same page, the Broadband Engine(The Toshiba and Sony offshoot of *Cell*) is a single processor made up of several processing elements, in case of the patent, 4.

Backs ups my statement again, "the bus inferaces", again you need to learn how to read.

Yes, they say they want to use Redwood(Interface) as the bus interface to be used with the Broadband Engine(either between PE's or from BE to VS, or both).

ROFL this is hillarious; "it does not have a bus" yeah, that shows just how ignorent you are to circuit engineering. You cannot have a system with multiple desperate processors and a shared ram without a bus.

Only I never said it would never have a bus? The irony, shit, and It was me who needed to learn how to read?

[Scott R. Mraz]

Ok Paul, your contention is that the "broadband engine" is the X plurality of processors interconnected via a bus.

My contentinon is that the "broadband engine" is simply the interconect between said plurality of processesors.

I believe the very text you provided from the patent clearly states:

Quote:
[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a broadband engine (BE) in accordance with the present invention.


Quote:
[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, four PEs may be packaged or joined together, e.g., within one or more chip packages, to form a single processor for a member of network 104. This configuration is designated a broadband engine (BE).

"packaged, or joined together, e.g., within one or more chip packages, to form a single processor." Joined / packaged togehter- sounds like a bus to me.

[Paul]

four PEs may be packaged or joined together, e.g., within one or more chip packages, to form a single processor for a member of network 104. This configuration is designated a broadband engine (BE).

Hell you can even look at Figure 6, which is a Broadband Engine and 4X VS(Cut down BE)

For example, the processor shown in FIG. 6 comprises two chip packages, namely, chip package 602 comprising a BE and chip package 604 comprising four VSs.

You can even see how Sony plans to have BE's communicate over the net:

FIG. 12B illustrates the writing of data from a first broadband engine to a second broadband engine in accordance with the present invention.

Hell even the Toshiba, Rambus, Sony contract states SCE and Toshiba have entered into a joint development
agreement (the " Agreement") with to develop a broadband microprocessor
(designated as the "Broadband Engine") for a product;


Fairly obvious that Broadband Engine is a chip which is made with the Cellular architecture and that it will use Rambus Redwood interfaces on it's bus and Yellowstone as the external DRAM.