Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sega]

The PS3 contains a 3.2Ghz processor

If I remember rightly it has 9 cores all running at 3.2Ghz. Nice.
Cheers

9 Cores at 3.2Ghz, this equals 27+Ghz.

Are you sure. I just bought an Intel Xeon machine with 4 cores running at 3Ghz, the processor alone cost be 1.5K. Does anybody know a way for me to link the PS3 to my home computer to utilize the huge processing power.

[Crivens]

9 Cores at 3.2Ghz, this equals 27+Ghz.

Only in theory. You would have to have ideal situations to get the most out of that. Running 9 apps at once would be good (assuming hit on single HD and memory isn't too bad), but a single app or game would struggle to utilise it properly. Highly unlikely. Plus I read Sony always leave one or two totally unused, because apparently the failure rate of the cores shows that one will fail quite often on a batch of PS3s. Note that the XBox 360 is a 3 core 3.2Ghz machine I believe. Note that I read recently that Intel reckon that the idea of having 100Ghz machines in the next 5-10 years is changing, and we are more likely to see 4Ghz machines with like 30 cores.

why would you want Blueray now?

I know what you mean by downloading it. I have 3 or 4 HD media streamers around the house with about 4tb of storage, plus a HD PC plugged into my projector. And yes you can download a HD film in a night, even with Cyprus' awful internet (even without spending the nutty prices for speeds like 4mbps). But not many can be done that quickly. Most will take bloody ages unless the latest most popular movie. And sure, a screen with a load of thumbnails of films is very nice and everything (quite like the Tvix machines myself), but until you can get the film a lot quicker then a disk is still good. Plus even considering everything I do and the way I am (computer programmer for a living) I still kind of like the physical presence of the disk and box. Saying that though, I am really liking my Tvix machines. Must finish writing my menu system for it...

Cheers

[Sega]

9 Cores at 3.2Ghz, this equals 27+Ghz.

Only in theory. You would have to have ideal situations to get the most out of that. Running 9 apps at once would be good (assuming hit on single HD and memory isn't too bad), but a single app or game would struggle to utilise it properly. Highly unlikely. Plus I read Sony always leave one or two totally unused, because apparently the failure rate of the cores shows that one will fail quite often on a batch of PS3s. Note that the XBox 360 is a 3 core 3.2Ghz machine I believe. Note that I read recently that Intel reckon that the idea of having 100Ghz machines in the next 5-10 years is changing, and we are more likely to see 4Ghz machines with like 30 cores.
Cheers

I feel it depends on the OS. I have come into some problems with my current system. It seems to have well-over 15GB of RAM so I am forced to use XP64bit which as you know is not exactly the best for running most applications. I feel what your saying is spot on, but it all depends on what the OS can handle. Even the standard version of Vista can only recognise up to 4GB RAM, which still does not help my situation.

Do you know of a way to link the PS3 to a personal computer, or have you heard of anybody that has accomplished such a task?

[Crivens]

It's not just that. If you need to do 2 algorithms, for example, and the 2nd one needs some answers from the first one, then two cores will not help over one core unless each algorithm can be easily split between the cores. If not then no advantage. As the 2nd algorithm cannot be worked on until the 1st is finished. Then there is the overhead that sometimes is actually better to do small and quick processes on one core rather than the complication of multitasking/processing between multiple cores. It all depends on the application, the OS, and a load of other stuff. And you get the idea that with games they really want nice and simple solution to get games out quick as hell. Hopefully in a few years you will see one or two really big budget games that put all effort in and with any luck they should be heads and shoulders above anything else.

But yeah, it doesn't matter how good your system is, it all depends on your software. Is like a 500bhp car won't be twice as fast as a 250bhp one. It could be if you tinkered, but probably not.

Depends on what you mean by link. There are some apps that allow the PS3 to process in the background (like SETI and folding at home), but I think you mean use it as a PC. Well, I've heard there are attempts (haven't looked into it much though as haven't bought one yet. Still playing with my Wii....) at putting Linux on it. Think they succeeded too. So assuming Linux is good with more than 2 cores (I only used Ubuntu recently - both 32 and 64 bit - and seemed fine) then could be a good solution. Really really doubt getting an MS OS on it though. Then again, use VMWare on Linux and install Vista/XP into it. I did the same with XP (and used Virtual PC to have Ubuntu in Vista).

Cheers

[Crivens]

Hmmm. Apparently Sony even endorse using Linux on PS3. As long as you have a PPC build then it should work. There is even a Sony endorsed distro (Yellow dog or somesuch). Apparently has access to all cores but one (may be 7 rather than 9 that I thought. But still....). Only problem is that it doesn't give access to the RSX (graphics card basically) so no graphics hardware acceleration. Still, apparently it has enough ooomph to blitz most things.

Linux on the PlayStation 3 allows for a huge range of homebrew programs to be developed and is entirely sanctioned by Sony[citation needed]. The Cell's performance is more than enough to handle most media requirements or render complex 3D graphics, it does however lack the TFLOPS performance of a contemporary GPU's texture fetching hardware. For this reason many complex games aren't possible on the PlayStation 3 through Linux as access to hardware acceleration in the RSX is blocked by the hypervisor. There have been developments in enabling access to the RSX using an experimental linux 2.6.24 kernel[13]. Still in the early stages of development, the workaround allows DMA access to the RSX memory to get images there.

Unfortunately after updating the ps3 to 2.10 the rsx is not accessible anymore.[14]

Cheers

[Sega]

It's not just that. If you need to do 2 algorithms, for example, and the 2nd one needs some answers from the first one, then two cores will not help over one core unless each algorithm can be easily split between the cores. If not then no advantage. As the 2nd algorithm cannot be worked on until the 1st is finished. Then there is the overhead that sometimes is actually better to do small and quick processes on one core rather than the complication of multitasking/processing between multiple cores. It all depends on the application, the OS, and a load of other stuff. And you get the idea that with games they really want nice and simple solution to get games out quick as hell. Hopefully in a few years you will see one or two really big budget games that put all effort in and with any luck they should be heads and shoulders above anything else.

But yeah, it doesn't matter how good your system is, it all depends on your software. Is like a 500bhp car won't be twice as fast as a 250bhp one. It could be if you tinkered, but probably not.

Depends on what you mean by link. There are some apps that allow the PS3 to process in the background (like SETI and folding at home), but I think you mean use it as a PC. Well, I've heard there are attempts (haven't looked into it much though as haven't bought one yet. Still playing with my Wii....) at putting Linux on it. Think they succeeded too. So assuming Linux is good with more than 2 cores (I only used Ubuntu recently - both 32 and 64 bit - and seemed fine) then could be a good solution. Really really doubt getting an MS OS on it though. Then again, use VMWare on Linux and install Vista/XP into it. I did the same with XP (and used Virtual PC to have Ubuntu in Vista).

Cheers

I think I understand, still difficult to get my head around it. Thanks for your comments, your very knowledgable on the subject. I am going to further look into it, hopefully I will get some results.

[Crivens]

Thanks for your comments, your very knowledgable on the subject

Not so much. It's pretty complicated stuff, even for me and the main part of my job is computer programming. Luckily don't normally have to worry about such stuff. Just let the 16 CPU servers handle our Unix (not Linux) code. Very rare we do stuff like this cos normally you don't need to.

Heh, think it was even one of the Comp Sci lectures I actually went to in Uni (I didn't go to many, and Comp Sci is a doddle if you already have a good grasp on programming). Probably was drunk/high/hungover though, so take take everything I say with a pinch of salt

Now I think about it though, would be seriously cool to run the PS3 as a computer (really cheap one) using Linux. I almost made Ubuntu my main OS until I found the VPN my company uses only works in IE annoyingly. Not even IE workarounds in Linux (you can get it pretty much working just google it) could quite get it working. Sigh. And using Linux in Virtual PC in Vista (completely free BTW, apart from the Vista bit) sort of defeats the point.

Hmmm. Want Blu-ray for my projector, and quite fancy a dedicated Linux machine. Just wonder how strongly it performs for normal stuff (you can even get VS working in Linux apparently). Hmmm. Only downside is I would need 2 as I don't really want to program away on my projector/TV in the lounge

Cheers

[Crivens]

Hmmm. It seems the PS3 is pretty good in Linux, and can even access all cores. Nice. But not the graphics hardware (yet). So could be a really good office/web browsing/server machine. Nice (mainly because thats the bulk of what I do). Downside is the memory is not so good. Only 256mb with apparently no way to upgrade it. But still, Linux is really good for PCs with less memory. I heard a year or two back though that other companies are looking to use the cell processor in other technology including fully fledged PCs. Would be nice to have a 16 cell (core) processor in a laptop for example, for a lot cheaper than Intel/AMD (with any luck). You sort of get the idea they would charge a lot though. Interesting now though to look into ways of using the PS3 on the cheap. Ace if you could upgrade it's RAM somehow, and get the hardware accellerated graphics going too. Then most things can be emulated using Wine etc. Nice. And using VMWare you can even have XP in a window (with any luck not too slow).

Just read something from 2005 where a Sony employee reckoned they were working on a way to have an OS running concurently in each cell. So can switch at will between OS'es. Example was Linux/PS3 OS/PC OS (PC OS most interesting. Perhaps they plan to develop things to allow XP/Vista to install?) etc. Would be most interesting if they could actually do that. Kind of doubt it though with the amount of memory they ended up with. PS4 perhaps? Or a RAM upgrade would be nice.

Cheers

[DINOS SKALIOTIS]

Does anyone know?

Cheers
E

ps3 shop perhaps?

[oranos64]

Does anyone know?

Cheers
E

ps3 shop perhaps?

DIV...dino you come over like a fossil in a modern age ....you really dont need to respond to every post on the forum ,....

,,,,,MATE ,,,you can get from sound tech and a few other stores for £280cyp

but i think xbox rocks ,,,,and will kick it touch soon

also ...yes i do agree the blu ray format will create a new betamax vs vhs war ....but blu ray has the big boys backing it tooo .,...

i would sit back and get in it in early spring when the updated model is realeased and get it via amazon ,.,,,in euros from the states