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Modified Cell processor will add new features to the notebooks not seen before

The Cell processor first debuted in the Sony PS3 and now is starting to see uses outside of the PS3 gaming console.

Toshiba announced a pair of laptops that will use processors derived from the Cell processor used in the PS3. The Toshiba Qosmio G50 and F40 notebooks will use four of the Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE) from the Cell Broadband Processor. By comparison, the Cell processor in the PS3 has eight of the SPE cores (seven functional) and uses a Power PC main processor.

The modified Cell processor SPE cores will handle the heavy calculations required to handle processor-intensive duties like processing HD video. The main processor in the pair of notebooks will be an Intel Core 2 Duo.

PC World says that by integrating the modified Cell processor into the notebooks Toshiba will be able to offer features not seen on competing notebooks. The new features will include the ability to upscale standard definition video to HD, real-time transcoding of digital video to MPEG4 and the ability to burn video to DVD in half the time needed by current machines.

One particularly interesting feature the Cell processor allows is called face navigation. The notebooks will be able to recognize faces in a video and display them as thumbnails allowing users to find chapters and scenes using faces.

PC World reports that the Cell processor will also allow the onboard webcam to be used to control video playback with hand gestures. The Qosmio G50 will have an 18.4-inch screen, GeForce 9600M graphics, 500GB HDD, dual digital TV tuners and more with a retail price of $2,700. The F50 will use a 15-inch screen and have a 250GB HDD with a retail price of around $2,300. The notebooks will be sold in Japan, but details on the launch are unavailable.

IBM’s record breaking Roadrunner supercomputer also takes advantage of a modified Cell processor to speed its performance.

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excellent
By tastyratz on 6/24/2008 4:43:14 PM , Rating: 3
I truly am jealous but shocked that with such a high end machine and price tag its loaded with a core2duo instead of core2quad

this intrigues me.

Just how do applications access and take advantage of the cell processor?

Ares there basically plugins/ special versions for specific applications (such as powerdvd, nero recode, etc.) where in normal machine usage it lies dormant? does it assist in other tasks?

Does the machine appear as a triple core to windows and certain tasks are simple set to a different affinity?

And my biggest question...
When will we be able to buy them as pci express cards to add on to our system.




RE: excellent
By masher2 (blog) on 6/24/2008 4:48:33 PM , Rating: 3
> "Does the machine appear as a triple core to windows and certain tasks are simple set to a different affinity?"

I would consider it highly unlikely. Much more probable is that the entire Cell processor is only exposed through a special driver which offloads certain tasks such as transcoding, much like NVidia's Cuda does.


RE: excellent
By Gul Westfale on 6/24/2008 5:15:15 PM , Rating: 3
i think you are right, toshiba already does offer a PCIe card with the cell for video encoding/transcoding purposes, so they already have the necessary software to make this work. this is simply the same, but already built onto the motherboard. maybe it will help reduce power consumption by offloading from the CPU?

http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-4818-view-Toshib...


RE: excellent
By Clauzii on 6/24/2008 10:10:49 PM , Rating: 2
As a muscician, It would be nice to offload plugins from the CPU too. A little like The TC PowerCore but with much lower latency.


RE: excellent
By RamarC on 6/24/2008 5:45:52 PM , Rating: 3
i'm sure that with multiple cell processors thrown in, that's a hot little bugger. sticking with core2duo (instead of a quad core) probably keeps the heat (somewhat) reasonable and since the cells will be off-loading the cpu, the peak cpu demand may not warrant a quad core.


RE: excellent
By Gul Westfale on 6/24/2008 6:37:40 PM , Rating: 2
actually the link above states that the PCIe card uses just 10W, although the chip is clocked at 1.5GHz instead of the PS3's 3.2GHz


RE: excellent
By Googer on 6/24/2008 11:28:33 PM , Rating: 2
Who needs a quad when you have a Cell processor augmenting the work?


RE: excellent
By FITCamaro on 6/25/2008 10:57:49 AM , Rating: 3
Everyone else not doing H.264 transcoding.


RE: excellent
By taropie on 6/25/2008 1:34:21 AM , Rating: 2
I truly am jealous but shocked that with such a high end machine and price tag its loaded with a core2duo instead of core2quad

Intel hasn't even released a mobile core 2 quad processor yet. So unless they are going to throw in desktop chipsets and desktop processors, thats not going to happen until earliest September this year.


RE: excellent
By afkrotch on 6/25/2008 4:28:16 AM , Rating: 2
Seeing as a notebook is meant for portability, a Core 2 Quad desktop proc simply doesn't make sense.


RE: excellent
By Wolfpup on 6/26/2008 9:56:07 AM , Rating: 2
Huh, this is pretty interesting and a bit weird. In theory it's a nifty idea, although in practice I think putting in a good GPU and offloading the types of work they're talking about to the GPU instead of Cell SPEs makes more sense as it's more of a standard for the PC, and they'd be able to use the software they write on more systems (although that would let people RUN their special software on more systems too, which maybe they're trying to avoid).


Awesome news!
By Cunthor666 on 6/24/2008 6:08:46 PM , Rating: 2
Few things though - wonder what the battery tax is by using Cell, and what is stopping Toshiba/Sony from using this in smaller 13" laptops (Vaio SZ series comes to mind)?

Also, something tells me this was part of a deal to appease Toshiba after HD-DVD lost the format war. Probably Sony's way of giving Tosh something in return for folding when it did. Either way, awesome tech!




RE: Awesome news!
By kkwst2 on 6/24/2008 6:15:54 PM , Rating: 2
I think you probably answered your own question. The power drain is likely significant, relegating it to laps of giants.


RE: Awesome news!
By mfed3 on 6/24/2008 6:45:46 PM , Rating: 2
#1 it has nothing to do with HD DVD or Blu-ray
#2 why the hell would sony ever "appease" a major competitor and give them anything to leverage an advantage
#3 sony SOLD their ailing cell business to Toshiba


RE: Awesome news!
By the goat on 6/25/2008 8:35:14 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
#1 it has nothing to do with HD DVD or Blu-ray #2 why the hell would sony ever "appease" a major competitor and give them anything to leverage an advantage #3 sony SOLD their ailing cell business to Toshiba

Toshiba was a full partner in the STI Cell processor project from the beginning (STI stands for Sony Toshiba IBM). They already had access to and plans to use cell processors before HD-DVD and Blu-ray. The only thing Sony sold Toshiba was a semiconductor fab. Toshiba already had the right to manufacture and use Cell chips.


RE: Awesome news!
By crystal clear on 6/25/2008 11:51:41 AM , Rating: 2
Note this from the Toshiba press release.

Derived from the high performance multi-core technology of the Cell Broadband Engine™*2 (Cell/B.E.), and combined with Toshiba's advanced image processing technology,

Cell Broadband Engine is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc


RE: Awesome news!
By the goat on 6/25/2008 12:02:46 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Note this from the Toshiba press release. Derived from the high performance multi-core technology of the Cell Broadband Engine™*2 (Cell/B.E.), and combined with Toshiba's advanced image processing technology, Cell Broadband Engine is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc


Your point? "Cell Broadband Engine" is just Sony's trademark name for the STI Cell processor. It is like how Sony uses the trademark "i.LINK" for IEEE-1394. Or Apple computer uses Firewire as their trademark for the same thing.

Still don't believe me? Check this quote from wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_microprocessor ):
quote:
Cell is a microprocessor architecture jointly developed by Sony Computer Entertainment, Toshiba, and IBM, an alliance known as "STI".


RE: Awesome news!
By Carl B on 6/25/2008 12:35:32 PM , Rating: 2
Sony never 'sold' Cell, they sold their SOI fab at Nagasaki that produces it. They still source from that same fab through a joint-venture with Toshiba, and still have capacity guarantees at IBM's East Fishkill.

This processor used here isn't the full Cell by the way, but the SpursEngine derivative, which is fabbed on a bulk process rather than on SOI. So... it's not fabbed at any of the fabs which Sony sold to Toshiba, save maybe on the shared lines at OTSS.

http://linuxps3.net/content/view/109/33/


RE: Awesome news!
By crystal clear on 6/25/2008 12:54:00 PM , Rating: 2
From the Toshiba press release-

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the joint venture, to be named at a later date, will start operation from April 1, 2008 in Nagasaki Technology Center of Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation (SCK). It will be 60% owned by Toshiba, and Sony and SCEI will each take a 20% stake. Within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008, Toshiba will acquire from Sony and SCK for approximately 90 billion yen, the 300mm wafer line installed in SCK’s Nagasaki Technology Center Fab2, with the exception of some equipment, and plans to loan it to the joint venture at the start of operation. Details of the operation including administrative and operation organization will be finalized by the start-up date.

Semiconductors to be manufactured by the joint venture include the “Cell Broadband EngineTM” (Cell/B.E.) processor, the “RSX” graphics engine and other high-performance semiconductors for Sony Group, as well as Toshiba’s leading edge SoCs (System on Chip) for applications in digital consumer products. Manufacturing will start with 65nm process, and the joint venture will promote migration to 45nm process mass production, in cooperation with Toshiba’s system LSI manufacturing operation in Oita, while also working to achieve advances in manufacturing technologies and efficiencies.

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/ir/en/news/20080220...


Eh
By B3an on 6/24/2008 5:14:51 PM , Rating: 3
"The Cell processor first debuted in the Sony PS3 and now is starting to see uses outside of the PS3 gaming console."

As far as i know IBM have had BladeCenters with the Cell in (Cell BE) for some time now... and with all 8 SPE's working.

"The new features will include the ability to upscale standard definition video to HD, real-time transcoding of digital video to MPEG4 and the ability to burn video to DVD in half the time needed by current machines"

GPU's already have the ability to do most, if not all of this, look a BadaBoom software for example (Anand has an article on it now).




RE: Eh
By Gul Westfale on 6/24/2008 5:16:35 PM , Rating: 2
and some HDTVs use it as well for videoprocessing.


RE: Eh
By masher2 (blog) on 6/24/2008 7:08:23 PM , Rating: 2
Some medical and scientific equipment is using it for image processing as well....some of which debuted even before the PS3.


RE: Eh
By Clauzii on 6/24/2008 10:03:32 PM , Rating: 4
It could be for lower cost IGP laptops. Then no need for GPU for non gamers who likes movies.


Stupid
By winterspan on 6/24/2008 7:28:01 PM , Rating: 2
I think this is a stupid idea. Since it will most likely be exclusive to Toshiba computers, then it is very doubtful that there will be any third party software for it.

Also, the majority of tasks that would possibly benefit from the parallelism of this "mini-cell" chip can be done just as well or better on a decent mobile GPU with Nvidia's CUDA or ATI's CTM. Why have ANOTHER co-processor on board?

Are they going to start throwing custom DSPs and FPGAs on laptops now?




RE: Stupid
By Clauzii on 6/24/2008 9:58:05 PM , Rating: 2
Since SONY is also in on the CBE (Cell Broadband Engine), I'd imagine a pretty nice VAIO.

And there is nothing stopping us from using BOTH a CBE and a GPU for calculations.


RE: Stupid
By masher2 (blog) on 6/25/2008 12:08:18 AM , Rating: 2
I have to agree...Toshiba has been making some boneheaded moves lately. The whole HD-DVD debacle, the failed SED venture with Canon, and now this?

An expansion card for a desktop is one thing, but such a specialized coprocessor for a laptop? It doesn't sound well thought out to me.


Why not use the Gpu
By Bryf50 on 6/24/2008 7:01:09 PM , Rating: 2
Cant all those things listed also be done through the 9600 chip thats already there. I know ati had a program that used the gpu to encode videos. It would be pretty boreing if thats all it can do.




By crystal clear on 6/25/2008 11:24:46 AM , Rating: 2
Why base your article on a story run on another site when you can access Toshiba's website & get the full accurate details,to make it worth the read.

Do some research.

Toshiba Launches AV notebook PCs that integrate TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor "SpursEngineTM *1"

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2008_06/pr230...

After reading the above link you get the full contents & I quote a few interesting points-

(1) Next generation Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor
Intel's latest 45nm process technology realizes strong high speed system performance with lower power consumption. The new processor lessens burdens when editing large amounts of data or working with multiple applications simultaneously.
* The details and official name of Intel's CPU will be announced on Toshiba's notebook PC web site http://www.dynabook.com, as soon as it is confirmed by Intel.

2) Large LCD screen (Qosmio G50 series)
The high-end Qosmio G50 series complements stylish appearance with an 18.4-inch LCD with 16:9 aspect ratio, the same ratio as that of high-definition TVs, which adds the enjoyment of full screen viewing of content.

3) High-resolution function:
This function is able to upscale standard-definition video to high-definition video quality, allowing users to enjoy standard DVD video content at high definition quality.

To summarize it-

1) NO Blue Ray technology !

2) NEW Intel processor not yet announced.

3) Launch date in Japan "JULY" & Retail price "OPEN"




Burned?
By Jynx980 on 6/26/2008 2:35:09 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
..the ability to burn video to DVD in half the time needed by current machines.


This is the wrong phrase to use. Maybe it can transcode a video into DVD format a lot faster but it isn't going to burn it to DVD any faster than current dvd-rw drives.




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