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Segundo informações recentes:
"...They learn that according to cases, 1 - 2 of 7 SPE of Cell should be allocated in the operating system of PlayStation 3.
According to several sources Sony and in reply to announcements made during Game Developpers ? Conference which was held some weeks ago, we know about it a little more on the use of the vector processors composing the processor of present IBM in the console of Sony, Cell.
Cell
For recall, the present processor in PlayStation 3 differs a bit from basic version and has PPE or Power Processing Element, that is to say heart of type *****, and seven SPE (Synergetic Processing Element) or vector processors, as we mentioned it in
our article on the processor of IBM .
Sony announced that the operating system would always use one of seven SPE to give to the player a "blade", a panel which allows to topple over on the interface of the operating system even though a game is already thrown. This system is already on XBOX 360 and would allow to use session of Voice cat or video-conference and to have a system of notification of the accepted or sent messages.
Means
Besides means processors, this system would ask for 64 Mb of 256 Mb of memory XDR addressed in Cell, 32 Mb of 256 Mb was addressed in RSX.
However, they learn today that a second SPE could give up his place in operating systems, while he is used by a game, what you believe allocate, really, 25 % of means CPU and 18,75 % of RAM. This second SPE would be used to decipher of the vidéo you to allow the video video-conference several users.
Questions
Two questions settle then. The first one is to know if the fact that so much means are allocated in the system is not finally harmful for games. However, with regard to performances and even if it will be necessary us to wait for the answers of the developers, we lean negatively today.
The second question is to know how the transfer of game in the operating system will be made on games in network where it is often very difficult, or even impossible, to support pause on the button.
Updating: The author of the article on Cell having leaned over the source, this last noticed that the use of a second SPE was more than unlikely. In effect, pressures relating to Cell would return impossible programming if it was true. A chain of program obeys a definite order and an operation cannot be so much told that the previous is not ended.