Playstation 2 Facts

Taken from Console Gamer

The Playstation 2 has a 250MHz true 128-bit Graphics Microprocessor with 14 combined Floating-Point units, with in-built MPEG2 Decoder, a 10-channel DMA controller, and other peripherals with 128-bit internal buses on one chip. It contains 10.5 Million tr ansistors, and is 17x14.1mm2 in size and dissipates 15W at 1.8V.

To your average gamer this means a VERY fast 128 bit processor, which is running at 250Mhz with most likely Playstation 1 compatible, but has been extended to offer more powerful instructions for programmers. This chip is at the very forefront of processor technology, and uses the next generation of chip design at 0.18 micron, compared to the DreamCast's 0.25 micron. This chip should be many times faster than the DreamCast, and the multimedia extensions should set this up to be capable of next generation graphics techniques, far in advance of what we have today. Also here's the big one... MPEG 2 Decoder. This makes the use of DVD in the Playstation 2 about 80% definite.

Now to the graphics... a 250MHz 2-way superscalar MIPS-compatible microprocessor, with internal 8kB Data cache, 16kB Integer cache, 1K scratch-pad Cache RAM tightly coupled to the pipe and 128-bit internal datapaths. It also has over 100 multimedia instructions (similar to the concept of MMX, and MMX2 on PC's to accelerate 3D etc) It measures 10.9x6.3mm2, and will be created in 0.18 micron CMOS fab plants. It runs at 1.8V.

To your average gamer this again means a VERY fast 128 bit processor, which is running at 250Mhz. It has be en extended to offer more powerful instructions for programmers. Again this chip is at the very forefront of processor technology, and is more powerful than any current 3D platform available on console or PC. Quotes of 10 Million Polygons a second have be en shouted around, but this spec is probably not quite that powerful, but 6+ Million should be well within its capability!

These chip specs have been finalised, everything else is rumour...

Playstation Playstation 2

32 bit RISC Main processor, 33.8688MHz, 30 MIPS, 4 KB Instruction Cache, 1 KB Data Cache. 128 bit RISC Main processor, 250MHz, 1-2000 MIPS?, 16 KB Instruction Cache, 8 KB Data Cache.

32 bit RISC Graphics processor, 66MHz, 66 MIPS. 128 bit RISC Graphics processor, 250MHz. 1-2000 MIPS?, 4GFLOPS?.

MPEG-1 (Video CD) capability. MPEG-2 (DVD) capability.

360,000 Polygons Max. 6-8,000,000 Polygons Max?

2x CD-ROM, 700MB Storage Media. 5x DVD? (32x+ CD), upto 17GB (17000 MB) Storage Media.

With these specs, and the likelyhood of DVD, and a large amount o f memory, the Playstation is going to be an expensive console when its released. With current consumer DVD players being $500-600, the addition of state of the art gaming technology means that Sony are going to be forced to make big losses on each Playsta tion console sold. I believe we are going to have one of two possible scenarios.

1. A very expensive Playstation 2 console, costing $350-450 that is badged as a consumer product like a VCR aswell as a toy (3DO anybody?), with reasonably priced games around $80 each, and Sony/Columbia Pictures DVD movies being increased in price to offset the cost of the Playstation 2. I'd guess a portion of the recent Playstation 1 profits will act as subsidy for the Playstation 2.

2. A reasonably priced Playstation 2 console, costing $250-350 that is badged as the only console to buy, with Nintendo and Sega not having the cash to compete, and Sony making huge losses on each console in an attempt to create an early Nintendo style market monopoly. With more expensive pr iced games around $100 each, and Sony/Columbia Pictures DVD movies being increased in price to offset the cost of the Playstation 2. A huge portion of the Playstation 1 profits will act as subsidy for the Playstation 2.

One thing is for sure, those of you who have spent all your money on import DreamCasts have made a mistake. The Sony Playstation 2 will be a monster of a console that is without doubt the strongest in the field. Goodbye Sega, it was nice while it lasted.

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