I am currently on my 3rd XBOX360 - Microsoft replaced all free of charge including shipping - took about 7 working days to replace both faulty units. The fact that Microsoft has offered extended warranty and replaced my units at no cost to me shows that it is a quality company when compared to others - not sure what the legal position is, but did Microsoft have to do this ???. (i do not work for Microsoft). They have done the right thing and are correcting the situation.
The Sony system from reports does have a lack of games, but is this because of the internal architecture ?. In reports on Ars Technica, the initial rersponse from Valve was that the multi core processor was not the best approach as it was too difficult to program using parallel programming techniques. Valve 6 months later stated that their software engineers were now comfortable with the architecture and had devloped the software (???) to program the PS3 for parallel processing (Cell Processor). I understand that the XBOX360 uses a cut down version of this processor (3 cores), whilst PS3 uses the full architecture (9 cores). I'll get to the point. Perhaps Microsoft have done the right thing strategically. They were aware of the difficulty of programming the system using 9 cores, but 3 cores is easier to implement software wise, but could benefit from some parallel processing. The Sony system would be difficult to implement software and the 9 core parallel processing techniques would take time to develop. Microsoft may have brought out the console with design issues, but they could very easily get a head start on Sony, with HD gaming etc., XBOX Live, and hopefully increase their market share with a console offering in the initial 3 years the same power as the PS3. No doubt the PS3 with the 9 cores will take over in terms of realism due to the extra 6 cores that can be used for physics and graphics programming, but Microsoft will then be able to introduce another console with either the same capability or greater capability (most probable) where the hard work on parallel programming techniques and software development has been completed by the Sony system programmers, and Microsoft can reap the benefit later.
I remember the PS3 adverts on TV where the boxer is punched in the face and the graphics do look very good with the ripples on the flesh etc., - but where are these PS3 programs at the moment that have these advanced physics ?. How long will it take to produce games of this capability at similar costs (probably greater) to existing productions ?.
I think Microsoft have the correct strategy in the long term by releasing the XBOX360 when they did.
@Shadmeister An important technical difference between Cell and other processors is that the extra cores, or "SPE" units are not a processors. They are a very special purpose processors that have limited instruction sets and can't be programmed using the same methods as your regular processor.
The cell processor is like a single Pentium processor with 8 MMX-extensions attached it. Cell != 9 cores. Cell == 1 core + 8 partial cores.
The single general purpose core of the Cell is very similar to each of the cores in the Xbox 360. The cores of both machines are a stripped down version of what you find in the PowerPC Mac's and IBM's enterprise PPC servers.
Does that mean the 360/PS3 is better? Not necessary--just different to program. Once the game developers figure out the Cell's learning curve, we should be able to see which is really the better technology.
Its also important to notice that the "cells" are not full cores. The Cell processor in the PS3 uses a single core, and that is then divided into these cells. What makes that so inefficient is the fact that they divide the architectures between PPE and SPE architectures. Like the above poster said, SPE architecture based cores/cells are not like full processors. They are more like "assistants," and therefore cannot harness the full power of what the processor has to offer... Not that the Cell has much power. It only has 8 cells (not 9), one of which is run JUST for the OS on the PS3, leaving 7 cells (1 PPE, 6 SPE) to run the games. This is all spread over one core with just 512Kb of L2 Cache.
Contrary to popular belief, its not 3.2GHz processor speed multiplied by 7 or 8 (according to how many cells) to get the full processing speed. The full processing speed is 3.2GHz with everything working at maximum.
I find that the Xenon chip in the Xbox 360 (CPU) is more like the "brawn" (able to process with more power and do larger chunks) while the Cell is more the "brains" of the group.
I feel the Cell processor will be rendered useless once more games come out, because I think we have seen the extent of this processor with MotorStorm and other games that are out right now.
I agree with your analysis, however i am pissed at MS as I live in China. Here in China hundreds of stores sell the 360. However when I called 360 support in usa regarding the 3 red lights they said quite simply."oh! you are in shanghai china, we do not sell xbox in china so there is no support" they then hung up the phone. i now have a 360 that is useless and a large number of games that cannot be played. I also have the problem that officially I cannot buy an xbox here?? bloody stupid as the number of stores selling xbox here is increasing all the time. So regardless of warranty extensions etc etc etc if I buy a new one I have the same shit if it breaks down.
The Cobra Tag may help you win that losing battle, acting as a Bluetooth device that attaches to your key ring and connects to your phone, it gives you the opportunity to find the missing item if it's less than 30 feet away.
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I am currently on my 3rd XBOX360 - Microsoft replaced all free of charge including shipping - took about 7 working days to replace both faulty units. The fact that Microsoft has offered extended warranty and replaced my units at no cost to me shows that it is a quality company when compared to others - not sure what the legal position is, but did Microsoft have to do this ???. (i do not work for Microsoft). They have done the right thing and are correcting the situation.
The Sony system from reports does have a lack of games, but is this because of the internal architecture ?. In reports on Ars Technica, the initial rersponse from Valve was that the multi core processor was not the best approach as it was too difficult to program using parallel programming techniques. Valve 6 months later stated that their software engineers were now comfortable with the architecture and had devloped the software (???) to program the PS3 for parallel processing (Cell Processor). I understand that the XBOX360 uses a cut down version of this processor (3 cores), whilst PS3 uses the full architecture (9 cores). I'll get to the point. Perhaps Microsoft have done the right thing strategically. They were aware of the difficulty of programming the system using 9 cores, but 3 cores is easier to implement software wise, but could benefit from some parallel processing. The Sony system would be difficult to implement software and the 9 core parallel processing techniques would take time to develop. Microsoft may have brought out the console with design issues, but they could very easily get a head start on Sony, with HD gaming etc., XBOX Live, and hopefully increase their market share with a console offering in the initial 3 years the same power as the PS3. No doubt the PS3 with the 9 cores will take over in terms of realism due to the extra 6 cores that can be used for physics and graphics programming, but Microsoft will then be able to introduce another console with either the same capability or greater capability (most probable) where the hard work on parallel programming techniques and software development has been completed by the Sony system programmers, and Microsoft can reap the benefit later.
I remember the PS3 adverts on TV where the boxer is punched in the face and the graphics do look very good with the ripples on the flesh etc., - but where are these PS3 programs at the moment that have these advanced physics ?. How long will it take to produce games of this capability at similar costs (probably greater) to existing productions ?.
I think Microsoft have the correct strategy in the long term by releasing the XBOX360 when they did.
(I know i am gonna get flamed....)
@Shadmeister
An important technical difference between Cell and other processors is that the extra cores, or "SPE" units are not a processors. They are a very special purpose processors that have limited instruction sets and can't be programmed using the same methods as your regular processor.
The cell processor is like a single Pentium processor with 8 MMX-extensions attached it. Cell != 9 cores. Cell == 1 core + 8 partial cores.
The single general purpose core of the Cell is very similar to each of the cores in the Xbox 360. The cores of both machines are a stripped down version of what you find in the PowerPC Mac's and IBM's enterprise PPC servers.
Does that mean the 360/PS3 is better? Not necessary--just different to program. Once the game developers figure out the Cell's learning curve, we should be able to see which is really the better technology.
Its also important to notice that the "cells" are not full cores. The Cell processor in the PS3 uses a single core, and that is then divided into these cells. What makes that so inefficient is the fact that they divide the architectures between PPE and SPE architectures. Like the above poster said, SPE architecture based cores/cells are not like full processors. They are more like "assistants," and therefore cannot harness the full power of what the processor has to offer... Not that the Cell has much power. It only has 8 cells (not 9), one of which is run JUST for the OS on the PS3, leaving 7 cells (1 PPE, 6 SPE) to run the games. This is all spread over one core with just 512Kb of L2 Cache.
Contrary to popular belief, its not 3.2GHz processor speed multiplied by 7 or 8 (according to how many cells) to get the full processing speed. The full processing speed is 3.2GHz with everything working at maximum.
I find that the Xenon chip in the Xbox 360 (CPU) is more like the "brawn" (able to process with more power and do larger chunks) while the Cell is more the "brains" of the group.
I feel the Cell processor will be rendered useless once more games come out, because I think we have seen the extent of this processor with MotorStorm and other games that are out right now.
I agree with your analysis, however i am pissed at MS as I live in China. Here in China hundreds of stores sell the 360. However when I called 360 support in usa regarding the 3 red lights they said quite simply."oh! you are in shanghai china, we do not sell xbox in china so there is no support"
they then hung up the phone.
i now have a 360 that is useless and a large number of games that cannot be played. I also have the problem that officially I cannot buy an xbox here??
bloody stupid as the number of stores selling xbox here is increasing all the time. So regardless of warranty extensions etc etc etc if I buy a new one I have the same shit if it breaks down.