Toshiba SpursEngine - a new analogue of IBM Cell
The Japanese electronics maker Toshiba launched the most powerful SpursEngine processors, inspired by the well-known IBM Cell, which is used to equip the Sony PlayStation 3 gaming console. The new chip is designed for the most demanding applications, namely graphic design and gaming.
SpursEngine is an auxiliary element of the processor, and not its full replacement. It can safely be entrusted with complex tasks, since four cores are installed inside it as well as an external hardware codec for decoding high-resolution video in MPEG2 and H.264. According to the company, its frequency is 1.5 GHz, while it consumes from 10 to 20 watts.
The novelty opens up new possibilities in the world of realistic animation. Its performance has already been demonstrated on one of the laptops, which was broadcast live video from a video camera. Each time a person appeared in front of her, SpursEngine would add a new hairstyle or makeup to the image. Interestingly, this happened without any delay.
')
Moreover, all this happened in three-dimensional mode, the software performed calculations in real time, and this despite the fact that the person was constantly in motion. It is difficult to perform even using the latest generation of graphics processors, not to mention the low-power graphics cards that are installed in laptops.
Over the next three years, Toshiba plans to sell 6 million SpursEngine processors. Despite the fact that the price of one such chip should be 98 dollars, the manufacturer is going to reduce it to 50 dollars when buying 1000 pieces.
SpursEngine can be installed in next-generation graphics cards, Toshiba has already signed a cooperation agreement with Corel, CyberLink and Leadtek, thereby confirming its serious intentions about this chip.
UPDATE Related Videos: youtube.com/watch?v=Mf-eqoBCGq8&feature=related . Why I could not embed video directly in the post?
SpursEngine is an auxiliary element of the processor, and not its full replacement. It can safely be entrusted with complex tasks, since four cores are installed inside it as well as an external hardware codec for decoding high-resolution video in MPEG2 and H.264. According to the company, its frequency is 1.5 GHz, while it consumes from 10 to 20 watts.
The novelty opens up new possibilities in the world of realistic animation. Its performance has already been demonstrated on one of the laptops, which was broadcast live video from a video camera. Each time a person appeared in front of her, SpursEngine would add a new hairstyle or makeup to the image. Interestingly, this happened without any delay.
')
Moreover, all this happened in three-dimensional mode, the software performed calculations in real time, and this despite the fact that the person was constantly in motion. It is difficult to perform even using the latest generation of graphics processors, not to mention the low-power graphics cards that are installed in laptops.
Over the next three years, Toshiba plans to sell 6 million SpursEngine processors. Despite the fact that the price of one such chip should be 98 dollars, the manufacturer is going to reduce it to 50 dollars when buying 1000 pieces.
SpursEngine can be installed in next-generation graphics cards, Toshiba has already signed a cooperation agreement with Corel, CyberLink and Leadtek, thereby confirming its serious intentions about this chip.
UPDATE Related Videos: youtube.com/watch?v=Mf-eqoBCGq8&feature=related . Why I could not embed video directly in the post?
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/23229/
All Articles