IBM Paper with Details of Xbox 360 CPU Design
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
The Xbox 360 system has a single chip (with 165 million transistors) for its CPU. This chip is in fact a three-way symmetric multiprocessor design. The three PowerPC cores are identical, except that they are physically reflected through the X and Y axis. Each of the CPU cores is a specialized PowerPC chip with a VMX128 extension related to (and partially compatible with) the VMX instructions in the G4 and G5 CPUs. The three CPU cores share a 1MB Level2 cache. Each processor has 32KB each of data and instruction Level1 cache. The chip’s front-side bus/physical interface has a 21.6GB/second bandwidth, and runs at 5.4GHz. The high frequency clocks are generated on-chip by four phase-locked loops: two for the core clocks, two for the PHY clock.
The Xbox 360 CPU chip has testing and debug functions, including tracing, configuration control, and performance monitoring features. Access to these functions is through the block in Figure 1 labeled test/debug. The block labeled Miscellaneous IO provides a JTAG port, a POST monitor, and an interface for a serial EEPROM in case patch logic configuration was needed during bring-up.
Fix the Xbox 360 DVD Drive to protect against scratched discs
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
After the reports of users having their DVDs scratched if they changed their Xbox 360 from vertical to horizontal position, the guys over at Llamma posted a guide to ‘patch’ the HL360 DVD-drive. Keep in mind that this requires opening your Xbox 360 and thus it will void your warranty. What they did is add rubber pads on the DVD-drive case on the opposite side of the laser. Now when moving the console, which results in the disc inside moving too, the disc will hit the rubber pads first. These rubber pads will limit the inclination angle of the disc so it can’t touch the metal laserblock and get scratched. It’ll touch the rubber pads, but that shouldn’t scratch the disc.
watch the video
read the guide.
Limelight Networks Leveraged as Content Delivery Network for Xbox 360
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
Limelight Networks today announced that it is the Content Delivery Network for Microsoft’s just-launched Xbox 360 video game system and Xbox Live, the online gaming service for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft now included with every system. Microsoft is leveraging Limelight Networks for delivery of trailers and game demos during one of the most important product launches in its history to ensure that Xbox Live audiences receive the best performance with any downloaded content.
“With the launch of Xbox 360 we’re taking Xbox Live to new heights. Now that our customers can download game demos, high-definition movie trailers, and more, we need to be prepared for dramatic increases in traffic,” said Xbox Live Operations Manager Eric Neustadter. “Working with Limelight Networks allows us to easily scale to any level of demand.”
US Xbox 360 compatibility list updated *Updated*
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
The backwards compatibility team has updated the list of original Xbox games that can be played on your Xbox 360. If you have an Xbox 360 with the HDD, and you are connected to Xbox Live, you’ll automatically get a prompt to download the auto update when you toss in an original Xbox game disc. Thanks to the team for listening to the community feedback and working hard to make more titles work in BC mode. (Splinter Cell…cool!)
*UPDATE* There was a problem with Halo 2 running in wide screen mode and other games with the December BC update. The team worked through the night to fix it, so if you downloaded the version with problems, go download it again now.
see the list here.
read how compatibility works here.
Microsoft: ‘Xbox 360 More Powerful than PS3’
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
Xbox chief financial officer Bryan Lee says Xbox 360 is “on balance” more powerful than PlayStation 3.
He was demonstrating Xbox 360 to delegates at this week’s UBS Global Media Conference in New York. During an hour-long speech he progressed through the usual demo of Live, Arcade and the machine’s connectivity. He then said, “If Sony does hit the specs which they’ve said they’ll have there’s a debate. There are a couple of categories where they outdo us, and there’s several categories where we outdo them.” He added, “On balance I think most people who study the space will tell you our system is slightly more powerful than theirs from a hardware standpoint. But for the purposes of this discussion I think it’s fair to say they’re both Ferraris”
Xvectrx emulator for Xbox beta 0.1
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
>> Darcelf released a new emulator for Xbox. Xvectrex is a port of vecx, a vectrex emulator. The Vectrex is an 8-bit video game console developed by General Consumer Electric (GCE) and later bought by Milton Bradley Company. The Vectrex is unique in that it utilized vector graphics drawn on a monitor that was integrated in the console; no other console before or after the Vectrex had a comparable configuration. It was released in late 1982 at a retail price of $199. As the video game market declined and then crashed, the Vectrex exited the market in early 1984.
Pelican Product – 360 Fan Stand
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
For a mere $19.99 you can purchase Pelican’s Xbox 360 Fan Stand, which promises to “extend the life of the system’s hardware by operating at cooler temperatures.” The problem is, last we checked, it wasn’t the 360 unit itself that has an overheating problem. I guess there nothing stopping you from putting your PSU on this stand, or just stick with the homemade version.
On the other hand, it should also give your 360 “added stability when standing,” which should help with the disc scratching problem, should a bump occur.
Xbox 360 Low Chip Yield: Delayed launch was considered
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
Tucked away at the bottom of an an interview today in The Ottawa Citizen, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, “In these new consumer electronics devices based on new chips, there’s always the question of what yield will you get out of the manufacturing process of the new chip. We’re getting a little less, but not much less than the yields we expected, and we know that the yields we expected will probably outrun supply.”
He added, “We decided to go ahead and launch rather than wait until post-Christmas and get a few million units out into the hands of users. We’re doing our best.”
Ten things to hate about the Xbox 360
Xbox-Scene :: Sunday, December 11, 2005
>> CNET’s David Carnoy wrote an article about 10 things he ‘hates’ about the new Xbox 360. It’s a bit different then those “all good” reviews we’ve been seeing over the last few weeks: 1. Beige isn’t the new black
2. No killer games at launch
3. Accessories cost a small fortune
4. The hard drive isn’t big enough
5. Limited keyboard/mouse support at launch
6. No built-in Wi-Fi
7. Not enough USB ports, especially on the back
8. No HDMI or DVI connectivity
9. No built-in card reader
10. You can’t get it.
