Print

[XanTium]

More About Xbox 360 CPU From Fall Processor Forum -- Posted by XanTium on October 25 16:01
We already reported earlier that IBM would talk about the Xbox 360 CPU at the Fall Processor Forum, an annual gathering of chip engineers taking place Oct. 25-26 in San Jose, Calif.
You can now find more info in the official press release from IBM here and from an interesting article on mercurynews.com:

IBM is announcing today that it has brought aboard Chartered Semiconductor as a second source to make the PowerPC microprocessors for the Xbox 360. Microsoft asked IBM to find a second source as part of its agreement to use IBM's designs in its new console instead of Intel's. Those who are old enough to understand the importance of second sourcing should recall the original IBM PC. Back in 1981, IBM asked Intel and Microsoft to provide the heart of its new computer. Microsoft was the sole developer of the operating system. We all know the consequence of that decision. But on the chip side, IBM asked Intel to find a second source for its microprocessor. Intel turned to Advanced Micro Devices, and the artifacts of those big decisions are still around today. It's why Intel has a competitor in the x86 microprocessor business.

With the Chartered deal, IBM will still make the Xbox 360 chips in its own factory in East Fishkill, N.Y. But James Comfort, an IBM vice president in charge of the business relationship with Microsoft, said that Chartered's first 300-millimeter factory, fab 7 in Singapore, is now manufacturing Xbox 360 microprocessors.
Now Microsoft is getting chips from both of the factories in support of its worldwide launch.

Comfort said that IBM was willing to go to greater lengths than Intel in customization because the Xbox 360 plans were a good match for IBM's chip design services strategy.
Ilan Spillinger, an IBM distinguished engineer who ran a lot of the design implementation effort, said that IBM was willing to create custom instructions for Microsoft's microprocessor.
IBM also worked with Microsoft to create a custom bus for the chip, allowing for a highway of data to flow directly between the CPU and the graphics chip. The proprietary bus can move data at a rate of 21.6 gigabytes per second, compared to 4 gigabytes a second in a PC.
"It's not just a new variant of the PowerPC," Spillinger said. "It's a change in the instruction set. Our willingness to play around with the core of the chip shows what we would do for the customer. It's truly a custom microprocessor."

Read More: mercurynews.com and pressrelease.

[KAGE360]

i was reading about this also, you beat me to posting it.

is there any reports on the internet to what was discussed yesterday??  i would love a good detailed read on the Xenon chip.