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[PS3Scene]

Newer PS3's go to 128MB Flash from 512MB, HDD Storage Used Posted by XanTium | 7-10-2008 0:40 EST

From ps3news.com: We recently purchased a new 80GB PlayStation 3 console, and our very own PS3 Dev Courier dissected his new system. The item that peaked his interest the most was that it had one single 56-pin Flash chip, the S29GL128N90TFIR2, and was 128MB in size in contrast to older PS3 consoles utilizing dual (2x256MB) 48-pin chips totaling 512MB. So, he bought a new adapter, and some blank chips and proceeded to pull the 56-pin flash, and dumped it. To our surprise, he was unable to dump more than 16MB of it! At first, we believed that the other blocks in the flash were protected via password, however there was something else brewing. He took the 16MB dump that was made and flashed it onto a completly blank chip, and reinstalled it in the PS3. To our surprise, it worked! Now, if you recall, newer version PS3 Firmwares have asked for a PUP file after formatting/inserting a larger HDD - This may be why! After flashing back just the 16MB of data, it also asked for a PUP file. So, the PUP was given, it installed the missing files fine, and then booted. Full Story: ps3news.com

[csolomon]

Nice article, but unfortunately the author's capacity units are mistaken.  The Spansion SGL128 is a 128Mbit NOR flash, not a 128MByte (with a large "B") flash.  A 128MB flash would be 1Gbits = huge for NOR and not cost effective.  Typically architectures move to NAND flash at 1Gbit capacity as the lower cost per bit of NAND makes more sense at 1Gb then NOR flash.  

The convention in engineering circles used to specify memory capacities is that a large B = Bytes (as in the 80GB = 80GByte HDD mentioned in this article) whereas a small "b" is used for bits (as in the 128Mbit NOR flash = 16MB for direct comparison to the 80GB HDD with the same units).  Typically memory IC vendors specify their chip capacity in terms of bits while HDD vendors specify their capacities in terms of Bytes.

The title of this article should be changed accordingly to reflect the correct capacities as either of the following:

A ) "Newer PS3's go to 128Mb Flash from 512Mb, HDD Storage Used"

or

B ) "Newer PS3's go to 16MB Flash from 64MB, HDD Storage Used"

This post has been edited by csolomon: Oct 7 2008, 05:27 PM

[edepot]

QUOTE(csolomon @ Oct 7 2008, 06:03 PM)

Nice article, but unfortunately the author's capacity units are mistaken.  The Spansion SGL128 is a 128Mbit NOR flash, not a 128MByte (with a large "B") flash.  A 128MB flash would be 1Gbits = huge for NOR and not cost effective.  Typically architectures move to NAND flash at 1Gbit capacity as the lower cost per bit of NAND makes more sense at 1Gb then NOR flash.  

The convention in engineering circles used to specify memory capacities is that a large B = Bytes (as in the 80GB = 80GByte HDD mentioned in this article) whereas a small "b" is used for bits (as in the 128Mbit NOR flash = 16MB for direct comparison to the 80GB HDD with the same units).  Typically memory IC vendors specify their chip capacity in terms of bits while HDD vendors specify their capacities in terms of Bytes.

The title of this article should be changed accordingly to reflect the correct capacities as either of the following:

A ) "Newer PS3's go to 128Mb Flash from 512Mb, HDD Storage Used"

or

B ) "Newer PS3's go to 16MB Flash from 64MB, HDD Storage Used"

Sorry to disappoint you, but you are also wrong.  The correct answer is C)...

C) "Newer PS3's go to 16MB Falsh from 256MB, HDD Storage Used"

Apparently, the person who did this article did not do some fact checking, nor did this person
understand the difference between RAM and FLASH memory.  The PS3 has 512 of RAM (that is where
the person got confused), and 256MB of flash memory.  The newer PS3 has 16MB of flash, with
the rest stored in HDD.  You can get the whole details at Playstation3 Secrets at this URL:
http://www.edepot.co...aystation3.html  Look in the Flash memory section of the PS3 Hardware.

[openxdkman]

Many thx edepot for maintaining a so precise hw list!

Sony fears 3rd place because of ps3 higher price. It's nearly panic in higher ranks at Sony. Expect ps3 size and price to collapse. But there will never be official early announcements in order to not slow down current sales. It will be surprise announcement when number of ps3 on shelves will be low. They could even call it ps4... but I bet it will be fully compatible with existing ps3 games.

This post has been edited by openxdkman: Oct 11 2008, 05:12 PM