PlayStation technical specifications: Difference between revisions

 

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==Central processing unit (CPU)==

==Central processing unit (CPU)==

”’LSI CoreWare CW33300-based core”'<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://patpend.net/technical/psx/LSI.htm|title=FastForward Sony Taps LSI Logic for PlayStation Video Game CPU Chip|access-date=2016-10-05|archive-date=2019-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723220136/https://patpend.net/technical/psx/LSI.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

”’LSI CoreWare -based core”'<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://patpend.net/technical/psx/LSI.htm|title=FastForward Sony Taps LSI Logic for PlayStation Video Game CPU Chip|access-date=2016-10-05|archive-date=2019-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723220136/https://patpend.net/technical/psx/LSI.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

* [[R3000|MIPS R3000A]]-compatible [[32-bit]] [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]] MIPS R3051 with 5&nbsp;KB L1&nbsp;cache, [[Clock rate|running]] at 33.8688&nbsp;[[MHz]].<ref name=”EGM65″>{{cite magazine|title=Sony’s PlayStation Debuts in Japan!|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=65|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=December 1994|page=70}}</ref>

* [[R3000|MIPS R3000A]]-compatible [[32-bit]] [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]] MIPS R3051 with 5&nbsp;KB L1&nbsp;cache, [[Clock rate|running]] at 33.8688&nbsp;[[MHz]].<ref name=”EGM65″>{{cite magazine|title=Sony’s PlayStation Debuts in Japan!|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=65|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=December 1994|page=70}}</ref>

* The [[microprocessor]] was manufactured by [[LSI Logic Corp.]] with technology licensed from [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]].

* The [[microprocessor]] was manufactured by [[LSI Logic Corp.]] with technology licensed from [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]].

Overview of the technical specifications of the PlayStation

An SCPH-1000 motherboard
An SCPH-5001 motherboard
An SCPH-9001 motherboard
An SCPH-101 motherboard

The PlayStation technical specifications describe the various components of the original PlayStation video game console.

Central processing unit (CPU)

[edit]

LSI CoreWare CW33000-based core[1]

Geometry Transformation Engine (GTE)

  • Coprocessor that resides inside the main CPU processor, giving it additional vector math instructions used for 3D graphics, lighting, geometry, polygon and coordinate transformations – GTE performs high-speed matrix multiplications.
  • Operating performance: 66 MIPS[6]
  • Uses fixed point arithmetic, different operations used different representations[8]
  • Polygons per second (rendered in hardware):

Motion Decoder (MDEC)

  • Also residing within the main CPU, enables full screen, high quality FMV playback and is responsible for decompressing images and video into VRAM.[5]
  • Operating performance: 80 MIPS[11]
  • Documented device mode is to read three RLE-encoded 16×16 macroblocks, run IDCT and assemble a single 16×16 RGB macroblock.
  • Output data may be transferred directly to GPU via DMA.
  • It is possible to overwrite IDCT matrix and some additional parameters, however MDEC internal instruction set was never documented.
  • It is directly connected to a CPU bus.

System Control Coprocessor (Cop0)[citation needed]

  • This unit is part of the CPU. Has 16 32-bit control registers.
  • Modified from the original R3000A cop0 architecture, with the addition of a few registers and functions.
  • Controls memory management through virtual memory technique, system interrupts, exception handling, and breakpoints.
  • MiB main EDO DRAM[5]
  • Additional RAM is integrated with the GPU (including a 1 MB framebuffer) and SPU (512 KB), see below for details.
  • Cache RAM for CPU core and CD-ROM. See the relevant sections for details.
  • Flash RAM support through the use of memory cards, see below.
  • BIOS stored on 512 KB ROM

Graphics processing unit (GPU)

[edit]

32-bit Sony GPU (designed by Toshiba)[12]

  • Handles display of graphics, control of framebuffer, and drawing of polygons and textures[citation needed]
  • Handles 2D graphics processing, in a similar manner to the 3D engine[citation needed]
  • RAM:[citation needed]
  • Features:
    • Adjustable framebuffer (1024×512)
    • Emulation of simultaneous backgrounds (to simulate parallax scrolling)
    • Mask bit
    • Texture window
    • Dithering
    • Clipping
    • Alpha blending (4 per-texel alpha blending modes)
    • Fog
    • Framebuffer effects
    • Transparency effects
    • Render to texture
    • Offscreen rendering
    • Multipass rendering
    • Flat or Gouraud shading and texture mapping[2]
    • No line restriction
    • Colored light sourcing
  • Resolutions:
  • Colors:
  • Texture mapping color mode:[11]
    • Mode 4: 4-bit CLUT (16 colors)
    • Mode 8: 8-bit CLUT (256 colors)
    • Mode 15: 15-bit direct (32,768 colors)
    • Mode 24: 24-bit (16,777,216 colors)
  • Sprite engine[citation needed]
  • Special sprite effects:[11]
    • Rotation
    • Scaling up/down
    • Warping
    • Transparency
    • Fading
    • Priority
    • Vertical and horizontal line scroll
  • Pixel fillrate (theoretical maximum):[14]
    • 66 MPixel/s flat shaded polygons
    • 33 MPixel/s Gouraud shaded polygons
    • 33 MPixel/s for textured polygons with optional Gourard shading
    • Actual fill rate is lower due to polygon overhead or texture cache misses

Sound processing unit (SPU)

[edit]

16-bit Sony SPU[5]

I/O system and connectivity

[edit]

CD-ROM drive

  • 660 MB maximum storage capacity, double speed (CLV) CD-ROM drive
  • 2×, with a maximum data throughput of 300 KB/s (double speed), 150 KB/s (normal)[11]
  • 32 KB data buffer[15]
  • XA Mode 2 compliant
  • Audio CD play[11]
  • CD-DA (CD-Digital Audio)
  • Rated for 70,000 seek operations[16]

Two control pads via connectors[11]

  • Expandable with multitap connector[11]

Backup flash RAM support

  • Two removable cards[11]
  • Each card has 128 KB flash memory
  • OS support for File Save, Retrieve and Remove[11]
  • Some games (like “Music 2000”) can use Memory Cards as main RAM, to store data for real time processing, bypassing the 2MB RAM limit.[citation needed]

Video and audio connectivity

Serial and parallel ports

Power input

  • 100 V AC (NTSC-J); 120 V AC (NTSC-U/C); or 220–240 V AC (PAL)
  • 7.5 V DC 2 A (PSone only)

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