Cell Microprocessor Documentation

darkweb · Post by **darkweb** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:24 am

Hi everyone,
So I see that Sony has released documentation on its new Cell Microprocessor. Now I figured since there's no PS3 development it would be best to post it here. Basically there's 5 different documents:

Cell Broadband Engine Architecture
Synergistic Processor Unit(SPU) Instruction Set Architecture
SPU C/C++ Language Extensions
SPU Application Binary Interface Specification
SPU Assembly Language Specification

Now I'm not sure if these will be helpful to anyone but the C/C++ Language Extensions and Assembly Language Specs could be useful in any development for the PS3.
This stuff IS legal since the information was released to the public and you guys can find it all here!
http://cell.scei.co.jp/index_e.html

Hopefully it's worth someones while!
Darkweb

adresd · Post by **adresd** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:35 am

Nice link indeed.

many thanks :)

sure they will make interesting reading for many people

Saotome · Post by **Saotome** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 6:36 am

The "SPU Assembly Language Specification" is my favourite.
Some nice opcodes there :) A little bit like MIPS assembly (as simple).

Post by **Oobles** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:57 am

Via Slashdot.. the IBM link of what I assume will be the same.

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/power/cell/

J.F. · Post by **J.F.** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 1:44 pm

It is. I got the docs from IBM's page. Really good stuff for people planning on working on Cell programming. Now bring on the PS3!!

Arwin · Post by **Arwin** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 7:42 pm

Yeah, it's great that they've released this publicly. I think they are worried that people don't quite understand the strength of the new processor before they get their hands on the proper technical documentation, and they're probably right. It's also clear that this time they have a big vested interest in making the hardware itself a success, moreso than with other consoles where they are 100% dependent on software sales (though I think they never really made any significant loss on the hardware of the PS2, which was very clever).

crazyc · Post by **crazyc** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 1:41 am

There are interesting, in-depth articles about cell at Real World Technologies.

J.F. · Post by **J.F.** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:53 am

Arwin wrote:I think they are worried that people don't quite understand the strength of the new processor before they get their hands on the proper technical documentation, and they're probably right.

You see two types of people commenting on Cell in most forums: the first is the nay-sayer who harps on the fact that PPC core is in-order execution which they claim will be slow as shit, and that the SPEs are nearly impossible to write software for; the other is the eternal optimist who thinks of the Cell as a piece of magic plucked from the heavens - a chip that will solve the secret of life, cook your breakfast, and walk the dog, all while playing games that look better than reality.

The documentation will certainly clear things up for programmers, but don't expect it to make a bit of difference to the people mentioned above... they run on rhetoric and rumor, not documentation. :D

dot_blank · Post by **dot_blank** » Sat May 20, 2006 7:39 pm

this seems to me best index of CELL documentation
so others should keep their eyes on this page or at
least bookmark for times to come for ps3dev ;) ...very soon

http://www-306.ibm.com/chips/techlib/te ... and_Engine

rz950 · Post by **rz950** » Mon May 29, 2006 12:14 pm

well, they seem to have a Full System Simulator for all the IBM PowerPC 970 which is the same cpu that the ps3 has if im correct.

http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/syst ... S_CMP=DWPA

Sony and the other companies helping out seem to be alot more "free" now, hopefully the ps3 ends up running linux without restrictions, even if it does they know we will break it. xD

Post by **jbit** » Mon May 29, 2006 4:54 pm

rz950 wrote:well, they seem to have a Full System Simulator for all the IBM PowerPC 970 which is the same cpu that the ps3 has if im correct.

Uhhh. The PS3 has a Cell in it, even the PowerPC processor inside the Cell isn't a 970 (even though it could be considered close).

http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/cellsystemsim
Would be a more useful simulator....

rz950 · Post by **rz950** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:18 am

oh well I have been looking at ps3 info on my psp so i havent been able to fully explore all the links and info but tnx for adding a actual cell simulator link

FreeFighter · Post by **FreeFighter** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:33 am

Titanio wrote:IBM has updated the Cell developerworks site with some new links to various resources for those interested in and programming for Cell.

First, IBM has added a Cell section to the IBM Education Assistant - basically an online "virtual classes" resource. There are lots of presentations here covering various aspects relating to Cell and Cell development. They are all new to me, and most seem to be quite recent.

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocente ... /index.jsp

I've only scanned through some of them. There's one that presents IBM cell blades - you might be interested to know that these will be retailing from ~$50k for a basic "blade-only" system! Like I say, there are others, covering for example in more detail techniques used in the TRE application and so on. Some of the presentations just have placeholder content, particularly in the "Application Development" section - some of those look very interesting, should be great when they come online. Seems like it'll be a great resource.

Also worth mentioning is that a game developer has set up http://www.cellperformance.com/ - a site for sharing cell programming knowledge and discussion. Already has a number of quite detailed and practical articles, though I've not read through them all yet.

All this stuff could be very useful for anyone looking into homebrew and PS3 coding! Really ought to find more time to do more work on the simulator myself.

From: http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31249