IBM: Cell Processor Yields "Lucky" to be only 10- 20%

zippyjuan · 07-13-2006, 10:16 AM

More problems for Sony's PS3.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/dis...713074825.html

Quote:

IBM Claims 10% - 20% Yield “Lucky” for the Cell Processor.
Cell Chips Continue to Have Yield Issues

Category: CPU

by Anton Shilov

[ 07/13/2006 | 07:51 AM ]

In an attempt to offer the most powerful game console on the planet and ensure that the PlayStation 3 games are unique, Sony decided to put a very advanced Cell processor inside the machine. But now it transpires that to produce the chip in large quantities is not that easy.

IBM’s vice president of semiconductor and technology services said during an interview that with big chips like the Cell processor, jointly developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba, 10% – 20% yields are normal and the chipmakers should be lucky enough to get such output of fully functional chips. But the Cell microprocessors are to be used in Sony PlayStation 3, which will sell in millions, which means that a question about Sony’s ability to ship the console in quantities rises.

“[Defects] become a bigger problem the bigger the chip is. With chips that are one-by-one and silicon germanium, we can get yields of 95%. With a chip like the Cell processor, you’re lucky to get 10 or 20%. If you put logic redundancy on it, you can double that,” said Tom Reeves, VP of semiconductor and technology services at IBM, in an interview with Electronic News web-site.

The Cell microprocessor incorporates one dual-threaded PowerPC core and eight so-called synergistic processing engines (SPEs) intended for floating-point calculations, the most demanding tasks in entertainment, workstation and server systems. The PowerPC core is projected to have 32KB L1 cache and 512KB L2 cache, while each of the SPEs will have 256KB of cache. The Cell has built-in Rambus XDR memory interface, capable of data rates from 3.20GHz to 8.0GHz. The chip also uses FlexIO processor buses that are capable of running at up to 6.40GHz.

Given that there are many SPEs inside the Cell, which can go malfunction, while the rest of chip will operate fine, the Cell chip can be utilized in applications, where all eight SPEs are not required. For example, Sony PlayStation 3 game console requires Cell processors with seven synergistic processing units. The yield of Cell processor with seven SPEs is unclear, but IBM claims there is sufficient amount of Cell chips with only six synergetic processing units.

“There are a lot of chips with six cores operational, and we’ve been thinking about whether we should really throw all of those away. We also have a separate part number for chips with all eight cores good. The stuff that’s going to be for medical imaging, aerospace and defense and data uses eight cores,” Mr. Reeves said.

It is not the first time when the Cell processor accused of low yields. Recently it was reported that Sony may lower clock-speed of the Cell processor in the console to 2.80GHz, down from 3.50GHz expected initially, due to low yields at high clock-speeds. Meanwhile, according to Merrill Lynch research company, the Cell processor will cost Sony “at least” $230 per unit to make, another indicator of low yields.

zero2dash · 07-13-2006, 12:20 PM

Not only that, BluRay diode is in short supply as well. (which affects standalone BluRay players as well)

http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2006-07-11/#3

Quote:

Yet Another Delay for Blu-Ray Players, Says Chinese Paper
And the delays keep coming for Sony's Blu-ray high-definition DVD system. China's Commercial Times newspaper is reporting that Sony's production facilities have not been able to meet the demand for the diode that generates the blue laser at the heart of the HD system. Both Sony's own plants and those of Japan's Nichia Corp., the only two suppliers of the diodes, have been plagued by production problems, the newspaper said. The supply problem, it observed, could not only delay production of Blu-ray DVD players for Sony and other manufacturers, but could also delay the release of PlayStation 3 models, now scheduled for November.

AlpineJay · 07-13-2006, 01:00 PM

really don't wanna fret about the small details, but do we mean "IBM" and "Cell?"

nevertheless made me click on the thread to see what it was about!

DarkFury · 07-13-2006, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlpineJay

really don't wanna fret about the small details, but do we mean "IBM" and "Cell?"

nevertheless made me click on the thread to see what it was about!

Heh.. yeah I noticed that to.

Maybe Zippy isn't having the best of days today.

zippyjuan · 07-13-2006, 01:45 PM

OOps! Correction made! Sometimes I type too fast and the letters get in the wrong order.

GraingerGuy · 07-13-2006, 05:02 PM

Wow....can you say more delays? Or at least a really short opening supply.

Also, is this going to make the PS3 even more than it was expected to be?

redcolours · 07-13-2006, 05:50 PM

its ok. just raise the prices real high. people will still eat it up.

gear02 · 07-13-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlpineJay

really don't wanna fret about the small details, but do we mean "IBM" and "Cell?"

nevertheless made me click on the thread to see what it was about!

I don't understand your question...was the thread title different?

and 20% yield is sick. That might mean a larger defect rate for those processors that hit the market. Note to self: don't buy first gen PS3.

DarkFury · 07-13-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gear02

I don't understand your question...was the thread title different?

Originally the title said:

IMB: Call Processor Yields "Lucky" to be only 10- 20%

GAM must've fixed it.

gear02 · 07-13-2006, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Originally the title said:

IMB: Call Processor Yields "Lucky" to be only 10- 20%

GAM must've fixed it.

ah...that makes more sense now.

07-13-2006, 05:02 PM	#6
GraingerGuy Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Working....and working...and working some more Posts: 3,573	Wow....can you say more delays? Or at least a really short opening supply. Also, is this going to make the PS3 even more than it was expected to be? __________________ potato gun + marshmallow gun = FLAMING MARSHMALLOWS OF DOOM!!!!! -Welfareloser 4/13/05 Time to switch to AMD now I guess... (just kidding... ) -Darkfury 5/23/05 I don't think this'll stop anything though - the better you idiot-proof a system, the more impressive the idiot becomes. -ShawnLee 5/30/08

07-13-2006, 05:50 PM	#7
redcolours in living colour Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: above a raging c Posts: 1,739	its ok. just raise the prices real high. people will still eat it up. __________________ there are pictures, but no,nothing happens on my site.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-13-2006, 01:00 PM	#3
AlpineJay Commander Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Medford, MA Posts: 1,011	really don't wanna fret about the small details, but do we mean "IBM" and "Cell?" nevertheless made me click on the thread to see what it was about! __________________ If con is the opposite of pro, then what's the opposite of progress?

07-13-2006, 01:45 PM	#5
zippyjuan Picture of the Day Guru Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 8,756	OOps! Correction made! Sometimes I type too fast and the letters get in the wrong order.

User Name
Password
Remember Me?