Sony Patents Emotion Engine Emulation Technology For Cell Processors

[JohnAlden]

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/29...ll-processors/, PS2 backwards compatibility is back!

[xtop]

PlayStation 3s without PS2 backwards compatibility are missing the Emotion Engine, a chip Sony designed as the PS2’s CPU. What if the PS3’s cell processor could emulate the Emotion Engine? Theoretically, all PlayStation 3s would be able to play PS2 games even if a console didn’t have the proper hardware. According to a recent patent filed by Sony Computer Entertainment in the US, Sony has the code and technology ready to do this.

There are two main ways to emulate hardware. Interpretation is when target code is decoded and converted into a language the host can understand. The other strategy is to decode and recompile programs in the host’s language.

Maybe the concept is better explained another way. Interpretation is like having someone constantly translating English to Japanese for you, non stop, twenty four hours a day wherever you go. Decoding and recompiling is like someone translating a sets of words and putting them in a dictionary you can reference.

Sony developed a way to translate instructions from an Emotion Engine chip into chunks that can be referenced.

Figure 2 from the patent is a schematic drawing of how the system works. Figure 3A is a drawing of the PlayStation 2’s chipset. Figure 3B is the emotion engine. Figure 4 is where the whole story gets interesting! It’s “an example of a host system based on a cell processor that may be configured to emulate the target system.” The target is figure 3B, the Emotion Engine.

There aren’t too many reasons why Sony would want the PS3’s Cell processor to emulate the PS2’s Emotion Engine and the key one is backwards compatibility.

Perhaps, a firmware update or the new PlayStation 3 slim, which our friends at Ars Technica say is coming this fall, will utilize this technology.

sweet

edit: and after coming to my senses and reading about this on gaf, it seems we shouldn't get excited until they're emulating the Graphics Synthesizer. but maybe this is a step in the right direction

[JohnAlden]

If indeed if coming in future firmware update, than ps3 owners will have PS2's RPG titles for replayablity. For me that means that no more crappy upscaling PS2's games.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by JohnAlden

If indeed if coming in future firmware update, than ps3 owners will have PS2's RPG titles for replayablity. For me that means that no more crappy upscaling PS2's games.

a ps2 game is still a ps2 game. not sure i follow

[Toptube]

Sony has known how to emulate the emotion engine for a long time. See the 80gig PS3. The graphics chip is the tricky part, because it has so damn much bandwidth, emulating that to an acceptable percentage (say, 85%) is going to be very very tricky.

Originally Posted by xtop

a ps2 game is still a ps2 game. not sure i follow

I think he's hoping for an option to boost a game's internal resolution. Not just upscaling the output signal.

[JohnAlden]

Originally Posted by xtop

a ps2 game is still a ps2 game. not sure i follow

What I meant was that an PS2 game with using the Ps3 to PS2 software emulation with rendering power can make it suitable for HD displays.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Toptube

Sony has known how to emulate the emotion engine for a long time. See the 80gig PS3. The graphics chip is the tricky part, because it has so damn much bandwidth, emulating that to an acceptable percentage (say, 85%) is going to be very very tricky.

its already being done on the pc, no reason to think sony can't handle it

[Toptube]

Originally Posted by xtop

its already being done on the pc, no reason to think sony can't handle it

Some games work pretty well----with nice processors and really nice graphics cards and you often need a custom profile for each game. Sony has a really nice processor and an ok graphics card and need to get MOST games working.

[Darkhawk9587]

Nice. This will make it easier, if true, to find my brother in law a PS3 that's backwards compatible.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Toptube

Some games work pretty well----with nice processors and really nice graphics cards and you often need a custom profile for each game. Sony has a really nice processor and an ok graphics card and need to get MOST games working.

most games run perfectly on pretty average pc's of the day now. if regular hackers can get it running so well, i'd hope sony could do even better

[Ascended_Saiyan]

The Cell was already emulating the EE with the old 80GB (60GB in Europe) PS3s. They just added the GS chip in it. Maybe Sony will be bring back the GS chips to future PS3s.

[Ascended_Saiyan]

Originally Posted by xtop

sweet

edit: and after coming to my senses and reading about this on gaf, it seems we shouldn't get excited until they're emulating the Graphics Synthesizer. but maybe this is a step in the right direction

Very true.

[sg2386]

interesting...will be great to see Sony adding BC again.

I don't think PS2 BC should be a deal breaker for people looking into the PS3, it's just a bonus to have.

That's why i LOVE my 60GB, and nearly 2.5 years mine has been running flawlessly with no issues at all *knocks on wood*

[ussrelativity]

I've got a CECHE01 MG model, so I've got the GS. I looked at the compatibility list, and there are still a number of titles that could be improved with the emulation. Other than that, it's practically a CECHA01 model. I was wondering if Sony ever were to think about it down the road again, when costs came way down.

OT: I've also acquired MGS4, so I've been playing that a bit now.

[NARMAK]

I got a feeling they'll be introding an update for BC if at all this fall in time for the holidays to make current PS2 owners more interested by allowing them to play their big collection of games

It may also be they want to introduce the rumoured PS3 slim & it won't be able to use any PS2 hardware in order to allow it to be slim but they also want it & all current PS3s BC too

With added firmware features & a price drop this fall & all those juicy exclusives in time for the holidays it will be the sweetest PS3 christmas to date

[browinie]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I got a feeling they'll be introding an update for BC if at all this fall in time for the holidays to make current PS2 owners more interested by allowing them to play their big collection of games

It may also be they want to introduce the rumoured PS3 slim & it won't be able to use any PS2 hardware in order to allow it to be slim but they also want it & all current PS3s BC too

With added firmware features & a price drop this fall & all those juicy exclusives in time for the holidays it will be the sweetest PS3 christmas to date

Depends on the roll-out plan. Kaz Hirai and his team haven't demonstrated that they can successfully market the 'image' they're going for. If they can some how explain to the casual consumer that the PS3 is more than an investment but also provides the needs they require now, then Sony would be in for a treat. - Especially with all the features that are rumoured to be here by Winter.

[mikejet]

If it provided better playback and upscaled graphics for PS2 games, I would pay for this.

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by browinie

Depends on the roll-out plan. Kaz Hirai and his team haven't demonstrated that they can successfully market the 'image' they're going for. If they can some how explain to the casual consumer that the PS3 is more than an investment but also provides the needs they require now, then Sony would be in for a treat. - Especially with all the features that are rumoured to be here by Winter.

I don't know of the 'image' you refer to but i think if they really push marketing of exclusive titles & inform of the Blu-ray capability they will do well alongside a price cut & introduction of a PS3 slim & hopefully we'll hear something regarding the last two at TGS 09

Originally Posted by mikejet

If it provided better playback and upscaled graphics for PS2 games, I would pay for this.

I'd be happy with just basic play for 100% of PS2 games but throwing in PS2 upscaling like i had in my european 60gb PS3 before it messed up would be a good treat

[Sponge-worthy]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I got a feeling they'll be introding an update for BC if at all this fall in time for the holidays to make current PS2 owners more interested by allowing them to play their big collection of games

It may also be they want to introduce the rumoured PS3 slim & it won't be able to use any PS2 hardware in order to allow it to be slim but they also want it & all current PS3s BC too

IMO, this was Sony's biggest stumble with the PS3 rollout. They had to remove PS2-BC from the PS3 so as not to dilute PS2 sales, as the PS2 was a reliable revenue stream while the PS3 was definitely a work in progress for the first 1-2 years. I don't think anyone is surprised that Sony would offer PS2 software emulation as an update/download at some future date when Sony was comfortable seeing an end to the PS2 life cycle, however.

One of the problems Sony had with PS2-BC on PS3 had to do with Sony's quality control during the PS2 era. Many of the titles that were released contained some pretty funky code that did not always function properly when emulated, particularly after Sony removed the emotion hardware subsequent to the launch PS3 models. Hopefully, whatever solution Sony comes up with will be widely functional. I do likes the smoothing/upscaling of the PS2 games

Going forward, I think Sony should try to maintain a universal-type of BC platform for its catalog--something that could be adapted to future consoles as well so that PSone, PS2 (and presumably PS3, etc.) classics will always be viable gaming options in the future.

[xtop]

Originally Posted by ryan69969

IMO, this was Sony's biggest stumble with the PS3 rollout. They had to remove PS2-BC from the PS3 so as not to dilute PS2 sales, as the PS2 was a reliable revenue stream while the PS3 was definitely a work in progress for the first 1-2 years. I don't think anyone is surprised that Sony would offer PS2 software emulation as an update/download at some future date when Sony was comfortable seeing an end to the PS2 life cycle, however.

taking the hardware out was for cost reasons.