Ray tracer on the Playstation 3 / Cell Broadband Engine - Part 1

Real time ray tracer running on multiple SPUs on the Playstation 3.

See http://www.dinkla.net for further details.

1. With one SPU and in the real colors
2. With two SPUs. One calculates the upper half, the second one the lower half of the screen. The areas of the SPUs have different colors.
3. With 3, 4, 5 and finally with 6 SPUs.
4. With 6 SPUs in real color.

Note the increase in speed with each SPU.

This code uses scalar math and is not vectorized. I will write a vectorized version in the future.

The resolution in the video is 480p. The program works with all resolutions of the ps3.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Playstation 3
• ps3
• cell broadband engine
• ray tracer
• real-time

[Metallica737]

If the GPU was available in linux, how much of a performance increase would you think happen?

[joerndinkla]

I can't give an estimate. The point of this video is to demonstrate the speedup using the SPUs and not to demonstrate efficient graphics rendering.

[HKFLX4656]

what about the RSX

[joerndinkla]

The RSX is not usable in Linux.

[OniMirage]

@GamePlayUpload PS3 Cell itself makes use of XDR Ram.

[JoeyJoeJoe5000]

Not very impressive. Ray Tracing is simply not possible on any hardware right now. Plus Sandy Bridge (The new Intel Core i7) absolutely wipes the floor with the Cell. The PS3 as a whole is just not that powerful, and never really was.

[NewLynxChannel]

@GamePlayUpload Again, the Playstation 3 does support anti-aliasing. Obviously, the next one will support it as well.

We can make guesses, though... The next Playstation will probably use OpenGL 4 (or a newer, yet unreleased version) and thus support tesselation. Also, it will at least be comparable to the hardware that today is on the top of the mainstream market (Thuban, Lynnfield, Barts, GF104...).

[GamePlayUpload]

@NewLynxChannel

Shame it doesn't have GDDR5 memory but GDDR3 was very good in 2006

really makes you wonder what the next generation will have?

i hope next PlayStation supports anti aliasing

[NewLynxChannel]

@GamePlayUpload RSX does support anti-aliasing. But it doesn't have fast memory, it uses a 128-bit GDDR3 setup with 22.4 GB/s bandwidth. Current models easily exceed three times that value.

[GamePlayUpload]

@Zeevee007

The RSX graphics isn't that good it has fast memory sure but when making games that go across PC, PS3 , Xbox 360, the RSX fails

If the RSX graphics had anti aliasing they would be great in all games but because of this it's Bluray and cell broadband engine that makes PS3 great

but i can't say to much i all ways liked PC for gaming more than PS3

because of the upgrade able hardware and more software in some games

but you get what you pay for right!

[Zeevee007]

@GamePlayUpload are u retarded? everyone knows ps3 has better graphics cuz it uses both cell and rsx in games like gran turismo 5, uncharted 2, gow 3, killzone 2 and 3 should i go on or u get my point.

[GamePlayUpload]

i Wish Sony out better Graphics in PS3 RSX ain't what makes PS3 good cell broadband engine

and Blu Ray are what makes it Good

they shourd of put Graphics like what xbox 360 has

[tazss159]

what is bette rat ray tracer the intel core i7 or the cell brodband engine

[raydenPGD111]

cuda processor FTW