PS3 Linux Performs Real Time Ray Tracing

fistfullast33l writes "A video posted on You Tube shows three PS3s networked together to perform Real Time Ray Tracing. Keep in mind that PS3 Linux runs in a hypervisor, so the RSX graphics chip is not being used at all. Even more impressive, PS3 Fanboy is reporting that Linux also limits the number of SPEs to 6 at once, so not all the horsepower on each of the PS3s is being utilized. According to the You Tube Summary, IBM Cell SDK 2.0 is being used for the IBM Interactive Ray-tracer (iRT). This apparently was done by the same team that presented a tech demo at GDC 2007 of a Linux PS3 rendering a 3 million polygon scene in real time at 1080p resolution."

Comments

Some thoughts

[drinkypoo]

Even more impressive, PS3 Fanboy is reporting that Linux also limits the number of SPEs to 6 at once, so not all the horsepower on each of the PS3s is being utilized.

that's not a strictly accurate description of the situation, although it's close. Linux doesn't limit it, it uses one SPE for its own benefit. So 7 SPEs are in use, just as they are when playing games, but one of them is consumed by the kernel.

I don't think this is very exciting, however. It's not like it has gaming applications; you need three PS3s to get it done. Wake me up when one PS3 can do realtime raytracing in-game.

I know there's been some limited applications of realtime raytracing in gaming. IIRC your temple in Black & White had some in the ceiling. But I'm talking about actually useful effects, not just some non-play-related eye candy.

Re:Some thoughts

[MBCook]

Note that the RSX (the graphics powerhouse) is not being used at all and could cut things down. Real time ray-tracing on a lower level (say 720p) may be feasible on one PS3 using both chips. You won't run your game with it (unless you render at 480p and upscale or something), but you could use it for cut-scenes or menus or other things where you don't have the overhead of traditional games processing (AI, etc.).

Also, one SPE on each console was dedicated to compressing the resulting image (to save bandwidth), and an additional SPE was used on the client to decode the images. That means there were 5 + 5 + 4 = 14 SPEs doing actual ray-tracing. That's just a hair over 2 machines if they didn't have to deal with the encoding/decoding process. Add the RSX in and this looks like it may be feasible to me (again, not for game-play where you have to run AI and such).

Still, quite cool and shows you what a PS3 is capable of in some situations.

Re:Some thoughts

[AKAImBatman]

Wait... He hooked up three PS3's to do real-time raytracing, and you _don't_ find it impressive?

Not really. You can do more with a stack of FPGAs for a lot less. Not to mention that real-time raytracing on desktop computers has been a hot topic of research for a while now. (Especially in the demo community.) Here's one of my favorites.

For having hooked up 3 Cell cores, I actually would have expected something slightly more impressive than a car on a pedastal. I hate to be negative, but this is really nothing more than a marketing stunt by IBM. Sega pulled the same stunt with the Dreamcast marketing 8 years ago, and look where it got them. :-/

Re:Graphics applications

[drinkypoo]

Umm, I think you have Radiosity confused with ray tracing.

I do not. But I can't find a citation, either. They definitely didn't use radiosity, which tends to take more CPU to do right than the raytracing itself does. (I'm no graphics expert, but I've spent a fair bit of time noodling around with 3d graphics, mostly with Lightwave 3D.)

This is proving that Sony allowing people access to Linux on the machine really is working. It counters the argument of XBLA's framework being the best thing ever.

The two are for different things. Microsoft at least gives you fairly complete access to the system. Sony locks you into a hypervisor environment that denies you access to the GPU, which is why they're not using it for anything here.

Look out Hollywood.

[Odinson]

Notible, fully animated, $3000 budget movies with desktop directors should show up in the next couple of years. The first software vendor to sell a wide open game engine with a diverse enviornment like GTA, WOW, etc and an explicit disclaimer that they won't sue you or ask for a cut if you make financially successful commercial movies with it will make a killing!

Forget about it if the company gives you tools and permision remap/redraw everything easily with 2d sources.

Desktop directors will be the garage band rock stars of the next few decades.

You might know me by my old .sig

Your civilization has built the Internet.(+2sci) This obsoletes the Hollywood wonder.(+1hap)

:)

Re:I'd buy.

[MikeFM]

I already have redundant crap glued to my tv. Distributed processing is a benefit because it'd allow that redundant crap to work together to do something other than gathering dust. I probably wouldn't upgrade all my crap to have Cell processors in it but when I upgrade it anyway, as I'm likely to do within a five year period, then I may as well get new equipment that'll work together instead of being at war with each other.

Upgrading a console every five years is a dying concept. It's much easier, and cheaper, to use a fixed system and just add additional systems as needed. Games are getting to the point where more of their processing will be parallel anyway so why cram it all into a single box? My guess for the PS4 would be a smaller, faster version of the PS3 that is CPU-compatible with more RAM, HDD, and possibly a better video chipset. I'd also take a guess at a mini rack-mount attachment where you can plug-in streamlined versions that don't have bluetooth, usb, a/v, etc built-in but that will fit into the nice little rack. The prices could come down, the systems could get a lot smaller, cooler, quieter, and less energy hungry, and performance could be increased rapidly instead of in five year leaps. Sony could sell the intitial units for prices parents wouldn't run from and offer affordable upgrading to the power of the system. A lot more people would shell out $200 three times than $600 once especially if it adds onto what they already have.

The Cell processor isn't just a Sony thing and is available to be added to any company's products. You can buy Blade servers that run a Cell processor. It's a real CPU and not just a toy CPU for some gaming console.

Developing distributed programs isn't that difficult. What is difficult is taking existing code libraries and tools and porting them to a distributed model. With game consoles and PC CPUs going towards that model though developers are going to have to make the change. Once your libraries and tools are designed for distributed programming it can be easier because you don't have to do things in time slices. Getting a lot of CPU intensive complex systems to run in tiny segments as you loop over them is a much bigger pain in the ass IMO.