Why Sony dropped the BC ???

[kn]

drkohler said:

kn said:

drkohler said:

libellule said:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=29509

Any claim that this has been done for cost purposes is clearly false, because the European PS3 already emulated its predecessors in software. Some legacy chips remained on-board (but not the central processor, the Emotion Engine), but their cost is unlikely to have been much more than a dollar or two per unit - if even that.

==> feel free to comment.

LOL, a good waver chip costs you $10'000 and is probably good for 350-500 "some legacy" chips (depending on structure size). Talk about not saving... I wish these "experts" would actually at least try to understand a little bit about what they are foaming about.. wishful thinking, I know.. these idiots seem to grow on trees nowadays.

 

You apparently don't have any clue what you are talking about, either. A 12" wafer can easily hold a crapload of legacy die.....

My numbers are certainly outdated and based on numbers actually known (old pentiums and yield numbers). I very much doubt that the GS has any fault tolerancy built in and is produced on top knotch die processors (the chips in the US pictures of a PS3 board look like old fashioned large die EE/GS PS2 chips). And contrary of what you might think about clues, I do have some so let's leave it at that. Even if we get over 1000 dies out of a waver, that's still over $10 savings per PS3.

 Ok, maybe "clueless" was a bit harsh... BUT, I actually work in the semiconductor industry and I am quite certain that they are getting way more than 1000 die per 12" wafer...  That said, even if it WAS $10/unit in quantity that adds up, but it is a feature that a lot of people want and I don't think it was in Sony's best interest to remove a $10 chip to reach their price point.  As I mentioned above, the Broadway in the Wii is easily more powerful than the Playstion equivalent and is 19 square millimeters...  That is a LOT of die on a 12" wafer...