week eight - introduction to hardware
Post on 19-Nov-2014
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Computer Game Platforms & Technologies
Week 8Introduction to Hardware
So Far We Have...
• Covered game platforms and the software technologies used upon them
• Undertaken the first assignment – well I hope so!!!
• Completed half the content for this module
Hardware
Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Executes a sequence of stored instructions that
have been stored in a form of computer memory– All computers have a CPU– Fetch, Decode, Execute, Write
Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Clock Speeds• Measured in Hertz• Number of cycles per second the CPU can accomplish
– How many hertz in 1.2MHz?– How many hertz in 2.4GHz?
– Mega Drive clock speed - 7.67 MHz– Xbox 360 clock speed – 3.4 GHz
Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Cache– Cache > RAM > Hard Disk
• L1 (Level One)– Built into the CPU– Extremely fast to access although small in size (256Kb is common)
• L2 (Level Two)– Also built in (on modern processors)– Increased latency due to distance (1MB in size is common)
• L3 (Level Three)– Normally shared by cores (i.e. AMD Shanghai chips both have their own L1
& L2 cache, but share a larger L3 cache)– Located on the motherboard
Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Bus• How a computer connects various locations to each other
within the system• Types of CPU Bus
– Address– Data
• FSB (Front Side Bus)– Carries data between the CPU & the System Memory (Northbridge)– Percentage of CPU speed– Can be key in games
Hardware
• Memory– Purpose of Computer Memory• To allow the computer to access and execute specific
files and applications quicker and faster than directly from its stored location (i.e. Hard Drive / Flash Disk)
– Number of types of memory• Functionality• Durability
Hardware
• Memory– Volatile• RAM• DRAM (Dynamic)• SRAM (Static)• SDRAM (Synchronous)
– Non Volatile• ROM• Flash Memory
Hardware
• Graphics Processor– Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) / Visual
Processing Unit (VPU)– Offloads and accelerates the process of 2D & 3D
graphic rendering from the CPU– Can be integrated (on board) or dedicated
dependant on requirements
Hardware
• Graphics Processor– Designed specifically for performing complex
mathematical and geometric calculations– GPU speeds not as high as CPU– Inbuilt RAM to store the image created– Frame Buffer
Hardware
• Graphics Processor– RAMDAC• Converts the digital signals stored within the RAM to an
analogue base so that the monitor can interpret and display the result
Hardware
• Graphics Processor– Xbox 360 (Xenos GPU)• 500MHz• 4 x Full Scene Anti Aliasing (FSAA)• Z Buffering
– PS3 (RXS)• 550MHz• Based on nVidea GeForce 7800 architecture
Hardware
• Power– Internal (see image) stored within a PC case with
an external power lead supplying the electrical current
– PSU dependant on internal components– High power GPU = High Watt PSU
So...
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