Patent Filed for Graphics Synthesizer Emulation on PS3?

Nofi from TheSixthAxis writes: Apparently Sony have filed a patent to emulate the Graphics Synthesizer using the Cell and RSX, unlocking the final barrier for full PS2 backwards compatibility on the PS3. Or, at least, that's what this looks like to my untrained eyes. You'll remember our earlier story regarding the Emotion Engine, but this is the real deal, with the patent demonstrating a method to emulate both the EE and the GS.

[Rainstorm81]

Full backwards compatability for all and PS2 games on PSN. Forget the slim this will get more ps2 people to buy ps3's plus a price drop of course.

[Raf1k1]

If Sony get the BC working this year I don't think it'll be released until next year sometime.

Edit: I hope I'm wrong and it's released this year since I'm really thinking about picking up a PS2.

[himdeel]

...the PS3 slim with a price cut, backwards compatibility via software emulation for all SKU's, and release dates for GTA5 bundled with the slim at the TGS, if they were my company to run.

Otherwise I'll be keeping my PS2 hooked up in the den till then playing Sly 2.

[mastiffchild]

I made sure I got a 60Gig with BC back in the day as our house is too small to keep more consoles than the bare minimum in the front room! My point here is why are Sony dragging their heels so badly over bringing it back in a cheaper form for every PS3?

I mean if it was part of the plan at the very start what changed their minds? Many of my later adopting mates have offered me their newer PS3's plus cash for mine so I do know it's something people actually still want-and I don't think that's ever changed. So why the big delay?

[Darkeyes]

Wow... If this is true, then just imagine if all of these things took place at once...

PS3 slim+Price cut+GT5+FF13(Japan)+PS2 backward emulation..... That would be one hell of a day.

If this is true, then all Sony has to do is to Advertise and Educate.... I have a few friends who still think that PS3 has B/C... And I even know a few goon who think that PS3's can only play Blu-Rays and no DVDs... That is really ignorance which Sony takes for granted.... They should show people how the earlier model didn't have B/C (except the launch ones) and how great this will be as it virtually adds thousands of games in the PS3 roster.....

Come on Sony bring on Firmware 3.0.... B/C would be a great gift for PS2's retirement... Just celebrate PS2's retirement by this deed.

[raztad]

@himdeel

That would be OVERKILLING. You want xbox sales be reduced to zero? :D I'm getting worried about the mental health of some xbox fans after the price cut.

BTW, I think Slim will be 400$, Fat 300$. GT5 wont be bundled nor FFXIII. BC is a must, I want to play some PS2 RPGs but I'm not interested in buying another console. Judging by PS classics sales on PSN, I'm sure Sony is interested in full BC on the PS3 ASAP. Software sales is what matter most and PS2 library is just HUGE.

[Rainstorm81]

I know what you mean the ignorance is astounding. I even know people still saying the PS3 has no games which is of course laughable this isnt 2006.

Advertise/Educate should be key for sony right now. Show people on youtube, facebook, via the browser. Show the EyePet which is virtually Milo with more interactivity in 2009.

Personally i download movies and put them on my 320GB HD.......Show that you can replace the HDD and get 320GB for the price of the X360 120GB come on. Pros and Cons.

I guess that where a little bit of arrogance comes into play, they must think everyone knows about the system or they are just focused on the software to push consoles. Although they do advertise heavily on HOME

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

This was filed in 2007 and we are in 2009. I'm hopeful, as this is my most requested feature, but as time keeps going the less likely it will happen.

Unless Sony is just trying to sell more PS2s... doesn't quite add up though.

[jack_burt0n]

Totally agree with all of you, Playstation 3 advertising SUCKS.

This is my Ad:

Its the most upto date best selling HD Bluray/DVD player on the market.
Has built in Wifi for access to the free Playstation Network where Games are free to play and social services like Home allow you to meet up with your friends wherever they are in the world blah blah (4 the wife).
Built in 120gb hdd to store your favourite music, videos, tv shows etc.
Bluetooth built in for maximum compatibility with your wireless devices. Motion controllers as standard. Then run a minute clip of uncharted 2 and GT5. Some good BD movies.

There is plenty for them to milk but they dont do it!?!? ffs :P end the cryptic s##t!

[FarEastOrient]

This patent was filed months ago and already stated on some podcast to boot, what it doesn't show is that the version of the European emulator on the PS3 already works and all is needed is the Graphics Synthesizer to be added.

@Jack

You should add this to the ad...

The PS3 also comes with support for HD and SD movie downloads that can be played on the PSP via wi-fi connection or transferred files. You are able to communicate via Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, BlackPlanet, etc. through the built-in browser function. You can also watch videos from Youtube, Google, and PlayOn through the browser and streamer that can be set up to the PS3.

You can also use Google Office, printer, doc Viewer, Paint, and other apps on the PS3 using the alternate OS feature. You can also use the alternate OS feature to play PC games like Starcraft, Command & Conquer, and others; while also able to play games from the N64, Genesis, Famicon, NES, SNES, and Xbox catalogs. (PS Please make sure you have a legal physical copy in your library before downloading.)

VTC or Virtual Teleconferencing is free when you use the PS3 camera, at the same time you can use the camera for video recording picture taking. Just like the camera that can be attached to the PSP but with more advance features like voice recording and tracking.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

In Sony's defense, they have done an excellent job of:

a) instilling hype. I mean what other console has been able to cause fear in the competition and getting consumers to wait for your console to release. Just look at the Dreamcast vs. PS2.... Heck it happened with the Xbox 360 vs. PS3!

b) getting legions of fanbois to hype the PS to oblivion.

c) getting people to buy a console waiting for a game to release!

d) getting a brand name synonymous with high quality and sell overpriced electronics like TV's, Audio receivers, DVD players and etc.

None of the other console manufacturers have been able to do that. In my opinion, that is an extremely powerful marketing strategy that is extremely hard to replicate.

[joemayo76]

unlike the other story bout the EE, the GS has been the hurdle Sony has needed to overcome if the have, then i just may put some cash for another PS3 (slim possibly) so me and my bros can play MW2.

potential Gamescon announcement??? along with slim and price drop if so thats pretty HUGE

[jack_burt0n]

WOW thats a big deal, wish the pdf was still around want to know more!!

[sorceror171]

The GS was the weirdest part of the PS3. It had only 4MB of RAM attached, but it had *huge* bandwidth to the system RAM. With most video hardware of the time, you'd put textures in the GPU's RAM, and access them from there.

But on the GS, you just couldn't fit all the textures there. So you'd stream them from system RAM. This made the PS2 hard to develop for, but once they figured out good techniques it worked pretty well. (Compare launch PS2 games to the later ones... wow.)

But it's damn hard to emulate. The PS3's current bandwidth is on a par with the old PS2's bandwidth, believe it or not, and that makes it hard to do all the extra stuff you need to do to emulate hardware effectively. If Sony's come up with a way to do that, it'll be impressive.

But my bet is that they won't actually have full BC. Based on the above considerations, I'm pretty sure that's close to impossible. They'll port some PS2 games (just tweaking the hard-to-emulate parts) and make them DLC instead.

[freitox]

but they can emulate the graphics synthesizer, this is it! This was the only step that some people said it was "impossible" because of what you just said, they have done it, so ---> : D

[jack_burt0n]

@sorceror171

Thats what I thought but that would not require the patent would it? this is a technique using spe's to emulate that speed of access the ps2 had i think, even now on pc architecture the ps2 emulation is awful.

[dirthurts]

I saw this weeks ago.

[sorceror171]

Talking about this? http://www.n4g.com/News-353...

That was for the *CPU* in the PS2, and I agree that's no big deal. They already did it for 80GB BC.

This story, however, is about emulating the *graphics chip* and that's a much bigger deal. See my reply above for why.

[dirthurts]

they would be one in the same. Let's hope they get it rolling though. I've been really wanting to play Twisted Metal Black and Shadow of the Colossus.

[-Mezzo-]

If this is whats happening then i must say WOW.

[-Mezzo-]

Ownage.

[JonnyBigBoss]

Isn't this old news? it's great news, but was a top news article about 3 weeks ago.

[freitox]

this is the graphics synthesizer, the only missing step that some people said it was impossible to fully emulate, guess not:))

[cc_star]

No that was the CPU, this is the graphics synthesizer which has proved practically impossible to emulate.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

The dream of many PS3 gamers and 360 gamers have come true.

The PS3 gamers have always wanted backward compatibility.
The 360 gamers have always wanted PS3 gamers to have backward compatibility, but criticize the PS3 for not having it anymore.

Now, finally, both the PS3 gamers and 360 gamers can finally be happy.

[LordMarius]

lol bubble

[KilZoneGeneralStrife]

:D

[DevastationEve]

It'd be great if Sony let the PCSX2 team take a peek at their work in emulation :)

[Godmars290]

The very last thing they need is an update that bricks all 60GB units.

[gamingisnotacrime]

Lets get ready to rumbleeeeeeee!!!!!

2nd PS3 for me :)

[Sir Ken_Kutaragi]

Bring it back just like Ken made it;)

A PS3:Slim + Full PS2 Playback + 2 USB ports at the back(+the 2 at the front)would be Perfect i think. I'd buy another 1!!! DAY 1!!! ;-P

[shocky16]

Fix'd.

[Marceles]

Let's see what people's excuse for not getting one now is once there's a price drop and emulation is back.

Sony hater: "Not backwards compatible? Awww and I was planning to play all 50 of my PS2 games on it because I LOVED Sony during its PS1 and PS2 days, but I hate PS3. I'll buy one when they add emulation"

Sony supporter: "They added emulation."

Hater: "They did? Well uh..." (checks Sony hate list)

Hater: "It's too expensive so uh...yeah, I'll wait."

Supporter: "The price dropped to $299."

Hater: "It did? Well uh...." (checks Sony hate list)

Hater: "Sony still sucks. Let me know when they stop making Lair and Haze, have fun with your $600 Blu-ray player"

Supporter: "I just told you they dropped the pri..."

*hater runs away*

[Cajun Chicken]

Good, I want to play my old Ratchets on my PS3.

[Figboy]

it's as simple as that.

people wanted a cheaper PS3 back then (and i'm pretty positive they wanted it so they could play all the cool PS3 game like Uncharted, MGS4, LBP, Ratchet and Clank Future, etc), so Sony made the console $200 cheaper, but removed BC, and people complained (i guess they wanted a PS3 so they could play PS2 games?).

in either case, once Sony finally releases PS2 emulation on the PS3, people will have no excuse not to buy a PS3.

it's already $400. $200 cheaper than it was when it first came out.

by the end of this year it's going to be $300, half the price of what it was 3 years ago.

i don't see any reason to NOT own a PS3, even WITHOUT the backwards compatibility, so there will be absolutely no reason to avoid buying one when it finally gets both the BC and the price drop.

in either case, i expected ages ago that they'd eventually release PS2 games via the PSN at some point in the future, and in order to do that, well, they'd need some kind of PS2 emulation.

[iTzNath]

This will be awesome,
Uncharted 2
Ratchet and clank
Gt 5 (Hopefully)
M.A.G (Hopefully)
Ps3 Slim (Hopefully)
and the ability to play playstation two games
I'll relive MGS2 & 3,Ratchet 1 - 3 and several others

[cyberwaffles]

if this is working and ready for a firmware update, but sony want to make money since the existing ps2 is still worth 100 bucks; i think sony should open up a download section in the psn store that has the emulation priced for 70-100 bucks. it should definitely be cheaper since hardware won't be involved. or maybe, sony will be nice to include it for free via FM update. maybe when the ps2 is completely phased out.

[Skynetone]

we might actually get something useful