Overcloaked Gamecube=Wii ???

[dotrat1989]

The Wii Hardware

- Nintendo Wii’s ‘Broadway’ CPU operates at 729MHZ with a maximum bandwith of 1.9gbyte/sec.
- Nintendo Wii’s ‘HollyWood’ GPU is clocked at 243MHZ, the internal memory of it includes 3mb of embedded graphics memory and 24megabytes of high speed main memory.
- 64megabytes of GDDR3 (MEM2) as the external main memory. Just like the internal memory, it can be accessed from the CPU and GPU with a maximum bandwidth of 4gbytes/sec and can also store programs in the MEM2.
- The GPU of the Wii is identical to the GC’s but it is on average 1.5X faster.

Broadway CPU

Broadway is Wii's CPU. Broadway functionality and specifications are as follows.

• Operating speed: 729 MHz
• Bus to main memory: 243 MHz, 64 bits (maximum bandwidth: 1.9 gigabytes/sec)
• 32-kilobyte 8-way set-associative L1 instruction cache
• 32-kilobyte 8-way set-associative L1 data cache (can set up 16-kilobyte data scratch pad)
• Superscalar microprocessor with six execution units (floating-point unit, branching unit, system regis
ter unit, load/store unit, two integer units)
• DMA unit (15-entry DMA request queue) used by 16-kilobyte data scratch pad
• Write-gather buffer for writing graphics command lists to the graphics chip
• Onboard 256-kilobyte 2-way set-associative L2 integrated cache
• Two, 32-bit integer units (IU)
• One floating point unit (FPU) (supports single precision (32-bit) and double precision (64-bit))
• The FPU supports paired single floating point (FP/PS)
• The FPU supports paired single multiply add (ps_madd). Most FP/PS instructions can be issued in
each cycle and completed in three cycles.
• Fixed-point to floating-point conversion can be performed at the same time as FPU register load and
store, with no loss in performance.
• The branch unit supports static branch prediction and dynamic branch prediction.
• When an instruction is stalled on data, the next instruction can be issued and executed. All instructions
maintain program logic and will complete in the correct program order.
• Supports three L2 cache fetch modes: 32-Byte, 64-Byte, and 128-Byte.
• Supports these bus pipeline depth levels: level 2, level 3, and level 4.
Reference Information: Broadway is upward compatible with Nintendo GameCube’s CPU (Gekko).


Hollywood GPU

Hollywood is a system LSI composed of a GPU and internal main memory (MEM1). Hollywood is clocked at 243 MHz. Its internal memory consists of 3 megabytes of embedded graphics memory and 24 megabytes of high speed main memory.

Hollywood includes the following.
• Graphics processing unit (with 3 megabytes of eDRAM)
• Audio DSP
• I/O Bridge
• 24 megabytes of internal main memory
• Internal main memory operates at 486 MHz.
Maximum bandwidth between Hollywood and internal main memory: 3.9 gigabytes per second
• Possible to locate a program here
Reference Information: Hollywood is similar to Nintendo GameCube’s Flipper and Splash components.


Information source:MAXCONSOLE - Nintendo Wii - EXCLUSIVE: Wii Know A lot You Don’t- Nintendo Wii Specs Fully Uncovered!!! *Updated*

Revolution runs on an extension of the Gekko and Flipper architectures that powered GameCube, which is why studios who worked on GCN will have no problem making the transition to the new machine, they say. IBM's "Broadway" CPU is clocked at 729MHz, according to updated Nintendo documentation. By comparison, GameCube's Gekko CPU ran at 485MHz.

Revolution's ATI-provided "Hollywood" GPU clocks in at 243MHz. By comparison, GameCube's GPU ran at 162MHz.

Two questions:

a. Can the same emulator that emulates the Gamecube emulate the Wii like the Virtual Boy emulator?

b. Do you think my current CPU(Conroe 6600) be able to emulate the Wii perfectly or will the demands of the "Future Wii emulater" need more power?

[industrian]

Originally Posted by dotrat1989

Do you think my current CPU(Conroe 6600) be able to emulate the Wii perfectly or will the demands of the "Future Wii emulater" need more power?

Asking that question is like asking what the weather will be like in seven months time. The answer is probably going to be: rain. Or in your case, by the time Wii emulation comes along there'll be a whole different range of processors, so why ask the question in the first place.

With PS2 emulation the n00bs were b!tching about their 2Ghz, 512Mb RAM systems not running a "simple 294Mhz machine", are posts like these an omen that Wii emulation n00bs be b!tching that "Gamecube emulation is good, so why not the Wii since it's just an overcloaked[sic] Gamecube?!"

*places bets*

[tuanming]

If Wii is an overclocked version of the gamecube then it means that making an emulator for it is similar to a gamecube emulator? I wonder if the Wii games would work on the GC emulator.

[BAXTER STOCKMAN]

If Wii is a overclocked GC does it means that Dolphin can run Wii games too?

[dotrat1989]

Originally Posted by industrian

Asking that question is like asking what the weather will be like in seven months time. The answer is probably going to be: rain. Or in your case, by the time Wii emulation comes along there'll be a whole different range of processors, so why ask the question in the first place.

With PS2 emulation the n00bs were b!tching about their 2Ghz, 512Mb RAM systems not running a "simple 294Mhz machine", are posts like these an omen that Wii emulation n00bs be b!tching that "Gamecube emulation is good, so why not the Wii since it's just an overcloaked[sic] Gamecube?!"

*places bets*

The reason I am asking this question is because I am not rich. Wii is closer to a current gen system so I am asking will there be an attempt to use the future quad core processors or will my $300 processor do it.

[industrian]

What does being "rich" have to do with it? Wii emulators do not currently exist, so making hypothetical comments based on media soundbites such as "the Wii is just an overclocked Gamecube" accomplishes nothing.

Here's a suggestion: If you want to play Wii games, then buy a goddamn Wii. The last time I checked, you don't have to be "rich" to afford it.

[Clements]

What a ridiculous waste of a thread...

An E6600 would definitely not do it for Wii stuff, even if it was overclocked to over 3.0GHz. Even for a GC, you would need a 64-bit OS for any hope of games being 'playable' (not fullspeed) according to the latest Dolphin progress. For Wii emulation, you would need a CPU about twice as fast as required for GC emulation. If you can afford a E6600, you can easily afford a Wii when it becomes easily available in stores.

The CPU/GPU of the Wii appear not to be just die shrinks with a higher clockspeed, just similar enough to allow GC backward compatibility (Hollywood has more eDRAM than Flipper for example), and even if they were, Wii games would definitely not work in Dolphin/Other GC emulator. The container format of Wii games also appears different to GC games.

[BAXTER STOCKMAN]

I have a question: If we need a 2x more powerful system to emulate the Wii at fullspeed, than that we need to emulate GC, does it means that my machine can run Wii games 2 times slower than GC games?

[Chrono Archangel]

Come on guys....
No one freakin knows for now!

It is useless for anyone to speculate any requirements because what anyone would say would be complete bs. Thread closed.

Just a note: buying a Wii will be much LESS expensivs than buying a new PC with Conroe processor