Microsoft Gears Up to Release Xbox 360 with New Chips.

[Noja87]

Microsoft Corp. reportedly plans to release a new version its Xbox 360 video game system code-named Jasper in August and has already assigned IBM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to make chips for the new game console. However, there are other important rumors: TSMC got orders to produce the chip for code-named Valhalla Xbox 360 design, which is rumored to combine microprocessor and graphics chip in a single piece of silicon.

The code-named Jasper design of the Xbox 360 game console will use ATI Xenos graphics and memory controller hub (GMCH) made using 65nm process at TSMC as well as IBM Xenon central processing unit (CPU) produced at IBM’s 65nm nodes. The new system design is projected to consume less electricity, use less complex cooling systems and also produce less noise.

By contrast, current Xbox 360 design named Falcon utilizes GMCH and eDRAM cores manufactured using 90nm process technology at TSMC as well as CPU built at IBM using 65nm fabrication process. The first-generation Xbox 360 used 90nm chips.

TSMC is chosen to make the 65nm GMCH chips, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) is contracted to package and test the chips, and Nanya has won orders to supply flip-chip packaging substrates, reports China Economic News Service.

What is, perhaps, more important than the facts that TSMC again got orders to produce ATI Xenos GMCH and IBM land orders on IBM Xenon CPU at expense of Chartered Semiconductor (which once promised to start making 45nm chips for Advanced Micro Devices in 2009), is that “chips” for next-generation Xbox 360 code-named Valhalla will also be made at TSMC. Earlier rumors transpired that Valhalla features a chip that combines CPU and GMCH. In order to build such chip at TSMC, Microsoft either needs to disclose certain design rules of IBM’s fabrication process to the Taiwan-based semiconductor manufacturer, or completely rework the CPU according to fabrication process of TSMC.

Xbox-Scene News: Microsoft Gears Up to Release Xbox 360 with New Chips

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I hope this one ****ing works! I am so sick and tired of this bull****. This is why i have not buy a 360 yet. I like the console and the majority of games for it but i just don't want to buy an unreliable console like this one. One of my friends recently bought an Elite and after 2 months it broke. He send it to MS and it returned in 2 weeks with a RRoD right out of the ****ing box!!!. I have been waiting 2 long years for MS to fix this and still.

The console i like doesn't work and the other 2 don't have any must have games for me. This has been the worst generation for me

[StriderVM]

X-Box360 lite?

It should lower costs. I think that's the primary goal. The other stuff like smaller size as well as more efficient cooling etc are secondary.... RIGHT!?

[John Aiton]

Originally Posted by StriderVM

X-Box360 lite?

It should lower costs. I think that's the primary goal. The other stuff like smaller size as well as more efficient cooling etc are secondary.... RIGHT!?

I'm sure that's not the case,

there WILL (for definite) be a new 360...
........but it's purpose/attraction will be its integrated blu-ray player


blu-ray drives cost a lot compared to dvd drives,
what Msoft saves in chip costs will be countered by increased drive costs

[skoreanime]

Cool. Good thing I held off on buying a 360, that thing sounds like a typhoon to me.

[Thanakil]

Originally Posted by John Aiton

I'm sure that's not the case,

there WILL (for definite) be a new 360...
........but it's purpose/attraction will be its integrated blu-ray player


blu-ray drives cost a lot compared to dvd drives,
what Msoft saves in chip costs will be countered by increased drive costs

Isn't the blu-ray player supposed to be sold separately?
Would kinda s**k to be forced to buy a blu-ray player at the same time that you buy the console... It's not like games are gonna use Blu-Ray disc for the 360 all of sudden anyway (would break compatibility with older consoles), so there's no reason to force Blu-Ray on every customers.

[John Aiton]

Originally Posted by Thanakil

Isn't the blu-ray player supposed to be sold separately?
Would kinda s**k to be forced to buy a blu-ray player at the same time that you buy the console... It's not like games are gonna use Blu-Ray disc for the 360 all of sudden anyway (would break compatibility with older consoles), so there's no reason to force Blu-Ray on every customers.

all news sites point to an integrated drive

I think microsoft learned the lesson with the external hd-dvd drive

all the external parts of the 360 are fail,
power bricks, hd drives, hd-dvd drives, wireless adapters

that's why I wont buy a second 360
(no.1 broke)

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by John Aiton

blu-ray drives cost a lot compared to dvd drives

Are they more expensive to manufacture, or is the market willing to pay more?

[Thanakil]

Originally Posted by John Aiton

all news sites point to an integrated drive

I think microsoft learned the lesson with the external hd-dvd drive

all the external parts of the 360 are fail,
power bricks, hd drives, hd-dvd drives, wireless adapters

that's why I wont buy a second 360
(no.1 broke)

But considering how the 360 won't use the blu-ray for games, and only for various medias, won't it s**k for people who don't care about blu-ray?

I hope that they'll at least make two versions of the console. Possibly make it so the arcade/pro doesn't have the blu-ray, while the Elite does.

At least that way people won't be FORCED to get a blu-ray with the 360. Otherwise it's lame for people who don't care much about the media side of it (and as such will get nothing out of the blu-ray) or for people who ALREADY have a blu-ray player, and who don't care about paying for a second one.

(On top of that, I'm scared at the prospect of MORE stuff being crammed inside the 360... This new version would be a great way to reduce heat and reduce the number of RROD 360 down under 10% (even tho it's almost already under it). Cramming a new player inside the 360 probably won't help with airflow and various stuff like that.)

[John Aiton]

Originally Posted by Thanakil

(On top of that, I'm scared at the prospect of MORE stuff being crammed inside the 360... This new version would be a great way to reduce heat and reduce the number of RROD 360 down under 10% (even tho it's almost already under it). Cramming a new player inside the 360 probably won't help with airflow and various stuff like that.)

honestly?

the 360s design is horrible for cooling
inside it's just a stuffy crate of a box where the chips have poor heatsinks
and the fans are placed poorly for circulation purposes

basically the 360 is a pc type arrangement in a 360 shell,
and initially the gpu didn't even have cooling

try taking the cooler off you gpu
bsod anyone?

if you look inside the ps3 it's jam packed with components,
way way waaaay more cramped internally than the 360
but the design is good, nice heatpipe and fan placement

the 360 could pull off all the integrated parts if they overhaul the internal design

and maybe the blu-ray drive will be quiet unlike the engine roar from the existing three

[Squall-Leonhart]

the Bluray Drive will be internal, it'll probably have a new naming scheme as well to destinguish it from old models.

There are no plans to sell Blu-Ray addons.

[runawayprisoner]

The all new XBux 360 with BD player! Only $359.99! Hey, it's not even $360!

Okay... but seriously, RROD needs to be fixed.

Edit: XBux is not a typo. There's an "i" between "u" and "o" on the keyboard.

[Squall-Leonhart]

RROD was greatly minimised when the CPU got its die shrunk, Pre-Valhalla systems will also be including the new heatpipe Cooler which was previously only in the premium and elite consoles.

[runawayprisoner]

But I want it gone... not minimized. It's like Windows. I want a process to completely GTFO instead of just standing there in the corner. Sometimes, he just rises up and breaks up the party.

[snickothemule]

Noish. However, didn't Microsoft deny the Blu-Ray player?

[John Aiton]

Originally Posted by snickothemule

Noish. However, didn't Microsoft deny the Blu-Ray player?

yes, they did

just like they denied failure rates

but as always, they eventually owned up

[Noja87]

Originally Posted by runawayprisoner

But I want it gone... not minimized. It's like Windows. I want a process to completely GTFO instead of just standing there in the corner. Sometimes, he just rises up and breaks up the party.

Yeah, i want a game console. Not a ticking bomb =\

[PCXL-Fan]

I really hope the xbox 360 gets bluray. I want the ps3 to claw back some of the market share from the xbox and help out the Japanese economy.

This may be just the boost the ps3 needs.

[cottonvibes]

PCXL-Fan, how can Xbox getting bluray be a good thing for the PS3?

the PS3's main selling point is that it costs cheaper than some bluray players, and its also a gaming system.

if X-Sh1t 360 gets a bluray player, then it will attract the customers for the same reason and take away potential buyers from sony.



anyways, why buy an out-dated gaming PC (the X-box 360) when you can buy a kickass PC for just a bit more?

if you want a REAL gaming console, get a PS3 or Wii.
if you want a PC get a real PC!

[runawayprisoner]

If you want to play XBox360 games, get a... er... XBox360.
I have to face it, though. XBox360 just has a lot of games, even if they are not fun, or pretty looking.

[PCXL-Fan]

Originally Posted by cottonvibes

PCXL-Fan, how can Xbox getting bluray be a good thing for the PS3?

the PS3's main selling point is that it costs cheaper than some bluray players, and its also a gaming system.

if X-Sh1t 360 gets a bluray player, then it will attract the customers for the same reason and take away potential buyers from sony.



anyways, why buy an out-dated gaming PC (the X-box 360) when you can buy a kickass PC for just a bit more?

if you want a REAL gaming console, get a PS3 or Wii.
if you want a PC get a real PC!

Well the main detraction from the ps3 in the ps3 vs 360 war (excluding the ps3 vs wii vs 360 war) has been its more expensive price due largely to the bluray drive added to the system which put it ahead of the xbox 360. Especially in the beginning when the price difference was even greater. People were more interested in having a gaming system then hdmovie playing hybrid console and werent' will to pay for the extra cost for that feature.

Now with M$ getting the bluray which hold no benifit for gamers other than hd video content, it will likely cause the 360s price to increase.

I only hope this blu ray is implemented across all the tiers of the system and not just an elite version. Cuz putting it on just a higher end version would actually be a smart move and help the 360 against the ps3. But if they were to put it on all the models of their system it would hopefully raise the price of the 360 and help lower it to equal playing field with the ps3.

For the majority of ps3 videogame players they don't use the bluray. In fact a study came out last year showing 30-40% of ps3 owners didn't even know about the bluray functionality on the ps3. And the people who are just buying a ps3 as a cheap bluray player aren't buying many games which means sony isn't making up for the loss it takes when selling each console.