Sony Patents Backwards Compatibility Technology [Update]
The only Playstation 3 consoles that are backwards compatible, meaning that they can play most Playstation 2 games, are the launch 20GB, 60GB and the original 80GB SKUs. Sony cut backwards compatibility in order to drastically reduce manufacturing costs. And though this allowed for a significant price cut, it also resulted in a substantial user base that lacks the ability to play classic PS2 games. However, recent Sony patents reveal they may be trying to help the PS3 units that aren’t backwards compatible.
The 20GB and 60GB PS3s available at launch were backwards compatible completely through hardware emulation. This means that the PS3 motherboard had the PS2’s CPU, the Emotion Engine, as well as the I/O chip, Graphics Synthesizer, and memory units. However, in the original 80GB, the Emotion Engine functions were performed entirely through software emulation, allowing Sony to get rid of a few components before ultimately taking out all PS2 hardware from the PS3 in the 40GB, 160GB, and current 80GB SKUs.
When emulating hardware through software, two different processes are utilized. One way is to have the target code decoded, and then coded into a language the host can understand. The other way is when the target code is broken down, then recompiled into programs in the host’s language. Siliconera put it best when they said:
“Interpretation is like having someone constantly translating English to Japanese for you, non stop, twenty four hours a day wherever you go. Decoding and recompiling is like someone translating a set of words and putting them in a dictionary you can reference.”
The recent Sony patent indicates they have found a way to translate Emotion Engine instructions into “chunks” that can be referenced and used by the PS3 components, particularly the Cell processor.
The three images included above are a portion of the patent Sony submitted. Figure 2, or the first one, is a drawing of how the system works. In the middle, or Figure 3B, is the actual emotion engine setup in the PS2. 3A is a visualization of the PS2’s entire chipset. On the far right, or Figure 4, is, “an example of a host system based on a cell processor that may be configured to emulate the target system.”
Whether this may come in the form of a firmware update, or if at all, has yet to be seen. Do you want Sony to make backwards compatibility standard across all PS3 consoles through this new technique? Post your replies in the comment section below.
Update: Corrected statement about backwards compatibility for PS1 titles.
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June 29th, 2009 at 10:46 PM
They should have had a group of engineers from the start working on Cell/BC emulation (not EE based) to reduce cost right out the door.
Personally, i could care less about old school games, but thats just me. i still have my original PS3 with BC and never use it.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:46 PM
@ Kyle P.
Nice article, had fun reading it.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Even though I have the launch ps3, it would be great for all ps3 owners.
That is some pretty impressive technology! Sony impresses again
June 29th, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Man I want this soo bad…I really want to play ps2 games that I didnt have chance to play before switch to xbox…I want to play though GoW 1 & 2 before GoW 3 comes out…I also been holding on to my FF X since 2005 another game I must finish…
June 29th, 2009 at 11:00 PM
I sure hope so. My friends and I got our buddy Javier a PS3 for his birthday, but his PS2 games basically have to sit on the shelf. This would be a huge help to PS3 owners everywhere, especially there were some titles that didn’t work properly even with the 60GB consoles.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:03 PM
While there add it, they should be testing a 4.2Ghz Cell and see how it runs and unlock the dormant SPE via firmeware. Can you imagine all 8 running at 4.2Ghz like they were originally designed ? wishful dreaming.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:10 PM
@Shadowjin,
Super wishful. That locked SPU is one of the reasons the PS3 hasn’t been successfully hacked. =/
Though I too wish they did something cool like that.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:25 PM
@John Draisey
I was under the impression that out of the 8, 1 was dedicated for hypervisor security and the 7th disabled for chip yield and programmers had access to 6 only?
ill message in myspace better so this article doesn’t turn into another Tech debate (lol).
June 30th, 2009 at 12:22 AM
@ shadowjin – I think it’s one of those things where you take something for granted, and then when you lose it you realize how important it was. I had an original 80 GB SKU and never used the BC function. Then it got stolen from my college house one night when my roommates forgot to lock the door when they left…so then I had to go and buy one of the new 80 GB models without BC…not only without BC but also cheaper looking and I can’t express just how much I would like my old model back. Anyway, I took the BC for granted when I had it and never used, now I don’t have it and I would love to use it.
I would love for this to be the next firmware update, but I doubt it will happen even though it would explain why we haven’t had a really great update in a long time. The fact of the matter is that Sony won’t release something like this until they stop support for the PS2 because until then, they want to keep selling all the PS2 systems still on retail shelves. So either this is a sign that PS2 support is going to end soon to try and move everyone into the next generation of gaming, or this isn’t going to come out in any form for a long time.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:55 AM
@giese095 – well you see sony isn’t Microsoft i don’t think they’re so driven by profits..after all they lost a crap load of money by not selling the ps3 at what they should have….they keep adding to the playstation brand experience mostly for free because they love their customer. or it could be because they know that if they make customers happy by doing that…they’ll draw more customers…but at any rate the ps2s will still sell like crazy regardless of the ps3 adding ps2 software….it’s just cheaper….but this move would also draw in more people who maybe couldn’t afford the ps3s when they first came out and then they dropped support….and like sony said they wont drop the ps2 support until at least after the 10 year mark then once the demand wanes then they will drop it so in closing if they filed this….then they’re gonna use it….eventually….if they weren’t then why both waste tons of money researching this tech then file it….just to scrap it…..and if you’ve read this far….you get an achievement {(bing) pops up on your computer]
June 30th, 2009 at 1:14 AM
I really would like to see backwards compatibility make a return maybe even PS2 games on PSN! Maybe this will be the next firmware update? It would make Sony a ton of money on PSN if they can get the best PS2 games Killzone, Devil May Cry, Silent Hill, Tekken, GTA, Kingdom Hearts, Twisted Metal, Jak, Ratchet and Clank, Final Fantasy, etc.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:30 AM
I am glad I have BC on PS3! I use it all the time for MVC2 and other games, but when it comes out online, I won’t need to use the disc and that will let me keep it pristine!
June 30th, 2009 at 5:11 AM
N I C E
I have a PAL 60G model, but am very happy to hear about this.
The smart move IMO (from Sony’s perspective) is to sell this program as an option (in fact they should do that for a lot of things – cross game chat anyone
) I don’t see everyone wanting this (I for instance, don’t need it, and have already paid the ‘extra’ for the privilege of having it already) but I firmly believe it should be available.
I also don’t see why people assume that if Sony include BC for PS2 games, they will also remove support for the PS2 console? Maybe they would slow down manufacture of the ‘console’ itself, but support could stay strong. Recently (enough) the price of PS2 dev kits dropped a tonne, so I can imagine small/indi. devs might produce PS2 games only. If a good game comes out on the PS2 and not the PS3, I’m tempted to pick it up
Also, +1 for the idea of PSN based PS2 games
– I’d be all for that! There are a LOT of PS2 games I haven’t played (not having owned one and all 
)
Alex
June 30th, 2009 at 7:34 AM
Quote from article:
“substantial user base that lacks the ability to play classic PS1 and PS2 games. ”
All PS3s can play PS1 games.
06/30/2009 at 8:47 AM
VERY TRUE! All PS3 can play PS1 discs…only PS2 support was dropped.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:25 AM
I have a 60GB launch PS3. So I’m able to play games I didn’t play before (God of War 1 & 2, Killzone). This is a chance for these developers to add fans to their fanbase. I think all PS3s should have the ability to play old PS2 games. The fact that they don’t, I think weakens the fanbase for Sony. A fact that is supported by the lower consoles sold compared to the other consoles numbers.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Wow , see I avoided all this by going Launch 60gig a-thank you.
August 24th, 2009 at 3:21 PM
[...] the patented technology shown to accomplish EE+GS emulation is real. How well it works though probably depends on which [...]