For some reason my previous post did not appear so i am doing it again.
• A CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the main component of a computer that does most of the processing. It accepts input data, processes the information and sends it to the component that is in charge of executing the action.
• The “interactivity” part of Multimedia connects to CPUs. We interact with CPUs - giving them instructions and they respond to our requests and finish the given task. They also allow us to look at images, animation, videos and texts. In fact, CPUs allow us to create multimedia within the computer. Examples include creating images with paint, making videos through adding images and sounds, writing text in word, recording sounds through microphones, and making animations with programmes such as pencil and inkscape.
• There are different types of processors. The designs include 8bit,12bit, 16bit, 32bit, 64bit, multicore, RISC(Reduced Instruction Set Computer) etc.. There are countless but we can classify them generally as high-end CPUs and low-end CPUs. The two main producers of these chips are Intel and AMD. However the popular and interesting ones are multi core processor and the atom processor. These are the advantages and disadvantages of each:
ADVANTAGES OF MULTI CORE PROCESSOR:
Better responsiveness when multitasking
faster performance in single multithreaded applications
Higher instructions processed per clock cycle
cache coherency is greatly improved
Saves more power
DISADVANTAGES OF MULTI CORE PROCESSOR:
Expensive
Software application support and Operating system support is needed for it to work
“Production yields” decrease and become more difficult to manage.
Architectural perspective: single CPU designs make better use of the silicon surface area than a dual core processor
ADVANTAGES OF AN ATOM PROCESSOR:
Cheap
Uses less energy
Great for web books because it gives them 7-9 hours of battery life
Ideal for basic computing and in netbooks
DISADVANTAGES OF AN ATOM PROCESSOR:
Low performance
“Slow” computer
Cannot play 3Dgames or use softwares such as Photoshop.
• 64 bit processor was a sudden popular one so I decided to evaluate it as well.
• ADVANTAGES:
Some operating systems for 64 bit processors had the capacity to support the previous 32 bit designs as well.
Can certainly make working with large data sets in applications such as digital video, scientific computing, and large databases easier than 32 bits.
Makes multi tasking easier
Reduces clustering for high performance computing
Allows to address more RAM
• DISADVANTAGES
• http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=368607
A possible depletion in performance due to the larger memory address taking up twice as much room in the cache.
Hardware and software compatibility
• A CPU has four primary functions: FETCH, DECODE, EXECUTE, and WRITEBACK.
FETCH: The CPU retrieves the instruction that it needs to run from program memory.
DECODE: This is the process of breaking down the complier for the specific programme and breaking it down to assembly language so that the CPU can understand it.
EXECUTE: Based on the instructions it is given, the CPU can then do one of three things:
1) Using its Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), the CPU can calculate extremely complicated mathematical functions;
2) Move data from one memory location to another;
3) Jump to different addresses in the program based on decisions made by the CPU itself.
WRITEBACK: Each of the actions taken by the CPU produces some sort of output. The CPU takes this output and writes it into the computer’s memory.
• CPU’s can be extremely costly because they are the main source of the whole process of a computer. They usually come with a tower (which is the box which we usually refer to as the CPU, but as we know now, a CPU is the chip.) They may range anywhere between $200-$10,000.
NOTE: We are not including the microprocessors of supercomputers in the price range.
• In the near future Intel is planning to release some new designs of chips. These new designs are called the Sandy Bridge and the Ivy Bridge. The purpose of both of these chips is to improve the performance of a computer when multitasking to allow for a smooth experience. People are working towards improving the processors so they we completely get rid of computer “freezes” and “hang ups”.
• SANDY BRIDGE (Release date – January 2011): Its features include: Using Intel AVX which in turn accelerates the trends toward floating point intensive computation in general purpose applications like image, video, and audio processing, as well as engineering applications, including 3D modeling and analysis, scientific simulation, and financial analytics. It is also a 32 nanometre processor
• IVY BRIDGE (Release date – 2012): Its features include: It is a 22nanometre processor. Ivy Bridge will bring quad-core to the entry level, while delivering hexa-core and octa-core for other segments.
- http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Multi-core_computing_-_Development_motivation/id/4998265
- http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cpu-technology- explained/
- http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20100412comp.htm
- http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=368607
