Sony Playstation 2 PA T15k

Sony Playstation 2 Performance Analyser (DTL-T15000 A)
Please note, prior to any enquiry, this item has already been sold by Mattcp.

First prototype of the T15k PA: (found by UJ)


A later incarnation prior to final revision. (image: SCEE)


<Note it looks like a standard PS2 Tool with an external PCB attached to the side panel of the casing>

The final revision released in Spring 2003. A very short number were produced and according to other AG members the initial price point was approximately $50k. <Image: Mattcp>


The unit itself immediately stands out from a normal PS2 Tool in that it is a very deep shade of blue (hard to photograph) and seems very similar to the finish used on the SCPH-7002 10 Million model.

Information on the function of the Performance Analyser is still available online from Sony in the form of some intriguing PDFs. They appear to be conference PDF manuals introducing the PA to developers prior to release.

1) http://www.technology.scee.net/files/presentations/agdc2002/PerformanceAnalyser.pdf
<Dated December 2002>

2) http://www.technology.scee.net/files/presentations/PSP/HowFarHaveWeGot.pdf
<Dated 2003>

3) http://www.technology.scee.net/files/articles/develop/PerformanceAnalyser.pdf
<Undated>

4) http://www.research.scea.com/research/pdfs/GDC2003_Intro_Performance_Analyzer_18Mar03.pdf
<Dated March 2003>

The last is for the ''GameDevelopers Conference, March 2003'' and contains the most detailed analysis of what the PA T15k was capable of.

The system employs a very different internal architecture than that found with the Tool system. The motherboard and additional PCB (of which there are 4 layers) are designed specifically to trace data which is on a internal NETHDD (thus data supplied by the developers and sent to the T15k) or on DVDrom. Both the NETHDD and DVDrom are attached to a PCB that monitors them prior to sending the data onto the PS2 Motherboard, plus sending the trace data out to an attached PC running trace software.

In that respect the unit is perfectly capable of running retail titles and other media you'd expect the PS2 Tool too. Unlike the PS2 Tool the unit is equipped with a memory bank large enough to retain trace data.

There is no bay (as found on the T10k/T14k), but instead there is a trigger I/O (a supplied footswitch was used to create A-B punch points for the data monitoring) and 3 NIC connections. One monitors the PS2 motherboard - i.e. trace data, the second monitors the PCI card connection to PC and the 3rd (suspected usage as currently untested) provides either A) direct NETHDD connection or B) monitors NetGaming. (To be examined)

The units specifications are somewhat more powerful than a standard PS2 Tool also.

The main processor is an Intel Celeron 850Mhz on a PCI815VE card. It uses a pair of Sony SCPH-20401 40Gb HDD. The OS is Red Hat linux release 6.2 (Zoot). More surprising is that it has 261120k memory (255Mb) and 1024k (1mb) shared memory, plus a 4Mb display cache! It has two function settings on the front (unlike the T10k/T14k which have four settings): TOOL / WS. The dipswitch settings at the rear of the unit appear to correspond to those of the Tool. Number 5 for instance is definately PAL / NTSC. As the Tool may have had specific functions that the PA doesn't then this may be revised.

There are no less than 6 internal fans, so the noise and heat being produced is clearly greater than a Tool.

For sake of information, the DVDrom accepts a KHS-400B laser.

In order to utilise the trace data a connected PC is required using a piece of software called 'Aprobe' (thanks UJ for confirmation) which was part of the official SDK supplied by Sony.

Internal shot: The cabling etc is heavier duty presumably because of the increased risk of RF interference / interruptions to trace data, which could cause false output.

 

Wow

 

That truly is one of the most beautiful & expensive pieces of dev hardware (originally) I have ever heard of, ever since we set eyes on Matt`s first image of the unit we have all been intrigued and in awe. Thanks for the great info on the unit Parris, must have taken awhile to find and compile.

 

Done a bit of digging chez Playstation.com and found the very development conference mentioned here: http://www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/259

<Remember, this is US spelling, so seach Performance Analyzer : can't help their spelling issues lol>

''FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 3, 2005...PlayStation 2 advancements, including demonstrations of a variety of games and the PlayStation 2 Performance Analyzer, a tool for conducting detailed performance analysis of games during development. Sixty-minute sessions on the Performance Analyzer will be held throughout the duration of the expo to provide developers hands-on access as well as an opportunity to speak with experts regarding how to best utilize this tool.''

<Official site for 2008 conference = http://www.gdconf.com/>



They also kindly posted an image of the PA in action. That large display (presumably plasma at the time) shows the trace data being analysed by Aprobe. <Check the PDF files previously detailed, for breakdown of the specifics and what it all means!>

 

Drussian, there's actually a surprising amount of information on this particular piece of hardware on the Internet. I was surprised once I started digging, although I have to thank Matt for providing me material also.

Currently trying to obtain the T15k manual, but I doubt it is available. Anyone seen any PDF information on this unit that goes beyond the SCEE / SCEA conference stuff?

 

Install the soft, you'll find the manual.

 

Many thanks to UJ for providing a PDF manual ;-)

UJ points out that the manual states: "the dtl t15k consists of a PS2 unit, a sampling unit and a com processor...the sampling unit consists of 4 FPGA...3 of the 4 FPGA are connected to individual memories... each of the 3 fpga has 256 MB'...'

 

Nice gathering of info on the 15k! drool drool good work Parris!

 

Well, as always UJ has clarified a lot regarding the software (and operation) side of the equipment. For example we have discovered that the NIC immediately under the trigger I/O is NOT the trace NIC, but actually as UJ has suspected (confirmed by merely reading the manual, which is something I should start doing ) that the T15k has a built in BB Adapter and the NETHDD I mentioned earlier is the internal HDD used in conjuction with this.

As the PCI card is not capable of sufficient speed for the trace connection, the 3rd and final NIC must be used by AProbe for the trace data.

You then set the T15k IP address in a piece of software called WinPACon (part of the package supplied by Sony), it connects to the T15k and this is where the footswitch would be used to actually set the A-B (start / stop) trace. Once this has been selected you apparently save this and open APRobe, go to File > Open > <filename> and the trace data is displayed. Presumably it is displayed in the manner shown on the plasma screen image posted earlier.

This is an image taken directly from an official SCEE/SCEA document:


This concludes all the information that I've found available on the T15k. Thanks to Mattcp, UJ & J (in discussion)

 

As far as I know dtl-t14k dvd emulator cannot be installed into the T15K due to tech issues.

congratulation Parris for getting one, here you were faster then me
( do we have any other forum behind this one ? )

 

Not fast enough, just providing information on it for anyone interested. Had spoken to the guy selling the unit for several months just because I was curious. The T15k is now sold, but that doesn't stop sharing the information as frankly very little on AG had really been mentioned about it previously.

There isn't enough room inside the T15k to place anything more than the end of your little finger. Technical issues aside, the unit, from what I can gather is literally stuffed with PCB and thick cabling. There's no way you'd get anything else inside it.

 

The original source was a public auction from a liquidation. Had but we all known eh! :crying:

 

Update: I have been informed the original price was actually $60k not $50k! Surely, this is a contender for the most expensive piece of development hardware ever built?

Thanks Kev for the info.

 

he he , looks like a good "getting money" scheme for the good idea and a couple of FPGA implemented :icon_bigg ( ok , 3 FPGAs + 1 main one , so not only 2 )

BTW: it can make a snapshots in about 171ms ( 10 frames for NTSC and 8 for PAL)

BTW 2: some history addon

funny point that EE Core with profiling enabled and help also a lot

 

more HW addon

what is can capture:

+ IOP stuff

 

DO WANT!

-hl718

 

One of the PDF documents actually demonstrates graphically what the unit does, I'll try and post images from it, but if you are interested in exactly what the unit does (and I am sure you really do know already) have a look at the last PDF on the first post.

 

GIF Packet Viewer is a second briliant idea for this T15K

 

Wow... that is SO cool. Nice to see Sony's still rewarding people for to-the-metal coding

Oh, and imagine what one of these for PS3 looks like