SpursEngine is amicroprocessor fromToshiba built as a media orientedcoprocessor, designed for3D- andvideo processing inconsumer electronics such asset-top boxes andcomputers. The SpursEngine processor is also known as theQuad Core HD processor. Announced 20 September 2007.^[1]

The SpursEngine is astream processor powered by fourSynergistic Processing Elements (SPE),^[2] also used in theCell processor featured inSony PlayStation 3. These processing elements are fed by on chipH.264 andMPEG-2codecs and controlled by an off die hostCPU, connected by an on chipPCIe controller^[2] (in contrast to the Cell processor which has an on chip CPU (thePPE) doing similar work). To enable smoother interaction between the host and the SpursEngine Toshiba also integrated a simple proprietary 32-bit control core. The SpursEngine employs dedicatedXDR DRAM as its working memory.^[2]

The SpursEngine is designed to work at much lower frequencies than the Cell and Toshiba has also optimized the circuit layout of the SPEs to reduce the size by 30%.^[3] The resulting chip consumes 10-20W of power.

The SpursEngine is accessible to the developer from adevice driver developed forWindows andLinux systems. Software supporting the SpursEngine is limited and is primarily in the realm of video editing and encoding.^[4]

The first generation of SpursEngine processors are specified as follows:

• Built with a65 nm bulkCMOSfabrication process with 7 layers ofcopper interconnect^[2]
• 9.98 mm × 10.31 mm (102.89 mm²) large die^[2]
• 239.1 milliontransistors (Logic: 134 M,SRAM:104.8 M)^[2]
• Thermal design power: <20W^[2]
• Max frequency: 1.5 GHz^[2]
• Packaged in a 624 pin FC-BGA (Flip Chip-Ball Grid Array)^[2]
• 48 GFLOPS peak performance (12 GFLOPS per SPU @ 1.5 GHz)^[5]

In April 2008 Toshiba shipped samples of theSpursEngine SE1000 device, a PCIe-based reference board.^[5]

• The accelerator card connects to a 1x PCI Express bus and has 128 MB XDR DRAM with 12.8 GB/s bandwidth.
• Leadtek is producing theWinFast PxVC1100 andHPVC1100, internal and external PCIe accelerators based on the SE1000 platform.^[6][7][8]
• Thomson-Canopus has announced theFirecoder Blu, a PCIe accelerator based on the SE1000 platform.^[9]

Toshiba included the SpursEngine processors in theirQosmio laptops, models F50, G50 and G55, in the third quarter of 2008.

• Cell (microprocessor)

• Toshiba's Demos SpursEngine-Equipped Qosmio, Uses Cell Broadband Engine Technology, Gizmodo.com
• Cell Users Group - SpursEngine
• Cell-based GPU zaps laptop batteries, admits Toshiba – The Register

• Cell BE architecture
• Coprocessors
• Toshiba

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