|
|
 |
 |
Joined: 7/9/2006
Posts: 1182
|
|
|
PS3Grid has been using the cell processors in Sony Playstation 3's for a BOINC project called PS3Grid for some time now. They have recently released a version that works with newer NVidia graphic cards, using the amazing amount of computational power these cards have. If you have an NVidia Geforce 9600 GT - 512/1024M - 64 shader units or better, you should be able to run this project. For a complete list, check here
It is a novel distributed supercomputing infrastructure made of many
PlayStation3 and NVIDIA graphics cards joined together to deliver
high-performance all-atom biomolecular simulations. Greeri has been using his PS3 for a while now on the project, was the first on the team to give a NVidia GTX 260 a go, and has sparked interest in Xaak, fesstess and nutcase to purchase a 260 for the sole purpose of running this project. I'd like to hear more from them, I'm on the verge of getting one myself.
|
|
|
|
 | |
|
|
|
|
Joined: 7/9/2006
Posts: 1182
|
|
|
on a side note, from the boinc_alpha mailing list- David Anderson: GPU performance: the next release may improve this.
I finally have a CUDA system myself, so hopefully we'll fix CUDA problems faster. From NVidia's site: http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn.html NVIDIA CUDA™ technology is the only C language environment that unlocks
the processing power of GPUs to solve the most complex
compute-intensive challenges. This has changed since last week when ATI released their driver package for stream computing. More info here- http://ati.amd.com/technology/streamcomputing/index.htmlCurrently the only distributed computing project utilizing ATI gpu's is Folding at Home, which has shunned the BOINC platform so far. Stream computing harnesses the tremendous processing power of the
graphics processor unit (GPU) for high-performance, data-intensive
computations over a wide range of scientific, business and consumer
applications.
In stream computing, operations are
applied in parallel through a SIMD architecture to a given data set, or
stream of data. To take advantage of the GPU’s SIMD architecture and
the hundreds of parallel compute cores it provides, AMD Stream has
developed a full software stack of development tools for both 32-bit
and 64-bit Linux and Windows operating systems; the AMD Stream SDK.
AMD Stream is also porting many common math library functions from the
AMD ACML package to the GPU to support compute-intensive applications.
Along with leading 3rd
party industry partners and academic institutions worldwide, AMD Stream
is building a complete stream computing ecosystem, one that delivers
the performance, applications, software and tools necessary to turn
AMD's low-cost stream computing vision into reality.
Characteristics of stream computing:
- Enable new applications on new architectures
- Parallel problems other than graphics that map well on GPU architecture
- Transition from fixed function to programmable pipelines
- Various proof points in research and industry under the name GPGPU
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
tswb.org
Joined: 7/21/2006
Posts: 709
|
|
|
these 8800's work as well;
GeForce 8800 GS - 384M - 96 shader units
GeForce 8800 GT - 256/512/1024M - 112 shader units
GeForce 8800 GTS - 512/1024M - 128 shader units
I may have to check my son's card to see if it's on the list. My BFG Tech GeForce GTX260 OC 896MB DDR3 alone will probably have a RAC of 6,000 over time.
The cost here in Canada was over $300 but I convinced myself I needed a new card anyway. Also you can download software from nvidia to control the fan speed for better cooling.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
Joined: 1/20/2007
Posts: 112
|
|
|
Keep in mind this is still very beta. You must run the boinc 6.3.14 in order to even use it. These guys did a very good job getting this project up and running stable on the ps3 and they are making improvements on the current gpu project every day.
With the current unmodified software you will loose 1 cpu core to the gpu crunching. There is also currently a per cpu cache limit so it is not playing nicely with anything less than a quad for now.
Depending on what projects you run, a GTX 260 will get aproximatly the same rac or better than the entire quad. So for a $200 to $300 investment you basicly double the rac of one machine. In my case I have oced the cards and get about 10K per day per card. There is also a better app pending for the 260/280 cards so this will probably increase.
 I've done horrifying things with salad tongs. It's really eaten into my social life.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
Joined: 11/4/2007
Posts: 342
|
|
|
I have an 8600 GT - looks like it is the oldest card compatible. Worth plugging in? Will BOINC run and show both the GPU and my quad workunits at the same time?
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Joined: 1/20/2007
Posts: 112
|
|
|
Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.
And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.
I've done horrifying things with salad tongs. It's really eaten into my social life.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Joined: 11/4/2007
Posts: 342
|
|
|
Well, it's not doing major processing as it is - I don't play games on the PC and picked it up for dual DVI. Might plug it in and see what there is to see. Thanks for the reply Greeri,
The cost here in Canada was over $300 but I convinced myself I needed a new card anyway.
CAD or USD? Newegg shows some of the GTX 260's to be right around $200 USD after rebate.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
tswb.org
Joined: 7/21/2006
Posts: 709
|
|
|
Price was acually $336.00 CAD + TXS of 12%, then a $40 mail-in rebate. We're taxed to death 'round here.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Joined: 11/4/2007
Posts: 342
|
|
|
fesstess wrote
Price was acually $336.00 CAD + TXS of 12%, then a $40 mail-in rebate. We're taxed to death 'round here.
Is it worthwhile for someone else to pick it up for you and mail it? $199 USD (after rebate) = $234 CAD right now - so $336 CAD is a huge markup as far as I can see. The $40 rebate only covers tax.
Not sure if this is generally acceptable or not, but want to ask...
EDIT: Nevermind, seeing that the BFG card you are talking about is $280 USD on newegg making it not worthwhile.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Joined: 8/5/2006
Posts: 224
|
|
|
Greeri wrote
Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.
And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.
I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.
I got... a head with wings... head with wings
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Joined: 11/4/2007
Posts: 342
|
|
|
kemp wrote
Greeri wrote
Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.
And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.
|
I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.
Thanks Kemp, will hold off then.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Joined: 7/4/2006
Posts: 1079
|
|
|
kemp wrote
Greeri wrote
Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.
And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.
|
I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.
The GTX 260's I bought are all running under 60c, and they're overclocked with the fan at around 60%, so it might just be your card.
Gary
You can't fix dead.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Joined: 8/5/2006
Posts: 224
|
|
|
Xaak wrote kemp wrote
Greeri wrote
Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.
And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.
|
I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.
|
The GTX 260's I bought are all running under 60c, and they're overclocked with the fan at around 60%, so it might just be your card. For sure! While it was running, and only boinc manager window was opened, bar scrolling it was a pain in the ass. And, a GTX 260 is better than 8600.
I got... a head with wings... head with wings
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
Joined: 7/29/2006
Posts: 289
|
|
|
260 gtx installed and crunching [EMO]wink.gif[/EMO]
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Joined: 7/9/2006
Posts: 1182
|
|
|
nutcase wrote260 gtx installed and crunching
|
|
|
|