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Re: MMX-MISC




On Tue, 20 Apr 1999, Tom Vermeiren wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> it's probably a stupid question, but I want to ask it anyway. 
> Why are the MISC-processors apparently used in domains like
> video-processing while they're not especially designed for it?
> In that prespective I think it's odd that a 'simple' instruction
> set like MISC can outrun specialized once like the MMX-IS.

Maybe:

 Less is Moore. MMX might be a good idea if you make processors just
 for image processing, but a CISC with MMX just gives you the worst
 of two worlds; the MMX part is slowed down by the slow CISC part
 while at the same time the extra MMX hardware makes the CISC even
 slower.
 
 A pure MMX (also known as a digital signal processor) is fast, but
 not very general purpose. MISC is quite fast and general purpose.

Wrong?

/abo