MMX Technology
MMX Technology is a single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) instruction set architecture developed by Intel Corporation. Introduced on January 8, 1997, the MMX technology was first implemented in Intel's Pentium processors, specifically the Pentium P5 microarchitecture, which came to be known as the "Pentium with MMX Technology."
Development and Introduction
The genesis of MMX technology can be traced back to its predecessors, such as the Intel i860 and the Intel i750 video pixel processor. These earlier processors laid the groundwork for the SIMD capabilities that MMX would eventually provide. The primary goal of MMX technology was to enhance the multimedia capabilities of personal computers by improving performance in areas such as audio, video, and graphics processing.
MMX technology introduced a set of new instruction codes and data types that allowed processors to execute multiple operations in parallel on integer data types. This advancement was particularly beneficial for applications involving repetitive and parallel tasks such as image processing, video encoding, and 3D graphics.
Legal and Trademarks
In 1995, a legal dispute arose when Intel filed a lawsuit against Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Cyrix Corporation over the misuse of the MMX trademark. The lawsuit concluded with a settlement where AMD acknowledged MMX as a trademark owned by Intel. Consequently, AMD was granted rights to use the MMX trademark as a technology name, but not as a processor name.
Evolution and Integration
MMX technology marked a significant leap in SIMD instruction sets and was complemented by subsequent enhancements such as Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE). The SSE technology allowed MMX operation codes (opcodes) to leverage the XMM register operands, which were further extended to YMM and ZMM registers in later revisions. This evolution enhanced the capabilities of the SIMD instruction sets, allowing them to support more complex multimedia operations.
In line with this evolution, Intel's and Marvell Technology Group XScale microprocessor core, starting with the PXA270, included an SIMD instruction set architecture extension to the ARM architecture core, known as Intel Wireless MMX Technology (iwMMXt). This extension functions similarly to the IA-32 MMX extension, broadening the scope and application of MMX technology beyond its original context.
Legacy and Impact
The introduction of MMX technology was a pivotal moment that influenced the development of subsequent processor technologies, including the Pentium II and other processors in Intel's lineup. MMX technology set a precedent for future SIMD instruction set architectures and played a critical role in advancing the multimedia capabilities of personal computing.