MMX Technology

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MMX TM Technology

The MMX TM Technology extension to the Intel Architecture is designed to accelerate multimedia and communications software running on Intel Architecture processors (Peleg and Weiser). The technology introduces new data types and instructions that implement a SIMD architecture model and is defined in a way that maintains full compatibility with all existing Intel Architecture processors, operating systems, and applications. MMX technology on average delivers 1.5 to 2 times performance gains for multimedia and communications applications in comparison to running on the same processor but without using MMX technology. This extension is the most significant addition to the Intel Architecture since the Intel I386 and will be implemented on proliferation of the Pentium processor family and also appear on future Intel Architecture processors.
The media extensions for the Intel Architecture (IA) were designed to enhance performance of advanced media and communication applications. The MMX™ technology provides a new level of performance to computer platforms by adding new instructions and defining new 64-bit data types, while preserving compatibility with software and operating systems developed for the Intel Architecture.
The MMX technology introduces new general-purpose instructions. These instructions operate in parallel on multiple data elements packed into 64-bit quantities. They perform arithmetic and logical operations on the different data types. These instructions accelerate the performance of applications with compute-intensive algorithms that perform localized, recurring operations on small native data. This includes applications such as motion video, combined graphics with video, image processing, audio synthesis, speech synthesis and compression, telephony, video conferencing, 2D graphics, and 3D graphics
The MMX instruction set has a simple and flexible software model with no new mode or operating-system visible state. The MMX instruction set is fully compatible with all Intel Architecture microprocessors. All existing software continues to run correctly, without modification, on microprocessors that incorporate the MMX technology, as well as in the presence of existing and new applications that incorporate this technology.
MMX technology provides the following new features, while maintaining backward compatibility with all existing Intel Architecture microprocessors, IA applications, and operating systems; New data types, eight MMX registers, enhanced instruction set. The performance of applications which use these new features of MMX technology can be exchanged.
The principal data type of the IA MMX technology is the packed fixed-point integer. The decimal point of the fixed-point values is implicit and is left for the user to control for maximum flexibility.

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