Comments on: Looking for CPU die core prints

Question: Looking for CPU die core prints

SouthCNorthNY — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:17:24 -0800

I would love a huge poster of something like this. But I can't find anything like it on sites that sell posters. Does anyone know where I could find very high resolution images of die cores?

By: rhizome

rhizome — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:55:27 -0800

You could try calling the marketing departments of Intel, AMD, etc. Certainly they have used something like this as a poster or something for tradeshows. If not, they may have a high resolution file with which you could make your own poster, but they might be skittish about any IP infringement issues if they think you might be making them for sale.

By: Maias

Maias — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:32:47 -0800

That is a very cool image. If you can get a photo, you can get it put on a canvas for not too much money here: canvasondemand.com

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:28:06 -0800

Intel's press resources photos page has a listing of different processors. Many subpages have links to big TIF files (~10 megapixels) and the design/coloration differs from chip to chip. (AMD has a [very] few die images, but they aren't as stunning or as high-res.)

It'd be pretty trivial for photoshop/GIMP to give them the contrasty supersaturated look of your example, too.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:09 -0800

Like here's one (self link) I've made as a test from the Pentium 4 TIF that Intel supplies. I can provide GIMP instructions or modify a picture for you if you'd like.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:08:07 -0800

Get a better image and take it to Kinko's. They'll make a poster for you, and it won't even be very expensive.

By: SouthCNorthNY

SouthCNorthNY — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:38:55 -0800

Massive TIF files are exactly what I was looking for. I am going to ask Intel if they have any images of older chips as well.

Cowbellemoo, that image is the kind of thing I am looking for. Could you send me (or post) the GIMP instructions?

By: jepler

jepler — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:19:05 -0800

There are some huge scans of an uncapped 4004 here, but unfortunately they are watermarked.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:47:10 -0800

Here's some GIMP instructions:

1. Make duplicate of the background layer above the background. (Right click on "background" in the layers palette to dupe.)
2. With the new layer selected, change the (blending) "Mode" to "Multiply." This layer will make things contrasty and dark.
3. Still on the new layer, bring up the Brightness/Contrast dialog (on the menu: Colors > Brightness/Contrast). We want little brightness (0%-25%) and lots of contrast (70%-80%). You can play with this later if it needs to be darker.
4. Make a new layer from the original background, and drag it to the top of the layer stack. Change its Mode to "Grain Merge." It's going to make the colors glow.
5. With the newest layer selected, bring up the Gaussian Blur dialog (on the menu: Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur). Use a radius of 25 or so.
6. Done! Save as a JPG.

The trick is getting the darkness/brightness where you want it. A new top layer of pure black set to overlay mode can help (throttle the opacity to taste). And for steps 2-3, using the Levels dialog instead will let you clip more area to black and let the colorful bits brighten. It'd be murder to explain the levels dialog here, though. Any photshop levels tutorial will help there.

Have fun!

By: imaswinger

imaswinger — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:06:38 -0800

from one the links posted: http://oms.wmhost.com/misc/

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:54:15 -0800

Wow...imaswinger's link has some crazy awesome stuff.