
40 Embedded systems design
multimedia. For embedded system, this statement is not valid and
its use is not as obligatory as it might seem.
What is interesting is that MMX processors also have other
improvements to help the general processor performance and so
it can be a little difficult to see how much MMX can actually help.
The second point is that many RISC processors, especially the
PowerPC as used in the Apple Macintosh, can beat an MMX
processor running the same multimedia application. The reason is
simple. Many of the instructions and data manipulation that MMX
brings, these processors have had as standard. They may not have
packed data, but they ...