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connectivityZONE Products for the week of March 3, 2008
Pericom Semiconductor Says…
Graphics Switch Connects to PCI Express and DisplayPort in Next Generation PCs
Unique switch allows connection to monitors using either DisplayPort or PCI Express Gen2 graphic output ports
Pericom Semiconductor Corporation has announced a next-generation high-speed switch solution for graphics interface between PCs and monitors based on Gen2 PCI Express (PCIeG2) and DisplayPort (DP) architectures.
The introduction of the PI3PCIE2612-A and PI3PCIE 2612-B capitalizes on the transition PC manufactures are now making to DP, a widely supported license-free digital A/V interconnect standard. Next generation PCs feature dual-function graphics ports capable of offering a DP output from its embedded graphics accelerator, or PCIeG2 output through enhanced graphics cards slots. PI3PCIE2612-A/B provides point-to-point connections between the PC chipsets to those of the DP connector or the x16 PCIeG2 slot for external graphics cards.
"The implementation of DisplayPort technology is currently emerging in PC graphics," said Brian O’Rourke, principal analyst at In-Stat. "Pericom's latest PCIeG2/DP switch provides a unique solution for system designers to connect either DisplayPort or PCI Express graphics-output ports to monitors."
"Providing a point-to-point PCIeG2/DP switching solution through a single PCB skew allows easy and inexpensive support to both low-cost embedded graphics as well as an upgrade path to high-end accelerator cards," said Shaf Rahman, Pericom's senior marketing director for Switch and Interface Solutions. "As an industry-first offering to customers, we already have design wins with many Tier-1 companies in the PC computing world."
PI3PCIE2612-A/B Key Features and Benefits
- In a typical 1:2 DeMux configuration, the device offers 4 DP channels or 4 PCIeG2 lanes, providing the highest possible resolution. It also offers Aux channel for training sequence, and HPD for connectivity detection.
- Low R-on / C-on assures maximum signal transfer and low distortion.
- With bandwidth of 2.5GHz at -5dB, the device is well equipped to handle both DP signals at 2.7Gbps and PCIeG2 signals at 5.0Gbps.
- Low crosstalk of -35dB at 2.5GHz minimizes transmission noise, and high isolation of -35dB at 2.5GHz helps minimize leakage current between the source and the drain.
- Low channel-to-channel skew of less than 35ns and bit-to-bit skew of less than 7ps, signals paths improves synchronization.
- High 8KV contact ESD protection on the DP path potentially eliminates external ESD protection devices.
EN-Genius Says…
Pericom’s handy little PCIe switch is just the thing to help equip today’s PCs to support the emerging DisplayPort video interface if they don’t have a separate graphics processor card. While DisplayPort is still found mostly on a small fraction of upper-end computer displays, it’s probably going to migrate fairly quickly down to mid-level equipment and is also finding some traction in flat screen HDTV applications because its SerDes lanes can drive an LVDS interface directly without the bridging chips required for an HDMI connection. In a world where the distinction between the computer and TV screen is becoming increasingly blurry, the PI3PCIE2612 switches are cheap insurance for your design against incompatibility or obsolescence.
 Primarily intended for desktops using Intel EagleLake (DT PC) and Cantiga (NB PC) chipsets, the switches can either provide straight connection between a 16-lane PCIe interface and a graphics accelerator or divert four lanes of the processor output to a standard 4-lane DisplayPort interface. They use a passive multiplexer without any buffer or re-drive capabilities but the clean eye signals I saw on their output verify Pericom’s published specs that document the low attenuation and crosstalk that they introduce.
It’s good to see these parts meet the more stringent 8 kV contact ESD protection specification which has higher voltage and current requirements than the body-charge spec that many chips are rated for. While integrating a full ESD solution costs Pericom a little more silicon (and probably a whole bunch of NRE), it saves you $0.50 - $1 in BOM costs if you had to implement it using external components.
The device is offered in 56-TQFN (5mm x 11mm, 0.5 pad pitch) package, operating with a 3.3 V power supply with two pin-out versions to comply with ATX (PI3PCIE2612-A) and BTX style (PI3PCIE2612-B) PC motherboards, priced at $1.35 in 10-k piece lots
Product Page PI3PCIE2612-A
Product Page PI3PCIE2612-B
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