High-speed PCI bridge fits in limited space

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Apr 26, 2005

The PLX FastLane PCI 6466 is billed as the industry's smallest 64bit, 66MHz PCI bridge.

Available now from PLX, the PLX FastLane PCI 6466 is billed as the industry's smallest 64bit, 66MHz PCI bridge.

The PCI 6466 is the industry's first 64bit, 66MHz PCI bridge with a full industrial temperature rating.

In addition, the PCI 6466 features a footprint 25% smaller than any other 64bit PCI bridge, asynchronous operation that allows support of legacy devices, and nontransparent bridging enabling the support of multiple hosts.

This rich combination of features - coupled with its robust 64bit, 66MHz power - makes the PCI 6466 ideal for server, storage, networking, and embedded applications that demand high-speed PCI bridging in limited space.

The PCI 6466 delivers a combination of features not available in any other 64bit PCI bridge.

Its 5V-tolerant I/O, true nontransparent (as well as transparent) operation, and compliance with the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) 2.1 R2.0 with PI = 1 specification for hot swap compatibility enable board and system designers to incorporate into their products a rich array of space-saving and performance features.

Additionally, those designers can employ the PCI 6466 to bridge from legacy 32bit, 33MHz PCI designs to 64bit, 66MHz PCI with true asynchronous operation, while also using much of the design's existing software.

"Designers once were faced with a lack of high-bandwidth, industrial-temperature bridging solutions for their PCI-based designs, which restrained them from migrating to 64bit PCI", said Steve Moore, Senior Product Marketing Manager at PLX.

"With the PCI 6466, those designers now have a smooth path for migrating their designs to either full-size or compact products, and can leverage much of the development effort they've already made - all in package that's 25% smaller than before".

The PCI 6466, like all PLX interconnect devices, is supported by a PLX rapid development kit (RDK).

The PCI 6466 RDK includes a PCI adapter board that easily plugs into any standard PCI slot (3.3 or 5V), along with the necessary drivers and advanced programming interface (API) software to quickly develop boards and systems.

The PLX FastLane PCI 6466 PCI bridge is available now in BGA packages at $28 in 1000-piece quantities.

The PCI 6466 RDK is available now at $495.