The nPower BBT3401 intelligent retiming chip's four full-duplex channels can each operate at data rates from 800 Mbits/s to 3.125 Gbits/s. The highly integrated chip can replace as many as six lower-integration chips. Consuming just 200 mW per channel, it's one of the lowest-power retiming solutions available, reducing power consumption by almost 50% over other products. Each channel can restore data streams to their original state by synchronizing, deskewing across all four channels, and reducing jitter.
Recovered data can be sent at rates of 800 Mbits/s up to 3.125 Gbits/s across a backplane of up to 40 in. on FR-4 pc-board material. The BT3401 can synchronize incoming data to a system's local clock by removing (or inserting) IDLE bits embedded between data packets. A two-pin interface provides access to the internal MDIP/MDC control registers. The control registers activate a bypass circuit that lets the data stream bypass the 8B/10B encoders/decoders so designers can implement custom coding schemes. Another command loops the transmitter of each channel back to its receiver, letting the chip test itself.
In lots of 1000, the BBT3401 costs $47 housed in a 144-contact low-profile BGA package.
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