LeCroy introduces new Mini Card Interposer for Gen2 PCI Express analysis

• Author: USB World
• Filed under: USB News, USB gadgets
• Date: Dec 23,2009

LeCroy Corporation introduced a new Mini Card Interposer for the Summit(TM) PCI Express Protocol Analyzer product line. This new Mini Card interposer is a dedicated probe that makes it possible to analyze data traffic from a Mini Card that uses a PCI Express interface to connect to a laptop/notebook/tablet system.

The Mini Card Electromechanical Specification Revision 1.2, developed by the PCI-SIG®, defines a small form-factor I/O card with a high-speed connector that supports primarily PCI Express, but can also support USB 2.0. Mini Card applications include 802.11x wireless adapters, Bluetooth interfaces, Ethernet adapters, modems, SSD Modules, and SATA storage.

“LeCroy is pleased to announce a dedicated probing solution for PCI Express-based Mini Card developers,” said John Wiedemeier, Product Marketing Manager, LeCroy. “Our goal is to provide better ways for users to connect our tools to applications that have difficult-to-probe environments, and to help increase the efficiency of engineering development of new devices.”

The LeCroy Mini Card interposer supports probing at speeds up to 5 GT/s (Gen2). In addition to being able to probe the PCI Express interface, the interposer also provides connectivity to LeCroy’s USB analyzers for USB 2.0 protocol analysis. The interposer supports two types of test setups: the first test setup allows the interposer to tap data traffic between the Mini Card and a PCIe® 2.0 connector on a system board; and the second test setup allows the interposer to tap data traffic between a laptop, notebook or tablet and a Mini Card.

PCI Express protocol analyzers are tools for identifying, diagnosing and solving the interoperability issues typically encountered when system integrators verify new product designs (such as Mini Cards) in their host systems, including problems such as inconsistent card initialization, poor I/O performance, and power up issues. Mini Card developers can more easily identify protocol errors and performance issues that otherwise slow down development and testing of new or updated products. The intuitive software views and built-in protocol translations aid engineers in rapid problem identification and solution, reducing time-to-market and engineering development cost in the development of new Mini Cards.

LeCroy protocol analyzers have been at the forefront of PCI Express development tools. All LeCroy protocol analyzers feature a hierarchical display, real-time statistics, protocol traffic summaries, detailed error reports, powerful scripting, and the ability to create user-defined test reports, which in combination provide a powerful analysis system to allow developers to troubleshoot intricate problems and to finish their projects on time.

Source: www.lecroy.com

Multiple vendors jump on storm of hottest internet and PC trends with Wireless Laptop to HDTV Killer App of Wireless USB

• Author: USB World
• Filed under: USB News, USB gadgets
• Date: Dec 21,2009

Products now available in leading online stores and retail chains

Wisair, a leading vendor of Wireless USB single chip based solutions, announced that over 10 consumer-electronics vendors are now offering “Wireless Laptop to HDTV” products using its WSR601 CMOS single chip. Enabling users to wirelessly watch any laptop content and any Internet web site on their HDTV, these products capitalize on the hottest Internet usage trends (viewing online video and TV), hottest PC trends (smaller form factor laptops storing personal content) and the popularity of HDTVs, all together creating a huge demand for wireless connectivity between the laptop and the HDTV.

Wisair’s customers offering the “Wireless Laptop to HDTV” products include Source R&D (Warpia), Lenexpo (Atlona) and Cables Unlimited in the USA, Olidata, Digicom, XEL (Q-Waves) and More Monitors in Europe. Other customers of Wisair offering additional Wireless USB solution include Fujitsu, Hama and Display Solutions in Europe, InFocus in the USA, Witech in Korea and others soon to be disclosed.

Products are now available in leading online stores and retail chains, such as Frys, TigerDirect, Amazon, PC World, Staples, Buy.com, Dell.com, Dixons and others, with price range of $129-$149 (USA), 109-119 Euro (Europe) and 99£ (UK), for a complete “Wireless Laptop to HDTV” set.

Wisair has shipped 300k units of its CMOS single chip in the past year alone and already sees a sharp incline in its order intake for 2010, which is expected to be the booming year for Wireless USB with the “Wireless Laptop to HDTV” connectivity being the clear “killer app.”

Internet and PC Usage Trends Call for Wireless Laptop to TV Connectivity

– Internet has become the number one source for video and other types of content. Watching online video outranks many other online activities
today (amongst American adults, more than 60% of Internet users watch video online). Television channels, news clips and a myriad of video clips, from pure fun to product user guides, all are available at online popular sites such as YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video, MLB, etc. Recently, for the first time for a show this size, a U2 concert was streamed live online and about 100 million users watched it in its entirety for free… on YouTube!
– Laptop PCs are more popular than desktop PCs. The market share for laptops is increasing at the expense of desktop PCs.
– Laptop PCs screens have become smaller. While mobility is enhanced with smaller-sized laptops/netbooks, it becomes ever harder to watch ontent for a long period of time or share content with others, due to small screens.
– Laptop PCs store personal information. Photos from our digital still cameras, clips from our camcorders – they are all stored in our laptop PCs.
– HDTVs have become affordable and very popular. With their digital interfaces, flat TVs, which are now commonly found at homes and offices alike, enable new user experience and displaying of content far beyond traditional TV channels via cable or terrestrial broadcast.

Wireless Laptop to HDTV Product Features

– Universal solution – small size PC Adapter connects to a USB port available in all laptops, and A/V Adapter connects to an HDMI port, available in all flat-panel TVs.
– Unlimited content – whatever you can display on the laptop screen you can watch on the TV, including ANY Internet web site, online movies, online TV channels, downloaded movies, camcorder clips, personal images, documents, etc.
– Display mode that allows viewing different content on your laptop screen and TV screen; continue working while your children watch an online movie or online TV channel.
– HD video
– In-room operation (full room coverage, not through walls)

Source: Wisair