Enabling Brilliance in Video Processing

The Internet explosion has been driving high-speed data transmission IC demand, according to Dr. Martin Rofheart, Sr. Vice President and General Manager for Analog/Mixed Signal Products of Gennum Corp., during his presentation at the recent Globalpress Electronics Summit 2010. He noted that by 2013, global IP traffic will exceed 667 exabytes—with video accounting for more than 91 percent—and significant network upgrades are required, in terms of connections and equipment, to support this.

And that is where Gennum comes in. “Gennum is the specialist in connectivity solutions for really high-performance networks,” said Dr. Rofheart. “And with the increasing requirements for data rates and density come a requirement for the technologies and expertise that Gennum has an expertise in.”

Gennum provides high-speed interfaces such as serializers and deserializers (SerDes), equalizers, cable drivers, and reclockers for broadcast applications; as well as clock and data recovery (CDR) ICs, laser drivers, limiting amplifiers, and equalizers for networking, telecom and storage products.

Some of the latest developments from Gennum include the 3Gbps High Definition/Standard Definition (3G/HD/SD) cable equalizers targeted at broadcast equipment applications. The GS2993 and GS2994 devices, building on the success of the company’s previous generation 3Gbps cable equalizer solutions, integrate new features such as a wider output DC coupling range, optional intelligent power down/power up to allow the chip to enter power savings mode when not in use, and output de-emphasis (2dB, 4dB and 6dB) to drive longer traces between chips. The GS2993, in particular, integrates independent dual outputs to drive two devices with different input requirements and different trace lengths, and includes a cable length indicator. The GS2993 and GS2994 offer full swing (800mV) and half swing (400mV) options to provide equipment designers with a flexible, lower power solution.

Gennum has also released its second generation 16G Fibre Channel CDR, designed for data communications and storage area networks. The GN2017 is a dual CDR with integrated VCSEL driver and limiting amplifier, and addresses signal integrity issues at 14Gbps speeds—suitable for 16G Fibre Channel applications. The GN2017 can detect a 16G Fibre Channel input or a legacy Fibre Channel input, and can automatically configure itself accordingly. Also, it can detect between a 16G Fibre Channel input and Fibre Channel over Ethernet input, and can retime the signal to ensure a high quality output.

“As we stand today, going to 16G, 25G, 40G and 100G is moving the company’s technology to broader applicability, and allowing us to enable more customers and more end-users a higher degree of functionality and performance. Gennum’s products enable brilliance for our customers and for end-users by enabling the connection at HD, 1080p, 50/60Hz—the highest resolutions without compression, without compromise; to go from sporting events, from live music and other concerts and venues, to the home, every step of the transmission solution is powered by, and connected by Gennum’s silicon solutions,” said Dr. Rofheart.

Gennum Corp.
Caption
Targeted at broadcast equipment applications, Gennum’s GS2993 3G/HD/SD cable equalizer integrates independent dual outputs to drive two devices with different input requirements and different trace lengths, and includes a cable length indicator.