Highlights
  • Upstream: 8-lane PCI Express
  • Downstream:  Two Quad-lane External PCIe Connectors (38pin iPass compatible)
  • Support PCI Express x4 Active Optical Cable ---45DEPX4-PCIE8XG201 (BOM V1.2.1) or later version
  • Supports PCIe Gen 1 and PCIe Gen 2 transfer rates
    • PCIe Gen 1: 2.5 Gbps per Lane
    • PCIe Gen 2: 5.0 Gbps per Lane
  • Maximum Payload Size – 2,048 bytes
  • Quality of Service (Qos) support
    • Two Virtual Channels (VC0 and VC1) per Port
    • Eight Traffic Classes (TC[7:0]) per Port
    • Weighted Round-Robin (WRR) Port and Vitual Channel (VC) arbitration
  • PerformancePAK™
    • Read Pacing™ (intelligent bandwidth allocation)
    • Dual Cast™
    • Dynamic Buffer Pool Architecture for faster credit updates
Introduction

DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 is Dual External PCIe x4 to PCIe x8 Gen 2 Host Card. Designed to overcome the limited PCIe connectivity of most desktop computers, the DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 can be quickly and easily set up for external expansion. No additional software or drivers are needed.

In particularly rugged environments, your desktop computer can be placed at a secure location up to 7 meters (for PCIe Gen 1.0) or 100 meters (with PCIe A.O.C) away. High performance and reliable communication is maintained with the well-shielded extension cable or A.O.C (Active Optical Cable), and the docking station is designed to withstand high or low temperatures, vibrations and shocks.  In addition, the isolation between core components and docked PCIe devices eliminates any possible electromagnetic interference between them.

Utilizing the standard PCI Express Switch, the 16-Lane/16-Port PCI Express Gen 2 (5 Gbps) Switch provides the most efficient fan-out solution.
The DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 supports the following multiple Port configuration options:

The DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 can also be used to create PCI Express Gen 1 (2.5GT/s) Ports. The DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 is backward-compatible with PCI Express Gen 1 devices. Therefore, the DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 enables a Gen 2 native Chip Set to fan-out Gen 1 endpoints. The external PCIe connectors connected to the downstream Ports can be populated with either PCI Express Gen 1 or PCI Express Gen 2 devices. Conversely, the DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 can also be used to create PCI Express Gen 2 (5.0GT/s) Ports on a Gen 1 native Chip Set in the same manner.

Technical Specifications

DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 v1.5

Upstream PCIe interface
  • 8-lane PCI Express
    • PCIe Gen 1 (2.5GT/s)
    • PCIe Gen 2 (5.0GT/s)
Downstream PCIe interface
  • Two 38pin iPass (0.8mm pitch) compatible I/O Connectors
    • Scalability up to 10Gb/s
      • PCIe Gen I – 2.5Gb/s
      • PCIe Gen II – 5.0Gb/s
    • Durability - 250 cycles
    • Fully shielded to provide maximum EMI/RFI protection
      • Guide to system bezel gasket
      • Cable plug gasket to front face of Guide
    • First mate, last break
    • RoHS compliant
Key Features
  • Standards Compliant
    • PCI Express Base Specification r2.0 (Backwards compatible with PCIe r1.0a/1.1)
    • PCI Power Management Spec r1.2
    • Microsoft Vista Compliant
    • Supports Access Control Services
    • Dynamic link-width control
    • Dynamic SerDes Speed Control
  • High Performance
    • Non-blocking internal architecture
    • Full line rate on all ports
    • Cut-Thru latency: 160ns for Link widths of x4 to x1
    • Maximum Payload Size - 2,048 bytes
    • Read Pacing (intelligent bandwidth allocation)
    • Dual Cast
    • Dynamic Buffer Pool Architecture for faster credit updates
  • PCI Express Power Management
    • Link power management states: L0, L0s, L1
    • Device power management states: D0 and D3hot
    • Active State Power Management (ASPM)
  • Quality of Service (QoS)
    • Two Virtual Channels (VC) per port
    • Eight Traffic Classes per port
    • Weighted Round-Robin Port & VC Arbitration

Lane Status LEDs

  • Blink: Gen 1 speed
  • Solid: Gen 2 speed

 
  • Upstream Lane Status LEDs
    • UPCIe LED1 (Lane 0): Upstream x1 Status LED
    • UPCIe LED4 (Lane 3): Upstream x4 Status LED
    • UPCIe LED8 (Lane 7): Upstream x8 Status LED
Switch
  • SW1-1: Non-Transparent Mode
    • ON: Enabled NT mode
    • OFF: Disabled NT mode (default)
  • SW1-2: Select Upstream NT Port
    • ON: Port 1
    • OFF: Port 3 (default)
  • SW1-3&4: Port Configuration Setting
    • 3-OFF&4-OFF: Port 1-x4, Port 3-x4 (default)
    • 3-ON&4-OFF: Port 1-x4, Port 3-x1. x1, x1, x1
    • 3-OFF&4-ON: Port 1-x1, x1, x1, x1, Port 3-x1, x1, x1, x1
  • SW2-1: Port 1 CWAKE# Setting
    • ON: Enable
    • OFF: Disabled (default, For PCIe AOC)
  • SW2-2: Port 3 CWAKE# Setting
    • ON: Enable
    • OFF: Disabled (default, For PCIe AOC)
  • SW2-3&4: CFC (100MHz) Spread Setting
    • 3-OFF&4-OFF: No Spread (default)
    • 3-ON&4-OFF: Down -0.75
    • 3-OFF&4-ON: Down -0.5
Computer Platform Requirements Desktop computer equipped with a PCIe x8, x16 slot

 
Certifications
  • CE Test: Pass
  • FCC Test : Pass
  • VCCI Test: Pass
  • RCM Test: Pass

      
Applications

DEP4X-PCIE8XG201 can be quickly and easily set up for external expansion.

Mode : x8, x4, x4 --- PCIe x8 to two PCIe x4 (J1 and J3)

  • Application 1: One PCIe x4 slot (Support either Copper Cable or AOC)
  • Application 2: Four PCIe x1 slots (Support either Copper Cable or AOC)
    • EPCIE4XE1X40 --- External PCIe x4 to four PCIe x1 Slot Docking
  • Application 3: Eight PCIe x1 slots (Support either Copper Cable or AOC)
    • EPCIED4XE1X80--- External PCIe x8 (x4 only) to eight PCIe x1 Slot Docking

 
Pin Assignment
  • 38pin iPass™ (0.8mm pitch) compatible I/O Connector

Pin# Signal Pin# Signal
A1 GND B1 GND
A2 PETp0 B2 PERp0
A3 PETp0 B3 PERn0
A4 GND B4 GND
A5 PETp1 B5 PERp1
A6 PETn1 B6 PERn1
A7 GND B7 GND
A8 PETp2 B8 PERp2
A9 PETn2 B9 PERn2
A10 GND B10 GND
A11 PETp3 B11 PERp3
A12 PETn3 B12 PERn3
A13 GND B13 GND
A14 CREFCLKP B14 3.3V
A15 CREFCLKn B15 3.3V
A16 GND B16 PWR_RTN
A17 SB_RTN B17 PWR_RTN
A18 CPRSNT# B18 CWAKE#
A19 CPWRON B19 CPERST#
 
External PCIe x4 Cable
Model No. AWG Length (Passive) Performance
CB-00485-A0 28AWG 1.5m Gen2
CB-00485-A1 28AWG 1m Gen2
CB-00485-A2 28AWG 2.0m Gen2
CB-00485-A3 28AWG 3.0m Gen1
CB-00485-A4 28AWG 0.5m Gen2
CB-00485-A5 28AWG 4m Gen1
Physical Dimensions
  • 81.5(H)x 98.2(L) mm
  • NW: 87.7g