Highlights
  • Host Bus: PCIe x4 Gen 2 ; Low Profile PCI Form Factor
    • Compliant with PCI Express Base Specification Revision 2.0
  • Quad-lane External PCIe Connectors (38pin iPass compatible)
    • PCIe x4 or four PCIe x1
  • Support PCI Express x4 Active Optical Cable
  • 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
Introduction

EP4X-PCIE4XG201 is External PCIe x4 Gen 2 Switch Host Card. Designed to overcome the limited PCIe connectivity of most desktop computers, the EP4X-PCIE4XG201 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 8-Lane/8-Port PCI Express Gen 2 (5 Gbps) Switch provides the most efficient fan-out solution.
The EP4X-PCIE4XG201 supports the following multiple Port configuration options:

 
Technical Specifications

 

Upstream PCIe interface
  • 4-lane PCI Express
    • PCIe Gen 1 (2.5GT/s)
    • PCIe Gen 2 (5.0GT/s)
Downstream PCIe interface
  • 38pin iPass (0.8mm pitch) compatible I/O Connector
    • 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: 140ns 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, L2/L3 Ready, and L3 (with Vaux not supported)
    • 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
  • LED Status
    • Blink: Gen 1 speed
    • Solid: Gen 2 speed
  • Upstream Lane Status LEDs
    • LED-Lane0: Upstream x1 Status LED
    • LED-Lane3: Upstream x4 Status LED
Switch
  • SW1-1 & 2: No-Function
  • SW1-3 & 4: Port Configuration Setting
    • Switch Port Configuration
    SW1-3 SW1-4 J1
    ON* OFF* x4
    OFF ON x1, x1, x1, x1
  • SW2-1: Link Upconfigure Timer
    (For Gen 1 devices that do not ignore the Gen 2 Upconfigure bits during the Link Training sequence)
    • ON: Enabled
    • OFF: Disabled (default)
  • SW2-2: Dual Clocking Operation
    • ON: Enable
    • OFF:Disabled (default)
  • SW2-3 & 4: CFC (100Mhz) Spread Setting
    SW2-3 SW2-4 CFC(100MHz)
    OFF* OFF* No Spread
    ON OFF Down -0.75
    OFF ON Down -0.5
Computer Platform Requirements Desktop computer equipped with a PCIe x4, x8, x16 slot
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 3.3Vaux
A15 CREFCLKn B15 3.3Vaux
A16 GND B16 PWR_RTN
A17 SB_RTN B17 PWR_RTN
A18 CPRSNT# B18 CWAKE#
A19 CPWRON B19 CPERST#
 
Computer Platform
  • Computer with PCI Express slot (x4, x8, x16)

Note:
For the best performance (5.0 Gbps), It should be installed in a PCIe Gen 2 compliant slot in the host computer.  Most computers have PCIe Gen 2 (5.0 Gbps) throughput on x4, x8 or x16 slots.

Physical Dimensions
  • 63.5(H)x88.5(L) mm
  • NW: 55.7g
Optional Accessories
  • Low Profile PCI Bracket (BR-00205-07)
Related Products
  • EPCIEX4D01E1---External PCIe x4 Docking

  • CB-00485-A series--- External PCIe x4 Cable

    Model No. AWG Length
    CB-00485-A0 28AWG 1.5m
    CB-00485-A1 28AWG 1m
    CB-00485-A2 28AWG 2.0m
    CB-00485-A3 28AWG 3.0m
    CB-00485-A4 28AWG 0.5m
    CB-00485-A5 28AWG 4m