PLX rolls general-purpose USB3 controller
The PLX USB3382 supports a USB 3.0 device controller and two PCIe Gen2 x1 ports. It targets a range of applications including medium- and high-end printers, fast wireless routers, wireless displays and a range of mobile devices.
Advanced Micro Devices and Intel are ramping up chips sets for 2012 systems that include support for USB 3.0 so the link "will almost come for free," said Jimmy Chou, a marketing director for USB products at PLX.
More than a dozen chips are currently shipping for storage systems using USB 3.0 and Serial ATA, but few are targeting general-purpose device links, he said. "I think 2012 will be the year USB 3.0 will be everywhere," he added.
Intel’s Thunderbolt will not negatively impact USB 3.0 plans, he added. "Even the MacBook Pro needed two USB ports because there are so many USB peripherals," he said.
Meanwhile PLX continues experiments with PCI Express over optical links. It showed 8 Gbits/s PCIe over optical links last fall and will show parallel optical links with x4 and x8 PCIe traffic this year.
The experiments aim to show how PCIe can be used to "accomplish most of" what the dual 10 Gbit/s Thunderbolt link does without needing its separate controller, said Reginald Conley, a PLX hardware applications director.
PLX is shipping or has in the works about seven USB 3.0 products with more planned for 2012. It is not commenting on whether it plans any products for Thunderbolt, a technology Intel has not yet licensed to other chip makers.
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