In the second article, we will continue introducing the next three industry standards: HDMI, DisplayPort and SATA.
4. HDMI
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HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital interface standard for connecting all HD components. HDMI supports all video/audio formats by one single cable. The CEC allows HDMI devices to control each other when necessary and allows the user to operate multiple devices with one remote control handset. HDMI technology is promoted by HDMI, LLC. According to HDMI Testing Policies, each Adopter must submit the first product of each Licensed Product type (i.e. source, sink, repeater, or cable) to an HDMI Authorized Testing Center (ATC) for testing. Once an Adopter product of each type has passed testing, it is not required to submit to the ATC subsequent products of that type. However, to help ensure HDMI interoperability, we encourage Adopters to use the ATCs.
Micron Technology released the new RealSSD C300 – the fastest SSD for notebook and desktop PCs to date and the first solid-state drive (SSD) to comply with the SATA Revision 3.0 (SATA 6Gb/s) specification. A 6Gb/s SATA link will help address the throughput bottleneck that today’s solid state drives face, making SSDs one of the major markets that benefit from SATA 6Gb/s. The move from SATA 2.0 to SATA 3.0 doubles the speed of link available to the SSDs. The Micron SSD will theoretically provide read speeds up to 355MB/sec and write speeds of up to 215 MB/sec.
So what makes these high speeds compelling?
New SSD options now available to consumers enable users to enjoy a better computing experience, from a faster OS boot times to quicker application loading, data transfer and file copying. There are many benefits to be gained by making the transition to SSDs. The video below provides a demonstration of advantages achieved when using Micron’s RealSSD C300 drive versus a hard disk drive (HDD).
Comparison of the Micron C300 SSD vs. HDD
The SSDs will be available in 1.8 inch and 2.5 inch form factors and in 128 GB and 256 GB sizes. Micron is sampling the C300 SSD in limited qualities and plans to enter production in Q1 of 2010.
Early in the development of the SATA Revision 3.0 specification, SATA-IO collaborated with test equipment companies to review testing parameters. Test platforms operating at the margin of SATA 3Gb/s will likely fail if they are not updated to meet SATA 6Gb/s requirements. SATA 6Gb/s compliance and certification will be needed to ensure interoperability in the SATA ecosystem.
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On November 19, Sharkoon introduced the USB 3.0 Quickport HDD dock, a docking station with an external USB 3.0 interface for SATA hard disk drives. A SATA hard drive inserted into the docking station can utilize the greater speed provided by USB 3.0 when connected to a SuperSpeed USB supported computer. HDD docks are utilized primarily by those in the IT industry, a useful tool for manipulating data on numerous hard drives without the burden of enclosing those drives in an enclosure or PC.
External hard drives are one of the areas that can benefit most from the increased speeds of SuperSpeed USB technology. The dock is compatible with 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch SATA HDDs. And compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X systems, the QuickPort dock connects to PCs via USB and uses a DC connection for power.
The company simultaneously launched a PCI expansion card, which allows users to upgrade their desktop PC with SuperSpeed USB technology, making it possible to utilize SuperSpeed USB peripherals. Sharkoon’s HDD dock has a retail price of around $75. The USB 3.0 host controller card contains an NEC µPD720200 chip and two SuperSpeed USB ports which can connect directly to the PCI-x1 slot on a PCs motherboard and is available for $60.
Industry firm In-Stat predicts that SuperSpeed USB technology will have a broad release by 2012, with around 70 percent of external hard drives, desktops and notebooks containing USB 3.0 ports. SuperSpeed USB compliance and certification will be critical to ensure interoperability in the USB ecosystem.
In May 2009, Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) released the SATA Revision 3.0 specification, which builds upon the success of previous generations of SATA storage device interface technology. Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits and applications for this new spec:
SATA 3.0 Benefits
- Link speeds of 6 Gb/s – twice as fast as SATA Revision 2.0
- Low cost
- Low power consumption
- Backward compatible with previous SATA generations
SATA Interface Usage Found In:
- Storage units
- Disk drives
- Optical
- Tape drives
- Host bus adaptors
Currently, products based on SATA Revision 3.0 are being introduced to the market for consumers to purchase. Recently, ASUS released the P7P55D-E Premium and P6X58D Premium motherboards. These motherboards contain both SATA 6G (a reference to the 6Gb/s signaling rate) and SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) technology, providing consumers with the connections available both inside and outside of the box. As more SATA 6G technology reaches consumers, it will pave the way for faster internal and external storage, significantly enhancing the computing experience.
Products that have successfully completed rigorous testing for SATA specification interoperability and compliance, assuring products work with other SATA certified devices, are added to the SATA Integrators List . An easy way to participate in SATA interoperability testing is to work with an independent test lab.
Authorized by SATA-IO since 2004, Allion is one of the first official SATA independent test labs offering third party validation for products seeking SATA certification. Each SATA certified logo indicates adherence to the respective SATA specification and can be used on product packaging, Web sites and collateral when the product passes SATA interoperability testing.
Several products incorporating SATA Revision 3.0, including the Marvell® 88SE9128 controller (utilized in the ASUS motherboards), Seagate Barracuda® XT hard drive and Toshiba’s line of 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch Hard Disk Drives, are currently available in the market. Additional certified products will be available in the first half of 2010.
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Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO), the consortium behind serial ATA technology, is developing a new specification that will outline a mini-SATA (mSATA) interface controller. The new connector will enable easy SATA integration in small form factor devices. mSATA will offer the same speed and reliability of today’s SATA interface standards; providing system designers and manufacturers high performance and cost-effective storage solutions for small CE products like notebooks and netbooks.
According to PC World the new specification maps SATA signals onto the current small form factor connector Mini PCI Express. This allows for the seamless integration of storage, primarily solid state drives (SSD), into a variety of netbooks and other small, portable electronic devices.
The Benefits
One compelling benefit of the small mSATA connector is that companies can increase storage offerings of devices without sacrificing physical space, a precious commodity on today’s devices. mSATA will support 1.5 Gb/s and 3 Gb/s data transfer rates.
Technology Adoption
An indication that the technology will see widespread adoption among netbook SSD manufacturers is recent news by storage manufacturer Toshiba introducing a line of mSATA SSDs. The drives are produced using Toshiba’s new 32nm process technology and are available in 30 and 62 GB capacities. Performance was outlined as 180 MBps reading speed with a maximum writing speed of 70 MBps – impressive performance for components designed for low cost PCs.
Testing Timeline
The mSATA connector and products were showcased at Intel Developer Forum in September. No concrete timeline has been given for when the mSATA test specification will be available, but Allion has been testing SATA for many years and looks forward to testing mSATA products.
