Texas Instruments four-port USB 3.0 controller

Texas Instruments launches their first USB 3.0 four-port controller with USB-IF certification. It will hit mass production in May 2011 and will be sold for $4.50, a dollar more than the two-port TUSB7320.

In addition to the four-port host controller, the TUSB7340, TI also achieved certification for its two-port host controller, the TUSB7320. These four- and two-port host controllers support such applications as notebooks, desktop computers, workstations, servers, add-in cards and ExpressCard implementations, as well as PCIe-based embedded host controllers for HDTVs, set top boxes and gaming console applications. Download datasheets, order free samples, and request evaluation modules (EVMs) here: www.ti.com/tusb7340-pr.

"The continuing certification of USB products is key to delivering a smooth and effortless experience to consumers worldwide as they purchase and interconnect their new electronic devices using SuperSpeed USB," said Jeff Ravencraft, President & COO, USB-IF. "We are pleased with the commitment Texas Instruments has made to this standard by delivering such a broad portfolio of SuperSpeed USB products, including their most recent four- and two-port host controllers."

TI continues to expand the industry's broadest portfolio of end-to-end SuperSpeed USB devices with products like these four- and two-port host controllers in addition to existing peripherals, transceivers, hub controllers, redrivers, power switches and ESD protection chips.

Host controller key features and benefits
Certified and compliant: USB-IF and Microsoft's Windows Hardware Qualification Laboratory (WHQL) standards ensure an open solution for interoperability with industry-wide peripherals and hubs for SuperSpeed USB.
Sensitivity: Receiver sensitivity of less than 50 mV differential peak-to-peak is twice as good as that required by the USB 3.0 specification, which allows better detection of weak signals for use with longer cables and eases board layout challenges.
Reduced BOM: Full state-machine architecture eliminates the need for any external storage device, such as EEPROM or Flash, saving bill of materials (BOM) costs by five percent compared to competitive solutions.

These USB-IF-certified SuperSpeed USB host controllers come in a compact WQFN package and are sampling now. They will be in volume production in May 2011, with suggested resale pricing of $4.50 for the four-port TUSB7340 and $3.50 for the two-port TUSB7320, in quantities of 1,000.