PLX Technology-Conexant Reference Platform Enables Multi-Channel PCI Express Video Systems; PLX PCI Express Bridge, Conexant Video Decoders Blend to Address Rapidly Growing Surveillance Market, Other Video Applications

Business Wire, July 17, 2006

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- PLX Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLXT), the leading supplier of PCI Express(TM) (PCIe) and other standard input/output (I/O) interconnect silicon, and Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications, today announced a reference-design platform for the development of multi-channel PCIe video boards. The platform, featuring the PLX(R) PEX 8111 PCI-to-PCIe bridge and eight Conexant Bt878 video decoders, enables designers to quickly create PCIe-based video-surveillance boards and other powerful video systems with up to eight channels, double the number currently on the market.

The platform demonstrates the high-bandwidth capabilities of the PEX 8111 and reflects the bridge's ability to manage eight or more independent video streams. Additionally, the board at the heart of the platform was migrated from conventional PCI, illustrating the ease with which designers can upgrade their existing products based on conventional PCI to the rapidly expanding PCIe interconnect technology. End-products using this platform will realize lower cost per channel, as well as faster time to market.

Multi-Billion Dollar Market -- and Growing

The reference platform comes at an advantageous time for manufacturers, as the high-end video-surveillance market is growing rapidly. Market researcher JP Freeman Co. predicts the market, currently at $4 billion, is growing at a rate of 40 percent per year.

"The adoption of PCI Express continues to penetrate new markets, with high-end video now seeing double-digit growth," said Steve Moore, PLX senior marketing manager for PCIe bridges. "This new PCI Express-based reference platform allows both Conexant and PLX to make inroads further into that market, while simplifying the design process for engineers."

"With the expanding market for surveillance and other high-bandwidth video systems, coupled with the new generation of PCs with PCI Express slots, PLX and Conexant determined that a reference platform blending the companies' respective technologies would be of tremendous value to board and system manufacturers," said Ed Munar, senior product line marketing manager at Conexant. "We're assuring those manufacturers get a running start on robust new designs, including eight-channel PCI Express boards, which will set a new standard for the video market."

Blending Leading Interconnect, Media Technologies

Blending the advanced interconnect technology of PLX's ExpressLane family of PCIe bridges and switches with Conexant's industry-leading line of media decoders, the new PEX-8111-Bt878 reference platform provides a complete solution for board and system development, minimizing engineering resources for new or migrated designs. The Bt878 decoder captures an analog video signal onto the PCI bus, which is then arbitrated between a programmable logic device and the eight Bt878 devices on the PCI bus. The PLX PEX 8111 bridges the PCI bus into the PCIe architecture.

The platform's board features an x1 PCIe edge connector, which can be inserted into standard PCIe slots with link widths of x1 or greater. It also features an auxiliary hard-disk power connector and a form factor based on the PCI Local Bus Specification, Rev. 3.0.

The PEX 8111 is the industry's smallest PCIe bridge -- 10mm by 10mm 161-ball plastic BGA package -- and features a low power consumption of 0.3 watts (maximum). The bridge's forward bridging, utilized in the PEX-8111-Bt878 reference platform, enables smooth migration from PCI to PCIe, while its reverse-bridging feature allows a host processor to reside on the PCI bus, preserving designer's legacy hardware and software architectures. The PEX 8111 is compliant with the PCI Express Base Specification, Rev. 1.0a, as well as the PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge Specification, Rev. 1.0.

Conexant pioneered the PCI video decoder category, and its solutions provide the industry's the most comprehensive combination of, value, worldwide video standard support, integration, and software support. Today, the Bt878 is the preferred PCI video decoding solution by system integrators and video grabber manufacturers in the video surveillance market.

Expanding Applications of PCI Express

The PEX 8111-Bt878 reference platform reflects PLX's ongoing commitment to enable high-speed serial interconnect in the broadest range of products. PLX is among the industry's first suppliers to announce support, development efforts and actual silicon for PCIe technology. The company began sampling its ExpressLane devices in 2004, and PLX customers presently are shipping revenue-generating products with those devices. PLX is an active member of several standards bodies, including subcommittees within the PCI SIG.

PLX has been developing I/O interconnect solutions since 1986.

For more information on PLX PCIe switches and bridges, please go to plxtech.com/products/pci_express/default.asp. For more information Conexant media decoders, go to conexant.com/servlets/DownloadServlet/PBR-200207-001.pdf?docid=208 &revid=1.