3 ms·

Yep, not to mention the manufacturing technologies required to meet the length matching and impedance targets. It's probably not realistic for hobbyist project

Yep, not to mention the manufacturing technologies required to meet the length matching and impedance targets. It's probably not realistic for hobbyist projects. I think this is mostly useful as a reference for making other types of adapters that might only need to use USB 2.0, but still need the microcontroller to negotiate the Type C stuff. edit: There are two other open source Type C projects (and they stick with the Hostess snack theme): http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/twinkie http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/twinkie http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/dingdong http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/dingdong

nknighthb 12y ago
At what point do consumer devices start using internal optical interconnects?
- thrownaway2424 12y ago
  Never? Why do you think this would help anyone?
  - nknighthb 12y ago
    Ease of routing. I know optical on-chip networks have been the subject of research for many years, and I've heard rumblings of optical interconnects between chips. I don't know their current status, nor whether they look to be useful in practice. Hence my question.
    - reportingsjr 12y ago
      If you mean directly from an IC then there is a long way to go on that. They are still trying to figure out how to make lasers on an IC in the same CMOS process as normal ICs.
- rcfox 12y ago
  While not usually meant for carrying high-speed signals, there are optical isolators[0] that are used to communicate between circuits that are not connected electrically. I'd guess that fiber optics is only a net win over large enough distances that you make up the latency from converting electrics signals to optical and back. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator
  - raverbashing 12y ago
    These are most for electrical insulation, not high speed (most probably aren't made for high speed) It's a whole different problem to have even a short distance connection go up to GHz speeds.
- woadwarrior01 12y ago
  S/PDIF [1] has supported optical interconnects for a long time. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=S/PDIF https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=S/PDIF
  - 13 12y ago
    Note that they are single direction.
- yincrash 12y ago
  http://www.cnet.com/news/cornings-usb-3-0-optical-cable-aims-for-5gbps-up-to-30-meter/ http://www.cnet.com/news/cornings-usb-3-0-optical-cable-aims...
  - nknighthb 12y ago
    The key word in my comment was "internal".
bravo22 12y ago
I agree that it isn't suitable for hobbyists. For what it is worth, length matching is a function of the layout. Impedance matching doesn't require any crazy manufacturing technique, just choosing the correct pre-preg type/thickness by manufacturer. I've never known a board house who couldn't do it. As for USB 2.0 conversion those pins are directly on the connector [1]. No need for anything beyond routing out those pins to a different connector. USB Type-C is essentially a USB 3.0 connector, but changed to be symmetrical and the SuperSpeed pins are used for other things like DP or other highspeed serial busses. [1] http://www.vrworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USBTypeCPinOutDiagram.jpg http://www.vrworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USBTypeCPi...
deleted 12y ago
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nknighthb 12y ago

At what point do consumer devices start using internal optical interconnects?

thrownaway2424 12y ago
Never? Why do you think this would help anyone?
- nknighthb 12y ago
  Ease of routing. I know optical on-chip networks have been the subject of research for many years, and I've heard rumblings of optical interconnects between chips. I don't know their current status, nor whether they look to be useful in practice. Hence my question.
  - reportingsjr 12y ago
    If you mean directly from an IC then there is a long way to go on that. They are still trying to figure out how to make lasers on an IC in the same CMOS process as normal ICs.
rcfox 12y ago
While not usually meant for carrying high-speed signals, there are optical isolators[0] that are used to communicate between circuits that are not connected electrically. I'd guess that fiber optics is only a net win over large enough distances that you make up the latency from converting electrics signals to optical and back. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator
- raverbashing 12y ago
  These are most for electrical insulation, not high speed (most probably aren't made for high speed) It's a whole different problem to have even a short distance connection go up to GHz speeds.
woadwarrior01 12y ago
S/PDIF [1] has supported optical interconnects for a long time. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=S/PDIF https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=S/PDIF
- 13 12y ago
  Note that they are single direction.
yincrash 12y ago
http://www.cnet.com/news/cornings-usb-3-0-optical-cable-aims-for-5gbps-up-to-30-meter/ http://www.cnet.com/news/cornings-usb-3-0-optical-cable-aims...
- nknighthb 12y ago
  The key word in my comment was "internal".

bravo22 12y ago

I agree that it isn't suitable for hobbyists. For what it is worth, length matching is a function of the layout. Impedance matching doesn't require any crazy manufacturing technique, just choosing the correct pre-preg type/thickness by manufacturer. I've never known a board house who couldn't do it. As for USB 2.0 conversion those pins are directly on the connector [1]. No need for anything beyond routing out those pins to a different connector. USB Type-C is essentially a USB 3.0 connector, but changed to be symmetrical and the SuperSpeed pins are used for other things like DP or other highspeed serial busses. [1] http://www.vrworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USBTypeCPinOutDiagram.jpg http://www.vrworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/USBTypeCPi...

deleted 12y ago

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