Ethernet transceiver

TDK Semiconductor has extended the availability of its 78Q2120 ethernet transceiver range - and the availability of user designs which are based on it - by porting the device to a new semiconductor process.

TDK's original design was in BiCMOS, which allowed it to use less power and also to maintain a quality rating of 99.99%. The new 78Q2120C is produced using a contemporary CMOS process, uses less power, and is expected to further improve the quality rating.

The series transceivers are used to connect desktops, laptops, set-top boxes, game consoles and any other device that needs an ethernet connection.

Products that were designed to use older versions of the 2120 can be upgraded to use the newer technology without significant investment, re-engineering, or re-qualification of the transceiver.

The device includes an integrated media independent interface, ENDECs, scrambler/descrambler, dual-speed clock recovery, and auto negotiation functions.

The transmitter includes an on-chip pulse-shaper and a low power line driver. The receiver has an adaptive equaliser and a baseline restoration circuit required for accurate clock and data recovery.

The transceiver interfaces to category 5 or category 3 unshielded twisted pair cabling, and is connected to the line media via 1:1 isolation transformers.