Broadcom's 8-Port Ethernet Transceivers

Broadcom just told us about its fourth-generation 8-port Fast Ethernet transceiver, the Broadcom BCM5238. The BCM5238 Digi-PHY transceiver uses only 230mw per and is available in a 128-pin Quad Flat Pack (QFP) package with a footprint of 17mm x 23mm. The BCM5238 10/100 Octal Digi-PHY transceiver supports Fast Ethernet connections of up to 150 meters over Category 5 unshielded twisted pair copper cable. It incorporates eight full-duplex 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/FX Fast Ethernet transceivers and can be configured to operate with either a Serial Media Independent Interface (SMII) or a Source Synchronous Serial Media Independent Interface (SSSMII) for connection to high port-count chips. The BCM5238 operates from a 1.8V core power supply and the transformer center taps and digital interface can be run at either 2.5V or 3.3V. The device also provides advanced transceiver features and capabilities, including HP Auto-MDIX to automatically and transparently detect and correct incorrectly wired cables. A programmable LED capability allows two LED outputs per port to be individually programmed to a variety of modes, and a programmable serial LED mode drives LEDs from a shift register remote from the PHY. Broadcom's Digi-PHY transceivers also support a JTAG scan chain for in-circuit testing and provides an onboard cable length meter that reports the link distance for each port via an MII register. The BCM5238 Digi-PHY 10/100 Ethernet transceiver is offered in 128-pin QFP and 256-ball BGA packages, priced at $13 and $15, respectively, in single-piece quantities.