Microchip releases a comprehensive portfolio of advanced Gigabit Ethernet products to make design easier

Microchip Technology announced the introduction of a new 48 Gigabit Ethernet chip portfolio with advanced features, compliance certification, comprehensive software support, and production-ready evaluation tools. To reduce the complexity of high-speed network deployment and remove barriers in the deployment process, while opening up new uses and applications, the new GigEpack product portfolio was created. GigEpack includes the industry's first single-chip Gigabit Ethernet switches that integrate HSR/DLR redundancy for ultra-high reliability in critical manufacturing applications. GigEpack also includes the industry's first automotion-grade USB 3.1 Gen 1 Gigabit-Ethernet bridge to support advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and infotainment systems on a variety of physical network layers.

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Designed for industrial, automotive and consumer applications, this comprehensive product portfolio uses three key elements to ensure ease of use and accelerate design to market. First, all products are UNH-IOL (University of New Hampshire - Interoperability Lab) certified. Second, all products come with certified or third party approved free software drivers for all major operating systems running on a cleverly designed production evaluation board. Finally, the GigEpack portfolio is also powered by Microchip's free LANCheck® online design service, which is dedicated to ensuring that best design practices are applied by verifying customer designs.

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Mitch Obolsky, Microchip's vice president of USB and Networking, said: "With GigEpack, Microchip can now provide customers with a complete platform for highly reliable Gigabit Ethernet products. Our goal is to make these products accessible and easy to design. "Every customer can access our products, drivers, various development boards, and documentation directly from Microchip's product Web page."

The GigEpack portfolio consists of three product families. The new KSZ947/9567/9897 switch family allows users to create highly reliable networks with HSR/DLR redundancy and transmit audio and video via AVB (Audio/video bridge). For example, the KSZ9567 switch has seven ports and an SGMII interface, while also integrating EtherSynch technology to support real-time Ethernet, IEEE 1588 v2 Precise Time Protocol (PTP), AVB, and time sensitive networking (TSN).

The new LAN 7800/LAN7850/LAN7801 bridge family helps customers add Gigabit Ethernet to embedded processors via USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 2.0 interfaces. Or add high speed interchip (HSIC) bridging to various physical layers including 1000Base-T or 100Base-T1 and HDBaseT via the RGMII interface. These products augment Microchip's existing KSZ9031 series gigabit PHY product line, and all offer automot-grade durability and low power consumption.