Amfeltec Corp. PCI Express Cable Extender User manual

www.amfeltec.com Copyright 2012 Amfeltec Corp.
PCI Express Cable Extender
Hardware Manual
October 20, 2012
Revision 1.2

Contents
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page ii
Contents
1About this Document........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Purpose.................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Feedback..............................................................................................................................1
1.3 Revision History....................................................................................................................1
2General Description..........................................................................................................................2
2.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................2
2.2 Package Details....................................................................................................................3
3Requirements/Features....................................................................................................................4
3.1 Power/Interface Signals........................................................................................................4
3.2 Debugging Support...............................................................................................................4
3.3 Software................................................................................................................................5
4Installation........................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Hardware ..............................................................................................................................6
4.2 Software................................................................................................................................6
5Operation..........................................................................................................................................7
5.1 Hot-Swap support.................................................................................................................7
5.1.1 Remove UUT Device............................................................................................7
5.1.2 Install UUT Device................................................................................................7
6Hardware Description.......................................................................................................................8
6.1 Board Layout.........................................................................................................................8
6.2 LEDs.....................................................................................................................................9
6.3 Switches................................................................................................................................9
6.4 Jumpers..............................................................................................................................10
6.5 Connectors..........................................................................................................................10
6.6 Power Limits .......................................................................................................................11
7Appendix A: Connectors Pin Out....................................................................................................12
8Appendix B: SW2 switch setting ....................................................................................................13
9Appendix C: Limited warranty ........................................................................................................14

Contents
PCI Express Cable Extender Hardware Manual Revision 1.2
Page iii
Figures
Figure 1: PCI express Cable Extender ......................................................................................................2
Figure 2: PCI express interface board.......................................................................................................3
Figure 3: ExpressCard® interface board ...................................................................................................3
Figure 4: PCI express stabilization tabs.....................................................................................................5
Figure 5: Board layout................................................................................................................................8
Tables
Table 1: LEDs ............................................................................................................................................9
Table 2: Switches.......................................................................................................................................9
Table 3: Jumpers .....................................................................................................................................10
Table 4: Connectors.................................................................................................................................10
Table 5: Power Limits...............................................................................................................................11
Table 6: JTAG connector J4 pin out ........................................................................................................12

About this Document
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 1
1 About this Document
1.1 Purpose
This document describes hardware installation, features, specification and operation of
AMFELTEC Corp. PCI Express Cable Extender.
1.2 Feedback
AMFELTEC Corp. makes every effort to ensure that the information contained in this document is
accurate and complete at time of release. Please contact AMFELTEC Corp. if you find any errors,
inconsistence or have trouble understanding any part of this document.
To provide your feedback, please send an email to [email protected]
Your comments or corrections are greatly valued in our effort for excellence and continued
improvement.
1.3 Revision History
Rev. No.
Description
Rev. Date
1.0
Initial Release.
September 20, 2008
1.1
Additional ExpressCard® support
August 01, 2009
1.2
Adding Gen2 support
October 20, 2012

General Description
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 2
2 General Description
2.1 Introduction
The PCI Express Cable Extender is designed for support debugging and verification x1 PCI
express boards (referred as UUT, Units-Under-Test). PCI express Cable Extender (Cable
Extender) utilizes the modern “PCI express via Cable technology”. It connects to the host
computer via standard CAT6 data cable, 10 pin flat control cable and x1 PCI express or
ExpressCard® interface board .
The Cable Extender uses a bus switch to connect/disconnect the UUT PCI express board from the
host computer without it shutting down. This flexibility minimizes the testing time, protects the
host computer from damage and what is new make it possible to move noisy computer out of the
way. At the same time, by using connection via ExpressCard® it allows to connect x1 PCI express
board via PCI express Cable extender to any laptop.
Figure 1: PCI express Cable Extender
The Cable Extender supports two ways of feeding power to the UUT: internal, when power
coming via flat cable from host computer and external, when power coming from external power
supply. The external power supply has to provide +12V/4A power voltage to satisfy all PCI
express needs.
The Cable Extender fully protects UUT and host computer from damage by monitoring and
limiting the voltage and current supplied to the UUT.
The PCI Express Cable Extender has additional support tabs for the add-in PCI express boards
(UUT) stabilization (US. Patent: 7,255,570). Stabilization PCI express boards that has to be
plugged into Cable Extender makes it possible to rotate UUT during debugging.

General Description
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 3
2.2 Package Details
The PCI Express Cable Extender includes following components:
1. PCI Express Cable Extender (Figure 1)
2. x1 PCI express interface board (Figure 2) or ExpressCard® interface board (Figure 3)
3. Data CAT6 cable and control flat cable
4. User manual
5. External power supply +12V/4A (optional, can be purchase from Amfeltec Corporation)
Figure 2: PCI express interface board
Figure 3: ExpressCard® interface board

Requirements/Features
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 4
3 Requirements/Features
3.1 Power/Interface Signals
Indication of UUT powers +3.3V, +12V (green LED)
Indication of incoming +12V power from external power supply or from host computer
(Yellow LED)
Indication overload condition (red LED), PCI express reset signal status (yellow LED)
Indication of present UUP (blue LED)
Overloading Protection (OLP) on the UUT +3.3V and +12V supplies
Support powering UUT from external power supply as well as from host computer (defined
by Jumpers block inside plastic box)
JTAG connector for easy access to the PCI expresses JTAG signals. Enable plug-in JTAG
emulators or AMFELTEC Easy Loader™ for programming/ loading CPLD/FPGA on the
UUT during testing/production cycle.
Two pin ground jumper for easy using testing equipment that needs ground connection (like
voltmeter, oscilloscope, logic analyzer etc)
Meet PCI express 2.1 specification (Gen2)
Hot-swap support
3.2 Debugging Support
Allow access to the UUT PCI Express bus JTAG signals
Ground jumper for plug in test equipment probes
Support tabs for mechanical stabilization UUT, allow rotate the Cable Extender with UUT
during operation for easy access to the any part/signal of UUT (Figure 4)
Double set of LEDs on top and bottom of the Cable Extender to provide status during
debugging of the top or bottom side of the UUT

Requirements/Features
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 5
Figure 4: PCI express stabilization tabs
3.3 Software
AMFELTEC Corp. provides software for supporting hot-swap functionality. The software allows
to save and restore the PCI Express configuration for UUT device (refer to eX10 Software Manual
for more details).

Installation
PCI Express Cable Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.2
Page 6
4 Installation
4.1 Hardware
Following steps provide the exact sequence need to be followed in order to properly install the
PCI Express Cable Extender product from AMFELTEC Corp.:
Turn OFF host computer before installation. Remove the chassis cover from host computer.
Locate an unused PCI express slot and remove the corresponding slot cover from computer
chassis.
Plug-in the x1 PCI express interface board to selected PCI express slot and attached its
bracket to the computer chassis with a screw.
Put the chassis cover back on the computer.
In case ExpressCard® - just insert ExpressCard interface board into the ExpressCard® slot on
the laptop.
Connect the CAT6 cable and flat cable to PCI express or ExpressCard® interface board and
the other end to the connectors on the PCI Express Cable Extender.
In case that it is necessary to use external power supply for powering UUT the external power
supply has to be plugged to the Cable Extender and jumper block inside plastic box has to be
set in position 1-2 (the default factory setting 2-3 as host computer is the power source).
Incase ExpressCard® Extender has to be always powered from the external power supply.
Set SW1 switch into position ON.
Plug in UUT to the Cable Extender.
Turn ON host computer.
The “PRSNT” LED (blue) has to be ON, the power +3V and +12V LEDs have to be ON, the
FAIL and RST LEDs (red) have to be OFF.
When the system is booted, you can install the software.
4.2 Software
PCI Express Cable Extender doesn’t require any software/device driver for operation. You will
only need to install the software provided by AMFELTLEC Corp. in order to use the hot-swap
feature.
Please refer to eX10 Suite Manual for software installation details.