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What are HSL/high-speed link connectors? 

Meet the Connector: HSL/High-Speed Link Connectors What are HSL/high-speed link connectors?  HSL/High-speed link connectors are used to facilitate high-speed data communication between different components within electronic systems, such as computers, servers, telecommunications equipment, and other digital devices. The term HSL refers to a broad category of high-speed, high-performance interconnects that are capable of supporting dataRead More

Ethernet Won’t Get Out of the Fast Lane

A raft of new 800 Gigabit Ethernet interconnects are helping our favorite networking cable reach ever higher speeds to support AI, machine learning, and the next frontier of high-speed computing. Ethernet has been the backbone of computing since the 1980s due to its exceptional versatility, reliability, backward compatibility, and continuous and exponential improvements in performance.Read More

OFC Celebrates High-Performance Optical Interconnects

Once again, OFC proved to be the premier showcase of high-performance optical and copper interconnects in communication and network applications. The 2023 edition of the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition (OFC) roared back to normalcy after the muting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 11,500 participants from 70 countries accessed the latest advances inRead More

Over-the-Board Cable Solutions Raise the Speed Limits on Board Designs

As bandwidth grows and speeds continue to accelerate, conventional PCB solutions are reaching their limits. Over-the-board cable solutions alleviate heat and signal integrity concerns while allowing systems to reach ever higher performance levels. By Jim David and Vishal Chandrasekar, Amphenol Communications Solutions In today’s data driven world, manufacturers of switch, server, and router hardware areRead More

Small Form Factor Pluggable Connectors Product Roundup

This week’s Product Roundup highlights small form factor pluggable connectors (SFPs) from leading suppliers. Small Form Factor Pluggable Connectors (SFP) Smiths Interconnect’s LightVISION 10G VM Series is a range of affordable, reliable, high-performance embedded optical transceivers with bandwidth up to 120 Gb/s. These are well suited for high-bandwidth commercial aerospace systems with the added benefitRead More

Pluggable I/O: The March to 400 Gb, 800 Gb Ethernet, and Beyond

Enhanced versions of pluggable I/O connectors are providing a clear migration path from current 40 and 100 Gb/s Ethernet and InfiniBand EDR specifications to 800 Gb and beyond. A spectacular escalation of data rates has been a hallmark of computing equipment over the past 50+ years. The ability to create literally billions of transistors onRead More

Will Copper Conductors Hit a Wall?

Optimistic technologists have been predicting fiber optics would replace many copper links since the late 1990s, but designers were able to find ways to extend the bandwidth and reach of copper. Now we may be reaching the point where fiber may finally become the most practical solution in an increasing number of applications. Electrical interconnectsRead More

High-Speed Connectors Usher in New Era of Communications Technologies

Inventive humans have always sought better, faster methods of communications. Today’s high-speed communications are enabled by high-speed cabling and connectors that are rapidly evolving to give us connectivity on a level we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago — and that will inevitably be left in the dust by future iterations. For centuries, innovatorsRead More

A High-Speed Connectivity Solution for Achieving 112Gb/s PAM4 Data Rates

System architects are using over-the-board technologies to extend signal reach and density and achieve high-speed data rates by routing signals through ultra-low-skew twinax cable instead of through expensive, lossy PCBs.  Industry observers have noted that emerging high-speed system requirements of 28Gb/s and 56Gb/s, and now 112Gb/s, are nearing the physical limitations of traditional electronic hardwareRead More

April 2020 New Connectivity Products

Summary coverage of new-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire and cable, cable assemblies, materials, accessories, tools, development kits, and connector-adjacent technologies, such as sensors and antennas. April 2020 New Connectivity Products April 2020 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. Hirose’s new ZE064W Series waterproof wire-to-wire connectors are designed for use in demanding automotive and off-highwayRead More

High-Speed Fiber Cable Assemblies for the 5G Era

Active optical cables are key components in the high-speed systems needed to handle the exponential increase in data traffic that will come with 5G. Connector companies are helping data centers upgrade with these smart solutions. According to the figure being passed around at DesignCon 2020, only 15% of the 5G infrastructure has been installed soRead More

New Connector and Cable Products: June 25, 2019

Summary coverage of the new connector and cable products that were recently released to market, including interconnects, wire and cable, cable assemblies, materials, accessories, tools, development kits, and other connectivity products. Supplier names are generally linked to product announcements or home pages and product names are generally linked to product pages or datasheets. New ConnectorRead More

High-Speed Products Dazzle at DesignCon 2019

The DesignCon conference never fails to live up to its reputation of being the premier platform for state-of-the-art chip and board technology, and DesignCon 2019 was no different. Once again, DesignCon demonstrated why it has become the most respected conference and exhibition for engineers engaged in high-performance chip, PCB, and system design. DesignCon 2019 featuredRead More

High-Speed Connector and Cable Products

This week’s Product Roundup highlights high-speed connector and cable products from leading suppliers. Phoenix Contact’s FINEPITCH 0.8 Series board-to-board connectors have a compact, high-density design with 0.8mm-pitch hermaphroditic ScaleX contacts that provide critical space savings, high electrical and mechanical reliability, high tolerance compensation, and vibration-proof performance in high-speed signal and data transmission applications with significantRead More

How Software Innovation Can Protect Demand for Fibre Channel and its Connectors

Observers have claimed Fibre Channel, which powers Storage Area Networks (SANs), has been in decline for years, replaced by newer, faster standards. But innovations in storage network software and infrastructure may help keep demand for Fibre Channel and its dedicated connectors and cables alive. By Neil Shurtz Computing applications are continuing to grow in complexity.Read More

New Product News Roundup: April 2018 – Part I

Summary coverage of the latest, new-to-market connector and cable products New Product News Roundup: April 2018 – Part I Interconnects, etc. Smiths Interconnect’s new Eclipta – ECL Series edge-card connectors feature innovative, high-performance, double-ended card contact technology designed to deliver the reliability, serviceability, and affordability demanded by critical, disposable medical applications, like electrophysiology catheters. SinceRead More

Key Considerations for High-Speed Connectors

A how-to guide for selecting and successfully implementing high-speed connectors Michael Rock, Engineering Manager – Signal Integrity Products, AirBorn Inc. When designing applications that utilize high-speed interconnects, it’s vital to navigate around all potential speed bumps along the signal’s path. Factors including: stackups, tolerances, via design, trace widths, plating, and copper etching must be understoodRead More

Bandwidth Bottleneck at the I/O Panel

Processor and SerDes speeds continue to bump up, putting pressure on input/output connectors mounted on the faceplate. Like investors running to the exit when the market tanks, the I/O panel can quickly become a serious bottleneck that limits communication and slows the system. Computers and their users hate to sit idle while waiting for requiredRead More

RCx MSA Offers New Alternative for Data Centers to Connect Servers

The cabling system promises to streamline rack interconnect systems. Companies that design components for Ethernet systems will want to take a look at the RCx Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), a new intra-rack connection technology aimed at Ethernet applications. RCx MSA, an industry working group with members from Amphenol, Broadcom, Dell, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and JAE Electronics,Read More

Industry News: January 2018

Summary coverage of upcoming events and recent news from across the connector industry. Event News  DesignCon 2018, which will take place January 31 – February 1 in Santa Clara, California, will feature in-depth education, top-tier suppliers, and easy networking activities designed to help chip, board, and systems design engineers stay ahead of the pack, pushRead More

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