Gigabit Communication

challenges Cable Technology:

Semiconductors to the Rescue
Dr. John Horan, CTO, RedMere Technology
Atsuhito Noda, Product Innovation Director, Molex Japan
Deirdre Mathelin, Product Manager, RedMere Technology
David McGowan, Applications Manager, RedMere Technology

HDMITM and DisplayPort are rapidly emerging as the digital interface standards which allow high-bandwidth video
and audio to be transmitted uncompressed around the home. Recent versions of these interface standards require
bandwidths of up to 3.4Gbps which present significant physical challenges for copper cable technology.

Cable manufacturers have been looking at different ways to improve the manufacturing process in order to support
these high speeds. Many of these processes involve increased copper thickness. Alternative solutions which provide
independence of volatile copper pricing are desirable. Such solutions need to solve today’s problems and provide a
roadmap for tomorrow to solve the ever increasing data rate performance challenge.

This article explains the problems faced by cable manufacturers, in particular differential skew and limited bandwidth.
The origins and implications for both problems are explained using eye diagrams. The challenges associated with circuits
which automatically de-skew are discussed and the benefits of equalization to address the limited bandwidth problem
are introduced. In the process, the difference between fixed, programmable and adaptive equalization is explained and
the requirement for adaptive equalization is established.

The Cable Problem Intra-pair Skew

The main challenge for cable manufacturers
is to solve the issue of propagation delay
difference and high frequency suppression
problems associated with the eternal need
for increased data-rates. Propagation delay
difference varies with cable length and
dielectric constant and causes increased
common-mode noise (cross-talk, EMI) and
reduced transmission margin. High frequency
suppression is a function of conductive loss
(skin-effect and shield current) and causes
increased rise times and reduced amplitude on
the transmitted signal.
To combat these effects, manufacturers need
to optimize the selection of cable type (move
away from STP to TWINAX or SCTC), dielectric
performance (use mechanical foaming)
and conductive material (use solid and not
stranded material and move to low AWGs).
These solutions are expensive and bring other
challenges to the cable (bulkiness, weight,
rigidness, solder-cracking in
connector, etc).
Intra-pair skew exists in all systems where differential signals are transmitted.
It is caused by differences in transit times or electrical path lengths for
the positive and negative parts of a differential signal. These transit time
differences (“skews”) or electrical path length differences are caused by
tolerances in the cable manufacturing process. The phenomenon is not well
known because twisted pair have only recently been used for Gigabit data rates.
At these data rates cables of three meters and beyond have differential skew
times that are significant portions of the data bit times.
To see where this “skew” time might come from we first note that signal
propogation velocity along a twisted pair is approximately 0.71 times the speed
of light which translates to approximately 47ps per cm. Thus for a ten meter
cable the total delay is 47ns. Therefore a path length difference of just 1%
within a ten meter cable causes an intra-pair skew of 470ps. We will show that
this level of skew is disastrous in the context of 300-600ps bit-times. Figure 1
illustrates how a tiny change in the cable wrapping leads to a change in cable
length, which then results in intra-pair skew.
Figure 1.

An alternative approach is to consider cost-

effective embedded semiconductor solutions
which solve these problems, identified as
intra-pair skew and high frequency attenuation,
allowing cable manufacturers to work with thin
low-cost cables such as 36 AWG.
Manufacturing quality affects path length in a twisted pair.
It is also important to note that even if the manufacturing process produces
perfectly matched lengths, this does not guarantee zero skew. Cables and
PCB materials can have non-uniform dielectric constants due to variation in
thickness and material properties.

1
 Figure 2. Measured intra-pair skew

This results in variation in propagation

velocity, which also changes the effective path ���

length. The skew problems discussed can be

exacerbated by bending or compression of the ���

cable, effects which are almost guaranteed in

���������
many application environments. ���

We have characterized hundreds of cables ���

and found a wide variation in intra-pair skew

ranging from 40ps on shorter cables up to ���

520ps on some 20 meter examples. Samples of

cable measurements we have made are shown �
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� �� �� �� ��
in Figure 2.
����������������

Figure 3.
Eye diagram at 3.4Gbps
showing zero skew (top
plot) and eye diagram
with 155ps of intra-
pair skew (lower plot).

The impact of skew for a TV receiver is to directly reduce the timing budget available to the data recovery circuit
to extract the data. Figure 3 shows the impact of 155ps of skew on a 3.4Gbps data eye through three meters of
Twinax cable. This is the HDMI™ specification limit for the skew at the receiver end of a cable.

The top plot corresponds to a cable with zero skew and shows significant eye opening. This opening allows
the data recovery block in the receiver sample the data over a 300ps window to decide whether a ‘1’ or ‘0’ is
present. The lower plot shows that the addition of the 155ps of skew has reduced this valid data window to
approximately 150ps thus making it virtually impossible for the data recovery block in the receiver.

Solution for Intra-pair Skew Problem

Redmere has patented a unique adaptive de-skewing technology to tackle the skew problem. This technology
sits at the front end of the receiver chip and re-aligns the positive and negative portions of the differential
signals. The re-alignment is done automatically using a combination of deep oversampling of the data bits
and custom DSP. The result of this de-skewing block is seen below in Figure 4 where the top poor eye is
reopened resulting in the data eye shown in the lower plot.

Figure 4.
Eye diagram at 3.4Gbps
showing degradation
due to 155ps of
skew (top plot) and
improved eye diagram
after processing by
REDMERE’s active
de-skew circuitry
(lower plot).

2
Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) or High frequency Attenuation
Because cables have multiple parrallel lines there will invariably be some series inductance and parallel capacitance. These
parasitic elements will filter the high frequency components of the signal. A measure of this effect is seen below in Figure 5.
Here we see signal attenuation versus frequency for three and six meter cables.

0
Figure 5. Signal
Attenuation, 3MB [dB]
attenuation versus -10
Attenuation, 6MB [dB]
frequency for three -20

and six meter Twinax

-30
cables.
-40

-50

-60

0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency [GHz]

When a signal is filtered by the cable, the data pulses of different lengths are shortened or lengthed and this degrades the
data eye. This time domain degradation is seen in the eye diagrams of Figure 6 where we see the impact of passing data
through a three meter Twinax cable (Top graph) and then further degradation when data is passed through six meters of
Twinax cable.

Figure 6. 3.4Gbps eye

diagram at the end of
three and six meters of
Twinax cable.

Cable equalizers compensate for the high frequency loss by applying gain to the high frequency components of the received
signal. This process is seen in Figure 7 where the cascade of the cable transfer function and the equalizer transfer function
produce a unity gain or all pass transfer function.

Figure 7. Cascading
of cable transfer Tcable Tequaliser Tcombined
function with an
equalizer transfer
function produces
unity gain over all
frequencies. Frequency Frequency Frequency

3
If appropriate equalization is applied to the three meter data eye seen in Figure 6 then the resultant improved eye diagram
is as can be seen in Figure 8

Figure 8. 3.4Gbps
data with appropriate
equalization showing
improved eye.

If the same fixed equalization is applied at the end of a six meter cable then the result is a poor eye as shown in Figure 9.
Thus the six meter cable is under-equalized and the level of eye closure here may well cause bit errors.

For this reason, fixed equalization is not generally a quality solution and there is a requirement for tuning the equalization
as the cable length changes. A simple implementation of this tuning process is refered to as programmable equalization.
In this case, tuning of the equalizer chip is achieved by setting or resetting external pins. These pins enable the selection
of different transfer functions for the equalizer. This process may work in certain situations with external test equipment
selecting the correct settings on the chip, but the ideal solution is where the chip tunes the equalizer parameters itself.
This self-tuning is refered to as adaptive equalization. Adaptive equalization changes the transfer function of the equalizer
to automatically cancel the attenuation caused by the cable.

Figure 9. Poor
3.4Gbps data eye
resulting from fixed
equalization scheme
applied to six meter
cable.

It is also worth noting that some receiver chips with fixed equalization claim that they are suited for particular length
cables. This claim, while partially true, ignores the variation associated with different cable technologies. This variation
is clear from Figure 10 which shows different levels of attenuation found in 11 different five meter cables from different
manufacturers.

�
Figure 10.
Attenuation ���
versus frequency
measured in 11
����������������

���

cables from different

manufacturers. ���

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���

���
� � � � � � � � � � ��

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4
MagnifEyeTM Technology from Redmere
Our solution to the cable limitations is to do both adaptive de-skewing and adaptive equalization in tandem, i.e. using
our patented MagnifEyeTM technology. This block sits at the front end of our HDMI products. MagnifEyeTM technology
very effectively tunes the receiver to the specific cable connected. This gives the optimal reception of HDMI signals
across longer cables and improves operating margins on shorter ones.

Figure 11
MagnifEyeTM
Technology Block
Diagram

The following section shows the impact of using both adaptive de-skewing and adaptive equalization. It is also clear
from the following sequence that both are necessary.

Importance of Equalization and De-skew

The first scope shot (Figure 12) shows a closed eye when 2.275Gbps data is passed though a 15 meter cable with
300ps of skew.

Figure 12
2.275Gbps Data
at the end of 15
meters of cable
with 300ps of
skew.

Clearly there is no chance of recovering this data in this raw state. A standard analog front end would add equalization
at this stage to improve the eye. The result of this can be seen below in Figure 13.

Figure 13
2.275Gbps Data
at the end of 15
meters of cable
with 300ps of skew
with adaptive
equalization
applied

This signal has a wider eye opening but it is clear from the relative eye closure that the subsequent data recovery
system would result in many bit errors. Standard front-ends available today are doomed to failure when required to
deal with 300ps of skew as equalization is the only tool on offer.

5
Fortunately MagnifEyeTM technology has another weapon in its arsenal; it also applies adaptive de-skewing to the same data, the
result of which is shown in Figure 14. Now the data has clear open eyes and is perfectly conditioned for the data recovery block.

Figure 14
2.275Gbps Data
at the end of 15
meters of cable
with 300ps of skew
with adaptive
equalization
and MagnifyeTM‘s
adaptive de-
skewing.

Summary
This article has shown the challenges in sending up to 3.4Gbps through several meters of cable. Two of the key cable challenges,
namely “differential skew” and “Inter symbol Interference” have been introduced and their impact on cable performance
demonstrated. Both these problems reduce the valid data eye, but on cheaper cables the eye is completely closed and data is
rendered unrecoverable. One solution to these problems is to use more expensive cable technology which will typically result in
a thicker and less flexible cable. An alternative is to consider embedded silicon combined with lower cost bulk cable. Redmere’s
patented MagnifEyeTM technology is such a solution, combining circuit solutions for each of the problems into one elegant block.
This block provides optimal signal integrity for lowest cost cables. With MagnifEyeTM, cable manufacturers can deliver cable
assemblies which meet the data requirements of today’s market in a cost-effective manner.

About the authors: About RedMere Technology

Headquartered in Balbriggan, Ireland,
Dr. John Horan (john.horan@redmere.com), Chief Technology Officer,
RedMere is an innovator in driving
based in Cork, Ireland is responsible for the technology development for
architecture and semiconductor
RedMere’s high-speed communications channel products.
solutions for high speed multimedia
Atsuhito Noda (Atsuhito.Noda@molex.co.jp) is Product Innovation Director interconnect applications for
for Engineering Operations in Molex Japan. consumer electronics and personal
computing markets.
Deirdre Mathelin (deirdre,mathelin@redmere.com) is Product Manager for For more information, please visit
RedMere’s HDMI™ semiconductor products and is based in Paris, France. www.redmere.com.
David McGowan (david.mcgowan@redmere.com), Applications Manager,
based in Cork, Ireland, is responsible for RedMere’s high-speed interface
About Molex Incorporated
semiconductor application development. Molex Incorporated is a 69-
year-old global manufacturer of
electronic, electrical and fiber optic

Contact details interconnection systems. Based in

Lisle, Illinois, USA, the company
operates 54 manufacturing facilities
in 19 countries. The Molex website is
www.molex.com.

Redmere Technology Ltd Molex Japan

2B Fingal Bay Business Park 1-5-4 Fukamihigashi,
Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan 242-8585
Tel: +353 1 841 0920 Tel: +81-46-261-4500,
Fax: +353 1 690 4196 Fax: +81-46-264-1470
www.redmere.com www.molex.com