PCI Express Gen 3 Test Backplane

PCI Express Backplane was designed to support a variety of modern PCI Express board’s production testing and debugging. The backplane expands the Host computer into four x16 PCI Express slots via 10 ft. CAT7 data and 10-pin flat Power control cables. PCI Express Backplane and UUTs (unit under test – add-in PCI Express board) are powered by a standard ATX power supply connected to the backplane via 24 and 8 pin power connectors located on the backplane.

Four PCI Express slots on the backplane support PCI Express Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 speed (2.5 Gbit/sec, 5 Gbit/sec and 8 Gbit/sec). Two slots have a four-lane PCI Express interface, and two have a 16-lane PCI Express interface. Both 16-lane PCI Express slots can be configured to support bifurcation-based PCI Express boards with x8/x8 or x4/x4/x4/x4 configurations.

The connection between the backplane and the Host board (host computer) is done by x1 PCI Express Gen 2 interface. Host board is available in three different types: PCI Express Host board, MiniPCI Express Host board and ExpressCard® Host board.

The PCI Express Backplane is a versatile platform that allows testing up to four PCI Express boards simultaneously. It supports real-time power and connection status monitoring via USB terminal connection during production testing and has per-slot overvoltage and overcurrent protection.

Hot-swap functionality allows replacing UUT without power down the Host computer and significantly reduce testing time.

The backplane provides access to the PCI express bus JTAG signals for connection JTAG emulator or Amfeltec in-circuit programmer/loader eLoader™ for programming UUT internal parts during production testing.