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    Theoretical question for engineers

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Starlight5, Sep 4, 2014.

  1. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    Is it possible to combine a SATA controller, e.g. some compact ASM-based, and wi-fi network controller, e.g. something ultracompact RTL, in a single mpcie card with one SATA and two antennae connectors?
     
  2. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    I'll ask it another way, then. mPCIe has both PCIE and USB interfaces, right? So, is it possible to make use of both interfaces at the same time, i.e. one pcie-bus device and one usb-bus device sharing the same mpcie slot and working simultaneously while being recognized and adressed as two different devices by system?
     
  3. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    Actually, it doesn't, it is possible to have connectors that run either in mPCI-E or SATA mode, but mPCI-E doesn't imply it's wired for SATA. I'm no EE' so that's pretty much all I can say with certainty.
     
  4. Qing Dao

    Qing Dao Notebook Deity

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    For your first question, the answer is yes. You could run a SATA controller and a wireless chipset off of the same 1x mpci-e link if you really wanted to.

    For the second question, no. You can't run both at the same time. The connection is either one or the other. The chipset is capable of sending the data in either of those two modes, but can only do one at a time. The data pins are the same and it uses the same connection to the chipset.
     
  5. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    tijo, I meant PCIE&USB, was typing on the move so didn't check what I'm posting. =\

    Qing Dao, thanks a lot for answering all my questions.

    My questions are answered, topic may be closed.