Also, even though Broadcom has said that they use all digital technology, a friend of mine told me that they actually have analog functionality on 30% of their die.
You make some good points, although others have raised them earlier (don't remember if it was on this thread or the IPO thread). The Level One part has been announced for some time, but wasn't available,,apparently because the parts didn't work as advertised. I have recently heard that they have started delivering production-quantity parts-anyone out there in the systems business who can confirm this? Henry N. dismissed the Level One product as slideware in the roadshow.
On your all-digital comment, all PHY's work by first converting the analog signal to a digital one, which by definition requires analog functionality. The all-digital claim refers to what happens after the A/D conversion has taken place. The parts from National et al include mixed signal functionality (typically filtering) in the rest of the chip, whereas the BRCM and LEVL parts rely exclusively on DSP. This has all changed with the National acquisition of ComCore, however, which brings them an all-digital solution. Expect similar offerings from a host of players by the summer, with predictable impact on pricing. |
