
SteelVine
Host Controller
PCI Express to Serial ATA Gen II Host Controller
Built on the proven architecture of Silicon Image's industry-leading host controllers,
the SiI3531 is a single-lane PCI Express to single-port Serial ATA (SATA) II host controller
that offers best in class SATA price/performance and is both flexible and robust enough
for today's demanding storage applications.
Applications
PC Motherboards
ExpressCard
Applications
Server
Motherboards
Embedded
Applications
Key Features
Latest Generation
SATA II (3 Gb/s)
Small 48-pin
QFN package
Port Multiplier
Support with FIS
based switching
Software RAID
0, 1, 5, 10 support
Product Brief
The x1 PCI Express interface integrates with the
latest motherboard architectures and provides a
cost effective way for manufacturers to differen-
tiate their motherboards with an eSATA port.
The SiI3531 supports all Serial ATA II features,
including 3.0 Gbps SATA II transfer speeds,
native command queuing, port multipliers with
FIS-based switching, programmable output sig-
nal swing strengths for longer external cables or
extended backplanes, hot plugging, enclosure
management and ATAPI device support. The
SiI3531 supports soft RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 when
connected to port multiplier such as the SiI3726.
Users familiar with the SiI3124 or SiI3132 will
recognize the SiI3531 common driver structure.
End-users will appreciate the SiI3531 Windows
and Linux drivers for both RAID and non-
RAID operations.
The SiI3531 leverages much of the circuit inno-
vation at the physical layer of Silicon Image's
proprietary reduced overhead Multi-layer Serial
Link (MSL
) architecture, pioneered and proven
through its PanelLink products and extended to
the SATALink and Fibre Channel SerDes storage
products. MSL technology is a multilayer
approach to providing cost-effective, multi-giga-
bit semiconductor solutions on a single chip for
high-bandwidth applications.
SiI3531 System Diagrams
SiI3531
PCI Express
to Single Port
SATA II Host
Controller
South
Bridge or
Media
Controller
Hub
SiI3531
PCI Express
to Single Port
SATA II Host
Controller
South
Bridge or
Media
Controller
Hub
PCI Express X1
2.5 Gps
Serial ATA II
3.0 Gbps
Serial ATA II
3.0 Gbps
HDD 0
HDD 1
HDD 5
SiI3726
Multiplier
PCI Express X1
2.5 Gps
SiI3531