The 100BASE-T1 MediaConverter BCM from Technica Engineering establishes a direct point-to-point conversion between automotive ECUs using 100BASE-T1 (100 Mbit/s Full duplex, with 1x Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable) and any standard Fast Ethernet (100 Mbit/s, 100BASE-TX) device with an RJ-45 connector. In the conversion, no packets are stored or modified. The conversion takes place on the physical layer with the highest proven reliability.

This device is the product of the very first Evaluation Board ever produced for Automotive Ethernet – called BroadR-Reach®. Technica Engineering manufactured and supported the first introduction of this technology to the automotive industry in 2008. After approval of the circuit design and PHY register settings, this device, which uses the Broadcom BCM89810 PHY, became our first mass-production product in 2010. It is based on the reference implementation officially used by the OPEN Alliance for the standardization of BroadR-Reach® into IEEE 100BASE-T1. Thus, we ensure a trustworthy and effective tool for our customers that are looking for a cost-efficient, quick, and manageable solution for their testing requirements, with no latency and no packet loss.

The device features bi-directional conversion between Standard Ethernet (100BASE-TX) and Automotive Ethernet (100BASE-T1). A massive housing made of galvanized sheet steel with black powder coating, coupled with DIP switches for ease of configuration, enables the user to interact with the converter effortlessly.

No customized driver is needed to interact with this MediaConverter. It communicates with standard Ethernet through an RJ-45 connector. It comes with an automotive-grade MQS connector (Power and 100BASE-T1) and a standard Ethernet RJ-45 connector. Its design makes it portable and easy to install in test racks. The metal housing makes it robust with IP20 protection. The device is capable to function in a variating temperature range from -40 Celsius to +80 Celsius. With the in-built status LEDs, the operation of the device is transparent and aids the tester to detect link-up and data transmission visually.

No extra hardware or software complements are needed to connect the device with a PC or a Laptop. The device can be coupled with any hardware or software tool that runs on standard Ethernet with an RJ-45 connector.

Thus, the 100BASE-T1 MediaConverter BCM is the ideal solution for working quickly and efficiently with the new 100BASE-T1 technology without the hustle of extra-wiring, customized connectors, and vendor-specific tools.