Peripheral Component Interconnect
By SIXMUND S. BYABATO
Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) was developed by Intel as a processor-independent,
high-speed replacement for ISA. It was originally 32 bits wide (address and data) and ran at
speeds up to 33 MHz. Later versions support 64-bit data transfers and 66 MHz rates. It accesses
up to 4 Gbytes in each of its 32-bit memory and I/O address spaces, using multiplexed address
and data lines.
The PCI has a high-performance expansion bus architecture that was originally developed by
Intel to replace the traditional ISA and EISA busses found in many 80 × 86-based PCs.
Properties of PCI
PCI combines the speed of VLB with the advanced arbitration of EISA. Great for both video
cards and bus mastering SCSI/network cards. Some of its features include these:
32 data bits (64 bit option), 32 address bits (64-bit option)
Up to 33 MHz, synchronous
132 M/s burst (sustained) (264 M/s with 64-bit option)
Full bus master capability
Good bus arbitration
Slot limited to three or four cards typically
Autoconfigurable
Coexistence with ISA/EISA/MCA as well as another PCI bus
Strong acceptance outside of the PC architecture
Moderate cost
Voltage: 3.3 V and 5 V
Operation of PCI
The PCI bus can operate in either a synchronous or asynchronous mode. In synchronous
operation, the bus typically runs at the microprocessor's external clock frequency or a
submultiple of it. So, a 66-MHz Pentium could synchronously connect to a PCI bus running at
half of its clock frequency (33 MHz). In this mode, the standard PCI clock can be between 20
and 33 MHz. In asynchronous operation, the PCI bus speed is independent of the processor's
clock. This mode is often better suited for operating at the maximum PCI bus frequency for the
fastest possible performance.
Standards of PCI
The PCI standard also supports cards that cannot operate at the full bus speed (33 or 66 MHz),
using flow-control signals that indicate when a board is ready to send or receive data. This is
akin to the wait state capabilities of the ISA bus.
Because of its high-frequency operation, the PCI standard limits the number of add-in board
connectors on a single bus to four. However, bridges can be used to implement multiple PCI
buses on a single motherboard, allowing for larger numbers of expansion slots. This is
commonly used in industrial PCs.
The PCI standard supports both 5 V and 3.3 V logic levels. Three types of boards are defined: 3.3
V only, 5 V only, and universal. Expansion board connectors are keyed to prevent inserting a 3.3
V board into a 5 V socket or vice versa.
PCI expansion boards are similar in size to their ISA counterparts, available as either full-length
or short-length cards. They use the same style of connectors that IBM employed in its Micro
Channel PCs. These connectors have twice the pin density of ISA connectors and accommodate
their larger pin count (124 pins for 32-bit connectors) in a smaller space.
Abbreviation.
ISA – Industry Standard Architecture
EISA – Extended Industry Standard Architecture
MCA – Micro Channel Architecture
VESA – Video Electronics Standards Association
PCI – Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCI Express (PCI-X) – Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCMCIA – Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association (Also called PC bus)
AGP – Accelerated Graphics Port
SCSI – Small Computer Systems Interface.
