ExpressCard FAQ for ExpressCard 34 and ExpressCard 54 © 2007 Synchrotech, Inc.

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Contents
What is ExpressCard?
Differences between ExpressCard and PC Card
Is ExpressCard backward compatible with PCMCIA PC Cards?
Is PCMCIA PC Card forward compatible with ExpressCard?
ExpressCard Dimensions
ExpressCard Slotting
ExpressCard versus PC Card Overview

What is ExpressCard?
ExpressCard is PCMCIA's portable, removable, expansion technology to replace PC Card and PC CardBus (sometimes mistakenly
called PCMCIA Cards). ExpressCard holds several advantages over PC Card some of which are enumerated below.
Differences between ExpressCard and PC Card

ExpressCard features new interconnect technology

ExpressCard utilizes two interconnect technologies, the most important of which is PCI Express (PCIe). ExpressCards featuring
PCIe 1X technology are capable of 2.5Gb/s per direction, giving an ExpressCard operating in full duplex mode an
approximate throughput of 250MB/s x 2, or 500MB/s of throughput, nearly quadrupling the effective speed of 32-bit PC
CardBus. ExpressCard alternatively utilizes USB 2.0 for lower speed and less complex applications, with a maximum
throughput of 480mb/s.
ExpressCard allows for much more bandwidth
ExpressCards featuring PCIe 1X technology are capable of 2.5Gb/s per direction, allowing for realization of applications,
especially host adapters, that underperformed or were impossible under PC CardBus. Examples of full throughput host
adapters that bottlenecked CardBus, but don't tax ExpressCard at all are FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394.b) and Gigabit Ethernet
(GbE). Additionally, ExpressCard will be able to handle the latest SATAe and other high end busses with relative ease.
ExpressCard has superior power saving and management
ExpressCard operates at lower voltages than PC Card with 1.5 and 3.3V baselines. This allows systems deploying
ExpressCard technology to take full advantage of current low power utilization throughout.
ExpressCard is a serial rather than a parallel bus
ExpressCard follows the trend of PCI Express and SATA in transitioning from parallel buses to serial buses. Rather than a 68-
pin parallel connection used in PC Card, ExpressCard utilizes a 26-pin beam on blade serial connection. ExpressCard's use of
high performance PCIe and USB 2.0 serial connections already built on to host system reduces complexity and eliminates the
problems with signal timing associated with parallel buses.
ExpressCard is simpler and cheaper to implement than PC Card
Because ExpressCard harnesses busses that already exist on a host system, it doesn't require a separate ASIC to integrate it
to a host system. Unlike PC CardBus and PC Card in which a controller chip was necessary to bridge between the card slot
and the underlying system bus, ExpressCard devices literarily plug into either the PCIe or USB 2.0 bus on the system,
depending on the ExpressCard type employed. ExpressCard saves in both cost and complexity in this regard.

Is ExpressCard backward compatible with PCMCIA PC Cards?

Our ExpressCard 34 to PCMCIA PC Card and CardBus Read-Writer DuelAdapter 1 Slot allows computers with ExpressCard slots
to use either 16-bit legacy PC Cards or 32-bit PC cardbus Cards. DuelAdapter works with host systems featuring native
ExpressCard 34 or ExpressCard 54 slots, or an installed PCIe to ExpressCard adapter. If the host operating system supports the
PCMCIA PC Card, it will also work in conjunction with the DuelAdapter.
ExpressCard Dimensions
ExpressCards come in two form factors: ExpressCard 34 and
ExpressCard 54. The form factors share the same dimensions
except for width, from which the names of the form factors are
derived. ExpressCard share a length of 75mm and a depth (or
thickness) of 5.0mm -- the same depth as Type II PC Cards. Both
the widths and shapes of the two ExpressCard form factors are
different, but the portion of the card which connects to the card
slot are an identical 34mm. ExpressCard 34 cards are 34mm
wide and rectangular in shape. ExpressCard 54 Cards are 54mm
wide at their widest point and 34mm wide at the connection
point, creating a shape often referred to as a "Fat-L". Either form
factor is allowed additional volume extending outside of what
would be considered the flush portion of an inserted card. This is
referred to as the extended portion of the card and ExpressCards
with such a configuration are referred to as extended cards. The
extended portion can exceed the card dimension in any axis, but
there are obvious practical limitations to how much. For an
excellent example of an ExpressCard with an extended portion on
two axis (depth and width) see: ExpressCard 34 to CompactFlash
Memory Card Adapter. For an explanation of how ExpressCard
modules are used in the two types of ExpressCard slots, please
see ExpressCard Slotting.
Is PCMCIA PC Card forward compatible with ExpressCard?
For PCIe based ExpressCards -- in a word, no. However, it is useful to explain why this is the case. 32-bit PC Card CardBus
card don't provide enough bandwidth to emulate ExpressCard. Furthermore, ExpressCard cards are completely different from PC
Cards in voltages, form factor, physical connectivity and bus technology.
While the PCMCIA ExpressCard specification requires all host adapters and slots to support both PCIe and USB 2.0 portions of
the ExpressCard bus, several products are now on the market that only support the USB 2.0 mode. While this technically breaks
the specification, many consumers have been clamoring for such a device. In response to such demand, products are now
appearing on the market that bridge between PCMCIA PC Card and USB 2.0 based ExpressCards . Several new devices behave like
USB 2.0 hubs, routing an ExpressCard's USB 2.0 through a PCMCIA PC Card slot. PCMCIA PC Card to USB 2.0-Mode ExpressCard
adapters are available as 32-bit and 16-bit PCMCIA PC Card varieties. PC Card USB 2.0 mode ExpressCard host adapters cannot
work with any PCIe based ExpressCards.

DUELADAPTER FOR PC CARDS MICROU2E FOR EXPRESSCARDS

EXP34-DA-001 USB-EXP-ADP-01
ExpressCard 34 to PCMCIA PC Card and MicroU2E USB 2.0 to USB 2.0 Mode
CardBus Read-Writer DuelAdapter 1 ExpressCard 34|54 Host Adapter
Slot
Cross-platform adapter allows use of
Cross-platform adapter allows use of USB 2.0 mode ExpressCards with USB
PCMCIA 16-bit legacy and 32-bit PC 2.0 equipped computers
CardBus cards with ExpressCard
equipped computers

ExpressCard Slotting
ExpressCard slots come in two varieties; those designed for both
ExpressCard 54 and 34 cards, and those for ExpressCard 34
cards only. ExpressCard slots are required to provide both PCIe
and USB 2.0 functionality, regardless of their size. ExpressCard
54 slots, as pictured in figures A and B on the right, are able to
accept both 54 and 34 cards. What PCMCIA describes as a "novel
guidance device," which seen in the lower left corner of figures A
and B, physically guides an ExpressCard 34 device to the
connector part of the slot. Since the connection part of the card
for both types of ExpressCards is identically 34mm, this scheme
provides an elegant solution for utilizing both types of cards.
Conversely, only ExpressCard 34 cards fit in ExpressCard 34 slots
as pictured in figure C. Paying attention to this last fact is
important when shopping for ExpressCard products, if a device
only has an ExpressCard 34 slot, then only shop for ExpressCard 34 devices.
PCMCIA literature has expressed that systems deploying multiple ExpressCard slots should lay them out adjacently on a
horizontal plane rather than the "stacked slot" convention employed by PC Card slots.
ExpressCard versus PC Card Overview
PC Card (16-bit) PC CardBus (32-bit) ExpressCard (USB 2.0) ExpressCard (PCIe 1X)
250 MB/sec. per
Throughput (max) 20 MB/sec. 132 MB/sec. 60 MB/sec.
direction
Voltages 3.3/5.0/12.0 V 3.3/5.0 V 1.5/3.3 V 1.5/3.3 V
PC Card ExpressCard 34 ExpressCard 54
Length 85.6mm 75mm 75mm
Width 54mm 34mm 54mm
Depth Type I/II/II 3.3/5.0/10.3mm 5.0mm 5.0mm
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