VIA Debuts New Low-Power USB 3.0 To SATA Bridge Controller

VIA has announced that it has received certification for its new USB 3.0 integrated bridge controller called the VL701. The VL701 is a low-power USB 3.0 to SATA Bridge Controller that is certified by the USB-IF and uses strict power-consumption criteria for bus-powered devices. The USB-IF certification procedure insures that the products are interoperable with USB devices and offers all the speed and capability the USB 3.0 has.

The VIA VL701 is the first fully-integrated 5V switching regulator allowing it to achieve the highest power efficiency possible while offering data transfer rates of up to ten times that of USB 2.0 solutions. The device allowed VIA to be the first company to achieve USB-IF Bus-Power certification using a traditional HDD rather than a SSD. The adapter allows the end-user to connect any SATA HDD, SSD, or optical drive to their computer via a USB 3.0 port and get power directly from the port.

The VL701 will mean that we have more devices that can be used with a USB 3.0 port soon. "The VL701 is an advanced, highly-integrated USB 3.0 to SATA Bridge that lets users experience the benefits of USB 3.0 using hard drives, optical drives, and even SSDs," said David Hsu, Associate Vice President, VIA Labs, Inc. "The low power aspect is compelling for both end-users and manufacturers by enabling lower operating temperatures and longer battery life without sacrificing performance." The VL701 is shipping now.

[via VIA]