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with the following exceptions: Any
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Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo
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No licenses, express or implied, are
granted with respect to any of the
technology described in this book.
Apple retains all intellectual property
rights associated with the technology
described in this book. This book is
intended to assist application
developers to develop applications
only for Apple-labeled or
Apple-licensed computers.
Every effort has been made to ensure
that the information in this document
is accurate. Apple is not responsible
for typographical errors.
Apple Computer, Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-996-1010
Apple, the Apple logo, AirPort,
FireWire, iMac, Mac, PowerBook,
and Macintosh are trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc., registered in
the United States and other countries.
iBook, SuperDrive, and Velocity
engine are trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc.
Adobe is a trademark of Adobe
Systems Incorporated or its
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Corporation, used under license
therefrom.
Simultaneously published in the
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Even though Apple has reviewed this
manual, APPLE MAKES NO
WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH
RESPECT TO THIS MANUAL, ITS
QUALITY, ACCURACY,
MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS
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RESULT, THIS MANUAL IS SOLD “AS
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WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. No
Apple dealer, agent, or employee is
authorized to make any modification,
extension, or addition to this warranty.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or
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liability for incidental or consequential
damages, so the above limitation or
exclusion may not apply to you. This
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and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
Contents
Figures and Tables7
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
About This Developer Note
Contents of This Note9
Introduction
New Features11
Features12
Appearance15
Peripheral Devices16
System Software17
Open Firmware17
Computer Identification18
Power-Saving Features18
SDRAM Devices74
Configuration of RAM SO-DIMMs75
Address Multiplexing75
RAM SO-DIMM Electrical Limits76
CardBus Slot77
Appendix A
Appendix B
Supplemental Reference Documents
Apple Technical Notes79
3D Graphics79
PowerPC G4 Microprocessor80
Velocity Engine (AltiVec)80
Mac OS X81
Mac OS 9.2.281
I/O Kit82
Open Firmware82
RAM Expansion Modules83
PC Card Manager83
ATA Devices84
USB Interface84
FireWire Interface85
Digital Visual Interface86
Wireless Networks86
Abbreviations
Abbreviations and Standard Units87
Other Abbreviations88
87
79
Index
6
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
91
Figures and Tables
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Introduction
Figure 1-1Front view of the computer15
Figure 1-2Back view showing I/O ports16
Table 1-1Feature changes12
Architecture
Figure 2-1Block diagram22
Table 2-1Buses supported by the Uni-N IC25
Devices and Ports
Figure 3-1USB Type A port34
Figure 3-2FireWire connector36
Figure 3-3Maximum dimensions of the internal hard disk43
Figure 3-4Hard disk connector and location44
Figure 3-5Keyboard layout52
Figure 3-6Alternate operations of function and control keys53
Figure 3-7Embedded numeric keypad operation54
Figure 3-8DVI-I connector63
Figure 3-9S-video connector65
Table 3-1Pin assignments on the USB port34
Table 3-2Pin assignments on the FireWire connector36
Table 3-3Signals for 10Base-T and 100Base-T operation38
Table 3-4Signals for 1000Base-T operation39
Table 3-5Pin assignments on the ATA hard disk connector45
Table 3-6Signals on the ATA hard disk connector46
Table 3-7Types of media read and written by the DVD-ROM/CD-RW
drive48
Table 3-8Media read and written by the SuperDrive49
Table 3-9Setting the default behavior of the function keys56
11
21
33
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
7
FIGURES AND TABLES
Table 3-10The function keys as control buttons56
Table 3-11Embedded keypad keys57
Table 3-12Control keys that change58
Table 3-13Picture sizes on the flat-panel display59
Table 3-14Picture sizes on an analog monitor61
Table 3-15Picture sizes on a digital display62
Table 3-16Main signals on the DVI-I connector63
Table 3-17MicroCross signals on the DVI-I connector64
Table 3-18Pin assignments for the S-video output connector65
Table 3-19Picture sizes for S-video output66
Chapter 4
Expansion Features
71
Figure 4-1Interior view showing RAM expansion slots72
Table 4-1Sizes of RAM expansion modules and devices75
Table 4-2Types of DRAM devices76
8
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
PREFACE
About This Developer Note
This developer note is a technical description of the PowerBook G4 computer. The
note provides information about the computer’s internal design, input-output
features, and expansion capabilities.
Note:
This developer note has been updated to include information about the
latest product features and configurations.
This developer note is intended to help hardware and software developers design
products that are compatible with the Macintosh products described here. If you are
not already familiar with Macintosh computers or if you would like additional
technical information, you may wish to read the supplementary reference
documents described in Appendix A (page 79).
Contents of This Note
The information in this note is arranged in four chapters and two appendixes.
■
Chapter 1, “Introduction” (page 11), introduces the PowerBook G4 computer
and describes its features.
Chapter 2, “Architecture” (page 21), describes the internal logic of the computer,
■
including the main ICs that appear in the block diagram.
Chapter 3, “Devices and Ports” (page 33), describes the standard I/O ports and
■
the built-in I/O devices.
Contents of This Note
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
9
PREFACE
About This Developer Note
■
Chapter 4, “Expansion Features” (page 71), describes the expansion features of
interest to developers. It includes development guides for expansion-bay
devices, the RAM expansion modules, and the PC Card slot.
■
Appendix A (page 79) contains links to supplemental reference documents.
Appendix B (page 87) is a list of the abbreviations used in this developer note.
■
10
Contents of This Note
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
1Introduction
This chapter outlines the features of the PowerBook G4 computer, with emphasis
on the changes from the previous models.
New Features
The features that have changed are listed here along with references to the sections
that describe them. For a quick summary of the changes, see Table 1-1.
Processor:
■
running at a clock speed of 867 MHz or 1 GHz. For more information, see
“PowerPC G4 Microprocessor” (page 23).
Graphics IC and memory:
■
operates on the AGP4x bus along with 32 or 64 MB of DDR RAM. For more
information, see “Video Display Subsystem” (page 26).
■
Hard disk storage:
capacity of 40 or 60 GB. For more information and developer guidelines for
alternative hard drives, see “Hard Disk Drive” (page 42).
■
Battery bay:
Power adapter:
■
plug.
SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW drive):
■
G4 computer have a SuperDrive drive. For more information, see “DVD-R /
CD-RW SuperDrive” (page 49).
New Features
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
The PowerBook G4 computer has a PowerPC G4 microprocessor
The ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics processor
The computer comes with a built-in hard disk drive with a
The computer has a 61 watt-hours battery bay.
The computer ships with a 65 W power adapter with grounded
Some configurations of the PowerBook
11
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
■
Modem:
The computer has a built-in Apple 56 Kbps modem. The modem
supports K56flex and V.92 modem standard. For more information, see
“Modem Support” (page 29).
■
AirPort Card standard:
An AirPort Card is standard in the 1 GHz model. See
“AirPort Card” (page 40).
Table 1-1
FeaturePrevious modelCurrent model
Feature changes
ProcessorPowerPC G4PowerPC G4
Processor clock speed 667 or 800 MHz867 MHz or 1 GHz
AirPort CardStandard on 800 MHz onlyStandard on 1 GHz only
Battery bay55.3 watt-hours battery bay61 watt-hours battery bay
Power adapter45 W power adapter 65 W power adapter
Removable mediaDVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
drive
DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
drive or a DVD-R/CD-RW
SuperDrive
Hard drive optionAdditional CTO hard drive
support
No additional CTO hard
drive support
Features
Here is a list of the features of the PowerBook G4 computer. Each feature is
described in a later chapter, as indicated in the list.
12
Features
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
■
Processor:
The computer has a PowerPC G4 microprocessor running at a clock
speed of 867 MHz or 1 GHz. For more information, see “PowerPC G4
Microprocessor” (page 23).
■
System bus:
The speed of the system bus is 133 MHz in all models.
Cache location and speed:
■
In addition to the L2 cache, which is internal to the
processor IC, the computer also has an L3 cache. See “Level 2 Cache” (page 24).
■
RAM:
The computer has two standard SO-DIMM expansion slots for SDRAM
modules. The computer comes with 256 or 512 MB of SDRAM installed. See
“RAM Expansion Slots” (page 71).
■
ROM:
The computer has 1 MB of boot ROM used by Open Firmware at startup.
For information about the ROM, see “Boot ROM” (page 25). For information
about Open Firmware, see “Open Firmware” (page 82).
■
Hard disk storage:
The computer comes with a built-in hard disk drive with a
capacity of 40 or 60 GB. For more information and developer guidelines for
alternative hard drives, see “Hard Disk Drive” (page 42).
■
Display:
The display is a 15.2 inch wide-screen TFT (1280 by 854 pixels) with a
resolution of 101.4 dpi. See “Flat-Panel Display” (page 59).
■
External monitor:
All configurations support an external video monitor, using
the DVI-I connector for a digital video display and an S-video connector for a
PAL or NTSC video monitor. (A VGA adapter and an S-video-to-composite
adapter are included and an ADC adapter is available separately.) See “External
Monitors” (page 60).
■
Graphics IC and memory:
The ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics controller
operates on the AGP4x bus along with 32 or 64 MB of video RAM. For more
information, see “Video Display Subsystem” (page 26).
■
Battery bay:
The computer has a single battery bay. The battery uses lithium ion
cells and provides 61 watt-hours at 14.4 V (nominal).
■
Power adapter:
The computer comes with a 65 W power adapter with
grounded plug.
■
DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive:
Some configurations have a built-in
DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive. See “DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive” (page 48).
■
SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW drive):
Some configurations of the PowerBook
G4 computer have a built-in DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive drive. For more
information, see “DVD-R /CD-RW SuperDrive” (page 49).
Features
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
13
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
■
CardBus slot:
The computer has a CardBus slot that accepts one Type I or Type
II PC card or a CardBus Card. For more information, see “CardBus Slot”
(page 77).
■
USB ports:
The computer has two USB 1.1 ports for an external keyboard, a
mouse, and other USB devices, described in “USB Ports” (page 33).
■
FireWire port:
The computer has one IEEE-1394a high-speed serial FireWire
port, which supports transfer rates of 100, 200, and 400 Mbps. For more
information, see “FireWire Port” (page 35).
■
Target disk mode: The PowerBook G4 computer can act like a FireWire storage
device connected to another computer. See “Target Disk Mode” (page 37)
■Modem: The computer has a built-in modem with 56 Kbps data rate and V.92
support. For more information, see “Internal Modem” (page 40).
■Ethernet: The computer has a built in Ethernet port with an RJ-45 connector for
10Base-T, 100Base-T, and 1000Base-T operation. For more information, see
“Ethernet Port” (page 38).
■AirPort Card: An AirPort Card wireless LAN module is standard on the 1 GHz
model and optional on the 867 MHz model. For more information, see “AirPort
Card” (page 40).
14
■Sound: The computer has a built-in microphone and stereo speakers as well as
a stereo headphone jack and a sound input jack. See “Sound System” (page 66).
■Keyboard: The keyboard has an embedded numeric keypad and inverted-T
arrow keys. Some of the function keys are used to control the display brightness
and speaker volume; the other function keys are programmable by the user. See
“Keyboard” (page 50).
■Trackpad: The integrated trackpad includes tap/double-tap and drag features.
For more information, see “Trackpad” (page 50).
■Weight: The basic configuration weighs 2.4 kg (5.4 pounds).
■Size: The computer is 341 mm (13.4 inches) wide, 241 mm (9.49 inches) deep,
and 26.3 mm (1.04 inches) thick.
Features
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Appearance
Figure 1-1 is a front view of the PowerBook G4 computer. Figure 1-2 is a back view
showing the I/O ports.
Figure 1-1Front view of the computer
Sleep indicator light
Built-in speaker/
microphone
Function
key
Trackpad
Appearance15
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
Display
release button
Trackpad
button
Power button
Security slot
Built-in speaker
AirPort antenna
window
Slot-loading DVD-ROM /CD-RW
Combo drive or DVD-R/CD-RW
SuperDrive
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Figure 1-2Back view showing I/O ports
AirPort antenna
window
Power
adapter port
FireWire
port
Ethernet port
(10/100/1000Base-T)
Peripheral Devices
In addition to the devices that are included with the computer, several peripheral
devices are available separately:
Sleep indicator light
DVI-I port
USB ports
Internal
modem port
PC Card
eject button
PC Card slot
Headphone
jack
Audio line-in connector
TV out port
16Peripheral Devices
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
■The PowerBook G4 Rechargeable Battery is available separately as an additional
or replacement battery.
■The Apple Portable Power Adapter, which comes with the computer, is also
available separately. The adapter can fully recharge a completely depleted
battery in three hours or less while the computer is running, shut down, or in
sleep mode.
■The Apple DVI to ADC Adapter, which enables the PowerBook G4 computer to
support Apple’s ADC displays, is available separately.
■The Apple Pro Keyboard, a full-featured USB keyboard, is available separately.
■The Apple Pro Mouse, an optical USB mouse, is available separately.
■The AirPort Base Station is available separately.
■The AirPort Card is also available separately.
■A power cable for use on airliners is also available. The airline power cable
should have a sense resistor of 24.3K ohms connected between the power plug's
shell and ground. For more information, see “Power Controller” (page 30).
System Software
The PowerBook G4 computer comes with both Mac OS X version 10.2 and Mac OS
9.2.2 installed. Mac OS X is the default startup system. For the latest information,
see the references listed in “Mac OS X” (page 81) and “Mac OS 9.2.2” (page 81).
Here are a few items of interest about the system software on the PowerBook G4
computer.
Open Firmware
System software on all current Macintosh models uses a design based on Open
Firmware. With this approach, the ROM on the main logic board contains only the
Open Firmware code needed to initialize the hardware and load an operating
system. The rest of the system code is loaded into RAM from disk or from the
network. For more information, see the references listed in “Open Firmware”
(page 82).
System Software17
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Computer Identification
Rather than reading the box flag or the model string and then making assumptions
about the computer’s features, applications that need to find out the features of the
computer should use IORegistry calls to test for the features they require.
IORegistry calls are part of the I/O Kit API. For more information, see the references
listed at “I/O Kit” (page 82).
Asset management software that reports the kind of computer it is running on can
obtain the value of the model property from the IOService plane of the IORegistry.
For the PowerBook G4 computer, the value of the model property is PowerBook3,5.
Power-Saving Features
The PowerBook G4 computer has several profiles to save power. These profiles are
labeled on the Energy Saver panel of System Preferences.
Reduced Processor Speed
Reduced processor speed allows the software to change the processor’s clock speed,
slowing down to conserve power or speeding up when more speed is needed. The
slower clock speed is 667 MHz and the L3 cache is turned off.
■The system software uses a reduced processor speed to automatically conserve
power under the following conditions:
■during system startup
■when battery charge is low
■when there is no battery installed
■
when using airline power
■The user interface for the reduced processor speed is located in the options tab
under the Energy Saver panel in System Preferences.
Operating Modes
The power management protocols on the PowerBook G4 computer support two
power-saving modes: idle and sleep.
18System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
■Idle: The system is idling with the main processor stopped in a halted,
low-power state. All clocks are running; the system can return to running code
within a few nanoseconds. Cache coherency is maintained in this state.
■Sleep: The system is completely shut down, with only the DRAM state
preserved for quick recovery. All processors are powered off with their state
preserved in DRAM. All clocks in the system are suspended except for the
32.768 kHz timebase crystal on the PMU99 IC.
The computer automatically enters Idle mode after several seconds of inactivity. If
the computer is attached to a network, it is able to respond to service requests and
other events directed to the computer while it is in Idle mode.
While it is connected to an AC power supply, the computer can also respond to
network activity when it is in sleep mode. The user can enable this feature by
selecting Wake-on-LAN in the Energy Saver control panel.
When operating on the battery in sleep mode, the computer consumes less than 1
watt of power, meeting the Energy Star power-saving standard. When operating on
the power adapter in sleep mode, the combined computer and adapter consume 3
to 4 watts of power.
Important
Peripherals such as PCMCIA cards and USB devices that do
not conform to the computer’s power management protocols
prevent the computer from switching to sleep mode and so
deny the user the benefits of this energy-saving mode. When
such peripherals are attached to the computer, the operating
system displays a dialog to inform the user that the
computer no longer meets the Energy Star requirements.
System Software19
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
20System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
2Architecture
This chapter describes the architecture of the PowerBook G4 computer. It includes
information about the major components on the main logic board: the
microprocessor, the other main ICs, and the buses that connect them to each other
and to the I/O interfaces.
Block Diagram and Buses
This section is an overview of the major ICs and buses on the computer’s main logic
board.
Block Diagram
Figure 2-1 is a simplified block diagram of the main logic board. The diagram shows
the input and output connectors, the main ICs, and the buses that connect them
together.
Block Diagram and Buses21
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
r
Architecture
Figure 2-1Block diagram
L3
SO-DIMM
slots
CardBus slot
connector
Connector to internal
DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo
drive or DVD-R/CD-RW
SuperDrive
Connector
to internal
antenna
RF
and
IF
Wireless LAN module
cache
memory bus
CardBus
bridge
ATA bus
DSP and
MAC
PMU99
power
controller
PowerPC G4
microprocessor
L2 cache: 256K
Max bus
Uni-N
memory
controller
and PCI
bus bridge
PCI bus
KeyLargo
I/O device
and disk
controller
Connector to
internal display
AGP
bus
Radeon 9000
graphics IC
Boot
ROM
Ultra-ATA bus
Snapper
audio
USB
Mobility
Ethernet
PHY
FireWire
PHY
Internal
speaker
connector
Data pump
and DAA
Modem module
Connector to
internal IDE
disk drive
S-video connecto
DVI-I monitor
connector
Ethernet port
FireWire port
Audio input jack
Headphone jack
USB port
USB port
Telephone
connector
22Block Diagram and Buses
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
Main ICs and Buses
The architecture of the PowerBook G4 computer is designed around the PowerPC
G4 microprocessor and two custom ICs: the Uni-N memory controller and bus
bridge, and the KeyLargo I/O device controller. Those three ICs occupy the center
of the block diagram.
The PowerPC G4 microprocessor is connected to the Uni-N memory controller and
bus bridge IC by a MaxBus bus. The bus clock speed is 133 MHz. The Uni-N IC has
other buses that connect with the KeyLargo IC, the main system RAM, and the
graphics IC. The buses implemented by the Uni-N IC are summarized in Table 2-1,
which is in the section “Memory Controller and Bus Bridge” (page 24).
The Uni-N IC is connected to the KeyLargo I/O controller IC by a 32-bit PCI bus
with a bus clock speed of 33 MHz. That bus also connects to the Boot ROM and the
CardBus controller. The KeyLargo IC has other buses that connect with the hard
disk drive and the optical drive, the power controller IC, the sound IC, the internal
modem module, and the wireless LAN module.
Each of the components listed here is described in one of the following sections.
Microprocessor and Caches
The microprocessor communicates with the rest of the system by way of a 64-bit
MaxBus bus to the Uni-N IC. The microprocessor has a separate bus to its internal
second-level cache.
PowerPC G4 Microprocessor
The PowerPC G4 microprocessor used in the PowerBook G4 computer has many
powerful features, including an efficient pipelined system bus called MaxBus.
Features of the PowerPC G4 include
■32-bit PowerPC implementation
■superscalar PowerPC core
Microprocessor and Caches23
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
■Velocity Engine (AltiVec technology): 128-bit-wide vector execution unit
■dual 32 KB instruction and data caches
■an on-chip level 2 (L2) cache consisting of 256 KB with a clock speed ratio of 1:1
■high bandwidth MaxBus (also compatible with 60x bus)
■fully symmetric multiprocessing capability
The PowerPC G4 microprocessor in the PowerBook G4 computer runs at a clock
speed of 867 MHz or 1 GHz.
Level 2 Cache
The data storage for the L2 cache consists of 256 KB of fast static RAM that is built
into the microprocessor chip along with the cache controller and tag storage. The
built-in L2 cache runs at the same clock speed as the microprocessor.
Level 3 Cache
The data storage for the L3 cache is 1 MB of DDR SRAM running at a clock speed
ratio of 5:1. The tag storage for the L3 cache is built into the microprocessor.
Memory Controller and Bus Bridge
The Uni-N memory controller and bus bridge IC provides cost and performance
benefits by combining several functions into a single IC. It contains the memory
controller, the PCI bus bridge, the Ethernet and FireWire interfaces, and the AGP
interface.
Each of the separate communication channels in the Uni-N IC can operate at its full
capacity without degrading the performance of the other channels.
24Memory Controller and Bus Bridge
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
In addition to the four buses listed in Table 2-1, the Uni-N IC also has separate
interfaces to the physical layer (PHY) ICs for Ethernet and FireWire, and an IIC
(inter-IC control bus) interface that is used for configuring the memory subsystem.
Table 2-1Buses supported by the Uni-N IC
BusDestinationsWidth of data path Bus clock speed
MaxBus Microprocessor 64 bits133 MHz
Memory System RAM64 bits133 MHz
PCI KeyLargo IC
and Boot ROM
AGP Graphics IC32 bits133 MHz
The microprocessor and the I/O controller IC are described in their own sections.
The following sections describe the other subsystems that are connected to the
Uni-N IC.
32 bits33 MHz
System RAM
The memory subsystem in the PowerBook G4 computer supports two slots for
144-pin SO-DIMMs (small-outline dual inline memory modules). The data bus to
the RAM and DIMM is 64 bits wide, and the memory interface is synchronized to
the MaxBus bus interface at 133 MHz. See “RAM Expansion Slots” (page 71).
Boot ROM
The boot ROM is connected to the Uni-N IC by way of the high byte of the PCI bus
plus three additional control signals: chip select, write enable, and output enable.
The boot ROM is a 1 MB by 8 bit device.
Memory Controller and Bus Bridge25
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
FireWire Controller
The Uni-N IC includes an IEEE 1394a FireWire controller with a maximum data rate
of 400 Mbits (50 MB) per second. The Uni-N IC provides DMA (direct memory
access) support for the FireWire interface.
The controller in the Uni-N IC implements the FireWire link layer. A physical layer
IC, called a PHY, implements the electrical signaling protocol of the FireWire
interface and provides the electrical signals to the port. For more information, see
“FireWire Connector” (page 35).
Ethernet Controller
The Uni-N IC includes an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) that implements
the link layer. The Uni-N IC provides DB-DMA support for the Ethernet interface.
The Ethernet controller in the Uni-N IC is connected to a PHY interface IC that
provides the electrical signals to the port. The PHY is capable of operating in either
10Base-T, 100Base-T, or 1000Base-T mode: The actual speed of the link is
automatically negotiated by the PHY and the bridge or router to which it is
connected. For more information, see “Ethernet Port” (page 38).
The PHY supports Auto-MDIX, which allows the use of straight-through cables in
crossover situations (and conversely). For more information, see “Ethernet Port”
(page 38).
Video Display Subsystem
The video display subsystem contains the graphics controller IC along with either
32 MB of DDR memory in the 867 MHz computer or 64 MB of DDR memory (32 MB
internal and another 32 MB external to the IC) in the 1 GHz computer. The graphics
IC, an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000, contains 2D and 3D acceleration engines,
front-end and back-end scalers, a CRT controller, and an AGP4x bus interface with
bus master capability.
The features of the Mobility Radeon 9000 include
■graphics processor clock speed of 200 MHz
■memory clock speed of 200 MHz
■support for 32 MB of DDR video memory with 64-bit interface
26Memory Controller and Bus Bridge
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
■support for 64 MB of DDR video memory with 128-bit interface
■2D and 3D graphics acceleration
■transform acceleration
■lighting acceleration
■video acceleration
■support for MPEG decoding
■support for video mirror mode
■support for dual-display mode
■S-video output for a TV monitor
■support for programmable pixel and vertex shading
The interface between the graphics IC and the rest of the system is an AGP4x
(accelerated graphics port, quadruple speed) bus on the Uni-N IC. To give the
graphics IC fast access to system memory, the AGP bus has separate address and
data lines and supports deeply pipelined read and write operations. The AGP bus
has 32 data lines and a clock speed of 133 MHz.
The graphics IC uses a graphics address remapping table (GART) to translate AGP
logical addresses into physical addresses. The graphics driver software can allocate
memory in both the graphics SDRAM and the main memory.
The graphics IC supports the built-in flat-panel display and an external monitor.
The external monitor can either mirror the built-in display or show additional
desktop space (dual-display mode). For information about the displays and
supported resolutions, see “Flat-Panel Display” (page 59) and “External Monitors”
(page 60).
Memory Controller and Bus Bridge27
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
I/O Controller
The I/O controller IC in the PowerBook G4 computer is a custom IC called
KeyLargo. It provides the interface and control signals for the devices and functions
described in the following sections.
Note: In the device tree, the I/O controller is named “mac-io”.
DMA Support
The KeyLargo IC provides DB-DMA (descriptor-based direct memory access)
support for the following I/O channels:
■Ultra DMA ATA interface to the the internal hard drive
■modem slot interface to the built-in modem
■IIS channel to the sound IC
The DB-DMA system provides a scatter-gather process based on memory resident
data structures that describe the data transfers. The DMA engine is enhanced to
allow bursting of data files for improved performance.
Interrupt Support
The KeyLargo IC has an interrupt controller (MPIC) that handles interrupts
generated within the IC as well as external interrupts, such as those from the
Ethernet and FireWire controllers.
USB Interface
The KeyLargo IC implements two independent USB controllers (root hubs), each of
which is connected to one of the ports on the back panel of the computer. The use
of two independent controllers allows both USB ports to support high data rate
28I/O Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
CHAPTER 2
Architecture
devices at the same time with no degradation of their performance. If a user
connects a high-speed (12 Mbps) device to one port and another high-speed device
to the other, both devices can operate at their full data rates.
The two external USB connectors support USB devices with data transfer rates of
1.5 Mbps or 12 Mbps. For more information about the connectors, see “USB
Connectors” (page 33).
USB devices connected to the PowerBook G4 computer are required to support
USB-suspend mode as defined in the USB specification. Information about the
operation of USB-suspend mode on Macintosh computers is included in the Mac OS USB DDK API Reference. To obtain it, see the reference at “USB Interface” (page 84).
The USB ports on the PowerBook G4 computer comply with the Universal Serial
Bus Specification 1.1 Final Draft Revision. The USB controllers comply with the
Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) specification.
Ultra DMA/66 Interface
The KeyLargo IC provides an Ultra DMA/66 channel that is connected to the
internal hard disk drive. The KeyLargo IC provides DB-DMA (descriptor-based
direct memory access) support for the Ultra DMA interface.
The internal hard disk drive is connected as device 0 (master) in an ATA Device 0/
1 configuration.
EIDE Interface
The KeyLargo IC provides an EIDE interface (ATA bus) that supports the Combo
(DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive, SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) drive, and the wireless
LAN module. The Combo and SuperDrive drives are ATAPI drives and are
device-selected as master in an ATA device configuration.
Modem Support
The internal modem is connected to an internal USB port. The KeyLargo IC
provides DB-DMA support for the modem interface. The modem provides digital
call progress signals to the Snapper sound circuitry.
I/O Controller29
Apple Computer, Inc. November 2002
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