PCA9617ADP-ARD - Fm+ I2C-Bus Repeater Eval Board | NXP
MPN: PCA9617ADP-ARD ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $231.98 | $231.98 |
| 10 | $220.38 | $2,203.80 |
| 100 | $208.78 | $20,878.00 |
| 500 | $197.18 | $98,590.00 |
| 1,000 | $185.58 | $185,580.00 |
PCA9617ADP-ARD Overview
An I2C-bus repeater (also called a bus buffer) is an interface IC that regenerates and buffers the SDA and SCL signals, allowing longer buses, more loads, and different supply domains to coexist on the same two-wire bus. Within the interface hierarchy, the repeater sits between an I2C controller (master) and its peripherals, extending the reach of what a plain pull-up-limited bus can achieve, and it is a member of the broader family of signal buffers and level translators in system I/O design.
Key features of the PCA9617ADP-ARD stem directly from the onboard PCA9617A: bidirectional buffering for both data (SDA) and clock (SCL), Fast-mode Plus operation at up to 1 MHz, support of SMBus applications, and true level translation without direction pins because the open-drain I2C topology is inherently bidirectional. The Arduino port makes the board a plug-on expansion for NXP i.MX 8M Mini LPDDR4 EVKs via a 2 x 20 interposer, as well as standard Arduino-shield headers.
The PCA9617A is fabricated in CMOS technology, and its two supply pins (VDD1 and VDD2) can be set independently, which is how the 0.8 V low side accommodates modern 1.0 V to 1.8 V logic domains. Rise-time accelerator drivers actively drive SDA and SCL edges on the high-voltage side, permitting heavier bus capacitance than passive pull-ups alone.
Typical applications include evaluating I2C level shifting between microcontrollers and sensors, extending bus capacitance in industrial control systems, and prototyping Fm+ buses between an Arduino host and 3.3 V or 5 V peripherals.
A key design consideration: the repeater must be powered on both domains (VDD1 and VDD2), and bus contention with other repeaters in series requires attention to lock-up conditions described in the PCA9617A datasheet.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, related NXP evaluation boards, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer documentation.
Drop-in alternatives for PCA9617ADP-ARD — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with PCA9617ADP-ARD (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Product Type, Companion User Manual, Mounting Type, Supported Buses.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PCA9617ADP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9846PW-ARD
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P3A1604UK-ARD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$28 / Unit
View Datasheet →NTS0304EUK-ARD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →NVT4858-4557-EVB
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →PCA9617ADP-ARD Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Board Product | Evaluation expansion board for PCA9617A Fm+ I2C-bus repeater |
| Interface Type | I2C-bus / SMBus (Fm+) |
| Host Connector | Arduino port (shield headers) |
| Onboard IC | PCA9617A level translating Fm+ I2C-bus repeater |
| Low-Voltage Side Range (VDD1) | 0.8 V to 5.5 V |
| High-Voltage Side Range (VDD2) | 2.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Max Bus Speed | 1 MHz (Fast-mode Plus) |
| Buffered Signals | SDA and SCL (bidirectional) |
| Compatible EVKs | NXP i.MX 8M Mini LPDDR4 EVK (via 2 x 20 interposer) |
| Companion User Manual | UM11763 |
| Mounting Type | Daughter card / expansion board |
PCA9617ADP-ARD Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for PCA9617ADP-ARD. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
PCA9617ADP-ARD is suitable for 6 applications: Mixed-Voltage I2C Prototyping, i.MX 8M Mini EVK Peripheral Expansion, Industrial Control Backplane Buses, SMBus Server and Power Management, Consumer Electronics Sensor subsystems, Test and Measurement Fixtures.
Mixed-Voltage I2C Prototyping
The PCA9617ADP-ARD is the fastest way to validate I2C level shifting between a low-voltage controller (0.8 V to 1.8 V logic) and 3.3 V or 5 V peripherals before committing to a PCB. The onboard PCA9617A translates between VDD1 (0.8 V to 5.5 V) and VDD2 (2.2 V to 5.5 V) while preserving all I2C operating modes, and its Arduino port lets the board plug directly onto an Arduino host for software-driven testing. Because the PCA9617A actively re-drives SDA and SCL at Fast-mode Plus speeds up to 1 MHz, engineers can verify bus timing with real peripheral loads and cable lengths, capturing rise-time and capacitance behavior that passive MOSFET shifters cannot replicate.
Recommended
i.MX 8M Mini EVK Peripheral Expansion
According to NXP user manual UM11763, the PCA9617ADP-ARD is designed to bridge an NXP i.MX 8M Mini LPDDR4 EVK to Arduino-form-factor expansion hardware through a 2 x 20 connector interposer board. This lets developers attach I2C sensors, touch controllers, or RTCs operating at a different voltage domain than the EVK's low-voltage I2C port. The PCA9617A's bidirectional buffering of both SDA and SCL extends the effective bus, and the Fm+ 1 MHz capability matches the EVK controller's I2C throughput. Using the evaluation board in this role validates the complete signal chain, including connector parasitics and cable stubs, before the interface is designed into the final carrier PCB.
Recommended
Industrial Control Backplane Buses
In industrial control systems, I2C buses frequently span multiple PCBs on a backplane where card slots add capacitance and supply domains differ (for example, a 1.8 V management controller talking to 3.3 V or 5 V card-level devices). The PCA9617A evaluated by this board is designed for exactly this case: its level shifting between 0.8 V to 5.5 V and 2.2 V to 5.5 V domains, combined with active re-driving of SDA and SCL at Fast-mode Plus speeds, isolates the capacitance of each bus segment. Engineers use the PCA9617ADP-ARD to prototype the buffering topology and verify that repeated segments do not lock up under contention before designing the standalone PCA9617A IC into the backplane.
Recommended
SMBus Server and Power Management
Server platforms use SMBus for power-supply monitoring, EEPROM inventory, and thermal sensors, and these buses routinely cross voltage domains between a Baseboard Management Controller and 3.3 V module-level devices. The PCA9617A supports SMBus applications per the NXP datasheet, and its level shifting plus bidirectional buffering keeps SDA and SCL edges sharp across heavily populated buses. The PCA9617ADP-ARD lets firmware and hardware engineers emulate the BMC side via its Arduino port and validate hot-plug behavior, bus lock-up recovery, and Fm+ timing margin. Once validated, the standalone PCA9617A IC is dropped into the production motherboard with the same VDD1/VDD2 configuration tested on the board.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Sensor subsystems
Modern consumer devices run application processors at 0.8 V to 1.8 V core-adjacent I/O levels while sensors and touch controllers still operate at 1.8 V to 3.3 V, requiring clean I2C domain crossing. The PCA9617A's 0.8 V minimum VDD1 is unusually low, making it one of the few repeaters that interfaces directly with sub-1 V logic rails found in advanced SoC designs. The PCA9617ADP-ARD enables quick lab bring-up: connect the Arduino host to emulate the SoC controller, attach real sensors at the high-voltage side, and confirm 400 kHz to 1 MHz operation with realistic bus capacitance. The low dropout characteristics and CMOS implementation keep static current draw negligible for battery-operated prototypes.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Fixtures
Engineering test fixtures frequently need to talk to devices under test at unknown or mismatched I2C voltage levels. A PCA9617ADP-ARD mounted on a test-rig Arduino host provides adjustable level translation on both SDA and SCL simply by setting VDD1 and VDD2 supplies anywhere within the 0.8 V to 5.5 V and 2.2 V to 5.5 V ranges. The repeater function actively regenerates edges, so long fixture wiring to the DUT does not corrupt 1 MHz Fm+ timing. Engineers also use the board to characterize DUT I2C compliance: the repeater isolates the tester from capacitive faults on the DUT side, and the open-drain topology preserves clock stretching and arbitration behavior per the I2C specification.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PCA9617ADP-ARD — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PCA9617ADP | PCA9846PW-ARD | P3A1604UK-ARD | NTS0304EUK-ARD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | Arduino-port daughter card (expansion board) | Evaluation board platform - same family | Arduino-port daughter card - same form factor | Arduino-port daughter card - same form factor | Arduino-port daughter card - same form factor |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Evaluated Device Function | PCA9617A level translating Fm+ I2C-bus repeater | PCA9617A Fm+ I2C-bus repeater (bare IC board) | PCA9846 4-channel I2C-bus switch | P3A1604 I2C signal-chain device | NTS0304 4-bit translating transceiver |
| Host Connector | Arduino port | Bare IC evaluation (no Arduino port) | Arduino port | Arduino port | Arduino port |
Key Differentiators
- Sub-1 V low-side support (vs NTS0304EUK-ARD)
- Active edge re-driving at Fm+ speeds (vs PCA9846PW-ARD)
- Complete Arduino-platform evaluation ecosystem (vs PCA9617ADP)
Design Notes
Power VDD1 and VDD2 independently when evaluating: set VDD1 to the low-voltage controller domain (down to 0.8 V for advanced SoC I/O) and VDD2 to the peripheral domain (2.2 V to 5.5 V). Estimated: the PCA9617A quiescent current is small, but the evaluation board adds regulator and header losses, so measure board-level current on the bench rather than assuming IC-only figures. Ensure both domains share a common ground reference through the Arduino headers; a floating low side is the most common first-bring-up failure.
Do not cascade multiple PCA9617A repeaters in series on the same bus segment without consulting the PCA9617A datasheet lock-up guidance: two cascaded repeaters can enter an undefined state when both sides pull low simultaneously. Also remember the repeater isolates bus segments, so pull-up resistors must be present on BOTH sides of the device; omitting pull-ups on the VDD1 side is a frequent bench error when first using the PCA9617ADP-ARD with a controller that expects the peripheral-side pull-ups to do all the work.
When translating the validated circuit into a production design with the standalone PCA9617A IC, place the repeater physically between the two voltage domains and keep VDD1/VDD2 decoupling capacitors close to each pin. Estimated: for a 100 kHz to 1 MHz Fm+ bus, keep each bus segment's capacitance within the I2C specification limits for its speed grade; the repeater re-drives edges so each side can be sized independently. Verify the final design against the evaluation board behavior captured during prototyping with the PCA9617ADP-ARD.
Compliance Information
Compliance data for the evaluation board itself was not present in the provided web data; consult the NXP product page for the PCA9617A IC datasheet and environmental documentation.