LAS VEGAS -- At CES 2011, the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) announced that it is developing the SATA Universal Storage Module (USM) specification for portable storage applications.
SATA USM is billed as the first standard specification to define slots to accept a complete, powered external storage device into consumer electronic devices. Modules, slots and interfaces designed according to the SATA USM specification will enable consumers to instantly access their music, movies, photos and other content from a variety of consumer electronics products, and to seamlessly transfer content between devices without the aid of additional power or cables.
The USM specification is intended to enable developers to incorporate slots into televisions, game consoles, set-top boxes, computers, docking stations and other consumer electronics applications that will accept powered, cable free storage modules with integrated standard SATA interfaces for expanding storage capacity. By utilizing the SATA storage interface, USM devices will extend the speed and reliability of volume storage I/O to the consumer electronics market, and eliminate the need for a separate cable or power supply, according to SATA-IO.
The integrated SATA interface supports transfer speeds up to 6 GB/s, offering users the same speed and reliability they’ve come to expect from their hard drives and other SATA-based devices. It is backward compatible to support Gen 1(1.5GB/s) or Gen 2 (3GB/s) drives
Consumer electronics manufacturers are already embracing the USM specification. SATA-IO and Seagate Technology partered to sponsor the first public demonstration of USM prototype devices at the "CES Unveiled" event this week, highlighting the variety of applications enabled by the USM specification. The demonstration showcased proposed products such as: a television, notebook computer, DVR and docking station sharing content via a USM module. The showcase featured prospective products from Antec, GEIC, Hi-Sense, Ionics, Thermaltake, and others.
SATA-IO expects the USM specification to be completed and available later this year. A complimentary specification defining the size requirements for USM devices and CE slots is being developed by the Small Form Factor Committee (SFF) and should also be available this year. Additional information is available at www.sata-io.org.
