>> - changed: Diodes PI7C9X2G612GP PCIe bridge/switch >> - new: Microchip USB2514 USB2 hub >> - new (on I/O board): Realtek RTL8111 GbE controller at PCIe bridge/switch >> - new (on I/O board): Realtek RTS5170 card reader at USB2 hub >> >> What I find questionable is that the new USB2 hub and the new I/O board >> allegedly "allow to decrease the number of components in the >> motherboard, will reduce the production costs, as well as will reduce >> the debug time", when their addition does in fact not entail the >> omission of any component already deployed previously.
> Perhaps the choices for the hub and I/O board are allowing them to > decrease the number of components and reduce production costs, when > compared to their other considered choices for these items?
They say explicitly that the mentioned benefits result from the mentioned schematic/design changes. As I said, the change from previous revision to current revision adds components (USB2 hub and I/O board) but does not remove any. The (ยต)SD connector coming from the T2080's eSDHC controller is still there, and the previous RJ45 jack coming from the T2080's RGMII controller (via GbE transceiver) has been replaced by an 8-pin header. This means that the components and/or traces the new I/O board could have rendered redundant are in fact still there. I'm confident there are good reasons for the recent changes, but the expressed rationale doesn't seem to fit those changes in my opinion.