"DSP, LPO, LRO, and HYBRID": What''s the Difference?
In the current optical module technology field, four solutions—DSP, LPO, LRO, and HYBRID—will coexist for a long time, each serving different
Solution Optical Transmitter LPO
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The LPO solution completely removes the DSP from the module, shifting the signal processing function to the host-side SerDes. Its advantages include the lowest power consumption (30–50% lower than DSP), extremely low latency, and the lowest module BOM cost. From principles to applications, and compares it with traditional optical modules. Leveraging LPO technology, the module provides ultra-low-latency, power-efficient optical links tailored for AI, high-performance computing, and hyperscale data center applications. To address this, Macom and NVIDIA first proposed Linear-drive Pluggable Optics (LPO) in 2022. It uses a linear drive strategy to replace DSPs with a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA) and Driver Chip (DRIVER) with excellent linearity and EQ capabilities.