The CrossLink-NX family supports a maximum of 4 virtual channels (VCs) per D-PHY interface when using standard configuration. This limit applies to both hard and soft D-PHY instances, ensuring consistent performance and timing closure across different design scenarios. This 4-VC limit is a hardware-imposed constraint based on the internal architecture of the D-PHY controller and the associated data path management.
While the native limit is 4 VCs, many applications—especially those involving multiple data streams such as video, sensor data, or multi-lane communication—require more than four virtual channels. Fortunately, Lattice provides a solution through the use of extended virtual channels, enabling designers to scale the total number of VCs beyond the base limit.
The reference design available (MIPI CSI-2 Virtual Channel Aggregation | Lattice Reference Design) for CrossLink-NX demonstrates how to implement extended virtual channels, allowing for a total of 16 virtual channels (VCs 0 through 15).