Valens Semiconductor has launched the VS6310, a new low-power chipset that lets manufacturers build USB3 extension directly into conference room devices like cameras and touch controllers. The move targets a common pain point in video conferencing room setups: the extra hardware needed to carry high-bandwidth USB signals over long cable runs.
What the chipset actually does
The VS6310 is designed to sit inside e/PTZ cameras, touch controllers, active cables and similar peripherals rather than inside a separate extender box. It is compliant with the HDBaseT-USB3 standard, letting devices send USB3 data at up to 2.5 Gbps and USB2 data at 480 Mbps, along with control signals, over standard Category cable at distances up to 40 meters. That is the same basic networking cable used for Ethernet, which keeps installation costs and complexity down compared with specialized cabling.
According to Valens, the chip typically draws less than 1 watt, a power budget low enough to fit inside compact, embedded product designs where heat and power headroom are limited. The company says this is an improvement over its existing VS6320 chipset, which remains interoperable with the new part so manufacturers can mix and match depending on how much bandwidth, reach or power efficiency a given peripheral needs.
Why this matters for conference rooms
Modern video conferencing setups often distribute multiple USB-connected devices - cameras, microphones, touch panels - around a room, well beyond the reach of a standard USB cable. Historically, extending that reach required a dedicated extender box at each end of the cable run, adding components, power supplies and points of failure to an installation. By putting extension circuitry inside the peripheral itself, integrators can reduce the number of separate boxes to mount, wire and maintain, which Valens frames as both a cost and reliability benefit for professional AV installers.
Gili Friedman, Head of Audio-Video Business at Valens Semiconductor, said the chipset "opens new opportunities for our customers to integrate USB3 extension directly into their products," adding that the lower power draw suits embedded designs and helps deliver "simpler, cleaner video conferencing setups."
Availability and limits
Valens says samples of the VS6310 will be available to manufacturers in mid-November 2026, with mass production scheduled to begin in January 2027. As with any component announcement, the real-world benefits depend on how device makers choose to implement it; end users won't interact with the chipset directly but may eventually see it in next-generation conferencing cameras and controllers that require fewer external accessories to install. The company has not disclosed pricing or named specific customers planning to adopt the chip.