Optimal frequency selection for IOPLL's VCO: minimize or maximize?

Hi @Ash_R_Intel,

Thank you for getting back to me, and that's interesting to know that the S10 is more tolerant than A10 of Fin variation. But I don't think that actually answers my question.

The original question remains as follows:

With the S10 IOPLL, for a given configuration, is the intended guideline to minimize or to maximize the VCO frequency?

Or in other words, with the S10 IOPLL, is it recommended to select the lowest possible M or the highest possible M for a given frequency range specification?

Or in other words yet, using the example I provided with Fin = Fout = 100 MHz, is it better to select:

A) minimize: N=1, M=6, C0=6, Fvco = 600 MHz

or:

B) maximize: N=1, M=16, C0=16, Fvco = 1600 MHz

or maybe even something in between:

C) middle: N=1, M=11, C0=11, Fvco = 1100 MHz?

The S10 IOPLL IP wizard says (A) but does (B), so something's awry. Hence the original question. Please clarify which was intended, (A) or (B)? And why? That will answer my original question.

And then, your comments on lock range actually seem to suggest that (C) may be preferred over (A) or (B), as that would maximize the available lock range +/- frequency tolerance by centering Fvco, and not being right up against either frequency limit. Is that a correct interpretation?

Thanks,
-Roee