DiLinKer SlimSAS x8 to 2x SlimSAS x4 Cable, SFF-8654 74-Pin to 2x 38-Pin, 80cm (Broadcom 05-60004-00, RSL74-9219)

One SlimSAS 8i port (SFF-8654, 74-pin) becomes two SlimSAS 4i ports (SFF-8654, 38-pin). The pinout is SFF-9402, the reference Broadcom uses for its multi-protocol internal cables, so the same assembly is specified for SAS and for PCIe links. Broadcom lists this cable as 05-60004-00 — cable part 5067-6103, described as “x8 8654 to 2x4 8654, 9402”. Our factory part number is RSL74-9219.

Why the 9402 pinout matters

• Two 4i backplane ports from one 8i host port. Backplanes frequently present their lanes as x4 connectors even when the host side is x8. This is the cable that turns one 74-pin port into the two 38-pin plugs that backplane actually has.
• SFF-9402, not a generic 8654 cable. SFF-9402 defines how the sideband and lane pairs land for multi-protocol operation. A cable built to a different assignment will physically mate and then fail to train, which is why the pinout reference matters more than the connector shape.
• Cross-referenced to Broadcom 05-60004-00. Broadcom documents it for 9560-16i, 9560-8i, 9580-8i8e, 9500-16i and 9500-8i. If you are replacing an OEM cable on one of those cards, this is the cross-reference you are looking for.
• 80 cm, tested end to end. Each assembly is continuity- and pinout-tested before packing. The label carries the factory part number, which is the only reliable way to check you have the right cable once it is inside a chassis.

Specifications

Compatibility

Works with

• Backplanes with x4 SFF-8654 ports whose pinout follows SFF-9402
• Broadcom 9560-16i, 9560-8i, 9580-8i8e, 9500-16i and 9500-8i controllers
• SAS or PCIe lanes, per the SFF-9402 reference

Does not work with

• Backplanes with SFF-8643 (36-pin) ports — use Broadcom 05-60003-00 instead, we stock it
• Backplanes that present a single x8 SFF-8654 port — that is a straight x8 to x8 cable
• MCIO (SFF-TA-1016) ports: a different connector family entirely

Typical deployments

• Eight-lane controller into a 2×4 backplane. The most common case: a 16i or 8i Broadcom card whose ports are x8, feeding a cage that exposes two x4 SlimSAS connectors per group of drives.
• Keeping a cage when the controller changes. The backplane stays; the new card has x8 SlimSAS. One cable per group of eight lanes and the cage does not need replacing.
• Replacing a damaged or missing OEM cable. Cross-referenced to 05-60004-00, with the factory part number printed on the label so you can verify it against the build sheet before installation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between this cable and Broadcom 05-60003-00?

The far end. Both take an x8 SlimSAS (74-pin) host port; 05-60004-00 splits it into two SlimSAS 4i (38-pin) plugs, while 05-60003-00 splits it into two MiniSAS HD (36-pin, SFF-8643) plugs. Choose by the connectors on your backplane, not by the controller.

Does it carry SAS, PCIe, or both?

Broadcom lists it as an SFF-9402 multi-protocol cable “for SAS and/or PCIe”. Which one you get is decided by what is on the other end of the link; the cable itself is passive wiring.

Which controllers is it specified for?

Broadcom names 9560-16i, 9560-8i, 9580-8i8e, 9500-16i and 9500-8i. Other x8 SlimSAS controllers generally work if the backplane follows SFF-9402, but those five are the documented pairings.

Why two x4 connectors instead of one x8?

Because that is what the backplane has. Many cages present lanes in groups of four even when the host port is eight lanes wide; a fan-out cable is the standard way to bridge the two.

How do I know my backplane follows SFF-9402?

Check the backplane documentation for the SFF-9402 reference, or send us the model number. If the cage is wired to a vendor-proprietary pinout, no off-the-shelf cable will train it correctly — and that is worth knowing before you order rather than after.

Can I use only one of the two legs?

The cable is passive, so leaving one leg unconnected does not damage anything, but you would be paying for a fan-out and getting half the lanes. If only one 4i group is populated, a straight x4 cable to that group is the cleaner build.

In the box

• 1 × SlimSAS 8i to 2 × SlimSAS 4i cable, 80 cm (SKU B09S3DQXGS, factory part RSL74-9219)

Every cable is continuity- and pinout-tested before it ships and carries a 24-month warranty. If a link does not train, send us the controller model and the backplane part number before returning anything — in most cases the cable is the wrong variant for the port, not faulty, and we would rather tell you that up front.

Related

• SlimSAS 8X to 2x MiniSAS HD (SFF-8643), Broadcom 05-60003-00
• SlimSAS 8X to 2x oCuLink 4X, SFF-8611
• SlimSAS 8X to 2x U.2 NVMe adapter with power, 75cm