A bus switch chip is limited to operating with a power-supply voltage of
1.8 volts relative to a 0-volt ground. Differential bus signals switched
through the bus switch chip swing from 2.7 to 3.3 volts, well above the
chip's specified power-supply voltage. The bus switch chip is
level-shifted by applying a 1.5-volt signal as the chip's ground, and a
3.3-volt signal as its power supply, so the chip's net power supply is
within the specification at 1.8 volts. High-Definition Multimedia
Interface (HDMI) and Digital Visual Interface (DVI) require that the
differential signals are never driven to ground. However, some
non-compliant video transmitters drive differential signals to ground
when disabled. External pullup resistors or internal pullup transistors
in the bus switch chip are added to the bus signals from non-compliant
transmitters to pull disabled signals above the 1.5-volt chip ground to
prevent damage from signals below the chip's 1.5-volt ground.