A method for calibrating a bidirectional communication channel, the communication channel comprising a first component having a transmitter and a receiver , a second component having a receiver and a transmitter , and a communication link coupling the first and second components , the communication channel transmitting data using the transmitter on the first component and receiving data using the receiver on the second component with a first parameter of the communication channel set as an operation value, and receiving data using the receiver on the first component and transmitting data using the transmitter on the second component with a second parameter of the communication channel set as the operation value; comprising: executing a calibration cycle from time to time, including transmitting a calibration pattern using the transmitter on the first component and receiving the calibration pattern using the receiver on the second component with the first parameter set as a calibration value, retransmitting the calibration pattern using the transmitter on the second component to the receiver on the first component and determining, at the first component , the calibrated value of the first parameter in response to the received calibration pattern; and prior to determining said calibrated value of said calibration cycle, transmitting data using the transmitter on the second component and receiving the data using the receiver on the first component with the second parameter set as the operation value, wherein the transmitting data is suspended during said calibration cycle. a first component having a transmitter and a receiver , a second component having a receiver and a transmitter , and a communication link coupling the first and second components , the communication channel transmitting data using the transmitter on the first component and receiving data using the receiver on the second component with a first parameter of the communication channel set as an operation value, and receiving data using the receiver on the first component and transmitting data using the transmitter on the second component with a second parameter of the communication channel set as the operation value; comprising: executing a calibration cycle from time to time, including transmitting a calibration pattern using the transmitter on the first component and receiving the calibration pattern using the receiver on the second component with the first parameter set as a calibration value, retransmitting the calibration pattern using the transmitter on the second component to the receiver on the first component and determining, at the first component , the calibrated value of the first parameter in response to the received calibration pattern; and prior to determining said calibrated value of said calibration cycle, transmitting data using the transmitter on the second component and receiving the data using the receiver on the first component with the second parameter set as the operation value, wherein the transmitting data is suspended during said calibration cycle. executing a calibration cycle from time to time, including transmitting a calibration pattern using the transmitter on the first component and receiving the calibration pattern using the receiver on the second component with the first parameter set as a calibration value, retransmitting the calibration pattern using the transmitter on the second component to the receiver on the first component and determining, at the first component , the calibrated value of the first parameter in response to the received calibration pattern; and prior to determining said calibrated value of said calibration cycle, transmitting data using the transmitter on the second component and receiving the data using the receiver on the first component with the second parameter set as the operation value, wherein the transmitting data is suspended during said calibration cycle. <EOS>