Anyone try the Dell T7400? Three 64 bit PCI-X slots in a row

[yambike]

The new Dell workstation, the T7400 has three 64 bit PCI-X slots in a row. I'm considering this for an HD3 Accel setup.

Any thoughts?

http://www.dell.com/content/products...555&l=en&s=biz

[yambike]

... but only 2 of the slots supports full length cards.

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1211247

Oh well. Interesting that the new flagship Dell workstation is based around PCI-X though.

[GeneOuse]

Oh well. Interesting that the new flagship Dell workstation is based around PCI-X though.

There just isnt much PCI-E hardware out there except for video cards so they had to go back to PCI-X to be able to sell more systems. In fact every new motherboard that's announced today has more and more PCI-X slots.

[sunburst79]

There just isnt much PCI-E hardware out there except for video cards so they had to go back to PCI-X to be able to sell more systems. In fact every new motherboard that's announced today has more and more PCI-X slots.

While i agree about the derth of PCIe hardware the truth is its just now trickiling in. Sound cards, RAID controllers, Various adapter cards are all out there now.

The only reason that they are putting out new PCI-X boards is so that the server users can use Legacy Hardware. I'm not aware of anybody thats actively devoping new PCI-X hardware-all of the resources are going into PCIe.
In anything other than the server arena PCI and PCI-X slots will soon be dropped. Do not be suprised if Intels next gen CPU and Chipsets drop native PCi and PCI-X entirely like they have done with PS2 connecters and IDE support.

If you want to use older PCI based HD cards grab the BobNagy, NickH,Markuss44UK, Guitarzan Asus work station board. It will take 4 full length PCI-X based HD cards.

You dont think that 64 bit PCI-X is going to offer any advantage over 32 bit PCi do you? You might see a incremental differance running HD2 in some old MAC but you much better off with a modern quad core processer, HD4 and the much faster desktop memory.

Pick out your system by slot spacing...the PCI-X HD cards will run just fine in a regular 32bit PCI slot. You can normally mix PCI and PCI-X slots also. Its mostly a matter of whether the card will physicaly fit into the board.

Just My .02... I also realise that not every one wants to assemble their own machine and that the tech support 1-800 number offers some comfort. But unless the Dell is Digi approved I would look elsewere.

PCI-X is as dead as the Pentium4 in the workstation segment.....they just have not read it its last rites yet.

Theres no reason to ditch your current Digi hardware if its working though. With the exception of the Accel chips you not going to see a dramatic performance differance between PCI,PCI-X and PCIe as far the slot type. The differances are due more to the amount and types of chips on the cards.

[yambike]

I should mention that the Dell T7400 documentation states that one of the three PCI-X slots only fits half-length cards, but I've spoken to a tech at Dell and I've been assured that all three PCI-X slots will fit 13.5 inch cards. This model also has the same Intel Harpertown processors and Intel 5400 chipset as the new Mac Pros.

Thanks for the build info, sunburst79. I had actually followed some of that discussion with interest. It's good to know some people have Intel quad core processors working. But I decided that I can't go the DIY route this time around.

I wonder if anyone has had success running the Harpertown processors with PT on Windows.

[yambike]

Call me crazy but I went ahead and ordered one of these with two of the Harpertown quad-core processors, installed the HD3 Accel cards and ... it works. The PCI buss is at about 25-30% on the meter and steady. I'm working on a project that crippled my AMD X2 machine from the RTAS load and this computer running the same project is reading around 25-30% CPU, steady, and with all 8 cores working. It looks like I'm set to do some mixing.

I should mention that the computer showed up D.O.A. due to a bad power supply. Dell sent someone to replace it next day though.