PCIx in PCI slots...

[MikeX]

Ok..

Let's put this to bed.

The cards are in PCI-X format.. but you do not need the enhanced slots to use them. By design, most PCI-X cards ARE backwards compatible with PCI, as are Digidesign cards.

I have a Pro Tools HD3 setup with PCI-X cards running in three PCI slots.

I can say that this works and has been working for months.

All you need to do is find a motherboard that is physically compatible with your cards, that is, has enough room for them.

I'm also a Cisco engineer and have an expired Microsoft certification, so I know things about some stuff.. :)

[jeremyroberts]

Can someone from Avid who was around when HD PCI cards were developed comment on WHY the choice was made to put a PCI interface with PCI-x hardware?

Was the idea to utilize the PCI-x architecture at some point?
Did the engineers think the extra pins on the mobo would help structurally?

I have always wanted to know why this was a design choice. Larger connectors cost money (even if only pennies) and no company will put useless components on a card unless there was some purpose.

I'd really like to know what the Digi engineers were thinking, just for perspective.

Anyone old enough to remember this?

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by jeremyroberts

Can someone from Avid who was around when HD PCI cards were developed comment on WHY the choice was made to put a PCI interface with PCI-x hardware?

Was the idea to utilize the PCI-x architecture at some point?
Did the engineers think the extra pins on the mobo would help structurally?

I have always wanted to know why this was a design choice. Larger connectors cost money (even if only pennies) and no company will put useless components on a card unless there was some purpose.

I'd really like to know what the Digi engineers were thinking, just for perspective.

Anyone old enough to remember this?

It fit the current slot in shipping Macs.

Marketing? Had they only used a standard 32bit slot there would have been a great hue and cry that they weren't effectively using the Mac capabilities fully. And of course the real biggie. If its got twice as many edge connectors than a 001 it must be least twice as good.

Looks impressive. Supports the weight of a long and heavy card better.

The only real reason to go to a 64bit wide bus would be if they were running out of PCI bandwidth for audio processing. And that didn't see to be happening - people were running out of on card DSP first and buying more 7000.00 cards so why change anything.

[John_Toolbox]

If I remember right, the HD cards actually came before the G5's. There was a pro tools 5 that ran on OS9 with HD cards. The first G5's were PCI-X only, and did not work with the MIX cards that HD was replacing. (Some of the later versions of the G5 actually did work with MIX cards, but were never supported)

My guess is that digi knew that apple would be dumping PCI slots with the G5's, so adding the beefy new (but completely non functional) connector was another way of obsoleting the MIX cards and getting people to upgrade.

[spacey]

Originally Posted by Dimak415

In any case, If you guys have any questions about Hackintoshes, let me know. I've done many i7 1366 and 1156 builds, this will be my first sandy bridge 1155 build. I'll keep you posted if your interested.
Let me know if you guys have any questions about it.

Hi Dimak. I am about to build PT9 HD2 rig using ASUS P6T WS Pro as it is only one 1366 MB currently available with 2 PCI slots. Do you have any recomendations? Or what would you pršefer for 1366 build.

thx

Spacey

[Bob Nagy]

Originally Posted by spacey

Hi Dimak. I am about to build PT9 HD2 rig using ASUS P6T WS Pro as it is only one 1366 MB currently available with 2 PCI slots. Do you have any recomendations? Or what would you pršefer for 1366 build.

thx

Spacey

I'm using a P6T here (non-WS) and it's working fine.
Other MB choices exist, some have three PCI slots.
There's also a solution to the non-adjacent slot issue, further increasing the list of possible motherboards that you can use. Contact me directly for futher info about the non-adjacent slot issue if interested. My email address is in my resume here.

[Rader Ranch]

Originally Posted by Dimak415

...the combination of customizable PC hardware and Mac OSx is a beautiful thing. PT9 and Logic 9 working flawlessly. Let me know if you guys have any questions about it.

I have some questions re: your case, install method etc. If you have time for an email sometime that'd be awesome, thanks...

[trelobas]

Hi, I'm planning on building a machine with this MoBo
It has 4 PCI slots.
I'll post my findings as I start putting it together.

D.

[Raoul23]

Originally Posted by trelobas

Hi, I'm planning on building a machine with this MoBo
It has 4 PCI slots.
I'll post my findings as I start putting it together.

D.

hi wont the heat sink get in the way of the cards on that mobo

[trelobas]

do you mean the extra "pins" on the pci cards?