[mythtv-users] OT: PCI slots: 64 bit slots on Dell PowerEdge

[Jon Larson]

Aaron Howard wrote:
> On 10/3/06, James Pifer <jep at obrien-pifer.com> wrote:
>> I've been trying to get a frontend working well with TVOut. I bought a
>> PCI FX5200 that I've been trying to run in a box with Athlon 1400+
>> processor. (I've tried a lot of things, see previous posts about
>> horsepower)
>>
>> I have another box that I decided to try and use. I moved all of the
>> stuff it was running to another box to free it up. It's a Dual Xeon 1.8
>> ghz machine. That's got to have plenty to do this. (no HD)
>>
>> Problem is the PCI slots. It has:
>> two 32-bit 33MHz PCI slots
>> two 64-bit 66MHz PCI slots
>> two 64-bit 100MHz PCI-X slots
>>
>> Is there any way I can I use the 64 bit slots with regular PCI cards?
>> Maybe some kinf of riser or something? Currently the cards do not fit. I
>> have 3 tuners, plus the PCI FX5200. I'd be willing to trade up the video
>> card to something that would work, but all I can find are PCI-Express,
>> which to my understanding are different.
>>
>> Do I have any options?
>>
> 
> Well, let's see.  PCI-X is an extension to PCI.  Any PCI 2.2
> *universal* card should work in it.  Same thing w/ the 64-bit slots.
> A 64-bit PCI slot will accept a 32-bit card.  It just downgrades the
> bus to work at 32-bits.
> 
> A lot of tuner cards I've seen are 5V PCI, non-universal cards.  Same
> with PCI VGA cards.  (PCI-X is 3.3v only, whereas the PCI itself
> allowed for 5V or 3.3V cards...so universal cards...or cards designed
> to work at either voltage, will work.)
> 
> PCI Express is a complete redesign and shares only the "PCI" part in name.
> 
> If you look closely at the bottom of a PCI card, and see a notch
> towards the front of the card (take a look at:
> http://www.hauppauge.com/images/pvr500mce_board-b.jpg for instance) it
> is keyed to be a universal card and should work in a PCI-X slot.  The
> PCI-X bus that card is on, though will only run as fast as the slowest
> card.
> 
> Most newer PCI cards are universal cards, but not all.  From just a
> quick glance, it looks like the Hauppage PVR cars are all universal
> nowadays.  Older revs may not be, though.
> 
> As for video cards, good luck.  Google for "PCI universal VGA card" maybe.
> 
> -Aaron
> 
> P.S. Anyone...please correct me if/when I'm wrong.
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Well, you are right in theory... But my anecdotal evidence suggests that 
even though the PVR-150 is keyed as a universal card, it DOES NOT work 
in PCI-X slots--I tried it in a Dell Poweregde and a Tyan/Opteron 
configuration. Neither system would power up with the PVR-150 installed, 
and after it was removed the Tyan/Opteron would no longer complete POST, 
so I'm undergoing a long RMA process to try and get it back up and running.

PVR-500s work fine in the Tyan/Opteron config, but I didn't test them in 
the poweredge.

Those interested can check out this link for more details:

http://www.digi.com/pdf/prd_msc_pcitech.pdf#search=%22pci%20slots%22


Jon