• Registered: 2008-03-20
  • Posts: 19

Topic: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

Hi,

Now that I know that I require 6 pci-e slots for a 196 "voice" MADI, does RME recommend a motherboard, or have any specification on a system for this kind of thing?

Thanks,

George Leger III

www.georgetechguru.com

RME PCI HDSP and Cardbus HDSP, with 2 Nuendo multiface interfaces. To say I love them is an understatement. Best audio gear out!

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

I might be mistaken, but I though you could only run 3x HDSP cards in a system under the current drivers?  RME will have to confirm that, but you'l likely need to mix and match PCIe x16 and PCIe x1 slots to get 6 (I think there are one or two "Gaming" MoBo's that have 6x PCIe 16x slots, but they run through an extra bridge chip since the x58 only has 36 Lanes of PCIe 2.0 IIRC).

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • Registered: 2008-03-20
  • Posts: 19

Re: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

I would only use 3 HDSP cards, and 3 sync cards, that is why the requirement if for 6 slots total.

  • isaac
  • isaac
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • From: Auckland New Zealand
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 339

Re: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

georgelegeriii wrote:

I would only use 3 HDSP cards, and 3 sync cards, that is why the requirement if for 6 slots total.

You only need THREE PCI-E slots. You also need THREE spaces for the sync cards. They only hook into the cards themselves, not the motherboard.

I'm pretty sure that the RME cards will run in any PCI-E slot (1x, 2x, 4x, 8x or 16x)
Isaac

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

Yep - It will be a matter of having a CASE that has room for 6 slots plus your Graphics Card.  You'll only "need" Three PCIe x1 slots for your MADI cards and a PCI x16 slot for your Graphics Card.

I'm not sure if having 1 card on the X58's PCIe lanes and the other 2 on the ICH10R's PCIe lanes would have any effect on performance and scaling with regard to low-level system latencies, etc.  Probably not enough to matter on an i7 LGA1366, but might be something to consider and try a few different possible configs and test for yourself...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8

6 Reply by ChrisADK (edited by ChrisADK 2010-07-30 16:21:25)

  • From: New Milford , CT USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 347

Re: RME recommended motherboard with 6 PCI-e for 196 channel MADI rig

Hi ,
The majority of computer cases have a 7 slot back plan. So as long as you have a video card that only takes up one slot then pretty much any computer case will work. That is as long as it can handle the 3 MADI cards. You can mix PCI and PCI-e MADI cards which you may need to do depending on the motherboard.
The daughter card does not need to next it it's MADI card.  The cable will give room to place the card up to 3 rows away if I remember correctly.

But boy I sure do wish we had some motherboards out with 6 usable PCI-e slots!

Thanks Chris

Chris Ludwig | ADK Pro Audio
www.adkproaudio.com
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