• etl17
  • New member
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  • Registered: 2011-03-28
  • Posts: 6

Topic: HDSP PCI used with a PCIe to PCI adapter

I am trying to determine what is the best possible configuration for my HDSP PCI / Digiface,

I have an ASUS P6X58D-E motherboard that provides both PCI and PCIe slots. I also have a PCIe to PCI adapter (StarTech PEX1PCI1). I am running Windows 7 64bit and I have verified that my system and drivers work when the HDSP is inserted directly on a PCI slot, as well when it is installed using a PCIe to PCI adapter. I was wondering if there is any benefit whatsoever utilizing the PCIe bus instead of the PCI. Would it really make any difference in the system's overhead if I use one connection method vs. the other?

Thank you in advance for any comments and thoughts on this,

Stefanos.

  • Registered: 2007-05-02
  • Posts: 316

Re: HDSP PCI used with a PCIe to PCI adapter

Well... since RME makes their own PCIe version of the PCI card (HDSPe), I would think this configuration is unsupported. The politically correct answer would be: if you can run it on PCI then do that because that is the supported functionality and any issues that arise can then be reported to RME and can potentially be fixed by driver updates. If you MUST use the card in this slot adapter, and it works, then great, but bear in mind that no support would be forthcoming if you run into problems because this is an unsupported configuration.

:-)

PC1 = HDSPe PCIe: DF-ADI-8 DS / HDSPe PCIe: MF2
MBP = HDSPe Expresscard: MF1
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,556

Re: HDSP PCI used with a PCIe to PCI adapter

Very good answer from undertone here... :-D
And quite obviously, running a PCI card thorugh such an adapter will not "speed it up"...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • etl17
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  • Registered: 2011-03-28
  • Posts: 6

Re: HDSP PCI used with a PCIe to PCI adapter

Thank you. :-)

My question was really more around the bus itself. I am not really that familiar with the PCIe bus. I know for example that a "misbehaving" PCI card can slow down the whole machine (due to the synchronous nature of the PCI interrupts), but I wasn't sure if the same is true for PCIe devices. I remember reading on the RME site that the HDSPe version is more efficient than the HDSP card and can potentially allow for lower latencies. Is this mainly due to the newer card design, or the PCIe bus has also something to do with it?

Again, sorry if my questions are a little out of line. I AM a lifelong RME fan, own multiple RME products and plan to own more. I'm certainly not expecting RME's support for my experimental configuration ....

Thanks again,

--Stefanos.