PCI-E to USB

[crtrrss]

Is there an adaptor that would allow me to use an arcadevga card(pci-e) over USB?

[lilshawn]

I'm just going to go ahead and say no.

PCI-e has a serial 2GB/s - per channel, per data path max 16

usb is a serial single channel 480Mbit (0.4Gb/s)

it would take you over 15 minutes to transfer a single seconds worth of worth of PCI-e data over USB.

[crtrrss]

Ok.. Is there any way to have PCI-E on a server?

[lilshawn]

okay lets try again.

2 GIGABYTES...PER SECOND.

to put this in perspective... if your internet was 2GB/s you could download a blueray movie (uncompressed all 50GB) in 25 seconds...or a double layer DVD in 4 seconds.

fiber optic lines are 10 gigaBIT (8 bits to a byte makes this now 1.25 gigaBYTES per second) still around 1/2 the speed.

there is no bus faster in your computer than PCI-e other than the direct access the CPU/RAM share. (about 7.45 gigabytes per second)

you basically want to ask the space shuttle to fly in your front door, down the hallway, up the stairs, through your bedroom, and out the window...without breaking anything.

even if it was possible to run PCI-e ... even through USB3 (which uses the PCI-e bus anyways), the frame rate would be so slow.

I suggest you build yourself a rig. a new motherboard with PCI-e can be had for under $60 if you shop. I've built decent systems for under $300. used laptops for under 200.

[crtrrss]

it has a pci-x slot. is it compatible? if it isnt, is there an adapter to make it compatible?

[lilshawn]

good lord, was that computer made in 1990???

sigh

http://ca.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/Slot-Extension/PCI-X-to-x4-PCI-Express-Adapter-Card~PCIX1PEX4

for $200...go buy a new computer.

[MonMotha]

Does this ancient computer have an AGP slot by chance?  There are plenty of AGP ArcadeVGAs floating around even if Ultimarc isn't selling them anymore.

You could also just find a compatible PCI (not express) video card and run one of the many software "hacks" to get suitable video out of it.  Look up Soft15kHz if you're using Windows.

Or you could dumpster dive a PC made in the past 5-7 years...


As to speed, 100Gbps fiber (Ethernet) systems are readily available these days.  They'll make your $200 adapter card up there like cheap cheap cheap, though   And don't even ask about the 1Tbps systems.