PCI-Extension cable

[Dredgy]

Hi.

Ordering the final bits of my personal super workstation/media consumption/light gaming PC tonight and I find myself running out of PCI-E slots. I have a very very specific needed feature set which has limited my mainboard choice, but I'll keep everything short.

Motherboard: Asus X79 Deluxe (backup board Asus ROG Rampage Extreme Black Edition)

Video Cards: 2x Gigabyte GTX770s 4GB Windforce in SLI (blocks 4 slots on the X79 Deluxe, but only 3 on the Rampage)

If I stick with my X79 deluxe choice, I will only have two free PCI-E slots. I need three.

I was wondering (hoping) that there was a PCI-E extension/riser cable that will fit under a graphics card so I can use the blocked slot so I can install one of these: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-USB3-0-Ports-19-pin-Internal-PCI-E-PCI-Express-Card-With-15-pin-SATA-Connector-/350871628977?pt=AU_Components&hash=item51b1942cb1&_uhb=1

I would remove the faceplate of that USB card and mount it internally, I need internal USB ports and an additional USB 3.0 header.

Is there an extender that would allow me to do that?

[Sonefiler]

PCI Risers.

[Dredgy]

@Sonefiler will one fit under the heatsink of a dual slot gfx card?

[Sonefiler]

@Sonefiler will one fit under the heatsink of a dual slot gfx card?

Depends on the one. Try to find the smallest one you can. I think it's feasible if you look around. Or, you could use the riser for the Graphics card instead of the USB port plugin, although it's going to look a little bit weird from the back.

[TriBeard]

http://www.amazon.com/PCI-E-Express-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBFTG

 

Something like that would probably work, though it's going to depend on your GPU's heatsink and how close to the PCB it gets. 

[TriBeard]

Looking at that board on amazon, it looks like you would have enough room for 2 GPU's, as well as one more PCI-e 16 device, as well as a 1x device down at the bottom. Is that not accurate?

 

Also, looking at the boards, I really like the rampage. It seems like it's got a few extra features, but the PCI-e layout just looks a lot better IMO. 

[Dredgy]

Looking at that board on amazon, it looks like you would have enough room for 2 GPU's, as well as one more PCI-e 16 device, as well as a 1x device down at the bottom. Is that not accurate?

 

More or less. The cards would be in x16 SLI, so they would block out both the PCI-E 1x ports, leaving me with 2x x16 slots. In which I would install a HDTV tuner and a HDMI capture card and chroma keying hardware. So I'd need to utilize the PCI-E 1x slots that were blocked off to add a necessary USB 3.0 header and internal ports. If there is something I could live without it would be the multiple GPUs, but unfortunately I do need them to power the sheer amount of monitors I have attached.

 

 

 

Also, looking at the boards, I really like the rampage. It seems like it's got a few extra features, but the PCI-e layout just looks a lot better IMO. 

 

I don't need any of the features it offers, except the PCI-E layout which is awesome. But it has its own drawbacks including worse RAM compatibility in the high end spectrum, features I just don't need, a worse aesthetic for the rest of my components (not important) and (important) is EATX in size which will make installation a pain in my case. Also not sure about Ivy Bridge compatibility out of the box. And the price is considerably higher for an all-round worse board for my needs.

 

I would get one of the EATX boards which have 7 PCI-E slots as opposed to 6, but those boards never have WiFi built in, so I have to install a wireless card, which leaves me with the same problem.

 

So I think I'm just going to have a go with what I have so I can order today, and chance it with a 1x Riser ccable, though I'll also get a x16 Riser for the possibility I need to move a GPU out of the way.

[toms94z71]

More or less. The cards would be in x16 SLI, so they would block out both the PCI-E 1x ports, leaving me with 2x x16 slots. In which I would install a HDTV tuner and a HDMI capture card and chroma keying hardware. So I'd need to utilize the PCI-E 1x slots that were blocked off to add a necessary USB 3.0 header and internal ports. If there is something I could live without it would be the multiple GPUs, but unfortunately I do need them to power the sheer amount of monitors I have attached.

 

 

 

 

I don't need any of the features it offers, except the PCI-E layout which is awesome. But it has its own drawbacks including worse RAM compatibility in the high end spectrum, features I just don't need, a worse aesthetic for the rest of my components (not important) and (important) is EATX in size which will make installation a pain in my case. Also not sure about Ivy Bridge compatibility out of the box. And the price is considerably higher for an all-round worse board for my needs.

 

I would get one of the EATX boards which have 7 PCI-E slots as opposed to 6, but those boards never have WiFi built in, so I have to install a wireless card, which leaves me with the same problem.

 

So I think I'm just going to have a go with what I have so I can order today, and chance it with a 1x Riser ccable, though I'll also get a x16 Riser for the possibility I need to move a GPU out of the way.

Just curious how many monitors and what resolution monitors are you running? I got the Asus x79 deluxe in my system, i really like the board so far and it worked great right out of the box with the 4930k and 1866mhz ram I put in it.

[Dredgy]

@toms94z71 System hasn't been built yet. Ordering this week, hopefully today if I get around to it.

 

I will run 6 monitors - 4 in landscape, 2 in portrait. Up from the current 3 I use. 1x Samsung SyncMaster 2333, 1x HP w2448h, 2x BenQ RL2455HM, 1x Dell U2913WM and 1x Asus VG278H. Kind of a jumble, but made of what I have lying around.

 

Fantastic to hear the Asus works great out of the box with the 4930k which is what I'll be using, I am looking forward so much to getting this build underway. It's been a huge challenge just to plan it.

[TriBeard]

If you're not opposed to open box:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131971R

 

The motherboard I have in my system now was open box (from microcenter, not newegg, but still) and it's been flawless, and if something is wrong with it, you still have warranty. That's a sweet board though, and would seemingly solve all your problems. It also has their BIOS flashback functionality, so if it needed a BIOS update to work with IB-e, it's very simple to do, even without a CPU. 

 

Alternatively, would this be any better?

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131798

[Dredgy]

@TriBeard. Thanks for the response.

I am very much opposed to open box (my current system is, I want a nice, closed, quiet system this time around). That said, E-ATX boards WILL fit in my case, I just lose a bit of working room and functionality)

The P9X79-E WS was one of my initial choices, but there are a few drawbacks, mainly the lack of onboard WiFi (why this is not a standard feature on every board, I have no idea ). Since USB WiFi adapters tend to flat out not work in my house (big house with the router miles away from my office, and loads of interference from something) that means I have to install a PCI-E Wireless card. Which takes up one of my slots, which leaves me in the same situation.

So I think I'm just going to have to chance a 1x Riser cable, and if it doesn't work...well I'll find away around it. Thanks for your help.

EDIT: Found exactly what I was looking for on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PCI-E-Express-1X-Ultra-Low-Profile-Riser-Cable-for-USB-3-0-Wireless-TV-tuner-/251409531301?pt=AU_CablesConnectors&hash=item3a892d01a5&_uhb=1

[toms94z71]

@toms94z71 System hasn't been built yet. Ordering this week, hopefully today if I get around to it.

 

I will run 6 monitors - 4 in landscape, 2 in portrait. Up from the current 3 I use. 1x Samsung SyncMaster 2333, 1x HP w2448h, 2x BenQ RL2455HM, 1x Dell U2913WM and 1x Asus VG278H. Kind of a jumble, but made of what I have lying around.

 

Fantastic to hear the Asus works great out of the box with the 4930k which is what I'll be using, I am looking forward so much to getting this build underway. It's been a huge challenge just to plan it.

That is quite a few monitors. I am just running 3, my main one is an Hp zr2740w ips monitor which is 2560x1440 and then cheap veiwsonic va2431 1920x1080 which for the price has been a great panel for reliability and i have seen more expensive monitors with crapier picture quality. Then I got my 19 in phillips tv hooked up to it as a 3rd monitor/tv lol, eventually I am going to get a second 1440p monitor to replace it. It does sound like you will need 2 cards with the shear amount of monitors you will be running. I have my desktop hard wired to my router right now, but I got the x79 deluxe so if I move it away from where the cable outlet and hence where the router is I will not have to run Ethernet cables through the house. Plus when I was originally getting parts for this computer I was still at my dad's house and had I stayed there I would have had to have wireless. So far I have been nothing but pleased with my build and how smoothly everything went when I built it.

[TriBeard]

@TriBeard. Thanks for the response.

I am very much opposed to open box (my current system is, I want a nice, closed, quiet system this time around). That said, E-ATX boards WILL fit in my case, I just lose a bit of working room and functionality)

The P9X79-E WS was one of my initial choices, but there are a few drawbacks, mainly the lack of onboard WiFi (why this is not a standard feature on every board, I have no idea ). Since USB WiFi adapters tend to flat out not work in my house (big house with the router miles away from my office, and loads of interference from something) that means I have to install a PCI-E Wireless card. Which takes up one of my slots, which leaves me in the same situation.

So I think I'm just going to have to chance a 1x Riser cable, and if it doesn't work...well I'll find away around it. Thanks for your help.

EDIT: Found exactly what I was looking for on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PCI-E-Express-1X-Ultra-Low-Profile-Riser-Cable-for-USB-3-0-Wireless-TV-tuner-/251409531301?pt=AU_CablesConnectors&hash=item3a892d01a5&_uhb=1

Just to be clear, I mean the motherboard was an open box item, meaning you get a big discount on it, not that you should put it on a test bed or whatever.