Only one PCIe x16 slot. What can be done?

[ValentinVV]

Hello,

I have bought a premade PC in 2019 (yes, I know, bad idea) from Acer, which has a Predator PO3-600(DCH) motherboard (only has one PCIe x16 slot, which is already occupied by GTX 1660Ti). Back then I wasn't thinking about expansion, but now I do because I would need a DVB-S2 card (satellite TV).

The first option that came into mind was to buy a USB DVB-S2 tuner, but they are hard to find and also quite expensive for what they do. The cheapest I could find was almost 80 euros on Amazon.de.

Then, I've seen that there are some PCI-cards that are more accessible on ebay (from 20 euros).

I wonder if there is anything that can be done in this situation (expanding the PCIe slot, using the tuner card with an adaptor to USB...). I've seen that there are adapters for NVMe to USB, but I guess that they work only for storage (and would be identified as a storage device, which would make my tuner card unusable).

Any idea would help, thank you!

 

[8tg]

Do you have a mini pcie slot on the board?

[Allan B]

There appears to be a 1X or 4X PCIE slot on the motherboard as well as the 16X slot.  (doing a little google).  I assume this would work fine for a DVB-S2 card as you don't need a 16X slot for a TV Tuner.  If the 1660TI video card is covering the 2nd slot you can get a cable to expand that 2nd slot down to an open part of the case.

 

At least looking at it here https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/605436/changing-the-case-on-predator-p03-600

[GuiltySpark_]

Is this the same board you have? I'm looking at some DVB-S2 cards and they're all PCIe x1. Unless there is a card that isn't that you're trying to use or this isn't the right board. Finding motherboard shots for OEM machines isn't always straight forward.

 

 

 

edit

 

@Allan BYou beat me.

[Kilrah]

A 1660ti will cover that slot...

[BobVonBob]

1 minute ago, rickeo said:

Is this the same board you have? I'm looking at some DVB-S2 cards and they're all PCIe x1. Unless there is a card that isn't that you're trying to use or this isn't the right board. Finding motherboard shots for OEM machines isn't always straight forward.

 

-snip-

Even if that is the right board, those are in one slot spacing. The GPU is blocking that bottom PCIe 1x slot.

[GuiltySpark_]

Riser then, surely. 

[Rex Hite]

There are PCI-e risers that have a sharp angle and can go into the 1X slot allowing it to be used.

[Zagna]

You could go with a combo of DVB-S2 tuner and HDMI capture? Or something like that?

[ValentinVV]

19 minutes ago, 8tg said:

Do you have a mini pcie slot on the board?

Waiting for your replies, I used HWiNFO to see what slots do I have now and there is indeed one PCI Express Gen2 x1 slot free, but is covered by the graphics card (I've opened the case and got the graphics card out just to be sure).

 

20 minutes ago, Allan B said:

There appears to be a 1X or 4X PCIE slot on the motherboard as well as the 16X slot.  (doing a little google).  I assume this would work fine for a DVB-S2 card as you don't need a 16X slot for a TV Tuner.  If the 1660TI video card is covering the 2nd slot you can get a cable to expand that 2nd slot down to an open part of the case.

 

At least looking at it here https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/605436/changing-the-case-on-predator-p03-600

I don't know if there is enough space between the free slot and the graphics card for a cable, but this is a good idea.

 

13 minutes ago, rickeo said:

Riser then, surely. 

 

13 minutes ago, Rex Hite said:

There are PCI-e risers that have a sharp angle and can go into the 1X slot allowing it to be used.

Could you please give an example of what that should look like?

 

7 minutes ago, Zagna said:

You could go with a combo of DVB-S2 tuner and HDMI capture? Or something like that?

That would not be ideal, but thanks for the idea!

 

 

[GuiltySpark_]

3 minutes ago, ValentinVV said:

Could you please give an example of what that should look like?

Something like this?  

 

https://www.newegg.com/p/1W7-00J8-000H0

[Ralf]

2 minutes ago, ValentinVV said:

Could you please give an example of what that should look like?

https://www.amazon.com/ADT-Link-90Degree-Extension-R11SL-TL-Extender/dp/B07TBL53NB

[mariushm]

Here's example of pci-e x1 to pci-e x4 riser cable : https://www.ebay.com/itm/393195547338

 

It's still pci-e x1, but the x4 slot allows to insert longer cards. Also, needs separate power through the sata connector, because the usb cable only moves the data through the cable, not the power...

 

Another example ... pci-e x1 to pci-e x1 riser cable : https://www.ebay.com/itm/392312835896

This does power and data, and the x1 slot has wall cut out at the end, so you can plug x4 or x8 or x16 cards into it and they'll work (but some part of the edge connector of the card just floats in the air)

The cable is flexible enough that it can bend a bit and not cover the video card fans.

 

There's also pci-e x1 to pci-e x16 ... several models...this one has multiple power connectors, you can either power it with molex or pci-e 6 pin : https://www.ebay.com/itm/284463328059

Still uses usb cable and the card that goes in pci-e x1 slot is straight up so kinda bummer, but you can probably use the right angle version with the x16 part, should be wired the same..

[ValentinVV]

Thank you for all your replies!

 

Cable: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Express-Adapter-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBGPO

DVB-S2 tuner: https://www.ebay.de/itm/274884435895

 

Do you think that this would work?

[GuiltySpark_]

6 minutes ago, ValentinVV said:

Thank you for all your replies!

 

Cable: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Express-Adapter-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBGPO

DVB-S2 tuner: https://www.ebay.de/itm/274884435895

 

Do you think that this would work?

So my concern with that one is its not a right angle, its a straight adapter. If you go back and look at the one I linked, you'll see that the end that slots into the PCIe slot is angled at a right angle. 

 

Even then, you'd have to make sure it doesn't come up enough that it still interferes with the GPU. Probably some measuring might be in order.

[ValentinVV]

Ok... so I've made this plan:

 

This riser comes first ( https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Nephit-Riser-Degree-Extension-Express/dp/B09BBZ8BVW ), then this one ( https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Express-Adapter-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBGPO ) because the DVB-S2 card that I want to buy is on 16x, and then comes the card itself.

I don't know if that 1x to 16x will work...

[mariushm]

The first would be better.  You can plug the x16 card into that x1 slot and leave part of the connector just sitting in the air. (if you're paranoid cover the unused edge connector on the card with a strip of paper bent in two - i was about to say electrical tape, but that would leave some stick crap  on the contacts after you remove it)

 

You could also get a pci-e x16 to x16 like these for example : https://www.amazon.de/Easydiy-Express-16-Card-Flexible-Guarantee/dp/B0739Y2P4B/ or  https://www.amazon.de/EZDIY-FAB-Extreme-Express-Expansion-Connector/dp/B08S75V1Y6/

 

You could then simply get a sharp knife / razor safety blade  or some hobby saw and cut the edge connector until there's only 7 contacts after the notch, which is the right amount for pci-e x1

See https://pinouts.ru/Slots/pci_express_pinout.shtml or the picture below

 

[ValentinVV]

I bought the riser (x1 to x1). The slot on the riser has an open end, so the card should fit as it is. I also bought the card. If it actually works, we'll see...

I will update the topic when the parts come (this week).

Edited September 28, 2021 by ValentinVV

[ValentinVV]

Well, the DVB-S2 card doesn't even fit in the slot that is occupied by the graphics card. The cable/adaptor/riser that I bought is useless, because the card doesn't fit also.

I won't update this topic anymore, but still - thank you!

[mariushm]

Just now, ValentinVV said:

Well, the DVB-S2 card doesn't even fit in the slot that is occupied by the graphics card. The cable/adaptor/riser that I bought is useless, because the card doesn't fit also.

I won't update this topic anymore, but still - thank you!

I assumed you get a PCI-e card. 

The eBay listing shows a PCI  (conventional PCI) card, the PCI cards are for PCI slots, which were a thing before pci-e and agp (which was strictly for video cards)

 

It's still salvageable, you can buy pci-e x1 to PCI adapters, though I have to say from the start, they're not 100% guaranteed compatible with ALL pci devices out there. 

Here's an example of such pci-e to PCI adapter : https://www.ebay.de/itm/401925768834 and here's another https://www.ebay.de/itm/253349895721

 

Another example : https://www.amazon.com/PCI-Express-32bits-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00KZHDK4Q/ - this one uses an asMedia controller, which I'd say is a bit better than the Pericom controllers used by the other products linked (you can tell Pericom by the big P logo on the chip)

 

And this is an example of adapter card that would work perfectly with LOW PROFILE PCI cards : https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-PCI-Express-Adapter-Card/dp/B0024CV3SA/ - not so great with regular / normal cards. 

 

 

Near the two white PCI slots there's a "controller chip" which creates the two PCI slots... your computer will see this as a PCIe to PCI bridge controller and most PCI cards will work in the PCI slots. 

 

[ValentinVV]

If I would want to spend more on this „project”, I would better buy an older PC locally, that already has the slot I need.

Also the power cable port on the card is different of what my power supply has.