Pci-x

[arn]

Digitmag (http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/display_news.cfm?NewsID=2074) is reporting that specs for the PCI-Express and PCI-X protocol have been released:

PCI Express is the next evolution of PCI technology, which allows internal components of a PC, such as the microprocessor, to communicate with devices (such as graphics cards) attached through expansion slots. PCI-X is a bus technology used within computers to allow chips to exchange data at faster speeds than current PCI technology allows.

PCI-X is a bus technology used within computers to allow chips to exchange data at faster speeds than current PCI technology allows.


According to this older Newsfactor article (http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/16589.html), Apple is involved with 3GIO, another high speed successor to PCI:

The PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG), of which Apple is a member, is attempting to push the 3GIO standard while retaining support for the still-emerging PCI-X standard. The group is telling users that PCI-X is optimized for high-end applications used on servers and workstations, while 3GIO is targeted toward general-purpose applications that run on desktops and mobile devices.

[barkmonster]

The idea of 1 unified high speed connection for all expansion cards is a good one. If it's backwards compatable with PCI in someway and AGP riser cards like the one offered with Xserve can be used for current graphics cards I think Apple should being out powermacs with this new technology as soon as possible, we don't want to wait like we've had to do for DDR and other faster technology.

[alex_ant]

Does anyone know what the relationship is between 3GIO and the GIO64 & XIO used in SGI workstations?

[marathon96]

This article got their technology acronyms wrong. PCI-X is already out as a technology (for example, IBM offers it on their PowerPC 440GP) and is simply a specification extension to the existing PCI specifications. It's pretty much a faster bus with limitations on the number of permitted bus loads (read: devices). PCI Express, which is NOT PCI-X, is an attempt to clean up the NGIO cum InfiniBand cum 3GIO mess that Intel created.

Due to Motorola's involvement with Rapid I/O (RIO) and Serial RIO (SRIO), I suspect Apple will likely have an interest there as well.

[BillGates]

Have you tried to put an older 32bit 33Mhz PCI card in a 64bit 66Mhz slot? Since its keyed differently only newly manufactured cards will fit. I've not seen a 64bit 133Mhz PCI-X slot yet but I'm betting its slightly different too. What about the 64bit 266Mhz and 64bit 533Mhz PCI-X 2.0 slots. I'm not saying Apple should adopt new technology. They should actually do it faster then they are. Just don't be fooled into thinking ALL your older "PCI" cards will still work.

[Moonlight]

Apple needs to adopt a standard just like they did with PCI, so card manufactures can make the card for both mac and PC without spending too much extra. We don't want a PCI replacement to just be the fastest, but the most compatible with the industry.

[Sun Baked]

Just what we need even more PCI versions...

You did catch the Apple Knowledge Base Document - Xserve: Won't Turn on After PCI Cards Are Installed?

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75305&SaveKCWindowURL=http%3A%2F%2Fkbase.info.apple.com%2Fcgi-bin%2FWebObjects%2Fkbase.woa%2Fwa%2FSaveKCToHomePage&searchMode=Assisted&kbhost=kbase.info.apple.com&showButton=false&randomValue=100&showSurvey=true&sessionID=anonymous|139399509

Seems PCI is so backwards compatible it requires you to look at the hardcopy tech specs of your card to make sure it'll work in your new computer.

[barkmonster]

I always thought PCI cards were fairly standard and the different speeds just meant more bandwidth could be used.

There I was thinking I'd win the lottery on saturday and then buy an Xserve, a magma expansion chassis and a Protools HD system.

I'll not bother buying a ticket now, I think I'll just set my sights on a new G4 sometime next year and wait for the Digi002 to come down in price a bit :D