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Author Topic: No PCI slots left  (Read 2707 times)

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Nickbat

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No PCI slots left
« on: 27 December 2008, 00:50:42 »
These days mobos do not come with many PCI slots. What can you do if you have no free slot and want to install a sound card. (I'm currently using the mobo's own audio, but have a few issues with it.)

Suggestions, perchance?  ;)
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JamesV6CDX

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #1 on: 27 December 2008, 00:53:58 »
Not use a micro ATX motherboard?  :y

In seriousness, if you have no slots left and want to add more, you may need to upgrade case and board?
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Baron Von Spongebob

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #2 on: 27 December 2008, 00:54:28 »
Use usb speakers.. :y
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Nickbat

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #3 on: 27 December 2008, 01:04:24 »
I've a good video card with fan, a USB PCI card (all USB slots used) and lastly a PCI I/O card to handle two of my three HDDs.

My sound setup using the mobo is OK, in fact great for music. It's just that it doesn't support hardware acceleration and that is giving me a few issues with FSX (my Christmas pressie!). I can live with the current setup for now, but the freezes and crackling sound when I'm just about to land a 757 can be annoying!  ;) ;D  
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Baron Von Spongebob

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #4 on: 27 December 2008, 01:06:15 »
Quote
I've a good video card with fan, a USB PCI card (all USB slots used) and lastly a PCI I/O card to handle two of my three HDDs.

My sound setup using the mobo is OK, in fact great for music. It's just that it doesn't support hardware acceleration and that is giving me a few issues with FSX (my Christmas pressie!). I can live with the current setup for now, but the freezes and crackling sound when I'm just about to land a 757 can be annoying!  ;) ;D  

You have a runway in your back garden. ::)
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Nickbat

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #5 on: 27 December 2008, 01:12:28 »
Quote
Quote
I've a good video card with fan, a USB PCI card (all USB slots used) and lastly a PCI I/O card to handle two of my three HDDs.

My sound setup using the mobo is OK, in fact great for music. It's just that it doesn't support hardware acceleration and that is giving me a few issues with FSX (my Christmas pressie!). I can live with the current setup for now, but the freezes and crackling sound when I'm just about to land a 757 can be annoying!  ;) ;D  

You have a runway in your back garden. ::)

You mean you DON'T have one?

How quaintly rural you are!   ;) ;D
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Baron Von Spongebob

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #6 on: 27 December 2008, 01:14:20 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
I've a good video card with fan, a USB PCI card (all USB slots used) and lastly a PCI I/O card to handle two of my three HDDs.

My sound setup using the mobo is OK, in fact great for music. It's just that it doesn't support hardware acceleration and that is giving me a few issues with FSX (my Christmas pressie!). I can live with the current setup for now, but the freezes and crackling sound when I'm just about to land a 757 can be annoying!  ;) ;D  

You have a runway in your back garden. ::)

You mean you DON'T have one?

How quaintly rural you are!   ;) ;D

Only space for a helicopter landing pad here.... ;D
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Nickbat

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #7 on: 27 December 2008, 01:21:07 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
I've a good video card with fan, a USB PCI card (all USB slots used) and lastly a PCI I/O card to handle two of my three HDDs.

My sound setup using the mobo is OK, in fact great for music. It's just that it doesn't support hardware acceleration and that is giving me a few issues with FSX (my Christmas pressie!). I can live with the current setup for now, but the freezes and crackling sound when I'm just about to land a 757 can be annoying!  ;) ;D  

You have a runway in your back garden. ::)

You mean you DON'T have one?

How quaintly rural you are!   ;) ;D

Only space for a helicopter landing pad here.... ;D


Ah, yes, The legendary Spongebob chopper. I'd forgotten about that! ;) ;D ;D
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Mr Skrunts

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #8 on: 27 December 2008, 01:25:09 »
Take out the USB.PCI card to give you the spare slot you require and then get a Powered USB hub.

But in all fairness depending on budget I would ne tempted for a Motherboard upgrade.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=USB+Hub

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Belkin-Link-it-F5U703UKLI-7-Port-Mini-USB11-HUB-with-Power-Supply-Cables
« Last Edit: 27 December 2008, 01:27:08 by skruntie »
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Nickbat

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #9 on: 27 December 2008, 01:32:26 »
Quote
Take out the USB.PCI card to give you the spare slot you require and then get a Powered USB hub.

But in all fairness depending on budget I would ne tempted for a Motherboard upgrade.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=USB+Hub

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Belkin-Link-it-F5U703UKLI-7-Port-Mini-USB11-HUB-with-Power-Supply-Cables

Thanks, Skruntie. I'll look into that  :y

A mobo upgrade is an expensive option to cure a problem that  only affects a game. Then again, I do need my small pleasures...  ;) ;D

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Bandit127

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #10 on: 27 December 2008, 07:39:07 »
What's your frame rate when flying at 3000 feet over london? If it's less than 25, you'll be needing a whole load of new suff to go with the sound card.

Like a new mobo, graphics card and possibly some fast HDDs.

FS is very power hungry.

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LaserLance

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #11 on: 27 December 2008, 09:21:25 »
Quote
These days mobos do not come with many PCI slots. What can you do if you have no free slot and want to install a sound card. (I'm currently using the mobo's own audio, but have a few issues with it.)

Suggestions, perchance?  ;)
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1176725957.1230369530@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadegddlkjdhcflgceggdhhmdfom.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=684062&category_oid= you could try one of these
« Last Edit: 27 December 2008, 09:21:48 by LaserLance »
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dbug

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #12 on: 27 December 2008, 12:33:47 »
You can get USB sound cards.

I'd be inclined tho to get a proper motherboard with adequate pci slots!!
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Nickbat

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #13 on: 27 December 2008, 13:20:24 »
Quote
You can get USB sound cards.

I'd be inclined tho to get a proper motherboard with adequate pci slots!!


One of my problems is the video card. It is very good but the fan makes it twice as thick in profile and I think it is obstructing a spare slot. I need to have a closer look. Does it matter which slot the video card goes in? At the moment it's at the top, but maybe I'm thinking I could put it on the bottom slot and perhaps free a space up. Hmm. Maybe I'll do an exploratory operation a bit later.

Bandit127: I haven't tried the frame rate check yet. I'll try it later and report back.  
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TheBoy

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Re: No PCI slots left
« Reply #14 on: 27 December 2008, 13:24:16 »
Quote
Quote
You can get USB sound cards.

I'd be inclined tho to get a proper motherboard with adequate pci slots!!


One of my problems is the video card. It is very good but the fan makes it twice as thick in profile and I think it is obstructing a spare slot. I need to have a closer look. Does it matter which slot the video card goes in? At the moment it's at the top, but maybe I'm thinking I could put it on the bottom slot and perhaps free a space up. Hmm. Maybe I'll do an exploratory operation a bit later.

Bandit127: I haven't tried the frame rate check yet. I'll try it later and report back.  
It needs to go in the x16 slot (possibly x8 if a budget card). x16 slot will be the longest. Most consumer mobos have 1 x16 and rest x1 or x4 (exception being SLI boards, which tend to have 2 x8 slots instead of one x16)
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