PCI stupidity

Bubble181 · Dec 31, 2014

Aloha.

So, I'm still running the computer I build some time ago - the thread's around here somewhere. Anyway, the motherboard's an ASRock B85M-HDS and the graphics card takes up both PCIe slots.
I have an (older) 5.1 surround sound system that, unfortunately, requires 6 ports (connections? Holes? The thingies the jacks go in? Jills? You know what I mean), and the mB only has a single audio out. So...my brother in law bought me a nice new PCI 7.1 audio card for Christmas. Great, except that I don't actually have a free PCI slot!
So....replacing my motherboard would obviously be a solution, but by that time I probably don't need the audio card - I guess I could go look for an MB with surround sound on board. Some external doohicky where I can plug in a PCI audio card which converts it to USB would be a solution, but I don't even know if that exists (...in the "under $500" range - apparently these things were used for a while to plug in multiple graphics cards for bitcoin mining?).

Since my MB is supposedly 5.1 VH audio compatible - would I be able to simply hook up something like http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-SOUNDX.html and plug my surround system in there, forgetting about adding an audio card altogether?

Yes, I know, incompatible bits, stupid acquisition, but is there a way to still make it work, or not? Sorry @PatrThom, I'm counting on you once again :-P

(Also, happy holidays)

PatrThom · Dec 31, 2014

USB route is probably easiest. There are probably hundreds of external sound cards that attach via USB.
There is such a thing as a "breakout box" that will allow you to attach internal PCI cards outside of your machine, but PCIe and PCI are not cross-compatible, you actually have to have some sort of bridge chip to convert between protocols. I mean, things like this do exist, but then you have to make sure the combined vertical height does not exceed your case limitations.

--Patrick

Eriol · Jan 8, 2015

I googled your motherboard and I'm wondering what graphics card takes up both a 16x slot AND a 2x slot? Can you take a picture of your setup so we can see the slots?

I'm wondering if you actually have a problem, or only think you do. Sound cards don't use the same slots as graphics cards, which makes me go "huh?" at your problem. What's relatively more likely is that your graphics card hangs over the slot your soundcard would use, but isn't actually plugged into the needed slot. And that's a slightly different problem.

Bubble181 · Jan 8, 2015

Eriol said:
I googled your motherboard and I'm wondering what graphics card takes up both a 16x slot AND a 2x slot? Can you take a picture of your setup so we can see the slots?

I'm wondering if you actually have a problem, or only think you do. Sound cards don't use the same slots as graphics cards, which makes me go "huh?" at your problem. What's relatively more likely is that your graphics card hangs over the slot your soundcard would use, but isn't actually plugged into the needed slot. And that's a slightly different problem.

Twin Frozr GTX 760....Not at home to take a picture right now.

PatrThom · Jan 8, 2015

Right. So-called "double-slot" cards are called that because the cooling fan takes up the space next to it where another card could go.

--Patrick

Eriol · Jan 8, 2015

PatrThom said:
Right. So-called "double-slot" cards are called that because the cooling fan takes up the space next to it where another card could go.

Fine, but look at the image here: http://www.asrock.com/mb/intel/B85M-HDS/

Mouse over the kinda-small image (not the thumbnail) and you get a zoomed-in view. There's PLENTY of separation between the x16 PCIe slot and the x2 slot. There shouldn't BE a problem, even with the "two-high" cards that is normal now for graphics. It's two punch-outs on the back of your case, but it won't go THAT far. Mobo makers have for years left the gap because the high graphics cards are standard. It looks like a semi-tight fit, but it "should" be OK. A photograph of the actual setup is the only way to know for sure.

Bubble181 · Jan 8, 2015

My Graphics card

uses two slots, at the very least on the outside. Perhaps it's possible to move it over to the lower, 2xPCIe slot and put the sound card in the first 16x slot but that sounds counterintuitive

PatrThom · Jan 8, 2015

This picture shows the board does have enough clearance for a big GPU between the PCIe slots, but it also shows the board only has one PCIe x16 slot, the other is only a PCIe x1, and neither of them are PCI.

--Patrick

Eriol · Jan 8, 2015

Ya, the original poster is confusing the term "slot" for the place on the motherboard, and the "space/gap/whatever" that's on the outside of their case. Now if they don't have room on their case, they're still screwed, but less so than if they ran out of room on the motherboard.

Picture of your actual setup at home will tell the true tale. I suspect you're fine as long as the NEW card is actually PCIe, not the old "regular" PCI (no "e" there). If it's a new audio card, it's almost certainly PCIe. Can you link which one that is?

Bowielee · Jan 8, 2015

Am I blind, I'm only seeing one PCIe slot on the entire mobo in the link.

Bubble181 · Jan 8, 2015

No, it's PCI. As I said in the beginning. And I assure you, as I will show once I get home to take a picture, that there's NO ROOM insie my case to fit a second card next to my gfx. Yes, the gfx card only uses one PCI slot. It also looms right over and completely overtakes the second one, with no room whatsoever for another card. And since every slot lines up nicely with a space on the outside (of which I have plenty, thanks), even if there WAS a way to cram the sound card in that second slot, it wouldn't be connectable since the outside space of that slot is already used by the second part of my gfx card.
My MB has 2 PCIe slots, no PCI slot. My sound card is PCI. Ly GFX card uses one PCIe slot and occupies the space corresponding to the second PCIe slot.

Bowielee · Jan 8, 2015

I'm afraid that you have a pretty bad mobo, IMO.

PatrThom · Jan 8, 2015

Bubble181 said:
GFX card uses one PCIe slot and occupies the space corresponding to the second PCIe slot.

The spacing on your board looks correct, you should have room to add in a PCIe x1 card of your choosing, though yes it would be uncomfortably close to the fans of your massive GPU. It's also possible that what you're saying is that the back of your computer case only has room for two expansion slots, which would make any additional slots on the board irrelevant since even if you plugged in another card, there would be no corresponding hole in the case to stick the card through.

Bowielee said:
Am I blind, I'm only seeing one PCIe slot on the entire mobo in the link.

Yes. There are two. One is a PCIe x16 gen3.0 slot, and the other is a (much smaller) PCIe x1 gen2.0 slot.

--Patrick