Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 08:39:37 -0700 From: Jeremy Chadwick <koitsu@FreeBSD.org> To: Dieter <freebsd@sopwith.solgatos.com> Cc: freebsd-multimedia@freebsd.org, freebsd-drivers@freebsd.org, freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Open Graphics Project is now taking pre-orders Message-ID: <20080523153937.GA40374@eos.sc1.parodius.com> In-Reply-To: <200805231515.PAA10055@sopwith.solgatos.com> References: <BAY113-W28235BF47DBDA5B351CDC4A1C10@phx.gbl> <200805231515.PAA10055@sopwith.solgatos.com>
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On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 08:15:53AM +0100, Dieter wrote: > > I'm just curious here, but why PCI-X, why not PCI-EXpress ? > > or is this obviously for development reasons. > > According to the FAQ, > > While most graphics cards now fit in PCI Express slots, > PCI is more popular with users of FPGA kits. We have > identified the parts necessary to support PCI Express, > so if there is demand, we can build them. In the mean > time, we need to sell the PCI version OGD1 to bootstrap > our efforts. > > PCI-X is backward compatible with your 32-bit 33MHz PCI slots, > and OGD1 has been tested with several PC motherboards. Note > that some PC motherboards may position components so that they > interfere with the "extended" part of the PCI card edge for > some slots. OGD1 is 6.875in long and 4.2in wide > (17.46cm x 10.67cm). Some small form-factor systems do not > provide enough room in one or both dimensions. > > There is a development advantage to PCI. PCI is a bus, so it is easy > to sniff the bus if things aren't working. There has been some > discussion about writing software to turn the OGD1 into a PCI bus > sniffer, for developing other boards. > > If you are interested in buying a PCIe version of OGD1, OGP needs to > hear about it. I think what people (not just here, but folks on Slashdot as well) want to know is: is the PCI-X choice *purely* for development reasons, e.g. will the retail/non-development version (read: transistor-based, no FPGA) of the card be PCIe? If the manufacturer plans on keeping everything PCI-X -- dev cards and commercial/retail cards -- they are making a *huge* mistake. -- | Jeremy Chadwick jdc at parodius.com | | Parodius Networking http://www.parodius.com/ | | UNIX Systems Administrator Mountain View, CA, USA | | Making life hard for others since 1977. PGP: 4BD6C0CB |
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