[GRLUG] Motherboard Advice

[Greg Folkert]

On Wed, 2008-12-10 at 19:38 -0500, Greg Folkert wrote:
> On Wed, 2008-12-10 at 17:21 -0500, Greg Folkert wrote:
> > I've been using SuperMicro Server Motherboards for this type of thing.
> > 
> > but 4 - PCI-e x16 v2.0 slots... WOW, that will be your limiting feature
> > there.
> > 
> > The only thing *I* can find with 4 - PCI-e x16 slots are the following
> > 
> > ASUS L1N64-SLI, Dual AMD Opteron (not what you are looking for)\
> > 
> > ASUS P5W64-WS, Single Intel C2E/C2D/Pentium Extreme/Pentium D/
> > P4/Celeron (also not what you are looking for)
> > 
> > Tyan S4985G3NR, QUAD AMD Opteron (not what you are looking for)
> > 
> > Tyan S2915A2NRF-E Dual AMD Opteron (not what you are looking for)
> > 
> > Tyan S2915WA2NRF Dual AMD Opteron (not what you are looking for)
> > 
> > Now, since you were so exacting... Intel just happens to have a
> > motherboard just like that.
> > 
> > INtel, BOXD5400XS Dual Socket 771 intel Express Chipset 1600FSB DDR2-800
> > PCI-e with 4 PCI-e x16 slots with Addin card... 
> > Motherboard alone == about $649 plus the add in card is about $230.
> > 
> > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121330
> > 
> > Don't know where to get the add in card.
> 
> Well oops, that has PCIe v1.1 x16 full electrical slots. I cannot find
> *ANYTHING* with those specs *AND v2.0 PCIe slots.
> 
> What exactly are you looking to put in those slots that needs 6GB/sec
> for each slot?
> 
> Curious minds want to know.

HAHA... due to the 8/10 symbol encoding scheme for PCIe v2.0 its maximum
REAL rate is not 6GB/sec (nor 5GB/sec corrected number, looking at the
specs) but 4GB/sec aggregate (including up and down for all slots
combined on the same bus including peered PCI bus on the PCIe arch)
which for this thing average is 1GB/slot or 500MB/sec full dux not
including PCI transaction times if a PCI card is in use (which slows it
to 133MHz effectively)

Now what is the PCIe v1.1 spec... 500MB/sec per slot full dux, whole bus
not included in the spec, but does affect it.

PCI v1.0 was 250/MB per slot full dux (clock doubling for PCIe v1.1))

PCIe v2.0, marketing hype for PCIe enthusiasts that can't wait for PCIe
v3.0 and have to have a reason to upgrade.

BTW, PCIe v3.0 does not have 8/10 symbol encoding and is supposed to
have 8+GB/sec per bus... with multiple bus designs showing promise.

> > On Wed, 2008-12-10 at 16:50 -0500, Casey DuBois wrote:
> > > Hello Fellow Luggers,
> > > 
> > > I am in need of motherboard advice.
> > > 
> > > Looking for:
> > > Dual CPU (Quad Core)
> > > Intel 5400 Chipset
> > > 1600MHz FSB
> > > 
> > > Here's the catch....
> > > 
> > > Need 4xPCI-E x16 2.0
> > > 
> > > Any Suggestions?
> > > 
> > _______________________________________________
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-- 
greg at gregfolkert.net
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