From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Fri May 23 17:11:25 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7690D106564A; Fri, 23 May 2008 17:11:25 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gpalmer@freebsd.org) Received: from noop.in-addr.com (in-addr.broker.freenet6.net [IPv6:2001:5c0:8fff:fffe::214d]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 35CEE8FC12; Fri, 23 May 2008 17:11:25 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gpalmer@freebsd.org) Received: from gjp by noop.in-addr.com with local (Exim 4.54 (FreeBSD)) id 1Jzanc-000DID-Cq; Fri, 23 May 2008 13:11:24 -0400 Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:11:24 -0400 From: Gary Palmer To: Jeremy Chadwick Message-ID: <20080523171124.GB1142@in-addr.com> References: <200805231515.PAA10055@sopwith.solgatos.com> <20080523153937.GA40374@eos.sc1.parodius.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20080523153937.GA40374@eos.sc1.parodius.com> Cc: freebsd-multimedia@freebsd.org, Dieter , freebsd-drivers@freebsd.org, freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Open Graphics Project is now taking pre-orders X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 17:11:25 -0000 On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 08:39:37AM -0700, Jeremy Chadwick wrote: > 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. This is answered on their website. The reason they chose PCI-X was that they can slap a PCIe to PCI-X bridge on it without having to choose new FPGAs and respin the boards (which would delay things even more) http://wiki.opengraphics.org/tiki-index.php?page=OGPN20#PCIe (amongst many others) http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Awiki.opengraphics.org+pcie Regards, Gary P.S. isn't this thread violating the crossposting rules?