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PCI Express Extension Cable?

adsmith82

n00b
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
33
Is there such a thing as a PCI Express extension cable? I want to build a case and have the components lay flat side-by-side. Is this possible? If so, where can I get the cable?
 
nvm - found some soft solutions:
http://www.servercase.com/miva/miva...=CTGY&Store_Code=SC&Category_Code=1U/2U+Riser

PCI-32expres300.gif
 
I was expecting just a cable... What do you mean by soft solution, and how do they work?
 
when i said 'soft' i was referring to actual loose extenders... as opposed to a board that is fixed.

so one side goes to your pci-e slot on your mobo and then you plug your card into the extension part.
 
I have a pci-e extender (fixed) if you want it cheap.......it put's the video card over the cpu/i/o ports
 
Arcygenical said:
Don't use one with wires. Go for a hard connection.


Any particular reason? Care to share some proof over ribbon extended.

I have been building rackmounts for years that require some crazy engineering and we have used both ribbon and standard PCB extenders. Some of these end up on ships and subs. Please don't start spouting BS. The military does test things that are shipset for all kinds of things like interference, heat, cold, water, shock...

Adex makes great risers and bus extenders...hell if you want a ribbon extension they can custom make one to the length you need. We have a PCI express bus extender made for the Supermicro H8DCE...yup ribbon extended SLI systems...

http://www.adexelec.com/extenders.htm
 
I have been building rackmounts for years that require some crazy engineering and we have used both ribbon and standard PCB extenders. Some of these end up on ships and subs. Please don't start spouting BS. The military does test things that are shipset for all kinds of things like interference, heat, cold, water, shock...

I'm assuming the risers are for graphics cards. Cards that, these days, could use the extra support. Flexables also about twice as expensive on most webstores, and twice as difficult to find. Shall I continue?
 
If the flex ones were easier to obtain (for a good price), I'd be all over that for a custom project. Would make mounting video cards fun again.
 
'm assuming the risers are for graphics cards. Cards that, these days, could use the extra support. Flexables also about twice as expensive on most webstores, and twice as difficult to find. Shall I continue?

You are really arguing a moot point...do you think that the cards are hanging by the SEC? Yeah, that's how I do it, I just let it dangle around in the case, bouncing from side to side. Flexible extensions are a lifesaver and an engineers best friend when you don't have a standard rack chassis config or some other project where PCB risers are a non-option.

Now tell me, aside from the warnings for morons who can't use a screwdriver, what are some techinical resons you should not use ribbon based risers/extenders.

And what the heck is hard to obtain about them? Are you so lazy that you can't call up the number on the website, talk the sales person, and tell them what you want...That is about as lame as an excuse as I have seen. Sorry if that comes off as harsh, but what is so difficult about finding them...and I even provided a link in my original post.

Here is a snipet from just one of their PCI Express options:

PE-FLEX1, PE-FLEX4, PE-FLEX8 and PE-FLEX16 are flexible extenders for PCI Express X1, X4, X8 and X16 buses. The Minimum cable length is 1". User can can order any cable length up to 15". If not specified, the standard cable length defaults to 3". The overall extender length with a 3" cable is about 4.25".

I would also like to hear what your level of experience is working with risers and bus extenders.
 
I would like to take a second and acknowledge both mashie and qtip as being quite good at what you do...but, that said...this one is mine. Like I said I do this all of the time for the military, this stuff is rated to work, and has been tested to comply with shipset specs for subs and big, big boats. And although you may think nothing can touch them, the government has to plan for other occurances, so there are strict tolerance levels placed on this stuff.
 
I just meant hard to obtain ...for a good price :D That's all, I'm not in this argument :D

Beyond all that, is the max length 15" on those things for video cards? Would that mess with the timings or anything?
 
Qtip42 said:
I just meant hard to obtain ...for a good price :D That's all, I'm not in this argument :D

Beyond all that, is the max length 15" on those things for video cards? Would that mess with the timings or anything?


The hard to obtain part wasn't aimed at you :p

those extenders are good for anything you can plug in, most of the time they use cable made of Kapton material, which is impedance matched to support the higher bus speeds. They also use it on some of thier higher bandwidth PCI-X risers/extenders.

I remember way back when I got my hands on my first good ole 32-bit PCI ribbon extender...must have held the thing in my hand just playing with it for like 10 minutes. :D I guess I just geeked out on it, as back then I hadn't messed around with them, and no one I knew had either. I just remember thinking...cool..flexible PCI. Adex makes tons of stuff that I don't use or have a use for, but are extremely cool. Although the PCI Express Bus Isolators are cool as hell...to be able to make any PCI Express card hot swappable/pluggable. Need to get one to play around with.
 
I'm assuming the risers are for graphics cards. Cards that, these days, could use the extra support. Flexables also about twice as expensive on most webstores, and twice as difficult to find. Shall I continue?

I was just wondering if you would continue...
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a flexable, they meet the MIL Spec for PCB mounts in electronic chassis
 
i don't believe i got a chance to finish reading the rest of this post... the idea of building my briefcase-like pc just came to mind again and i stumbled across my old post

if anyone would like to help me design the case, please send me a pm or something or just reply here... hardwarephreak if you are knowledgeable about these pci express and pci cable extensions, i could really use your help

one issue i foresee is being able to custom place the cards as the cable extensions are quite wide and would not bend very well; i'm not sure if i can fold them and route them as desired

anyway, i am aiming for a fairly complex case design and could use some help from the experts if anyone desires to do so
 
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