HD192 WITHOUT the PCI card

[robnav]

Hi, I wondered if anyone might know if you are able to run the HD192 without the PCI card, or work-around.

I have a Mac mini with firewire & thunderbolt but no means of utilising the pci card.

It's a shame as I have the chance of purchasing the HD192 second hand which was previously running through a G5 Desktop. I considered buying a secondhand G5 just to be able to use the HD192 but was wondering if there is any way to get around it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Rob

[4stripes]

No, you can't. It is pretty clear from the website that you need the PCI card.

You can get a Magma or Sonnet chassis to use PCI with any computer.

[James Steele]

You can get a Magma or Sonnet chassis to use PCI with any computer.

Except for the newest MacPros with Thundberbolt. Just for informational purposes, the PCIe-424 card will NOT work with any Thunderbolt to PCIe expansion chassis and is not likely to.

[mikehalloran]

Depending on the G5, your 424 card is PCI, PCIx or PCIe. A PCIx card is backwards compatible to PCI but will not work in a PCIe slot. If your unit is registered with MOTU, you can purchase a PCIe-424 card.

Although used G5s are really cheap, the excess heat has made their long term reliability less than optimal. You are best off with a Mac Pro 3.1/4.1/5.1 if your budget allows. These will be supported by Apple for a few more years and let you build an audio work station that should last many more. These require the PCIe card.

As James said, there is no solution that allows you to use the 192 without internal PCI slots nor is there ever likely to be one. Motu would have to build a new 424 card with firmware that would work in an expansion chassis and they've announced that isn't in the cards.

[James Steele]

...and they've announced that isn't in the cards.

Pin intended?

[mikehalloran]

Yea

[James Steele]

Geez... and I make a typo on my darn phone... or did I? I suspect autocorrect changing pun to pin! LOL