PCI or PCI-X on my Powermac G5

I've just got a 2Ghz dual processor Powermac - and found that my M Audio Delta 2496 soundcard won't fit in the slots! aaaaggghh!

Please somebody - which soundcard WILL work in my machine?

can't seem to find one.

HELP!

tomo

PCI-X slots can read PCI cards:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-X

Just by a PCI card.

Before you go any farther.......

"M-Audio has been working directly with Apple to ensure that all of the company’s PCI-based products will be compatible with the PCI-X architecture introduced with the Power Mac G5. Delta models being redesigned for G5 compatibility include Audiophile 2496, Delta 1010, Delta 44, Delta 66, and Delta 1010LT. (The critically acclaimed Revolution 7.1 consumer surround sound card is already PCI-X compatible.)

The original versions of M-Audio Delta cards operated on 5 volts as supplied by the original PCI bus standard. The newly revised cards are PCI 2.2 compliant (3.3 volts) and universally keyed, allowing compatibility with 64-bit PCI-X standards on all Power Mac G5s. On-board sensing technology will also allow the new Delta cards to be backwards compatible to work in 32-bit 5-volt PCI systems. All revised M-Audio cards will also be compatible with current and next generation Windows machines."

"Apple Dual 1.8 / 2.0 G5 PCI incompatible with Delta Series PCI cards


Depending on the specific Apple G5 model you own, your computer may be equipped with PCI, PCI-X (introduced in August 2003) or PCI-Express (introduced in October 2005) expansion slots.

Please note that PCI-Express uses an entirely different form factor than PCI or PCI-X. Existing PCI/PCI-X cards cannot be used or upgraded for use in PCI-Express expansion slots. This includes M-Audio's Delta and Revolution series of products.



Furthermore, two specific PCI-equipped Apple G5 models have been found to be incompatible with some PCI audio interfaces, including M-Audio Delta cards:

- DUAL G5 1.8 GHz system featuring PCI slots (not PCI-X) and 4 RAM slots
- DUAL G5 2.0 GHz system featuring PCI slots (not PCI-X) and 4 RAM slots

The slightly older version of the Dual G5 1.8 GHz as well as the previous version of the Dual 2.0 GHz, which Apple advertises as “PCI-X” and not “PCI,” and which are also different from the newer model in that they have eight RAM slots instead of only four, ARE compatible and work perfectly well with M-Audio Delta Series PCI card. Please verify if you have one of these models before purchasing a PCI audio card.

Single Processor G5’s as well as Dual Processor G5’s with PCI-X and 8 RAM slots are NOT affected and work perfectly fine with M-Audio’s Delta Series of products.

M-Audio has worked closely with Apple to determine the source of this problem and it has been found to be the interaction of the host PCI controller (Apple's part named "K2") and the Delta PCI card.

The incompatibility manifests itself as noise in the signal, sample dropouts, and possibly no audio output at all."


Here is the web page link.

I tried looking up some cards that would work but the cheapest I could find was around $1000

Hopefully I missed something and there are better deals....Don't know too much about Mac upgrading

hope this helps.

For some reason, Apple lacks support for external sound devices. What they give you in a PowerMac is usually high quality, so they figure it's not neccisary. Here, I'm not talking about the device fitting or working, I'm talking about kexts (drivers). There's very weak support for internal upgrades. One that I know works is the USB audigy box, works nicely with OS X. ~$50 from newegg.

that worked fine on my G4 - It DOES NOT FIT into the slots on my G5 - even tho all the documentation says my G5 is PCI. What the devil is going on???

Brilliant - thanks so much for your help

tom

Apparently I'm reading that there is a lot of slot confusion on different revisions of Powermac G5s (There were a ton of thse issues on G4, the Sawtooth, Digital Audio and Quicksilver). Which revision do you have?