[dDAPPete]

I have a new Gateway SX2311 and I know Gateways use these "half-height" or "half slot"(??) cards? Anyway, I want to buy a decent firewire card (need 4P) for this unit and want to make sure I choose a good manufacturer of cards..........

By the way why is it that Frys would sell me a Gateway and not have cards for this size but yet would have the larger cards???

pete

[jack-o-bytes]

Hey there,

I have done a quick google search and I have found this website with a couple of photos of your computer on it. It seems as though the only available expansion slot on the motherboard is a PCI-E 16x.

Just a couple of questions for you though.

1) Is that website the computer that you have?
2) Can you take the side of your computer and take a photo and upload as an attachment or confirm that it is the same as the inside of the one on the website I linked to?

Jack-O-Bytes

[dDAPPete]

you are right about a single PCI-E x 16 slot. There is an "opening" available for this card presumably since a firewire card was an "optional" accessory.

I'll compare the website image with the inside of the computer and should know right away if they are the same.

Thanks.

[dDAPPete]

I just looked and yes it is the exact same model. The internal pic doesn't show much so little point in uploading a pic already available. I still need to find a good half-height card for this gateway; I'll be bummed if the space isn't available when I open it up.

[Rich-M]

It appears that any pci-x card will work in a pci-x 16 slot or any other pci-x slot. Then this low profile card should work for you:
http://www.amazon.com/Profile-PCI-E-...3728706&sr=8-9

[dDAPPete]

Well...here is what I found and why am I not surprised?
If I want to use the current 4P opening I either have to toss out the whole presoldered board containing firewire/CF/USB, etc. and replace one with a 4P plug soldered in or I just buy a little 4P plug and solder in myself.........doesn't look to bad since board does easily come out.

Alternative two is using an internal card slot and having 4P come out the back.....this should be straightforward too assuming I get the right card.....the card should be relatively long then.....

Alternative 3 is to get a little card with small plug-ins and can seen just below the larger open slot but this currently handles wireless if I want to use wireless.

Alternative 4 is to take the SX2311 back and get a model with firewire............of course if Windows 7 could do what XP did (USB streaming) then I'd not be sitting here typing all this.

[dDAPPete]

Mother board is DA061/078L-AM3 if that helps.

Tigerdirect.com has a few decent looking choices.....but the board "pin" very short relative to the slot in computer; maybe that doesn't matter?
Here is one.....pretty expensive and note short distance of "plug" relative to long open PCI slot? Again, likely would fit my one slot that is much shorter but currently for wireless...I apparently need a "low profile" card.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...7358&CatId=510

this one might be great (and cheap) but it looks too wide for my Gateway desktop
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...1794&CatId=510

Finally, this looks perfect and I might switch out the bracket?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...5866&CatId=510

[Rich-M]

Originally Posted by dDAPPete

Mother board is DA061/078L-AM3 if that helps.

Tigerdirect.com has a few decent looking choices.....but the board "pin" very short relative to the slot in computer; maybe that doesn't matter?
Here is one.....pretty expensive and note short distance of "plug" relative to long open PCI slot? Again, likely would fit my one slot that is much shorter but currently for wireless...I apparently need a "low profile" card.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...7358&CatId=510

this one might be great (and cheap) but it looks too wide for my Gateway desktop
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...1794&CatId=510

Finally, this looks perfect and I might switch out the bracket?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...5866&CatId=510

Only the first one would work, the other 2 are pci and will not fit.

[dDAPPete]

I talked at length with Tigerdirect and then with Sony and I'm going to first try a PCI-express board; actually the third one. If that doesn't work I'll take out my wireless board and stick in a firewire one (like in the first link I sent)..........
I even thought maybe I could go USB from camcorder to ESATA but Sony said no.

[dDAPPete]

wait, this is what I got for round 1.

[dDAPPete]

and yes, Rich-M, if this doesn't work I'll go with the shorty like you linked above.

[Rich-M]

Originally Posted by dDAPPete

wait, this is what I got for round 1.

That won't fit it is not pci-x but rather pci.

[dDAPPete]

you're right it didn't fit.......... !!
I'll order the PCI-E
Interesting though I had an available PCI slot on my other compaq running WXP and it fit nicely but upon start up my monitor doesn't want to come on, weird. I would have thought it wouldn't have taken the card just fine.

[dDAPPete]

I would have thought it WOULD take the card

[Rich-M]

Originally Posted by dDAPPete

you're right it didn't fit.......... !!
I'll order the PCI-E
Interesting though I had an available PCI slot on my other compaq running WXP and it fit nicely but upon start up my monitor doesn't want to come on, weird. I would have thought it wouldn't have taken the card just fine.

You probably have to shut off the onboard in the bios first and select pci as the preferred video slot if it's an older pc.