Long time reader.. 1st time poster... so bear with me. If anyone can understand my thoughts on this it would be you people. 
<Rant Mode On>
My current Asus P5K Deluxe board has 2 PCIe x16 slots obviously. It also has 3 PCI slots and 2 PCIe x1 slots. Asus in their infinite wisdom <insert sarcasm> have decided that the layout would be best servered by blocking 2 of the PCI slots when using both PCIe x16 slots.
When using any current enthusiast video card.. which is why you'd get a dual PCIe x16 board right?.... 2 of the 3 PCI slots are blocked by the ducted fans found on most current video cards. And of course since both PCIe x16 slots are being used both of the nonblocked PCIe x1 slots are nonfunctional.
Bottom line is you only have 1 functional (PCI) slot available after installing both video cards.
I'm not specifically picking on Asus. In doing research I've found all of the Motherboard makers appear to follow the same stupidity as Asus. I realize the amount of engineering that goes into designing of the multilayered boards but why can't they use some of that engeneering mind power to Move the PCIe x1 slots next to the PCIe x16 slots so that only the PCIe x1 slots are blocked when using dual video cards thus freeing up the PCI slots for use? With the current crop of crossfire boards laid out the way they are... why even bother with more than 1 PCI slot anyway if they can't be used?
<Rant Mode Off>
<Question Mode on>
Can anyone reccomend a P35 or better based motherboard that will allow the use of Dual PCIe x16 slots with ducted fans that will allow use of at least 2 other ports? Am I asking too much to be able to run a sound card and a TV tuner card at the same time on a crossfire board? My requirements are for an Intel quad core CPU and FSB and Memory speed of 1066 which pretty much rules out anything older than a P35 chipset.
Yes I know I can get a USB based TV tuner but who really wants yet another box laying on the desk and yet another wall wart power cord to deal with? Yes I know I could use the onboard soundcard.. but who really wants to use their precious CPU cycles to run a mostly software based sound solution? And yes I do need dual video cards to be able run my 4 monitors. Why I need 4 montitors would be the subject of a whole other thread. :laugh:
<Rant Mode On>
My current Asus P5K Deluxe board has 2 PCIe x16 slots obviously. It also has 3 PCI slots and 2 PCIe x1 slots. Asus in their infinite wisdom <insert sarcasm> have decided that the layout would be best servered by blocking 2 of the PCI slots when using both PCIe x16 slots.
When using any current enthusiast video card.. which is why you'd get a dual PCIe x16 board right?.... 2 of the 3 PCI slots are blocked by the ducted fans found on most current video cards. And of course since both PCIe x16 slots are being used both of the nonblocked PCIe x1 slots are nonfunctional.
Bottom line is you only have 1 functional (PCI) slot available after installing both video cards.
I'm not specifically picking on Asus. In doing research I've found all of the Motherboard makers appear to follow the same stupidity as Asus. I realize the amount of engineering that goes into designing of the multilayered boards but why can't they use some of that engeneering mind power to Move the PCIe x1 slots next to the PCIe x16 slots so that only the PCIe x1 slots are blocked when using dual video cards thus freeing up the PCI slots for use? With the current crop of crossfire boards laid out the way they are... why even bother with more than 1 PCI slot anyway if they can't be used?
<Rant Mode Off>
<Question Mode on>
Can anyone reccomend a P35 or better based motherboard that will allow the use of Dual PCIe x16 slots with ducted fans that will allow use of at least 2 other ports? Am I asking too much to be able to run a sound card and a TV tuner card at the same time on a crossfire board? My requirements are for an Intel quad core CPU and FSB and Memory speed of 1066 which pretty much rules out anything older than a P35 chipset.
Yes I know I can get a USB based TV tuner but who really wants yet another box laying on the desk and yet another wall wart power cord to deal with? Yes I know I could use the onboard soundcard.. but who really wants to use their precious CPU cycles to run a mostly software based sound solution? And yes I do need dual video cards to be able run my 4 monitors. Why I need 4 montitors would be the subject of a whole other thread. :laugh:
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