Using an old PCI Card - need to get it converted to USB

Danno · 10-03-2020 09:01PM #1

A bit of an totally unusual request...

I have an old Windows XP PC tower box with a PCI card in there that I need to keep. For energy efficiency, I want to replace the WinXP machine with a miniPC.

Now, there obviously is no way that bulky PCI card is going in the miniPC! So, my question is:

Is there a housing unit available for a PCI card and that this can then be connected via USB to the new mini PC? Similar to a housing unit for a hard drive lets say.

Done a bit of searching online, but cannot find anything - so thinking this might be a long-shot.

JoyPad · 11-03-2020 09:45AM

There are definitely such things, for example: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KZHDSLQ
The hard part will be finding one in stock. You can try Aliexpress, but you have to be prepared for buying several until you find one that works.
Example: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000273155502.html

Danno · 11-03-2020 11:22AM

JoyPad wrote: »

There are definitely such things, for example: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KZHDSLQ
The hard part will be finding one in stock. You can try Aliexpress, but you have to be prepared for buying several until you find one that works.
Example: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000273155502.html

I've come across those while searching, but would the PCI card operate if that USB cable was plugged directly into say, a Laptop's USB port? Another words, not using the PCI-E (Express) portion of the kit?

If that worked, it would be fantastic!

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 11:31AM

Would it not just make more sense, and probably be more reliable, to get a PC with a PCI slot and a case that can accomodate the card natively rather than having this cobbled together type set up.
If you are using low power CPU & SSD then a small PSU will do so you'll be energy efficient.

wotzgoingon · 11-03-2020 03:52PM

What are you plugging into the PCI slot?

Danno · 11-03-2020 04:49PM

wotzgoingon wrote: »

What are you plugging into the PCI slot?

One of these:

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Would it not just make more sense, and probably be more reliable, to get a PC with a PCI slot and a case that can accomodate the card natively rather than having this cobbled together type set up.
If you are using low power CPU & SSD then a small PSU will do so you'll be energy efficient.

I plan to retire the PCI card when I can afford the €300~€400 USB replacement! So, for a while I won't mind the cobbled together solution!

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 05:02PM

What is that? What is it for?

Danno · 11-03-2020 05:04PM

TheBoyConor wrote: »

What is that? What is it for?

Lightning detection: http://www.laoisweather.com/nexstorm.php

Alun · 11-03-2020 05:08PM

Danno wrote: »

I've come across those while searching, but would the PCI card operate if that USB cable was plugged directly into say, a Laptop's USB port? Another words, not using the PCI-E (Express) portion of the kit?

If that worked, it would be fantastic!

From looking at many of these, I get the impression that the USB cable is just used as a way to connect the two parts. There don't seem to be any active components on the little board that has the PCI-e and USB connectors on it.

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 05:09PM

Oh cool. Very good.

Hmm, is that not a RJ45 connector on it? I don't suppose that the PCI card is just an NIC? Would it work in an ethernet port?

wotzgoingon · 11-03-2020 05:13PM

It looks to be a USB connection on card and RJ45 on the black box/lightening detector.

edit: I zoomed in and maybe it's not a USB connection.

Danno · 11-03-2020 05:14PM

Alun wrote: »

From looking at many of these, I get the impression that the USB cable is just used as a way to connect the two parts. There don't seem to be any active components on the little board that has the PCI-e and USB connectors on it.

That is my fear - was hoping some of the PC Gods on here might have came across a similar situation before. I know what I am trying to do is very rare though!

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Oh cool. Very good.

Hmm, is that not a RJ45 connector on it? I don't suppose that the PCI card is just an NIC? Would it work in an ethernet port?

The cable and jack port is RJ45, but it won't work connected to a NIC. As far as I know the card is some sort of glorified AM/MW radio card that is able to decipher the strengths, negative or positive signals and directions of the "Sferics" (lightning strikes/intra-cloud) and the accompanying software plots it onto the map as shown on the web-link above.

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 05:16PM

Dunno. Looks very like RJ45 at both ends to me. It would be worth plugging it into your ethernet port and see does it work in that.

Then you could get a miniPC with 2 ethernet ports.

EDIT: Ah, OK. Unusual sort of device. Never seen one before.

Cuddlesworth · 11-03-2020 05:20PM

Danno wrote: »

I plan to retire the PCI card when I can afford the €300~€400 USB replacement! So, for a while I won't mind the cobbled together solution!

I don't really think there is a USB to PCI convertor out there.

There are PCI express to PCI solutions but with the additional requirement of it having to be external, I think that a USB replacement starts to look good.

wotzgoingon · 11-03-2020 05:26PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

I don't really think there is a USB to PCI convertor out there.

There are PCI express to PCI solutions but with the additional requirement of it having to be external, I think that a USB replacement starts to look good.

I think he meant a modern device that costs 3-400 that does the same thing but through USB.

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 05:26PM

An interesting device but wow. That is an absolute rip off for what it is. A backplane with a cable connecting into a PCIe on the host.
It is basically a PCI splitter in a box. Mad money.

I'm guessing you are looking for something energy efficient because this is a device that will be left on 24/7 to log data.

Cuddlesworth · 11-03-2020 05:41PM

TheBoyConor wrote: »

An interesting device but wow. That is an absolute rip off for what it is. A backplane with a cable connecting into a PCIe on the host.
It is basically a PCI splitter in a box. Mad money.

I feel like you are understating the difficulty in taking pci-ex and converting it to multiple pci devices, while providing external power and cooling in what would be a relatively niche market. They both have pci in the name but they are different standards and protocols.

Also, you can probably get them for cheaper for china, Startech is a reseller for the most part.

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 05:47PM

Oh I know they are differnet standards and signalling etc. I'm not a n00b, man. But at $500, it is still a rob.

The device that OP showed first with the USB cable is basically an equivalent device, just not dressed up as much in a case, and can be got for a small fraction of the cost. Concerned about its reliability in the long run? Just buy 3 of em.

I've bought quare, niche stuff before off of obscure Chinese no-name websites, like USB - 34pin floppy edge connector adapters and IDE to SATA connectors, all for buttons money , and all performed perfectly so far.

Danno · 11-03-2020 05:59PM

Thanks for all the replies thus far folks, very much appreciated.

The first linked device (Amazon) looks like it *might* work, again I'm looking for something cheap and rough to get me through the time it takes to save for a replacement of the Boltek card (there are alternative USB versions available - but they cost €300~€400 - so the large box (PCI Express to 4 Slot PCI Expansion System) is a non-runner, and the PCI Express to PCI Adapter Card is totally unsuitable.

Cuddlesworth · 11-03-2020 06:06PM

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Oh I know they are differnet standards and signalling etc. I'm not a n00b, man. But at $500, it is still a rob.

The device that OP showed first with the USB cable is basically an equivalent device, just not dressed up as much in a case, and can be got for a small fraction of the cost. Concerned about its reliability in the long run? Just buy 3 of em.

I've bought quare, niche stuff before off of obscure Chinese no-name websites, like USB - 34pin floppy edge connector adapters and IDE to SATA connectors, all for buttons money , and all performed perfectly so far.

Like I said, he could find cheaper from China of the same ilk, Startech is a reseller with a margin. But it's a niche market without much competition. I'd say the same chip is in all these devices. With most of them being rip offs of a expensive product without any proper driver support.

K.O.Kiki · 11-03-2020 06:58PM

How about building a mini-ITX build with a low-power CPU?

e.g.
ASUS H81I-PLUS Mini-ITX
some cheap DDR3
cheap 15L case disregard - they're half-height PCI slots. Consider something like the Kolink Satellite instead
€2 Pentium CPU - should be possible to undervolt.
any SFX power supply

I'd daresay that would break 35W at idle.

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 07:05PM

That board is pcie but op wants old style PCI

smuggler.ie · 11-03-2020 10:15PM

I have no idea if it would work, and it might take some DIY to fix it inside the case, but something like that.., might be...
https://www.sotel.de/en/Foto-Camcorder-Licht/Speichermedien/Speicherkarten/Festplatten-Zubehoer/DeLOCK-PCI-E-2x-PCI-Internal-PCI-interface-cards-adapter.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06efmbeT6AIVlfhRCh3RbwfiEAQYBSABEgIDwvD_BwE&cur=0

TheBoyConor · 11-03-2020 10:45PM

That's basically the same as the usb one linked before.

I'd suspect that even the usb one isn't really usb device as such, it just uses a usb cable to join the two components. It would actually be more risky to use the ribbon version as those cables do not handle movement well.

smuggler.ie · 11-03-2020 10:54PM

TheBoyConor wrote: »

That's basically the same as the usb one linked before.

I'd suspect that even the usb one isn't really usb device as such, it just uses a usb cable to join the two components. It would actually be more risky to use the ribbon version as those cables do not handle movement well.

Yeah, but once fitted inside case...

Using an old PCI Card - need to get it converted to USB

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