Can PCI-e 16x slots be used for PCI-e 1x cards?

Hello people;

I think that I have an interesting question which could "puzzle" most of us:

I am about to buy a new motherboard,
and I'm in for a big dillemma:
I am not a real gamer,
so I am not (immediately) interested in putting 2 video cards in my pc (SLI or Crossfire).

BUT, as you know, the best motherboards out there are all SLI- or crossfire motherboards with TWO PCI-e 16x slots. :!:
The problem is that those mobos always have 1 PCI or PCI-e 1x slot LESS than mobos which have only 1 PCI-e 16x slot.

So I was wondering:
If I take a mobo with 2 PCI-e 16x slots, and I use only 1 video card,
could I use the other PCI-e 16x slot for a PCI-e 1x interface card?
For instance, a PCI-e 1x TV-tuner card or so.

I read somewhere that PCI-e 8x slots can be used for PCI-e 4x or even 1x cards, so I'm wondering if the same downward-compatibility goes for PCI-e 16x slots.

In short, I am well willing to pay extra for a good mobo, with a well made BIOS, a perfect board-layout and so forth,
but then I almost have to get a higher-end mobo with dual PCI-e 16x.
Does that mean that I will end up with 1 useless PCI-e 16x slot,
or can I use that slot for cards which use a PCI-e 1x or 4x interface?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!
Carl

I think you can. Tom's have 2 articles where they taped the connectors on some gfx card to limit bus interface. That worked fine, so I 'm guessing yes.

From the Googling I did, it appears you can always install a lower lane card (x1 in this case) into a higher lane slot (x16).

Here is a very good motherboard with 1 16x and 3 1x slots. Look around because no matter what your perticular needs are I'm sure you can find a board to fit them.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Show [...] d+-+Retail

Yes to both your questions