When will PCI die!?

[Nick_08]

Hi. I'm just about to buy a pro-audio PCI soundcard and my only concern is that my next PC's motherboard (prob. 2-3 year's time) won't have PCI. What are people's opinions about how long PCI will last. I would like to think there is enough demand for motherboards over at least the next 5 years to include at least one PCI slot. TIA......Nick

 

[Nick_08]

Sorry for the double post. I don't know what happened. If someone can tell me how to delete the duplicate, I would appreciate it!

 

[sminlal]

PCI is on the way out, I wouldn't count on it being available on future motherboards. Even if it were available on one or two motherboards, it would drastically reduce your choices.

If I was buying a new adapter card of any kind today I would be looking for a PCIe card.

 

[tcsenter]

Well PCI debuted circa 1994 to replace ISA. ISA slots were offered on the majority of mainboards through 2001. PCI Express debuted in 2004 to replace PCI.

Now that so many devices and I/O busses have been moved from the main PCI bus onto the chipset, PCI has been given a new lease on life, in a manner of speaking. Its perfectly adequate for numerous modern devices; video capture and TV tuner boards, sound and DSP cards, 100mb ethernet, USB2.0, Firewire, etc.

Check out the current selection of high-end sound cards at Newegg; PCI v. PCI Express ($50 or higher):

PCI Interface = 20 results

PCI Express interface = 10 results

Similar results for video capture, TV tuner boards, USB and Firewire. Ergo, PCI still accounts for the majority of devices available and should be around for a few more years. You might want to consider USB 2.0 or Firewire, also. There are a number of Pro Audio interfaces that utilize USB 2.0 or Firewire.

 

[gravey davey]

im guessing that pci exists for now as there is more support for it on systems than pci express x1. Also i think pci consumes less power than express x1, so it is more useful to have pci on eco freindly systems like the ION system.

 

[sminlal]

Well PCI debuted circa 1994 to replace ISA. ISA slots were offered on the majority of mainboards through 2001. PCI Express debuted in 2004 to replace PCI.

Right, so by this logic PCI has one or two more years to go - not exactly future-proof, IMHO. And again, even if PCI motherboards are available, you're going to find that the selection is limited.

 

[tcsenter]

Right, so by this logic PCI has one or two more years to go - not exactly future-proof, IMHO. And again, even if PCI motherboards are available, you're going to find that the selection is limited.

Actually, there are reasons PCI will be around a few years longer than ISA was, for the same reasons that 32-bit was around longer than 16-bit, and 64-bit will be around longer than 32-bit (orders of magnitude greater addressing support when moving from one to the next).

ISA was more obsolete two years after PCI than PCI is fully five years after PCI Express. There is really not much reason currently to do away with PCI as an expansion bus for the devices I already mentioned. There is more than enough bandwidth for numerous contemporary devices, the software and hardware programming model is very mature and inexpensive to leverage, modern PCI 2.3 and 3.0 devices support 64-bit addressing modes (via dual address cycle), 64-bit system architectures seemlessly provide the lower 4GB/32-bit address space to PCI devices and will continue to for several more years.

 

[gamerk316]

PCI will be around for a while yet. Many devices in the professional industry use PCI as the native interface, as very few devices really need the bandwith of PCI-E to begin with.

Really, remember when PCI started to phase out VLB/ISA, and you had motherboards with both slots? Ok, probably not, the point being, when PCI-E is obsolete and a new standard takes its place, then you will see the death of PCI.

 

[tcsenter]

Of course, if you can find an equivalent sound card that gives you everything you want in PCI Express, then you might as well go that route, assuming its not hugely more expensive than the PCI version.

 

[Nick_08]

Thanks for your replies guys.

Tcsenter, I understand what you are saying and I agree. It occurred to me that if people have bought expensive video capture, pro-audio cards, etc, they would be looking for replacement motherboards with PCI on them, thereby fueling demand for PCI to continue to exist.

As long as in 2-3 years time when I build my next PC I can get my choice of motherboard with a PCI slot on it I will be happy. That PC will then last me another 5 years, at which time I may well have replaced the PCI card with an external mixer/soundcard anyway.

Thanks once again for your opinions.

Nick

 

[tcsenter]

Well I wouldn't go as far as saying you'll have your choice of motherboards with a PCI slot. There are already boards coming without them, but you'll definitely have some options.

 

[sminlal]

Well I wouldn't go as far as saying you'll have your choice of motherboards with a PCI slot.

Exactly!

 

[Nick_08]

I hear ya. A bit of a choice then!

I would buy a PCIe or USB soundcard now, only I'm doing things on the cheap. I feel OK about buying PCI, but thanks for your cautionary advice both - that's why I posted.

 

[sminlal]

I would buy a PCIe or USB soundcard now, only I'm doing things on the cheap.

One of the great things about computers is that you can buy what was the latest, greatest cutting edge technology only a few years ago for almost dirt cheap!