Let's figure out how to make a DIY eGPU (previously DIY ViDock)

[bandit080000]

Harmonic Inversion is a North American distributor of hwtool's PE4H so US ppl can save on shipping costs.

Do they actually have it? Says "Coming Soon! Pre-Order Now!" on the description

[kizakisu]

yea im kinda wondering also i wanted to buy the pe4h for a while now always out of stock do i buy it and it takes the money and ship it when its in stock or something is that how the preorder work?

[PanzerHauptmann]

I'd like to do a google search to see if Im able to locate at least the PCIe part and/or expresscard34 w/mini hdmi attachment (to purchase)... Please excuse if I sound stupid, but what would my search query be, precisely, that would yield me the most desireable results??? Thanks....

[kizakisu]

hey got my pe4h but im thinking what brand gtx 460 is theb est im looking for one with 1gig mem

[mikeccuk2005]

All of them seem good as it is. OC edition have better cooling tho

[PanzerHauptmann]

I believe my laptop has an Expresscard/34 adapter.. Is this the same adapter thats included in the PE4H package? Just want to make sure.

Also, I dont quite understand the difference between the PE4H package as oppsed to the PE4L package, one is x1 and the other x16? And the gfx card slot looks as thou they are different, one being PCIe and the other the more traditional slot... there's a significant price difference so if I could get away with the PE4L package Id rather do that.. other wise, if the PE4H is capable of putting out more power /higher bandwidths Id rather go with it..

BTW I have expresscard 1.0...

I could probably find the answer but Im a bit lazy today and dont want to skim thru all the threads.. sry!!

[User Retired 2]

I believe my laptop has an Expresscard/34 adapter.. Is this the same adapter thats included in the PE4H package? Just want to make sure.

Yes. PE4L-EC2C or PE4H-EC2C package has a 34mm expresscard adapter (EC2C).

[PanzerHauptmann]

So, realistically speaking if I got the PE4H (x16 bandwidth) would that even be possible for my HP laptop bus/motherboard to process speeds at that rate? Otherwise it would be self-defeating... I might as wel settle for the PE4L and go with the 1x if I'm gonna be bottlenecked regardless...

running 2.26 core 2 duo, 4GB DDR 2 Ram, Expressport 1.0, 1GB video memory for GT 130 M (nvidida)

What route do you think I should go as far as 16x v. 1x?

Here's more detailed spec of my setup currently:
=========================================================
Motherboard
=========================================================
Motherboard manufacturer: Quanta
Motherboard product: 361B
Motherboard version: 15.2D
Motherboard serial number: CNF9210N08
=========================================================
BIOS
=========================================================
BIOS vendor: Hewlett-Packard
BIOS version: F.32
BIOS date: 10/26/2009

System manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System product name: HP HDX16 Notebook PC
System enclosure manufacturer: Quanta
=========================================================
Processor
=========================================================
Number of cores: 2
Family: 6
Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
Version: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P7550 @ 2.26GHz
Voltage:
External clock frequency:
Processor clock frequency: 2260 MHz

Cache designation: L0 cache
Cache configuration:
Cache size: 0 KB

Cache designation: L1 cache
Cache configuration:
Cache size: 3072 KB
=========================================================
Memory
=========================================================
Installed memory: -.03 Gb
Available memory: -1.32 Gb
Used memory: 26%

Memory slot: DIMM0
Memory slot maximum size: 2048 Mb
Memory slot form-factor: SODIMM
Memory slot speed: 800 MHz

Memory slot: DIMM2
Memory slot maximum size: 2048 Mb
Memory slot form-factor: SODIMM
Memory slot speed: 800 MHz
=========================================================
Video
=========================================================
Manufacturer: Nvidia Corp
Processor: NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M
DAC type:
Video memory: -1.28 Gb
Model: NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M
BIOS string:
=========================================================
HDD
=========================================================
Hard disk drive 1:
Vendor:
Model: WDC WD5000BEVT-60ZAT1
Firmware version: 02.01A02
Serial number: 2020202057202d4458575a4e3830435336323536
Connection type: SATA v2.0 300 Mb/s
Disk cache size: 8 Mb
Disk size: 465.76 Gb

Logical disk letter: C:
Logical disk label:
Logical disk size: 465.76 Gb

Hard disk drive 2:
Vendor:
Model: WDC WD10EAVS-00D7B1
Firmware version: 01.01A01
Serial number: 2020202057202d44435755414134313834363323
Connection type: SATA
Disk cache size: 0 bytes
Disk size: 931.51 Gb

Logical disk letter: E:
Logical disk label: eSATADRIVE
Logical disk size: 931.51 Gb
=========================================================
CD Drives
=========================================================
Optical disc drive 1:
Letter: D:
Vendor: HL-DT-ST
Model: DVDRAM GT20L
Firmware version: DC03
Serial number:

Write speed: 706 Kb/s
Write speed: 1764 Kb/s
Write speed: 2822 Kb/s
Write speed: 4234 Kb/s
=========================================================
Removable Drives
=========================================================
Removable drive 1:
Vendor: JMCR
Model: SD/MMC
Firmware version:
Serial number:
Connection type: Unknown type
Disk size: 14.93 Gb
Removable disk letter: F:
Removable disk label: ReadyBoost Card
=========================================================
Codecs
=========================================================
Audio codecs: Microsoft IMA ADPCM CODEC
Microsoft CCITT G.711 A-Law and u-Law CODEC
Microsoft GSM 6.10 Audio CODEC
Microsoft ADPCM CODEC
Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec (decode only)
Decode AC3 and DTS audio
ffdshow Audio Decoder
Microsoft PCM Converter

Video codecs: MS-RLE
MS-CRAM
MS-YUV
MS-YUV
MS-YUV
IYUV codec
IYUV codec
Toshiba YUV411
Cinepak Codec
Fraps
XVID
FFDS

[User Retired 2]

Suggested NVidia Setups

If wanting most bang-per-buck, consider a US$210 GTX460 setup shown below. NVidia GTX4xx/GTS4xx outperforms ATI HD5xxx on x1 1.0 Intel I/O chipsets as shown here and here. A GTS450 is 2x faster than a GT430. A GTX460 is 3x faster than a GT430 as shown here. US$125 12V/72W GT430-1GB eGPU Portable setup (GT430=49W TDP) US$65-ground_shipped PE4L + US$50 GT430-1GB+ US$10 12V/72W AC adapter = US$125. Optional: use a $15 12V/120W adapter instead. US$160 12V/120W GTS450-1GB eGPU Portable setup (GTS450=106W TDP) Implemented successfully here &. US$65-ground_shipped PE4L + US$70 GTS450-1GB+ US$15 12V/120W AC adapter + US$5 molex splitter/gender changer + US$2 pci-e to molex (male) adapter = US$160. Run a jumper lead from the floppy molex to the pci-e connector as shown here to split the power. US$213 430W GTX460-1GB eGPU Performance setup US$65-ground_shipped PE4L + US$123AR GTX460-1GB + US$25AR Corsair 430W PSU + US$0.05 paperclip = US$213.

GPU1 TDP (W)2 Shaders@speed GT240 69 96@550Mhz GT430 49 96@700Mhz GT440 65-81 96@810Mhz GTS450 106 192@783Mhz GTX550Ti 116 192@900Mhz GTX460SE-1GB 140 288@650Mhz GTX460-768MB 150 336@675Mhz GTX460-1GB 160 336@675Mhz GTX560 150-190 336@810Mhz GTX560Ti 170-260 384@822Mhz GTX570 217-298 480@732Mhz GTX580 244-330 512@772Mhz 1 I do not recommend GF100-based GTX465/470/480 as they consume too much power. 2 < 120W can do a portable 12V/120W setup 2 < 190W can use a fanless xbox360 PSU setup 2 any ATX PSU with a 12V rail rated at higher-than-TDP can be used

US$210 12V/203W GTX460-1GB eGPU portable setup (GTX460=160W TDP, advanced users!!)

Mod a 203W xbox360 PSU as described.

Optional extras

+US$5 for a 2.1/5mm DC jack plug so can attach 12V DC to a PE4H
+US$35 for a Ultra X4 400W. It's modular cabling and smaller footprint giving a tidier solution than the Corsair PSU.
-xx?? for a 768MB GTX460. See GTX460: 768MB versus 1GB
+US$80 for a 2GB GTX460.
+US$30 for a PE4H. See PE4H versus PE4L for GTX4xx use

Want an neater solution with a full enclosure?

Use a ViDock3/4/4+ instead of a PE4L. They start at US$214-$304 delivered worldwide.

Candidate notebooks with Intel X4500, HD or HD3000 graphics preferred

They allow the NVidia Optimus setup which accelerates performance another 20-333%. Outstanding performance AND can be used for exclusive internal LCD-only functionality.

[PanzerHauptmann]

Your expresscard slot is x1 1.0. So makes no performance difference if you use a PE4L or PE4H as either will run at x1 1.0 link speed.

If wanting most bang-per-buck, consider a US$300 GTX460 setup shown below. NVidia GTX4xx outperforms ATI HD5xxx on x1 1.0 Intel I/O chipsets as shown here and here.

US$300 GTX460-768MB DIY ViDock setup

US$65-ground_shipped PE4L + US$200 GTX460-768MB + US$30AR 400W PSU + US$0.05 paperclip = US$300.

Optional extras

+US$30 for a 1GB GTX460. See GTX460: 768MB versus 1GB
+US$30 for a PE4H. See PE4H versus PE4L for GTX4xx use

Nando, thanks for the quick response as usual... Ill be using this as my reference on my next payday to purchase these items (unless I can find the PSU locally that is)

My question is though, in ur itemization, you've listed the PE4L, which accomidates a 1x PCI-e connection (smaller slot), yet the gfx card you've linked (very good bang-for-buck BTW) appears to be for a 16x slot, which is much longer... Can you please clear up this issue for me? Am I missing something??

Again, I appreicate your valuable responses..!

BTW, I can get a used (but still in box, never used Sapphire Radeon 4890 OC Edition for $150) would this be a good deal and/or comparable to the GTX 460?
Thanks!