DIY eGPU experiences

[Pepero]

Hey nando

Is it possible to X2 link since i got one free mpcie and expressport, i think i could fit the mini hdmi cable into the laptop and out from the expresscard and could do a nice X2 link without opening the back cover

[bleuiko2]

Originally Posted by nando4

There's a T61+HD5670 implementation here. Consider checking if you have a port1+2 arrangement using turbomemory+wifi slot and whether you'd want to use your system that way. If so, then PE4H is the way to go. If not, your expresscard slot is port4 and PE4L will do the job. Use DIY ViDock Setup 1.x to see if you can free up 256MB in 32-bit space, boot successfully into your OS and note that region is free in Device Manager (eg: C0000000-CFFFFFFF). If so, then you can host an ATI card OK on your system.

Thanks for the information. I looked at the post by the person with the T61 and mine is similar. I have Intel ICH8M and Everest shows:

PCI-E 1.0 x1 port #1: Empty
PCI-E 1.0 x1 port #2: In Use @ x1 (Intel PRO/Wireless 3945AGB Network Adapter)
PCI-E 1.0 x1 port #3: Empty
PCI-E 1.0 x1 port #4: Empty
PCI-E 1.0 x1 port #5: Empty

Are you saying that if I want to use only my express-card slot and not remove my wifi card from mPCI(?) slot, I should only get PE4L? I am not sure which port turbomemory is since I don't use turbomemory. As I understand, I would need 2 consecutive ports to do x1E and that my video card will have to take up a odd-number port? From what you're saying is that my expresscard slot is on port #4, how to I move it to a odd-number port?

Edit: BTW, I am on Windows 7, can I do a PNP setup without rebooting using bootdisk?

[techtrino]

Originally Posted by nando4

X201 has:

port2=another mPCIe slot (according to ashura's comment).
port4=expresscard
port5=wifi

If you can find a turbo memory slot, which was port3 on a X200 AND you could fit a PM3N into it with a cable attached, then could do a x2 1.0 link using p3+4 significantly better performance during heavy rendering scenes. As it stands now, you'd be using expresscard slot port4 only.

What we don't know as yet is whether series-5 chipsets are running x1 1.0 crippled links and if so, if the x1E tweak applies. If you wanted to test that theory then suggest purchase a PM3N and test your setup using the wifi port5 running in x2 mode.

JohnnyEM's GTX465@x1/PM55 dmcv4.scene4 results match ithildin's GTX465@x1E/ICH8M results so maybe Intel have corrected the crippling?

I'd also suggest you obtain a PNY or Point-Of-View GTX465 which can be bios-flashed to be a GTX470. That would give you DX9 performance approx on par with a HD57xx series but with it's superior DX10 performance, at just under twice the cost of a HD5750/5770.

Well the PM3N is a bit of a no-go, as I would have to pull of the palmrest and keyboard. Its was more if I could run 1xe.

Flashing the PNY GTX465 is not always possible, you have to be a lucky with the card. But why get a 465 when the 460 is coming out in 1-2 weeks and will be able to be OC´d to about 470 and be based on the newer Fermi 104 architecture. Also it is going to be smaller and cheaper, by cheaper I mean be able to compete with 5770, which I think is great

[nando4]

Originally Posted by Pepero

Is it possible to X2 link since i got one free mpcie and expressport, i think i could fit the mini hdmi cable into the laptop and out from the expresscard and could do a nice X2 link without opening the back cover

For x2 you need port1+2 or port3+4 or port5+6. Your wifi is port1, your expresscard slot is 4 or 5. So can't do x2. We can't reassign ports either. If your expresscard slot is port5, then maybe can do the x1E tweak. Not sure yet if that tweak applies to series-5 chipsets used in i-core systems.

Originally Posted by bleuiko2

Are you saying that if I want to use only my express-card slot and not remove my wifi card from mPCI(?) slot, I should only get PE4L? I am not sure which port turbomemory is since I don't use turbomemory. As I understand, I would need 2 consecutive ports to do x1E and that my video card will have to take up a odd-number port? From what you're saying is that my expresscard slot is on port #4, how to I move it to a odd-number port?

Edit: BTW, I am on Windows 7, can I do a PNP setup without rebooting using bootdisk?

port4 = expresscard = Intel crippled x1 1.0
port2 = wifi = Intel crippled x1 1.0

If the turbo memory slot is port3, then could use it either to do x1E, where you'd lose concurrent wifi use OR could combine it with expresscard port4 to do a x2 link. If you don't want to do a x2 link then a cheaper PE4L will do the job.

jam7000's T61 with 3GB was PNP if the DIY ViDock was powered on *after* bios bootup, without requiring the DIY ViDock Setup bootdisk even.

Originally Posted by techtrino

But why get a 465 when the 460 is coming out in 1-2 weeks and will be able to be OC´d to about 470 and be based on the newer Fermi 104 architecture. Also it is going to be smaller and cheaper, by cheaper I mean be able to compete with 5770, which I think is great

GTX460 (not GTX465) could be the best-bang-per-buck DIY ViDock video card?

Thanks for the heads up. If by cheaper it's in the US$150-US$200 range, can be OC'ed to GTX470 levels where it would offer faster DX10 performance than a HD5770 yet similar DX9 performance, then the GTX460 would be the best-bang-per-buck DIY VIDock solution.

[Pepero]

So nando , if the HM55 chipset pcie is running at crippled 1.0 x1 , and if we tweak it , the peformance will be more than 50 percent?

1.0 X1= 50 percent
1.0 x1E= 70 percent?
1.0 x2= 80 percent

[nando4]

Originally Posted by Pepero

So nando , if the HM55 chipset pcie is running at crippled 1.0 x1 , and if we tweak it , the peformance will be more than 50 percent?

1.0 X1= 50 percent
1.0 x1E= 70 percent?
1.0 x2= 80 percent

For real life difference, see the x2/x1E/x1 DV2000 benchmarks. x1E is a nice single-cable compromise if your system supports it while waiting for expresscard 2.0 to be released.

[aislepathlight]

Originally Posted by AgentYura

Guys, I'm going to buy new laptop Toshiba Portege R700. So, I'm wondering if this laptop will be able to provide x2 speed? Here is the specs http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/p...700/R700-S1310
Can I use my spare 500W PSU instead of weaker ones? What do I better buy PE4H or PE4L?
Thanks.

I'm curious, and am thinking about doing something similar, so I;m interested to hear how this goes for you.

[nando4]

Originally Posted by aislepathlight

I'm curious, and am thinking about doing something similar, so I;m interested to hear how this goes for you.

I too am curious. The R700 is probably the best engineered 13" portable unit that is still affordable atm. It's like a newer Lenovo X301.

To see if can do x2, go to a retailer selling a R700, plug in an e-sata card and grab the Everest->Motherboard->Chipset->North/Southbridge screenshot. We need to see if the wifi+expresscard slot are port1+2 OR port3+4 OR port5+6 or port7+8. Also need a photo to see how accessible the wifi slot is to host a PM3N and mini hdmi cable.

There could be another way of doing x2. The R700 dock has 2xUSB 3.0 ports. To be true to USB 3.0 spec of 5.0GBps would mean they'd be linking back to 2x 2.5Gbps pci-e I/O ports in the same way that x2 for a DIY ViDock is required. So it's likely x2 may also be possible by hacking the docking station.

Now if Toshiba could be convinced to make a dock providing a x2 pci-e slot instead of USB 3.0

[aislepathlight]

I noticed that you were on that thread as well, and some people said that they were going to order it. The issue is that the buyers from that thread were getting the R705 from Best Buy, which has the WiDi instead of the Expresscard.

[xxbadboys93]

Instead of reading 97 pages, there still is no solution to drive the external graphics back into the lappys lcd screen.