UAD2 Solo/Laptop + USB3.0 to ExpressCard interface?

I

Individ

Member
I was wondering if anyone knows if it's possible or has any experience using their Solo/Laptop with a USB 3.0 to Expresscard 2.0 interface such as this one:

http://www.hwtools.net/adapter/EC03.html

I'm shopping for a new laptop and it seems practically all the new models from Sager, Asus and MSI have phased out the ExpressCard slot. :(
I still want to be able to use my Solo/Laptop card and was hoping this might be a possible solution to my problem.

Thoughts?
 
benj_sp

benj_sp

Venerated Member
This has come up quite a bit before. No, none of these devices will work, as they only support the USB interface over expresscard, and not the PCI side that the UAD requires.

See the note that says: "This adapter only works with USB-based ExpressCard devices. PCI Express-based ExpressCard devices will not be detected."
 
I

Individ

Member
benj_sp said:
This has come up quite a bit before. No, none of these devices will work, as they only support the USB interface over expresscard, and not the PCI side that the UAD requires.

See the note that says: "This adapter only works with USB-based ExpressCard devices. PCI Express-based ExpressCard devices will not be detected."
Click to expand...
Ya I did see that part, and know that the Solo/Laptop is PCI Express based... I was just hoping that now with USB 3.0 that the bandwidth would be covered. I guess there's more to it than that.
 
benj_sp

benj_sp

Venerated Member
It's not the bandwidth as such - the express card interface allows two types of bus on it - USB, and PCI.

The USB bridges simply give a way for a physical USB-based expresscard to connect to a physical USB port. In other words, it just deals with the USB communication, it does not translate PCI from a PCI-based card into USB and then pretend to be a real PCI device once the data is coming in from the USB port.

In order to translate PCI to USB, it would be a far more complicated active device.
 
I

Individ

Member
benj_sp said:
It's not the bandwidth as such - the express card interface allows two types of bus on it - USB, and PCI.

The USB bridges simply give a way for a physical USB-based expresscard to connect to a physical USB port. In other words, it just deals with the USB communication, it does not translate PCI from a PCI-based card into USB and then pretend to be a real PCI device once the data is coming in from the USB port.

In order to translate PCI to USB, it would be a far more complicated active device.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info benj

I guess I'll have to just wait and see what new laptops are released this year to evaluate my options. I wonder when/if ExpressCard 2.0 is gonna find its way onto notebooks soon... [-o<
 
benj_sp

benj_sp

Venerated Member
More likely to be thunderbolt, and we know there is likely to be a thunderbolt UAD card as UA have said they are very interested in the interface...
 
I

Individ

Member
Ya so I hear! That is pretty exciting... and I hope it comes out sooner than later.
In the meantime I just wish there was a solution that would allow me to continue using the Solo/Laptop on a newer laptop until its Thunderbolt "upgrade" arrives. But then again it'd probably be wise for me to wait until Thunderbolt officially comes out on PCs anyway...
 
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