Can't make DeckLink HD Extreme 2 run on PCI slot 4 or any x4 lane.
by Gabriel Barros
on
Aug 6, 2008 at 12:14:07 am
First when I installed my DeckLink HD Extreme 2 on PCI-Express card's slot 4 nothing happened and my Mac Pro (2x 2.66 Dual-Core Xeon) seems not to recognize it. Then I changed it to PCI-E slot 3 and it started to work and now it looks fine.
The problem is: PCI slot 3 is only running in the x1 bandwidth, but the operation manual recommends that the HD Extreme 2 card should run on the x4 bandwidth to get ideal performance.
So, after a little more research, I've discovered the EXPANSION SLOT UTILITY application where I would be able to change the slots bandwidth configuration to an alternative profile. But when I changed the slot 3 to a x4 bandwidth my Mac Pro did not recognize it once more.
And now I am starting to think that my DeckLink HD Extreme 2 can't run on any x4 lane no matter in which it's placed.
The HD Extreme 2 is a x4 lane PCIexpress card, and is not designed to work on a slower slot.
In expansion slot utility, you want to be using the second profile, that offers x4, x4, x1, x16 for your PCIe slots. This way, your Decklink card should work in slot 4 or 3 (recommended 4).
Once this is configured, it is worth re-downloading a fresh copy of the Decklink 6.7.2 drivers for Mac OSX from our website, and doing a clean install. (Please use the uninstall utility first.)
When you restart after the driver install there may be a firmware update. Please conduct this and press restart. Now your card should be working. If you goto Apple>>System preferences>>Decklink, you should be able to see all the settings here.
If you are still having trouble, a great test would be to install the card on another system, PC or Mac, and see if the card is recognised.
Callum McLay
Technical Support Consultant
Blackmagic Design EMEA
