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External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:43 pm
by cglittenberg
Now that the Cupix Expander support is discontinued does anybody have any idea of what I could use instead. I want to build a system with as many 580s as possible. Anybody have any suggestions?

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:52 pm
by GeoPappas
Someone on the boards is using (4) GTX 580s in a system. I'm not sure of the specifics.

I'll see if I can find more info...

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:53 pm
by GeoPappas
Here is the thread:

http://www.refractivesoftware.com/forum ... 6&start=10

Take a look at the OPs system (in his signature).

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:12 pm
by cglittenberg
GeoPappas wrote:Someone on the boards is using (4) GTX 580s in a system. I'm not sure of the specifics.

I'll see if I can find more info...

Thanks. It looks like he uses an internal system. Where he found a tower with 4 double width PCI-E slots is beyond me. But the 1.5 megawatt powersupply sounds interesting. I am shure the liights in the entire neighborhood dim when he tuns that thing on :D

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:13 pm
by cglittenberg
cglittenberg wrote:
GeoPappas wrote:Someone on the boards is using (4) GTX 580s in a system. I'm not sure of the specifics.

I'll see if I can find more info...

Thanks. It looks like he uses an internal system. Where he found a tower with 4 double width PCI-E slots is beyond me. But the 1.5 megawatt powersupply sounds interesting. I am shure the liights in the entire neighborhood dim when he tuns that thing on :D
I of course mean kilowatt. Megawatt would be somewhat exesive.

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:52 pm
by kubo
cglittenberg wrote:
cglittenberg wrote:
GeoPappas wrote:Someone on the boards is using (4) GTX 580s in a system. I'm not sure of the specifics.

I'll see if I can find more info...

Thanks. It looks like he uses an internal system. Where he found a tower with 4 double width PCI-E slots is beyond me. But the 1.5 megawatt powersupply sounds interesting. I am shure the liights in the entire neighborhood dim when he tuns that thing on :D
I of course mean kilowatt. Megawatt would be somewhat exesive.
at the rate GPUs are going I wouldn't be surprised.. :lol:

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:49 pm
by Carl S.
Xpanders are not discontinued and you can get 4x gtx 580's in this rig.
http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compl ... ?id=480230

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:38 am
by arexma
ASUS Supercomputer mainboard:
http://usa.asus.com/Product.aspx?P_ID=9ca8hJfGz483noLk

ASUS Workstation Special Features:
7 PCIe x 16 slots

With 7 GTX580 you´d have ~1 TERA! FLOPS in SP and 2.1 Kilowatt powerconsumption...

PSU, Thermaltake Toughpower XT, 2kw:
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/cebit- ... ,4988.html

For the tower... You´d have to go with watercooling there to have singleslot GTX580s to fit them all, it would also solve the problem of heat exhausting from the case.
I´d actually use a 3*12 radiator per card.

450 Euro per card, additional 200 Euro for watercooling per card
PSU is a guess, but I´d say 400 Euro-ish
250 Euro for the board

Totals with 5200 Euro

alternative (I don´t know though if it works with Octane):
Tesla S1070
http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_te ... 70_us.html
~6500 Euro

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:40 am
by cglittenberg
Would that be 7 dual width slots. If not you could only fit 3 GTX 580s. Max 4 depending on the space in the tower.

Re: External Multiple Graphics cards

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:44 am
by arexma
arexma wrote: You´d have to go with watercooling there to have singleslot GTX580s to fit them all, it would also solve the problem of heat exhausting from the case.
As I wrote... watercooled with new.. Don´t know how the metalthings at the end of the card are called in english, you can fit one 580 in one slot - else there is no way.

You´d also have to make sure, that all 7 run with PCIe X16. Best to ask the asus support. To me it sounds fishy.
There´s either dual sli, triple or quad.. also throughout computer systems powers of 2 are found.
7 just sounds wrong.. 6 or 8 ok.. but 7?