Just a quick question - How easy is it to use more than one card in the same computer? Do you simply put them in their respective PCI slots, or do they need some extra hardware connection? Will they behave well together, and are there any known conflicts between different cards?
I'm thinking about buying a 6 DSP card, but would like to leave my options open at a later stage incase I decide that I need more power. I know you can get the SRBs, but I'm looking at low cost 2nd hand old pulsars to increase DSPs cheaply.
You can have 3 cards together in a PC.
They must be connected with an "STDM cable" that runs inside the box between the STDM connectors of the cards. This cable must be asked to the dealer or distributor, they are given for free.
The old Pulsar1 only has the stdm bus connector not perfectly in line with the 2nd generation cards, the distributor in Italy had some longer stdm cables just to allow an easier connection between them, but all cards by CW are compatible. If you have all 2nd generation cards it's better though.
If you add more cards not only you increase dsp power but you add physical ports too.
Personally I always try and put them in slots which result in the CW cards not sharing IRQ with anything else (keeping on trying them in different slots until they're not sharing). Even if this means disabling some crap on the motherboard I'd say it's worth it.
