The physics accelerator: really worth it?

[pentium]

I finally saw one of these things and looked over what they actually did.
connecting to your computer via PCI, it relieves most if not all the intense number crunching that the cpu needs t do in games which use physics (like rain, explosions, location damage etc.). These things are insanely priced and before I even think of getting one I need to wonder if it's really worth it.
I always thought that The FPU was essentially the part that assisted in the intense math for both programs and graphics (a good example is how SGI used Weitek co processors) and now there is this? Since when did the GPU need the CPU to do work for it?
Another thing is why on earth they did not integrate it onto the video cards themself? Motherboards today lack of any expansion anymore (remember the days of six ISA slots) and why the aging PCI bus? Any bottleneck the PPU (the accelerator) removes is probably replaced with the speed of the PCI bus. Is it really hard to go pass-through like the voodoo II 3DFX cards?
Also, what does it really do to older software? does a program need to be
designed with the accelerator in mind or can any program use it?

That's just my 2p.

[gonzo0815]

I think thise chips & cards are BS ATM. The programmer have to programm specifically for the chip, and only a few titles do support this already. The PCi botleneck is an other fact, why this is atm not a matured product. As i have read, the chip will be integrated into the gfx chip or card soon, then the chip can utilize the pci-e bandwidth.
I am shure, those chips will soon be standard stuff, like 3d accelerated gfx is today, but atm there is no standard nor is there any understatement what sutch a chip should done. Those cards will be uncompatible to the standards as fast ther would be one created.

[pentium]

So it's just a matter of time before they are put completely on video cards?
Pci express sounds much better anyways.

[gonzo0815]

Either that, or they use some parts of the GPU to overtook that duty. Imaginating the current GPU improvement i have no doubt on that.

[Fizzycapola]

Well the new 8th generation of Geforces 8800 graphics cards have this feature:

NVIDIA Quantum Effects™ physics processing technology.

I'd be weary about installing lots of components in a PC designed for gaming and game hosting, whilst initially installing expensive unique things such as top end sound card, top end tv card, top end network card (such as killer NIC), more components more chance for error. I bought my friend an Audigy2 PCI card last year, it increased performance but it increased load/heat/instability too, so now I have 2 x Audigy2 cards, just waiting for some dual SLI type (or even more oldschool Shotgun) driver then I'll run both with 128 Hardware channels... oh shoot I remember I'm using
2 Intel NIC's with that facility (as in their latest driver ... only 5 years after release),
not worth reminding myself my new computer will only have 2 PCI slots, thanks to
it being unwantedly? quad SLI capable.

[Shroomie]

They keep making boards smaller, but we keep needing more slots...

And although mobo makers seem to want to kill PCI, a majority of internal devices (aside from video cards) still use it... *sigh*

[Rainbow]

Exactly. There are almost no cards for that small useless PCI express slots. The same is true for ExpressCard slots in new notebooks.
That's why I don't have anything with PCI express at home.

[Spacedye69]

They make PCI express U320 scsi adapters, don't they? I would use them for that.

[Rainbow]

Maybe - but I don't need U320 at home. And most probably, any machine where you want to use U320 will have PCI-X slots.

[willawake]

i like how they are ramping up the prices of the graphics cards. hey lets see if they will pay 400 euro for one......lol ok then lets try to sell them the OCZ
8800GTX 768MB HTDP at 620 euro. lol they bought that also. some bought two. hahaha.... can we make a 1000 euro card? lets sell them an accellerator too..

and then after 3 years or so all that will be worth shit.

[pentium]

and then after 3 years or so all that will be worth shit.

They will be lucky to have it still be top of the line by the end of the year.

You don't know how hard it was finding a socket 478 board with 6 pci slots.
I spent three months.