RME hdsp-e express card

RME's HDSPe Express Card is not based on a PCI to PCI Express bridge, which would simply add PCIe to existing PCI technology. It is a newly developed genuine PCI Express solution, which consequently takes full advantage of the new format, achieving significant performance gains in multitrack audio. Thanks to RME's flash update technology, future firmware improvements, adjustments, and bugfixes can be installed easily at any time. Furthermore, the Secure BIOS Technology ensures that the card stays fully functional even when the flash process fails

The ExpressCard is based on the PCI Express Base Specification v 1.1. It represents a 1-Lane PCI Express endpoint device and supports 2.5 Gbps line speed. Thanks to the packet-based full duplex communication, the card provides a transfer rate of up to 500 MB/s - 250 MB/s in each direction

The connection between ExpressCard and I/O box is established using ordinary FireWire cable (IEEE 1394, 6-pin). The data transfer does not use FireWire protocol, but RME's own proprietary bus protocol. The supplied cable is 4 m (12 ft.) long.
The ExpressCard does not provide power to the attached I/O-box. Therefore a compact and light-weight hi-tech switch-mode power supply is included