MAGMA has expanded its product line with a new 64-bit 2 Slot CardBus-to-PCI Expansion System, which enables the use of standard PCI cards with PowerBooks.
MAGMA provides one to four PCI slots in a separate enclosure that connects to your laptop through a 32-bit CardBus (PC Card) slot. Previously, the company’s CardBus-to-PCI Expansion Systems were limited to functioning at 32-bit only because the CardBus (or PCMCIA) slot on laptops is limited to 32-bit communication. However, MAGMA developed a two-slot CardBus-to-PCI Expansion System that allows for 64-bit communication between two PCI cards inside the expansion enclosure, according to Brian Stech of MAGMA.
The new 64-bit 2 slot Expansion System accommodates two full-length 64-bit PCI cards, two internal disk drives, and includes a one-meter expansion cable and CardBus PC Card. What’s more, MAGMA offers optional SCSI, FireWire and IDE storage kits specifically designed for the two-slot expansion system.
The company has released two versions of the 64-bit 2 Slot CardBus-to-PCI Expansion System. One includes an AC power supply, and the other includes a DC power supply providing the capability to power the expansion system off of a user supplied battery source. They cost US$1,095 and $1,450 respectively, and both are compatible with Mac OS X (10.2.2 or later) and Mac OS 9.x.