Connect a Genesys ZU to the PCIe bus of an x86 host computer

[PhantomDingBat]

I am planning to buy a Genesys ZU for some special image operations. I want to read and write images to RAM and SSDs in the host computer. PCIe 4.0 bus seems to be the best way to go because of bandwidth. There is a mini PCIe connector on the ZU. I would like to put the ZU in a box with a PCIe connector on a panel, run a cable from the ZU box's panel to the back panel of the host computer by using a PCIe card with a PCIe cable connector in the bracket. I am attaching a sketch (cabling diagram.jpg).

About an hour of shopping has not produced satisfaction for a PCIe card (x16 or x32) with a mini PCIe connector in the bracket.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Can anyone offer a bit of advice?

[artvvb]

Hi @PhantomDingBat

The Genesys ZU's PCIe port was primarily intended to be used as an expansion connector for adding functionality through cards. I'm really not sure if this setup is possible. The ZU provides a reference clock for PCIe through a programmable oscillator, presumably you'd need to get a reference clock from the computer instead. The connector is also PCIe 2.0 X1, so might not be fast enough for your needs, even if it was able to be used like this.

Good luck,

Arthur