PCIe Expansion

[techienovitz]

We use an Omen by HP Obelisk Desktop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super (8 GB) graphics card to power our office studio. This PC is dedicated and only used for live streaming and recording the audio and video for our podcast. We've been operating on a single camera system since upgrading to the Omen but now we want to add two additional cameras to our production.

In order to accommodate this (needing to add HDMI inputs for the video capture), I am looking at installing the Elgato Cam Link Pro. However, I'm finding conflicting information about whether the Omen will support this. My questions are these...

Does the Omen have enough expansion slots to add the Cam Link Pro?
Will it work with the RTX 2080? 

Is there a simpler, more cost-effective way to achieve this?

[erico]

Hi @techienovitz 

What is the Product ID of your Omen Obelisk desktop?

If your Obelisk has the Edoras or Moria2 motherboard there is only one PCIe slot and it is used by the video card.

That would mean that the Elgato Cam Link Pro would not be a viable option.

I won't know if that is the case until you provide the product ID or product number.

There are video capture cards that use USB type A 3.1 and type-C 3.1.  Those may be an option to consider.

https://www.techradar.com/best/best-capture-cards

When you do not identify your desktop or laptop PC, you tie our hands behind our backs. Help us to help you.


When logged into Windows, hold down the Windows key and tap the R key once.
That will open the Windows run dialogue

Type in msinfo32 and press enter.


The ninth line is the SKU and the HP product number. Kindly post it in your next reply in your thread.

The System SKU/Product ID will enable us to determine the hardware configuration of your notebook.

You could , if your Obelisk has a glass side cover, take a look to see if there is more than one PCIe slot. 

Otherwise you will need to remove the cover to take a look.  Ensure that power is off when yo remove the side cover for your own safety.

[techienovitz]

@Erico, the product number is 5QB56AA#ABA. It does have a glass cover but because of where the RTX  2080 sits, I can't really see if there's an open expansion slot. I am a novice at this. My field is audio engineering but I've been tasked with handling the video aspects of this job as well. Because it isn't my natural field, I just don't have a lot of knowledge about the video/graphics cards or the PCIe expansion slots.

[erico · Accepted solution]

It turns out that your Omen Obelisk 875-1023 PC has the Shire motherboard.

The Shire motherboard has only one PCIe (x16)expansion slot and it is used for the discrete graphics card.

Your PC's specifications

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06440189

The Shire motherboard

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06218422

That lack of a PCIe slot makes the expansion option you were considering, not viable.

The same brand makes a USB3 video input card that would suit your needs, but it is more expensive.

It is, however, far less expensive than upgrading to a PC with a motherboard with expansion options.