# LimeSDR PCI version question

**URL:** <https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337>\
**Category:** Applications\
**Created:** [11 November 2019 02:48 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337 "2019-11-11T02:48:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mattenderle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/mattenderle/32/3119_2.png) [@mattenderle](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/mattenderle)\
**Post date:** [11 November 2019 02:48 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337/1 "2019-11-11T02:48:21Z")

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I’m looking to buy one of the pci versions of the LimeSDR. Would anyone be able to tell me if the unit will work out of the box or if it requires special programming for the FPGAs.

My intended use is to record the IQ data from 1MHz to 100MHz range, utilizing the 60MHz bandwidth.

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**Author:** ![KarlL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dfb087/32.png) [@KarlL](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/KarlL)\
**Post date:** [13 November 2019 06:35 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337/2 "2019-11-13T06:35:43Z")

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Any reason to use the PCIe version instead of the USB version? I feel like most people have the USB version, meaning it’s probably more tested and updated. I tried a PCIe once and I think it was working similarly to the USB version, with the same limitations regarding the max sampling rates.

The FPGA file for LimeUSB is directly accessible (see LimeUSB GW [output files](https://github.com/myriadrf/LimeSDR-USB_GW/tree/master/output_files)), but that doesn’t seem to be the case for the PCIe (see Lime PCIe GW [output files](https://github.com/myriadrf/LimeSDR-PCIe_GW/tree/master/output_files)).

I remember going through [LimeSDR PCIe FPGA programming](https://wiki.myriadrf.org/LimeSDR-PCIe_FPGA_programming) to create the necessary FPGA file.

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**Author:** ![mattenderle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/mattenderle/32/3119_2.png) [@mattenderle](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/mattenderle)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2019 16:02 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337/3 "2019-12-04T16:02:59Z")

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We’re looking at putting them into servers without USB3 support. So are you saying that they won’t work right out of the box?

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**Author:** ![KarlL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dfb087/32.png) [@KarlL](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/KarlL)\
**Post date:** [5 December 2019 09:52 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-pci-version-question/5337/4 "2019-12-05T09:52:53Z")

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I think I had to compile the FPGA file manually to first use the Lime PCIe. Maybe @andrewback or someone else from Lime could confirm.