Waveshare's Latest Board Splits the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4's PCI Express Slot Into Four
Designed for those who just can't decide what accessories to add, this multiplier turns a single PCIe slot into four.
Waveshare has launched another accessory for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 in the official IO Board carrier, this time splitting the single PCI Express slot out into four 1x slots — accessible using a clever packet switch chip.
Waveshare unveiled its desire to expand the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board carrier with low-profile add-ons late last year, with the launch of a flat board designed to split the board's single PCI Express slot into four high-speed USB 3.0 ports. Its latest design is another four-way add-on, but this time performing an apparent magic trick: Multiplying the single port into four.
Brought to our attention by CNX Software, the add-on board sits on the IO Board's single PCI Express slot and provides four 1x slots of its own — using an ASMedia ASM1184 PCI Express packet switch chip to expand the single lane available on the Compute Module 4.
The board installs with no software required, but users will need to feed it with a 12V input — and also to take note of power limits for the PCIe cards connected to its ports, which must draw less than 1.5A from the each slot's 3.3V pins.
The four-port expansion board is now available to order on Waveshare's Chinese outlet, priced at CNY144.90 (around $23.)