GTX 260 power connection question

[JerryO]

I installed a GTX 260 on Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P and I have the Antec Sonata III case. Like the description of the video card says on mysuperpc.com, there are two 6-pin PCI-E power connectors from the Antec Sonata III's power supply.

The video card's quickstart guide has a drawing of one connector and, unlike the Sonata III's connectors, it has one of the 6 pins disabled. Likewise, 2 adapter cables that came with the card have one pin disabled. I assume these cables are for use with PSUs that don't have PCI-E power connectors. I just want to be sure that it's OK for me to use the Sonata III's 6 pin connectors.

Also, there's a 3rd little cable that came with the card that looks like it could plug in next to the GTX 260's power connectors. I don't see it mentioned at all in the card's documentation, which seems to be lacking. What is this cable for?

[The Wise Monkey]

Is the extra little cable quite short and flat? If so, then it is a SLI cable and is used for joining two graphics cards together to offer more graphics power.

You will be fine using the PCI-e cables from your PSU.

[JerryO]

Thanks, Wise Monkey.

I think I found an explanation for the 2 pin connector at

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2398.

It says (for a Sparkle GTX 260):

"Next to the power connections is the 2-pin SP/DIF connector to bring an audio signal into the videocard for users that wish to output 1080i video & sound over HDMI (via HDMI-to-DVI adaptor, not included)."

Options, options. Maybe someday I'll use it.

[The Wise Monkey]

That's pretty cool of them, and a good idea as more and more people are using TVs as computer monitors these days.