The graphics processor makes a big difference. I have several Dell SX-260 computers that run SDR programs painfully slow, despite 2 GB of RAM and 2.5 GHz CPU.
It turns out that Dell's graphic processor has no dedicated memory but rather shares normal RAM. That creates a huge bottleneck when running a graphics intensive program such as all the SDR software. Some is slightly worse than other but they all bog way down on the SX-260 compared with a machine with a separate graphics card and memory. Same SDR program on the SX-260 may run 70% CPU but only 10% on a computer with a separate graphics card and memory, with similar CPU speed and RAM. Jack K8ZOA On 2/19/2010 4:18 PM, ab2tc wrote: > I would have agreed if Windows had offered developers an easy way of > prioritizing threads and processes. But as far as I know it doesn't (or > developers don't know how to use it). In my experience the performance of a > PC with 90% CPU load is miserable for all processes running on it. With that > said, I don't see why PowerSDR should incur that kind of CPU load on a 3GHz > machine. I am running XP home edition on a dual core Dell at 2.9GHz and 2Gb > of RAM. My CPU utilization is hovering between 15 and 30% with all of the > following running: > > LP-Bridge > HRD > PowerSDR with EMU-0202 sound card at 192ks/s > VE7CC cluster client (highly recommended) > Iexplore composing this message > Thunderbird mail client > DX Atlas > > I can add more applications and the CPU barely nudges upwards. I think most > people would agree that a car that has to be driven always with the > accelerator nearly to the metal is underpowered and not much of a joy. I am > a firmware developer and we always worry whenever the CPU utilization > exceeds 50% even though we use OS's that allow intelligent prioritization of > tasks. > > AB2TC - Knut > > > Al Lorona wrote: > >> Just a minor point: There might be a misconception that high CPU >> utilization means your computer is inadequate for the task. >> >> Actually, you want the CPU to work hard for you. It isn't only CPU you >> should worry about, it's what is called the 'run queue'. The run queue >> determines how long your job has to wait until it's serviced by the >> computer. It's okay to have 100% CPU (and in fact you want it) if you >> don't have to wait at all. >> >> A person assessing the performance of a computer looks at several other >> things besides CPU when determining what to tune for better performance. >> >> >> Don Wilhelm-4 wrote: >> >>> >> >> >>> I am using a 3.0 GHz Pentium 4 with 1 GB of RAM, running >>> WinXP Pro and the CPU utilization ranges from 50% to 90%, so anyone >>> thinking of choosing this alternative with a lesser computer had better >>> think about a new computer first. >>> >> <snip> >> >> >> > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
