"Now, if you had a regular radio, would you install a toaster in it?"
Maybe. Will it toast bagels and heat up Geno's Pizza Rolls? That would prevent me from having to leave the shack and go to the kitchen for a snack. Add a cappuccino machine and we're in business! :-) All kidding aside. You post is full of great suggestions. -Tim -----Original Message----- From: flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of Woodrick, Ed Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 7:25 PM To: Flex Radio Subject: [Flexradio] Choice of PCs Wow, check the forum today and there's been a lot of messages, many about the choice of computer. Now, I'm not a Flex expert, but I do know computers, and I feel that I can definitely stand behind the following statements. It will be next to impossible to guarantee that a computer is going to work with the Flex radios. The hardware of the computer is only part of the equation, the OS is only a part, the loaded software and configuration can be a MUCH bigger part. Anti-virus and processor speed utilities can have very detrimental impact to operation. If your anti-virus program is set to scan the disk, memory, or anything else, it can, all by itself, on the fastest computer that exists, make the performance abysmal. What will help is to have a very basic OS installation with known good peripherals such as Firewire ports. If you get a new computer that comes with the Google Toolbar and/or anti-virus or anything non-Windows already installed, your performance may already be an issue. Many computer professionals automatically reload the operating system without all of the add-ons when they get a new computer. Once you have a clean Operating System installed, stop there. Don't install any other programs. Don't install Microsoft Office. Don't install your anti-virus. DO run Windows Update and get ALL of the latest updates. DO install PowerSDR and hookup to your radio. Test, Test, Test. Talk, Talk, Talk. Now, if you had a regular radio, would you install a toaster in it? What about using it as a remote control. Hopefully your answer is no. So why do you make your SDR controller a Word Processor? A game machine? A movie viewer? If you must, you can add the extra features to the PC, but do it one at a time and test and talk after you add each one. So, in my book it really doesn't matter what computer anyone else is using. Unless I know the hardware, the peripherals, and all of the software on it, I can't compare it to anything else. Ed WA4YIH _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
