Computer Systems fine-tuned for SDR activities
One of the critical success factors in using modern software-defined radios (SDRs) is often overlooked during the decision process of buying a new radio: your computer. In the early days of experimentation with SDRs, we thought that processor speed and overall computer utilization was the critical success factor. A holdover of this school of thought is that many SDR consoles show the system utilization on the main panel.
It was a bit of a shock, however, when new SDR owners, who do not spend days tuning their systems, started running into troubles. They would buy the latest desktop computer from the local big-box store, plug in the radio and start seeing problems. These problems are evident by the console freezing up or losing communications with the radio (which is just on the other end of the FireWire cable!) These computers normally had the latest in CPU technology and their computer system had every bell and whistle ever imagined, yet it couldn't run a program that a small system such as an Intel Atom 330 could run with no problems (if set up correctly).
So, there has been a major change in thought regarding what a good system should look like for a SDR-based amateur radio shack:
- No fancy, do-everything motherboard (the more features of the motherboard, the more likelihood that you will have data path congestion on the board)
- The fastest processor with the most cores is not the best chip. In reality, SDR consoles don't use a ton of processor time, so why pay for it?
- Its better to dedicate your computer to your SDR operation than having one computer do everything. Many people find that when downloading email, their radio pauses or freezes. Do email on a different computer!
The two critical success factors for a SDR computer are very low latency at
the driver layer of Windows as well as congestion on the IRQ that the FireWire
or USB cards are using. Unfortunately, many motherboards engineer the peripherals (whether the built-in type or ones you plug into a PCI/PCIe slot) only on a few (often just 2) IRQs. A recent Dell computer in my shop had all peripherals assigned mainly to IRQ 16 and 17. There was no way this system would run well as a SDR computer without turning off some of the system devices. Long gone are the days where you could assign the IRQ used by a device!
Low-cost high performance
Windows 7 SDR System
So the search began for a low-cost, high-performance system that could guarantee a dedicated IRQ to the FireWire card
and very low latencies for PowerSDR. This system utilizes:
- Asus M4A87T ATX motherboard
- AMD Athlon AthlonII X2 260 CPU, two fast cores running at 3.2 GHz
- ATI HD 6450 1GB video card
- 4 gigabytes of DDR3-1333 RAM
- 500GB SATA II drive
- 24xDVD/CD burner utilizing a SATA II port
- LaCie Firewire card using TI chipset
- NZXT Source 210 Medium ATX Tower
- 450 watt power supply
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Edition x86
- Virtual Audio Cables software soundcard emulator
- Installation and setup of all relevant software, including HRD/DM780, Fldigi, DDUtil, K9DUR voice keyer, VSP Manager
- Emergency software backup/restore disks.
We install your favorite software and configure it so that it works the minute you power it up. We install PowerSDR, Ham Radio Deluxe/DM780, Fldigi, and all current Flex drivers. We install VSPMgr for usage of virtual comm ports. We also
highly tune Windows 7 to eliminate unwanted services and optimize operational parameters.
We will test your system with your FLEX-1500, FLEX-3000 or FLEX-5000 radios, depending on your shack radio, ensuring that when we ship your computer, you can have confidence it is ready to run!
Medium-cost, expandable and more powerful SDR System
Many customers asked about having a larger system that was more powerful, able to expand while still being tuned for high SDR performance.
This system utilizes:
- Asus M4A87TD EVO ATX Motherboard
- AMD Phenom X4 965 processor, 4 fast cores at 3.4GHz
- ATI Radeon HD 6770 1GB Graphics card
- 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
- 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
- Blu-ray Reader/24x CD/DVD Writer
- LaCie 3 port Firewire Card
- Thermaltake Dokker Medium ATX Tower case
- 550W CrossFire Ready power supply
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
- Virtual Audio Cables
- Automated system backup software
We install your favorite software and configure it so that it works the minute you power it up. We install PowerSDR, FlexLoader, HotWheels, Ham Radio Deluxe/DM780, Fldigi, and all current Flex drivers. We install VSPMgr for usage of virtual comm ports. We also fine-tune Windows to eliminate unwanted services and optimize operational parameters.
We will test your system with either FLEX-3000 or FLEX-5000 radios, depending on your shack radio, ensuring that when we ship your computer, you can have confidence it is ready to run!
Premium SDR System with the power to last years in the shack!
Many customers asked about having an Intel i7-based system that would guarantee years of service due to quality parts and its obsolete-proof capability.
This system utilizes:
- Asus Sabertooth x58 MOTHERBOARD that has two video SLI-capable PCIe slots, two PCI slots, gigabyte LAN, and 7 USB 2 and 2 USB 3 slots
- Intel i7 970 CPU, six fast cores with Hyperthreading resulting in 12 hyperthreads running at 3.2 GHz
- ATI Radeon HD 6870 1GB PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
- 12 gigabytes of DDR3 1600 triiple channel RAM
- 128GB SATA III 6.0GBS solid state disk
- 1TB Sata III Western Digital disk drive
- LG Blu-ray Writer Black SATA II drive
- LaCie TI controller 1394 card
- Corsair Graphite Series 600T CC600TM Mid-Tower Gaming Case
- 700W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Power Supply
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Edition x64
- Virtual Audio Cables, a software sound card emulator
We install your favorite software and configure it so that it works the minute you power it up. We install PowerSDR, Ham Radio Deluxe/DM780, Fldigi, and all current Flex drivers. We install VSPMgr for usage of virtual comm ports. We also fine-tune Windows to eliminate unwanted services and optimize operational parameters.
We will test your system with either FLEX-1500, FLEX-3000 or FLEX-5000 radios, depending on your shack radio, ensuring that when we ship your computer, you can have confidence it is ready to run!
While there is no parallel port present on the backplane, there is an option to install a PCI LPT port for usage with switching equipment and SDR-1000 radios.
This system is built with the most reliable, quickest and quietest parts available today. We continually refine and improve the configuration as new items are released.
Services tailored to make your SDR System really perform!
If you love your current computer yet wish you could benefit from the years of tweaking machines that we have, you can use our In-house Tuning/tweaking service. You pay shipping both ways, plus a small surcharge on top of the current price for any new parts as quoted on newegg.com
We charge $150 for this service unless we determine that the system will not benefit, at which time we will just charge for its return trip to you! Select this item from the Computer section of our stare to get your computer running faster than ever!
We also can do remote installation and tweaking via TeamViewer
remote support software. This $175.00 service is only recommended
for those users with a broadband connection. Enjoy a highly
performant Flex Radio on your current computer, tuned and
installed by a professional!
Coming Soon!
We are producing Installation and Tweaking Guides, based on our years of experience. These documents, reasonably priced, will guide you with pictures and numbered steps in order to achieve and maintain your own highly-tweaked SDR System.
We are also working on providing fully tweaked and configured system images, available on self-booting Dvds that will instantly provide you with a great SDR system. Go to town, buy that Weekend Special at the local computer store, then buy our system image. Separate images will be available for Windows 7 Home Premium (both x86 and x64) and Windows 7 Professional (x86 and x64). Purchase of a system image also comes with 15 days of remote support in order to fully enable the best from your system.
SDR-1000, FLEX-1500, FLEX-5000, FLEX-3000, FlexReady, PowerSDR are trademarks of FlexRadio Systems. FlexRadio Systems is not associated with this offer in any regards. FlexRadio Systems in no way is responsible for the operation or support of computer systems sold by Abroham Neal Software.
FireWire� is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc., under license
