> I like this approach and would appreciate being able to see some data > like this. However, I'd like to throw in my 2 cents here. An even > bigger issue than having "just" a 1GHz processor is: What processes are > running at the same time as the PowerSDR software? We have seen > instances where two people running similar specced computers (same CPU > speed, same amount of ram, same OS, etc) got very different PowerSDR > results because of what OTHER software was loaded and running on the > machine. If you have other sources competing for the CPU, you may > experience artifacts that wouldn't otherwise be there. > > I'll leave the issue of what to remove and what is necessary to someone > else to decide, but it is a good idea to know what processes are running > on your computer. > > > Eric Wachsmann > FlexRadio Systems >
In particular, do you have any of those distributed computing applications (e.g. [EMAIL PROTECTED] or equivalent)? These things all run at low priority, but they still run. It costs something to get them out of the way. They also tend to kill the cache. Since the PowerSDR basic digital signal processing loop is "real time" or "near real time" processing (as real time as the MS' OS allows at any rate), extra stuff, no matter how "low priority" it is, can make a difference. I know I run some of that stuff, I have for years in competitive teams, but you really have to remember to shut it off when you're serious about SDR performance, especially audio without dropouts. Certainly, when running CW and trying to work rare DX, I just don't want or need that stuff to be in the way. Larry WO0Z
