Specifications

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System Requirements
Although Simian Remote will run on a variety of PC hardware platforms (we do not impose any
restrictions) for peace of mind, we strongly suggest that you consider purchasing a fully configured
system direct from BSI that is ready to operate out of the box (we can even pre-load a Music Library from
our MusicStore for you).
These hardware configurations have been thoroughly tested with Simian Remote and are known to work
well when properly configured by BSI Technicians. Most ‘off-the-shelf’ PCs will require careful
configuration as Multimedia machines, rather than general office computers.
BSI systems are built using Dell computers and include a 3-year On-Site Warranty; or we can customize
a 19" Rack Mounted solution for you using branded components that we have tried and tested.
If you decide to source your own hardware from other vendors then you will be responsible for any
additional costs incurred to correctly configure your Hardware or Windows Operating System. BSI
Technical Support is limited to hardware or software that BSI has supplied and reserves the right to
charge for configuration of third-party hardware / software that has been purchased elsewhere.
Our recommended platform is:
• Dell Optiplex GX780 Mid-Tower Computer configured with an Operating System hard drive and a
large storage hard drive dedicated to audio files. (A 250Gb hard drive will store 5,000+ songs in
Linear PCM format. We do not advise monitoring more audio files than this at any one given
time.)
• Intel Core2 Duo 2.4GHz or better
• Minimum 1GB RAM (2GB or more recommended)
• Windows XP Professional with SP3 or Windows 7 Professional 32bit (not 64bit)
• Professional AudioScience Audio Card with four playback devices and hardware mixer controls
and metering - plus decoding of MPEG Layer 2, or MP3 audio on the audio card. We publish the
latest tested drivers on our web site.
• 17" or larger monitor running at 1024 x 768 or higher resolution (1280x1024 4:3 ratio or 1600x900
16:9 ratio or higher recommended)
• Optional dual-output video card
• Optional touch-screen
• Optimized for multi-media play out by BSI technicians, rather than ‘appearance’ or office
applications. BSI Technical Support does not cover the cost of configuring computer systems or
other hardware not purchased by BSI.
Although Simian Remote will run on lesser configurations, this is known be a good, stable platform that
will run for extended periods of time. Please check with BSI Sales for latest model specifications. We do
not recommend running Simian or Simian Gateway on any server based operating System,
including Windows 2003 or 2008, nor do we recommend or support 64bit operating systems.
If you are sourcing your own computers & hardware, please ensure that all the hardware is fully
compatible with the motherboard - and pay particular attention to memory and cooling.
We have put together a list of some of the major pitfalls to avoid:
• Any server based operating system (including Windows 2003 or 2008)
• Windows Vista (any type) is not supported.
• Any 64bit operating system.
• Celeron or AMD Processors – we prefer Genuine Intel (Core 2 Duo, Core i or Xeon) CPUs
• Non-Intel Chipsets (these have all proved troublesome in the past)
• Software RAID / SCSI / Emulated Drives - use PATA & SATA drives and hardware RAIDs when
necessary.
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