Experiences with FlexRadio software on Intel Core i7 laptops: How does it handle signal processing a

emilyawalker123

Hey FlexRadio Community,

I've recently started using FlexRadio software on my Intel Core i7 laptop, and I'm curious to hear about others' experiences with signal processing and real-time operation on this hardware configuration. Specifically, I'm interested in how well the FlexRadio software performs in handling these tasks and whether there are any tips or insights to optimize performance.

For those who have used FlexRadio software on Intel Core i7 laptops https://www.lenovo.com/fr/fr/d/i7-laptops/ , I'd love to hear about your experiences. How does the software handle signal processing, particularly in terms of sensitivity, clarity, and accuracy?

Have you noticed any lag or latency issues during real-time operation, such as when adjusting frequencies or making quick adjustments?

Additionally, I'm curious about any specific features or functionalities of the FlexRadio software that you find particularly useful or impressive on an Intel Core i7 laptop.

On the flip side, if you've encountered any challenges or limitations while using FlexRadio software on your Intel Core i7 laptop, such as compatibility issues, software glitches, or hardware constraints, please feel free to share those as well. It's important to hear about both the positives and negatives to get a comprehensive understanding of the software's performance on this platform.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to gather some valuable insights and recommendations to help optimize my FlexRadio experience on my Intel Core i7 laptop and ensure that I'm getting the most out of both the software and the hardware.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and expertise!

Looking forward to the discussion.

VE7ATJ_Don

Hi Emily (? -- sorry, I'm guessing, based on your username...)

I believe one of the major differences in the Flex implementation of SDR is that the flex box and firmware does most of the signal capture and processing. The SmartSDR software running on the computer/laptop is mainly handling display and control functions (i.e. telling the Flex firmware what to do). Hence, the 'load' on the CPU of the computer is actually fairly light. It makes the Flex implementation able to run over the internet (fully remote) and on relatively 'light' CPU machines.

I don't think you'll see any real advantage/change in an i7 core computer over any other -- except maybe in terms of running mulltiple other applications at the same time. There are a number (FLdigi and the JSTX ones come to mind) that are, in themselves, pretty cpu-intensive and will benefit from multi-core CPUs and more RAM.

I've noticed you've posted this in the 'legacy' forum. Are you asking about the 1000, 3000 and/or 5000 series? Here, there may be some noticeable difference because of the firewire interface.

Trucker

Since you posted this in the legacy radios section, it would help knowing which Flex radio you are using. I have used my older i7 laptop with both my Flex 6600M and my 5000A. The 5000A put the most strain on the laptop's resources as most of the processing takes place in the pc as PowerSDR is a **** client application.

With my 6600M and SmartSDR, the i7 has no problem running SmartSDR and resources are not as heavily used. I can run SmartSDR over my network's WiFi connection without problem. I have to connect directly to my laptop using an ethernet to USB adapter to get acceptable performance.

James

WD5GWY