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Intel NUC

kg5eiu
kg5eiu Member ✭✭
edited March 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
I am a OS X user (Apple/Mac) but decided I needed to move my FlexRadio operations over to a dedicated Windows box - I took the plunge and got a Tiny Intel NUC - this thing is tiny and very very quiet.  Performance wise it seems to run SDR just fine full frames - I even ran it over the built in WiFi (which is AC enabled) and that performed fine.  (I was connected at 875M).  I picked  up the i7 model NUC5I7RYH added a 250G Samsung M.2 PCI SSD and an 8G of DRAM - I loaded up Windows 10 Preview.  All told it took me about 35min to build it, and load the OS off a USB-3 Stick.  Only ran into one issue with the DAX running under windows 10 - will figure that out later.
 Here are some photos of the NUC, did I mention out tiny it is?:

NUC, Memory and SSD boxed
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unboxed Intel NUC with memory and SSD
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The Back of the Intel NUC, Memory and SSD
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4 screws is all it take stop pop open the NUC - I added the memory
in Slot 1/A (it is the bottom one) and the Samsung M.2 SSD.
image



SDR running on the Intel NUC under Windows 10 Preview
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Only issue I had was loading the DAX under Windows 10 - but that is because I think my other system still had it up and running.   Hard to debug or ask for help on an OS that is not released - but it is looking good!
image

So far a positive experience with an Intel NUC.

regards,
-David KG5EIU

Answers

  • IW7DMH, Enzo
    IW7DMH, Enzo Member ✭✭
    edited January 2017
    Hello David,

    it is a great choice! I use a previous i5 model and it works very well. Your i7 will be far better :)
    Another great choice is the ultrawide 21:9 LG monitor like the LG models with 2560 x 1080 Pixel resolution.
    Good luck.

    73' Enzo
    iw7dmh

    image
  • kr4k
    kr4k Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    I have the same i7 model NUC, 16 GB RAM, 512G M.s drive, and 256G SSD. Works really well with SmartSDR. Like that the NUC will run on 12 VDC. Drives a 36" display via HDMI.
    73/gus  kr4k
  • rfoust
    rfoust Member ✭✭
    edited March 2017
    Yep the NUC devices are very nice, especially if you don't need a lot of horsepower or just want a small computer to play around with.  I drive a 4k monitor via hdmi with mine and watch movies on it.
  • Dan -- KC4GO
    Dan -- KC4GO Member
    edited March 2018
    @NUC users
    Looks great, but here is a question. Can it drive multiple monitors? I have two Samsung 27" HD monitors I currently use now. And would not like to loose the ability to put all the third party stuff on 1 and Flex on the other. Are both ports usable? 

  • Lee - N2LEE
    Lee - N2LEE Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Did you consider a Mac mini running with Bootcamp ?  At this way when a Mac client is finally available you can dump windows. :)
  • rfoust
    rfoust Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
  • Walt - KZ1F
    Walt - KZ1F Member ✭✭
    edited November 2016
    Or, you could wait a little bit and have a native Mac executable. Dumping Windows is an extremely praiseworthy and worthwhile goal. IMHO. Someone else's view may differ.
  • Asher - K0AU
    Asher - K0AU Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Glad to hear it works!  I used an i7 NUC with earlier versions of SSDR and it just didn't have enough GPU horsepower. Was driving two 1920x1080 screens.

    May dust it off and try again with the latest version.
  • kr4k
    kr4k Member ✭✭
    edited June 2015
    Yes. I have tried running two HDMI monitors, one using a direct mini-HDMI cable, and the other using a mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapter with a regular HDMI cable.

    73/gus
  • kr4k
    kr4k Member ✭✭
    edited June 2015
    Yes, have two MacMinis (mid 2010 and mid 2012) running BootCamp Win7. Have tried using them, and they perform OK. Noticed a performance improvement with the NUC.

    73/gus
  • Steve Parker
    Steve Parker Member
    edited June 2015
    I just bought the new i7 NUC......250 SSD .,.... 16 RAM.......LOVE IT! Runs my 6500, internet, stream live video...... No issues.
  • kg5eiu
    kg5eiu Member ✭✭
    edited December 2018
    I held out as long as I could - when the native mac SmartSDR client is here I'll have a NUC for sale ;) 

  • KD4HSO
    KD4HSO Member
    edited September 2015
    Does SSDR work on an i7 NUC at 4k with four panadapters?
  • Sergey R5AU
    Sergey R5AU Member ✭✭
    edited April 2017
  • Jon_EA2W
    Jon_EA2W Member ✭✭
    edited August 2017
    I use a Zbox Nano CI320 fanless and runs SmartSDR, N1MM and other stuff at the same time without any issues.
    image
    It runs an Intel Celeron N2930 (quad-core, 1.83 GHz) and 4 GB RAM.

    http://www.zotac.com/en/products/mini-pcs/zbox-c-series/product/zbox-c-series/detail/zbox-ci320-nano/sort/starttime/order/DESC/amount/10/section/specifications.html

    Zbox offers also big brothers with Intel I5 and I7 with same sizes.

    Very nice options.
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    We are starting to use the i7 NUC for our hamfest to drive the FLEX-6000s
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited December 2016
    Yes.
  • Bill Carnett
    Bill Carnett Member ✭✭
    edited December 2015
    Took your advice and bought the intel Nuc i5 also...felt vulnerable with Windows on my iMac...yes, probably unfounded.  Though probably due to my computer illiteracy but so far (3 wks) the 6500/Nuc just doesn't run as well as the 6500/iMac.  The issues, IMO,are due to Windows 10.  Freeze up, shut down, slow downloads, graphic delays, etc.  Of course I realize the machines are different.  However in these forum, the official line if somebody has an issue with Mac seems to be "it's built for Windows."  Perhaps, but  I continue to believe Apple is a much more stable platform than PC.  Wish Flexradio was formatted to specifically run on OS X (Apple)...I think everybody would be happier.  Yeah, I know, not scientific...just an appliance operator (if you all remember that phrase).  73 & Happy New Year.  Bill, AH6FC/W7

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