PYRAMIX Virtual Studio - Suggested PC configuration

 Pyramix Compatibility and Upgrade Information as of July 2008

 

Windows OS Version – Pyramix Version 
 

Windows OS Version*

MassCore**

Mykerinos

Native

Windows Vista SP1

NO

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

Windows Vista

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

Windows XP SP3

NO

6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

Windows XP SP2

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2, 5.0, 5.1, 4.3

6.0, 6.0 SP1, 6.0 SP2, 5.0, 5.1, 4.3

Windows XP SP1

NO

5.1, 5.0, 4.3

5.1, 5.0, 4.3

Windows XP

NO

4.3

4.3

Windows 2000

NO

4.3

4.3

*All versions of Windows operating systems mentioned are 32-bit. Pyramix is currently not compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems. 

**MassCore is a paid software option (included in Merging’s current MassCore software packs) that is compatible only with versions 6.0 and higher of Pyramix. If you are currently running version 5.1 or earlier of Pyramix and you wish to use MassCore you must first upgrade Pyramix to version 6.0. Please also note the hardware requirements necessary to use MassCore in the recommended above. Please note the “Minimum System Requirements” section detailing the IT hardware necessary to run MassCore especially noting the use of an Intel Core2 Quad processor as the heart of the system. 

Windows Vista SP1 – Not supported with MassCore

Please note that Pyramix 6.0, 6.0 SP1 and 6.0 SP2 with MassCore are not currently supported under Windows Vista SP1 

Windows XP SP3 – Not supported with MassCore or versions before 6.0 SP1 of Pyramix

  • Please note that Pyramix with MassCore is not currently supported under Windows XP SP3.
  • Please also note that Pyramix is only compatible with Windows XP SP3 from version 6.0 SP1 and that no versions of Pyramix 6.0, 5.1 or earlier are compatible with Windows XP SP3.

Windows XP SP2 – Pyramix version 6.0 supported in Windows XP SP2

  • Please note that the minimum service pack version of Windows XP supported by Pyramix version 6.0 and higher is SP2. Pyramix 6.0 is not supported in Windows XP SP1 and lower.
  • Please also note that versions 5.1 and earlier of Pyramix are not supported above Windows XP SP2.

Update Information

Upgrading Pyramix 5.1 to 6.0 after December 1st 2006. If a Pyramix customer has purchased version 5.1 of Pyramix after December 1st 2006 that customer has the right to an upgrade to version 6.0 free of charge.

 

 SUGGESTED MOTHERBOARDS

 

Here is a list of a few recent motherboards which have been tested compatible with Pyramix. 

Considering the huge PC variability that exists worldwide and keeps changing at a high rate, this list cannot be exhaustive but will regularly be updated with newer, commercially available motherboards.

 

Manufacturer Model Processor Chipset Ram Slots  LAN RAID Firewire Serial ATA Optical drive Graphics Built
 Asus  

 P5E64 WS Evolution

  1x Q6600 2.4 GHz  Intel X48  2x1GB DDR3 2xPCI,
1xPCIe-4x,
4xPCIe-16x		 Gigabit x 2 ICH9R  onboard 6x SATA2, 2x eSATA Lite-On LH-20A1H (**) ATI HS 3470 dual DVI Q4 2008
Intel

 DX48BT2

 1x Q6600 2.4 GHz Intel X48 2x1GB DDR3 2x PCI, 2x PCIe 16x, 1 PCIe 4x Gigabit ICH9R onboard 6x SATA2, 2x eSATA Lite-On LH-20A1H (**) ATI HS 3470 dual DVI Q4 2008
Intel DP35DP 1x E6550 2.33 GHz P35 2x512MB DDR2 2xPCI,
3xPCIe-1x,
1xPCIe-16x		 Gigabit ICH8R/ICH9R onboard 6x onboard Lite-On LH-20A1H (**) ATI X1550 Q3 2007
Asus P5WD2 1x E6300 1.86 GHz P965 2x512MB DDR2 3xPCI, 3xPCIe Gigabit RocketRaid 2300 PCIe onboard 4x onboard Plextor PX-755 ATI X1300 Q4 2006
Intel DG965WH(*) 1x E6300 1.86 GHz G965 2x1024MB DDR2 3xPCI 3xPCIe Gigabit ICH8R onboard 6x onboard Plextor PX-755 ATI X1300 Q4 2006
Intel DP965LT(*) 1x E6300 1.86 GHz P965 2x512MB DDR2 3xPCI 3xPCIe Gigabit RocketRaid 2300 PCIe onboard 4x onboard Plextor PX-755 ATI X1300 Q3 2006
Intel D975XBX 1x PD 930 3.0 GHz 975X 2x512MB DDR2 2xPCI 2xPCIe Gigabit ICH7R onboard 8x onboard Plextor PX-755 ATI X1300 Q3 2006
Intel D945PVS(*) 1x P4 630 3.0 GHz i945P 2x512MB DDR2 4xPCI 2xPCIe Gigabit ICH7R onboard 4x onboard Plextor PX-716 ATI X700 Q4 2005
Intel D955XBK 1x P4 530 3.0 GHz i955X 2x512MB DDR2 3xPCI 2xPCIe Gigabit ICH7R onboard 8x onboard Plextor PX-712 ATI X600 Q3 2005
Asus P4C800E Deluxe 1x P4 3GHz HT i875P 2x512MB DDR400 5xPCI 1xAGP8x Gigabit SATA1&2 onboard onboard Plextor PX-712 ATI 9600 Q3 2004

(*) Requires a hardware modification in order to comply to the PCI Express standard and provide adequate power supply to x1 PCI Express cards, such as Merging's MYK-X30. Please contact your local Merging Sales Partner for more info about the hardware modification of those motherboards.

(**) PX-800 drives were originally supplied with Pyramix workstations in Oct./Nov. 2007, but now replaced with the Lite-On DH-20A4H09C burner which appears to be a more reliable unit.

WARNINGS:

  • WARNING: Intel Chipset 5xxx family & PCI Express MYK-X30/X50 board(s)
    Motherboards based on the Intel chipset 5000 family is known to present compatibility problems with our PCI Express MYK-X30 board(s).
    Though we have to say that in very specific and rare situations with exactly the right combination of BIOS / Chipset / CPU we have seen MYK-X30 cards behave fine on such motherboards, this can not be achieved often enough to come up with a valid set of suggestions for this to work accurately and repeatedly on different systems.
    Hence, our decision to register motherboards with Intel chipset 5000 family as non suitable for MYK-X30 cards.

     

  • WARNING: Merging has very recently found out a few inconveniences with all Intel X38 chipset-based platforms (ie Foxconn X38).
    We have identified some boot-up difficulties (such as not booting up once every n times) whenever two or more PCie cards were installed in such platforms.
    Problems would typically occur when both a MYK-X30/X50 is installed at the same time as an AJA PCIe x4 video card or when a AJA plus a PCie fibre-channel adapter card are installed simultaneously.
    This means we are, as of today, no longer recommending any Intel X38 based chipset motherboards as a general rule, even if such systems have been found to operate reliably when only MYK-X30/X50 are being used for Pyramix systems or only a combination of AJA and MYK-MB2 is used for VCube systems. Further description of the specific technical limitations identified in the X38 chipset can be found here.
    Merging is in the process of evaluating new X48 based motherboards but until we are in a position to have complete certification of one or more such systems, we recommend the Intel DP35DP motherboard for all Pyramix systems that do not require any PCIe slots with more than x1 capability.

     

  • WARNING: All Pyramix systems running Windows Vista require at least 2GB of Ram but no more than 3GB! There is currently a known MassCore issue with systems containing more than 3 GB of RAM in version 6.0.
     

More info about hardware (in)compatibility can be found in the Forum, Support section, here: http://forum.merging.com/viewforum.php?f=26

 RECOMMENDED CD / DVD OPTICAL DRIVES
 

As of today, all drives conforming to MMC standard should work with DiscWrite / Pyramix. This represents about 99.99% of all currently manufactured optical units. Until we found problems with the Plextor PX-800, we always recommended PX 712, 716, 755, 760 and 800 from Plextor "Pro" series. As of April 2008, we now recommend the Lite-On DH-20A4H09C burners which comes bundled with Nero 7 Essentials which includes a CD quality verification tool.

Note: Some users have encountered compatibility issues when printing CD images with large number of Tracks and/or Indexes, such as "Sound Library" CDs with 80 tracks / 800 index, on Pioneer DV-106 and LG 4163B, while Plextor Premium and 712/716 work OK. This issue is currently under investigation by our drivers manufacturer.

 

 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

 

  • Intel Core 2 Duo or Core2 Quad recommended (required for MassCoreTM)

  • minimum 1GB RAM under Windows XP. Minimum 2GB under Windows Vista NOTE: Never install more than 3GB of RAM in any Pyramix 6.0 system using MassCore.

  • IDE, SATA or SCSI System Hard Disk

  • PCIe graphic card with resolution of 1024x768 or better (ideally Dual-Head for twin screen operations) ATI X1550 series or higher.

  • SATA 2/ RAID HD  for Audio Storage

  • SVGA 17" monitor (19" or better recommended)

  • 3 button mouse

  • USB 2 or Firewire (better) for ASIO Audio

  • Windows XP Pro SP2 ( For Windows Vista, please check announcement here: http://forum.merging.com/viewtopic.php?t=2759 )

Please be aware that Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Vista Service Pack 1 is not yet compatible with Pyramix 6 running MassCore.

 

 MINIMUM DISPLAY REQUIREMENTS

 

Please note that Pyramix requires a Windows XP Pro or Vista Business (for Pyramix 6.0) workstation with a minimum display resolution of 1024x768 256 colors (in small fonts mode).