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WYSIWYG & VIVIEN Hardware Guide
This guide describes the principles of selecting the most appropriate hardware components for your intended use of wysiwyg and/or Vivien. Once you’ve read through it, you will be able to make informed decisions about your hardware requirements.
While the majority of information below pertains to desktop computers, the same principles apply when selecting a laptop. Some of the hyperlinks below point to web pages which list desktop processors and video cards, but in most cases, you can simply scroll down to see their “mobile counterparts”. When selecting a laptop, it is strongly recommended that you look for a “gaming” model, not a “mobile workstation”; “gaming” laptops will all feature the (mobile version of) the hardware described below; “mobile workstations” will feature most of the same components, but in nearly all cases a workstation-grade video card, which will work, but is not the most appropriate for use with wysiwyg and/or Vivien. Both apps work very well on gaming laptops by Alienware, ASUS and Razer; we have tested and used models from each of these manufacturers in-house.
Introduction
Before discussing the various components and the criteria for selecting them, there are four important things to note. We strongly recommend reading all this information (and following the advice) before considering new hardware purchases.
- Geometry must always be properly optimized, in all files, regardless of their complexity. Even the fastest / most expensive / “top of the line” hardware will not be able to properly-handle a file that is not optimized and therefore contains inefficient geometry. The key to understanding the optimization principles described here lies with the articles mentioned in the first paragraph of the first message, “Part 1” and “Part 2”; please ensure that you also click those links and read the information they reveal.
- Even in an optimized file performance can be poor if your video card driver is out-of-date and/or your video card’s settings and/or Shaded View options are inappropriate.
- A “good” video card, by itself, or a “good” processor (again, by itself) is not enough to make a “good” workstation. Instead, hardware selection should consist of components that work well together. For example, while it is likely possible to upgrade a three-year-old system with a latest-generation video card, the performance improvements will not be as significant as using that same video card in a system with newer (latest-generation) components.
- Hardware selection should be based on (a) the geometric complexity of the shows for which you typically use wysiwyg or Vivien, (b) the number and type of fixtures, and (c) your intended use of the software. In essence:
- The more complex or detailed the geometry, the more processing power it will require, so if you are constantly working with/importing “large” 3D models created in other software, a higher-end processor is recommended.
- The larger the number of fixtures in your file, the more processing and graphics power you will require, so if you constantly work on “(very) large shows” you will require a high-end processor and video card.
- If you are mainly concerned with visualization and/or pre-cueing, investing into a workstation-class CPU or GPU is not necessary—and if you considered this for your budget, the money would be better-spent on a higher-end gaming-grade video card. Even if you plan to render a lot (unlikely as that is these days) a workstation-class CPU is not necessary for wysiwyg work; please see more information about this in the next section.
Components
If after you’ve optimized your files and adjusted your settings as suggested, performance is still poor, you may indeed wish to consider upgrading some of your hardware – or perhaps purchasing a new system altogether. To that end, please find below an analysis of how to look at the various components (and what to consider for each).
Processor (CPU)
The processor defines the overall speed at which the computer, operating system and the software running on it, operates. More specifically for wysiwyg and Vivien, opening, importing or merging files, DMX processing, and the speed at which functions/commands complete are all directly-related to the CPU’s speed.
Both wysiwyg and Vivien are multi-threaded (they can use multiple CPU cores, and therefore (concurrent) tasks process faster) so they will take advantage of multiple/hyperthreaded processor cores. However, not all functions are multi-threaded, because in many cases the overhead required by multithreading (mainly the need to keep threads synchronized) results in lower performance; therefore, a processor’s speed, not its core count, should be the primary consideration when selecting the model. The amount of cache on a CPU should play no role in your purchase decision, since cache is managed by the operating system.
In nearly all cases, a desktop-/mobile-grade CPU is all that’s required for wysiwyg and Vivien work. (Please see the note below for information on workstation- and mobile workstation-grade processors.) No modern wysiwyg or Vivien workstation should feature anything older than an Intel Core 10th generation or a AMD Ryzen 3rd generation (Zen2) CPU. More specifically, the following should be considered, depending on your requirements:
- Intel Core i5 “Comet Lake-S”or AMD Ryzen 5 (Zen2) CPUs released in 2019 (or later) will provide good performance on most Vivien workstations and on wysiwyg workstations that are used mainly for drafting and paperwork, as long as files do not surpass moderate complexity, and with minimal Shaded/Virtual View work expected. (For Vivien, “moderate complexity” is a banquet- or conference-type event for up to two or three hundred attendees and without details such as (imported) furniture or décor elements, or place settings required. For wysiwyg, this means a show with fewer than 150 fixtures and without (many) complex set pieces.)
- Intel Core i7 “Comet Lake-S” / “Rocket Lake-S” / “Alder Lake” or AMD Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9 Zen2/ Zen3 processors released in 2020/2021 (or later) should be seriously considered for Vivien workstations typically used to design large events for 500(+) guests, especially if finer details such as custom furniture, décor elements, place settings, etc. need to be incorporated. Most wysiwyg workstations should feature such processors.
- Intel Core i9 “Rocket Lake-S” / “Alder Lake” or AMD Ryzen 9 / Threadripper Zen2 / Ryzen 9 Zen3 CPUs released in 2020/2021 or later will only offer an advantage in Vivien for very large events with over 1000 guests which need to incorporate many fine details. However, such CPUs should be strongly considered for any wysiwyg workstation where over three hundred fixtures and complex scenic elements need to be previsualized and/or where VR visualization is required.
If you plan to create a large number of high-resolution renderings (i.e., via the Render Wizard) for virtually every file you work on, given the fact that renderings are processed solely by the CPU (the video card/GPU has nothing to do with rendering) a workstation-class processor from Intel’s XEON line or AMD’s EPYC line may be worth the investment, but a high performance desktop-class CPU is all you should need even here. (Workstation-class processors’ much higher cost, along with the higher cost of the specialized hardware they require (specialized motherboard, registered/buffered RAM, possibly non-standard power supply, etc.) may not justify the somewhat shorter render processing times, and they offer no real advantage in any other areas of the software.)
Memory (RAM)
In most if not all cases, a wysiwyg/Vivien workstation should be configured with 16GB RAM. 8GB or less is not quite enough to have a pleasant experience running Windows, wysiwyg and/or Vivien, your email client, a web browser with a couple of tabs open and a handful of background tasks. 32GB (the next option after 16GB) is fine, but you will hardly see it utilized in full, unless the workstation is used for other tasks such as drafting or visualizing massive CAD files, or photo/video editing 4K (or above) content – in which case, having this much RAM will certainly come in handy.
The system’s memory configuration will be dictated by the memory architecture of the processor you select, which may be dual-channel or quad-channel. Considering that memory modules only come in sizes of 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and so on (always double the previous value) the following configurations are possible:
- For dual-channel memory (where modules are installed in multiples of two): 2GB (with two 1GB modules), 4GB (with two 2GB modules), 8GB (with two 4GB modules), and so on, always doubling a single module’s size.
- For quad-channel memory (where modules are installed in multiples of four): 4GB (with four 1GB modules), 8GB (with four 2GB modules), 16GB (with four 4GB modules), and so on, always quadrupling a single module’s size.
While installing memory in configurations other than the above is physically possible, this is not recommended. For example, you may install one 4GB module and two 8GB modules in a dual-channel motherboard (that features four RAM slots) for a total of 20GB of RAM. However, doing so will cause the system to operate in single-channel memory mode, and this will result in poor performance. A better option in this case, therefore, is to reduce the amount of RAM to 16GB, by eliminating the 4GB module altogether. All in all, the system should always be configured for dual-channel (most common) or quad-channel memory operation. Please consult your motherboard’s manual for information on memory configurations and on how to correctly install memory modules.
All processors mentioned above require DDR4 memory (the most common today) while a select few support DDR5 modules. (Note that the DDR5 standard is set to become the norm over the next couple of years, and may therefore be worth considering for future-proofing the system.) Always select memory modules that match the CPU’s memory architecture and that are supported by the motherboard you select. As far as their speed (frequency) is concerned, opt for modules which, at minimum, match the CPU’s memory interface frequency; using higher-speed modules can be advantageous, but beware of their potentially lower timings / higher latency – check their specifications to help you decide. Consulting your motherboard’s “Qualified RAM Vendor List” is recommended, as the RAM modules listed therein have been tested by the manufacturer and are therefore known to be fully-compatible with the motherboard. Finally, purchasing a memory kit as opposed to individual memory modules is highly recommended, since modules within a kit ensure (near-)perfect compatibility with each other.
Video Card (GPU)
The speed of wysiwyg’s Shaded Views and Vivien’s Virtual Views depends entirely on the video card (GPU), which should be of the gaming-grade variety. Workstation-grade video cards may be used, but they offer no performance advantages over their “gaming counterparts” (and this does not justify their much higher cost where a wysiwyg/Vivien workstation is concerned); the note at the end of this guide explains why workstation-grade video cards are not appropriate for use with wysiwyg.
While both wysiwyg and Vivien can utilize the integrated graphics processor (IGP) built into some of the CPUs mentioned above, it is strongly recommended, in most cases, that a dedicated video card (GPU) is installed. This is due to the fact that IGPs can lack many of the features required by Shaded/Virtual Views, and this affects not only the quality of Shaded Views but, even more so, their performance.
For most wysiwyg workstations, as well as for Vivien workstations used to design large events, the only GPUs that will work well are NVIDIA’s high-end GeForce GTX 1600– or RTX 2000– or RTX 3000-series, or AMD’s Radeon high-end RX 5000– or RX 6000-series. For most Vivien workstations, as well as for wysiwyg workstations where little visualization will be performed, the lower-end models from the same series will work very well; IGPs may be considered in such cases, but, again, are not recommended.
In all cases, modern video cards come with an adequate video memory, and none (at the time of this writing) offer different memory configurations, so unlike in the past, there are no options to choose from. The only thing to consider related to video memory is the Ultra High image export feature, which requires a minimum of 8GB for video RAM; if this is an option you wish to use, ensure that choose a video card with at least this much RAM.
Any of nVIDIA’s and AMD’s current- and previous-generation video cards work very well. For NVIDIA, models lower than “xx60 Ti” will work well for most Vivien workstations (except if used to design large events) but these should only be considered for wysiwyg workstations where little to no visualization is required, or where only small and basic shows need to be visualized; the same applies to AMD models lower than “x600”. For actual model recommendations, please see the system requirements.
Using multiple video cards in one system via NVIDIA’s “SLI” or AMD’s “CrossFireX” technologies was once worth considering, but these technologies have now been discontinued. As such we can no longer recommend them, and we do not support them.
When choosing which actual video card to purchase, remember that you always get the same GPU: only the card itself, and its cooling solution, is made by the different manufacturers that sell the hardware. As such, if you purchase a “reference design” card (one that is not overclocked) there will be no difference in performance between, one made by ASUS and one made by EVGA. However, most manufacturers produce “overclocked” video cards which perform faster than “reference design” cards and are therefore recommended. The “higher numbers are better” rule applies here, so when comparing various cards’ specifications, higher clock speeds mean better performance. This is the obvious advantage of purchasing a factory-overclocked card; the other is that the factory overclock is covered by warranty, whereas warranty would not cover a card that you attempt to overclock yourself and happen to break as a result. Finally, speaking of warranty, some manufacturers offer longer periods than others, so that may be worth your consideration as well.
Motherboard
Should you opt to purchase a factory-built computer (i.e. one manufactured by Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) instead of building your own or having a local or online computer shop build it for you, you will not have a choice when it comes to the motherboard and features it offers. (A custom build is recommended in order to have complete control over its hardware.)
While specific motherboard recommendations are beyond the scope of this guide, here are some things to keep in mind when selecting your motherboard:
- Ensure that its chipset is compatible with the processor you’ve selected. (For example, Intel’s ”Comet Lake-S” processors can operate on any of six chipsets, each with its own set of features, advantages, and disadvantages, which may or may not play a part in your decision.)
- It should feature the necessary amount of PCI Express (PCIe) slots to accommodate the expansion cards (video card(s), video capture card(s), etc.) that you will need to connect to the system. Consider any potential future expansion as well.
- Ensure that the motherboard features the number of PCIe Lanes you require, regardless of the PCIe slots’ physical size. Many motherboards offer, for example, x4-size or even x8-size PCIe slots which are only wired for x1 operation; in such cases, even though an expansion card that requires x4 signaling will fit (physically) into the PCIe x4 or x8 slot, that card will not work. Carefully check the motherboard’s technical specification or manual for this information.
- This should not be a problem, but ensure that it features enough USB 3.0/3.1/3.2/Thunderbolt and SATA 3.0 connections to meet your peripheral & drive connectivity requirements. (Any motherboard sold these days will feature the USB 2.0 port required for the wysiwyg or Vivien dongle.)
Drives
Solid State Drives (SSDs), regardless of form factor (M.2 or 2.5”) have become the norm, and no modern computer should feature anything else for its system drive. An SSD will make no difference to wysiwyg’s speed except when loading (large) files and when the library needs to be (re-)indexed, but will deliver a faster overall speed when compared to using a traditional hard drive (HDD) as the system drive. (HDDs may be used as secondary/storage drives.)
Power Supply (PSU)
A factory- or shop-built computer will come with the correct power supply, but if you build your own system, you will have to choose it yourself. Consider the following when selecting this very important piece of hardware:
- Use an online tool such as Extreme Power Supply Calculator Lite to calculate your power requirements and therefore determine the wattage you should select. When using such tools, if you foresee the addition expansion cards or USB devices in the future, add them to the initial calculation in order to factor them into the initial PSU purchase.
- The PSU should provide enough power to supply the system under heavy load, but not much more. For example, if, based on your input, the power calculator determines that your system requires a 750W PSU, there is no reason to choose a 1000W unit.
- It should feature the necessary number, and correct type, of connectors required by the motherboard, video card and all other hardware that depends on power being supplied directly by the PSU. Note that all video cards mentioned above require at least one 6- or 8-pin power connection, while the higher-end cards require two.
- “Fully-modular” PSUs are not necessarily worth considering because power connectors such as the ones which plug into the motherboard are ALWAYS required, and hence, modularity is irrelevant. “Semi-modular” PSU are not a bad idea though, as less cables and connectors mean less clutter within the case, ensuring better airflow/cooling.
- While 80 PLUS certification is not irrelevant, it need not be the primary concern when selecting the PSU.
- Ultimately, your PSU selection should be based on reviews, manufacturer’s reputation and price (in this order); it is worth noting that when it comes to PSUs, “more expensive” almost never means “better”. Consider your selection carefully: potential damage to expensive components caused by a “cheap” PSU is simply not worth the risk.
Cooling
The cooling solution that is bundled with most CPUs these days is typically adequate for normal operation (and neither wysiwyg nor Vivien can task the CPU beyond its specification). However, if you plan to overclock or if you simply desire a quieter machine, you will require an after-market CPU cooler, which can be of either the air or the liquid variety. Closed-loop liquid coolers may be used for a quieter solution (note that these still use fans to cool the liquid – which itself is moved around by a noise-producing pump) but are only really required when overclocking. Many manufacturers offer a very wide selection of both; once again, consider basing your selection on features your require first, reviews second and price last.
Keeping all of your hardware cool is very important for maintaining its lifespan, so ensure that your case can accommodate enough fans for your needs and that all cables are neatly tucked away so as not to impede airflow. If you are not familiar with case cooling concepts, reading articles such as this or others found by a simple Google search is highly recommended.
Confirming Your Hardware Selection
Now that you have read and understood the information above, should you have specific questions regarding components that you are considering, or if you have a new system in mind, please send us the specification/components list, and we will be glad to discuss them with you. In addition to the specs, please provide information about your intended use of wysiwyg and/or Vivien, such as the number and type of fixtures you typically use in a show, and the complexity of stage setup and/or sets (in terms of 3D geometry). We look forward to hearing from you!
Endnote
Here is why a workstation-grade video card is inappropriate for wysiwyg and Vivien. The technologies that wysiwyg and Vivien employ in Shaded/Virtual Views are similar in many ways to those used in video games, and that is why they work best on gaming-grade video cards. Workstation-grade cards are designed to provide “pixel-perfect” simulation, so they must ensure that every pixel they render to the screen is the exact colour that it is supposed to be. As always when it comes to quality versus performance, this is achieved by sacrificing frame rates (performance) in order to ensure accuracy (quality). Gaming cards on the other hand, do not analyze their output in such ways, and can therefore provide much higher frame rates: the less time spent on analysis the faster frames can be processed. In wysiwyg especially, since the Shaded View must be able to simulate (animate) large and very large amounts of beams from multiple fixture types in real time while processing large amounts of incoming DMX data, this can simply not be achieved with “slower” workstation cards (note the intentional quotes).