User guide

MS-DMT Guide v1.04
Released 05-30-2014
22
PC HARDWARE AND OS REQUIREMENTS
The best results when using this software are obtained when it is run on a dedicated PC that
has been configured with a fresh OS install that has no networking enabled, especially no
wireless networking or other non-essential MS-DMT related applications in use.
There are significant CPU and memory demands on the PC due to the modems receiver DSP
processing and significant demands on the PC sound device. The best results when using this
software are obtained when it is run on a dedicated PC that has been configured with a fresh OS
install that has no networking enabled or other applications in use.
Storage requirements by the MS-DMT and the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 C++ redistribution
runtime libraries are rather low and the application can be run off a USB stick or other media
once properly installed, to include installed to bootable portable media.
A computer with one or more older Intel Pentium 4 HT processors @ 3.06Ghz (some later Intel
P4 models that had Hyper-Threading disabled and are not suitable) or compatible CPU
supporting Hyper-Threading Streaming SIMD (Single instruction, multiple data) Extensions (SSE)
2 and a minimum of 1GB of physical RAM (with 2GB recommended) and 3GB virtual memory
running either Windows XP Home or XP Professional, SP3 Build 2600 minimum is required for
use with the MS-DMT software. The software will NOT work properly on a lesser PC system.
During the continuing development of MARS-ALE v3.00 the minimum PC and OS requirements
may again change prior to its entering life cycle maintenance. At this time it can be assumed
that Windows XP support will likely cease, but by then we are talking 1 to 2 years past Microsoft
dropping Windows XP support which already occurred in April 2014. Even though Windows
Vista is scheduled for end of support in April 2017, it may too may cease to be supported in
MARS-ALE when XP support is dropped considering the low number of MARS Vista users, most
of which who have already moved to either Windows 7 or Windows 8 with their made for Vista
PC hardware. This move will allow taking full advantage of Windows 7 features in MARS-ALE
v3.00 by the time it enters life cycle maintenance.
MS-DMT can be used with external Terminal applications such as the Army MARS ACP
Communications Terminal or the BlockTerm Communications Terminal. The use is similar to
using those applications with a hardware modem where the PC that is running the MS-DMT
would equate to the stand alone hardware modem. The minimum systems configuration in the
form of a Dell GX-520 was heavily tested with during development of the software and found to