MADRIX Forum

I am currently testing Madrix on an Intel I5 2.4GHz laptop with 4Gb Ram running Win7 64-bit. I noticed that when running multiple layers (3 layers running SCE Radial w/"Radar" shape) that it started to lag pretty bad. Looking at the processor it was spiked at 100% usage. This leads me to believe that either the onboard Intel graphics chip is not offloading processor load, or that Madrix is actually crushing the processor.

The matrix i was using was 640x480 - this was based on a 3.2m x2.1m screen with 400pixels/sqm (200 pixels per 1m length). Is my configuration incorrect? Or is this just really taxing Madrix heavily? If i was going to custom build a portable computer, would putting in a more robust video card help off load the processor? Is there a suggested video card to use for this type of application. I have looked over the "system requirements" to run Madrix and my current laptop far exceeds the specs, but there is no mention of a video card on there.

If anyone has machine specs on what they currently use to run this, i would appreciate them. Again, this is going to be outputting to and LED curtain 3.2m x 2.1m with 400 pixels/sq m.

Thanks,
Brad

Hi Brad,

MADRIX depends mainly on the processor, the video card is not so important.

The system requirements you have looked at are the minimum requirements for the general area of application.

But running 640x480 is so very different. Here is what the user manual states:

"Optimal computer specifications may vary greatly and depend mainly on these factors:
• Pixel resolution
• Type of output
• Effects in use
• Number of layers in use

The more pixels, effects, and layers are used, the more computer performance is required."

Because of all the live visual effects in real time, MADRIX heavily relies on the processor. The video card will not take off much of that processing load. A video card other than an onboard chip will help, but the CPU is far more important.

640x480 is currently one of the highest resolutions we would recommend for MADRIX. And thus we recommend a high-end computer with an Intel i7 desktop CPU.

Dannenberg thanks for your response. I actually had a chance to speak with Christian this morning and he got me straightened out. I believe it was a miscalculation on my part with regards to the size of the Matrix.

We figured out the entire matrix would be around 3072 pixels. Based on that we came up with a setup of around 70x40 pixels. (without having the actual screen to verify the correct size I was estimating) Setting up the Matrix with those sizes it was easily able to keep up with effects and layers.

Thanks for all your help though!

~Brad

I don't play games with my computer. What I mean by "best Video card" is primarily the one with the fewest bugs in the video driver software.
Every card I have ever used has had buggy drivers. Doing it wrong faster is not what I want.