System Requirements

For peace of mind, we strongly suggest that you consider a fully configured system direct from BSI that is ready to operate out of the box.

While Simian 2.3 uses no proprietary hardware, just an ordinary Windows 10 or 11 Pro 64-bit equipped PC. It is very important to have off-the-shelf machines configured and optimized professionally for multimedia performance and long-term reliability.

Purchasing a complete system of hardware and software from BSI means that you benefit from our years of in-house expertise as we carefully select hardware components and then custom configure all the computers we sell for reliable and robust multimedia playout.

These systems are built using Lenovo computers and include a 3-year On-Site Warranty; or we can customize a 19″ Rack Mounted solution for you using carefully selected and tested branded components.

Our recommended hardware platforms are detailed on our computer systems pages. If you are sourcing your own computers & hardware, please ensure that all the hardware is fully compatible with the motherboard – and pay particular attention to memory and cooling.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

We have put together a list of some of the major pitfalls to avoid when building your own system:

• Any server based operating system (including Windows 2003, 2008, 2012), Windows Vista, or any OS older than Windows 10; our supported operating systems are Windows 10 or 11 Pro 64-bit. No other operating systems (including any version of Windows Home or Media, or any of the Vista versions) are supported.
• Files should be played off the LOCAL PC’s hard drive, not across a network or from a file server
• A file server is neither desired nor required, may decrease performance and introduces a single point of failure. We supply configuration instructions for a fully redundant networked system, with software file-mirroring suitable for an Air and production system, or multiple workstations.
• Intel Celeron, Pentium, or AMD Processors (or emulated PCs) – use Genuine Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i series, or Xeon series or above CPUs
• USB, Firewire or other external storage devices
• SCSI or IDE drives – use SATA 6Gb/s drives for best performance; using seperate hard-drives for Windows and Audio Files can also help in a number of ways.
• Software RAID Arrays – these can be detrimental to performance, place additional requirements on your computer system, and often make it more difficult to rebuild or restore a machine. They also do nothing to Protect against viruses or accidental deletion of files (our Second Copy software file mirroring keeps multiple copies of deleted files safely).
• ‘Cheap’ or non-branded memory – make sure you use a brand recommended by your motherboard manufacturer. 8GB is standard in the machines we supply.
• Flimsy, thin cases with little RF shielding (often consisted mainly of plastic and with poor air circulation). A good technical ground is essential in a professional broadcast environment.
• Consumer Grade Audio Cards – BSI products are designed and tested to work with AudioScience and IP Audio drivers–such as Axia, WheatNet and Dante–to ensure reliable 24×7 operation.
• USB/Firewire external audio devices
• Drivers or Software Updates not yet certified by BSI. Manufacturers will often make newer drivers and utilities available on their web sites prior to them being fully tested by BSI. You can find the latest recommended drivers and utilities listed on our Latest Drivers web page.

For optimum performance, we also recommend that for music-on-hard-drive stations, two PCs be used… one for Air, the other for production. When purchased together and configured correctly, the production license is enabled as a Hot Standby Redundant Backup that can be used for backup Air (as well as production) use, during the validity of your Tech Care Plan. If you do not renew your Tech Care Plan, the play decks will be disabled which will limit usage to basic production duties (including Voice Tracking) only.