Using C/MRI system

Raspberry Pi's are Linux based I think. I don't think they will run Windows. Probably the best bet for fast would be a cheap, newer PC with Windows 10. Windows 10 boots pretty quickly compared to other Windows versions. Also keeping nothing but Windows 10 and the needed programs for C/MRI only on that PC should increase speed as well. Leave out all the 'bloat'!

Also I think there are other items like the Raspberry Pi (they seem to have new stuff like this all the time), some of which may run Windows? I am not up on many of the items currently available though? I'm getting old and falling behind rapidly!! 

Just to add, I wish they would make those articles into a book. I was trying to get all the issues that contained these articles, but ended up missing a few. 

rtr12 posted:

Raspberry Pi's are Linux based I think. I don't think they will run Windows. Probably the best bet for fast would be a cheap, newer PC with Windows 10. Windows 10 boots pretty quickly compared to other Windows versions. Also keeping nothing but Windows 10 and the needed programs for C/MRI only on that PC should increase speed as well. Leave out all the 'bloat'!

Also I think there are other items like the Raspberry Pi (they seem to have new stuff like this all the time), some of which may run Windows? I am not up on many of the items currently available though? I'm getting old and falling behind rapidly!! 

Just to add, I wish they would make those articles into a book. I was trying to get all the issues that contained these articles, but ended up missing a few. 

Raspberry was one that crossed my mind (what I have left of it) but not being a computer software/hardware geek, I am sure a more knowledgeable person could think of a faster cheap machine.  These days computers are dirt cheap so a laptop windows 10 by no name Chinese computer off of flea bay would probably fill the bill.

I am working with JMRI / CMRI on a Raspberry PI running Linux right now. Raspberry's are under $40.00 but require a little electronics knowledge to get them to run. JMRI response seems instantaneous so far. An elcheapo laptop would suffice as well, as long as you keep the 'bloat' to a minimum. Raspberry is native Linux. A little different that windows, but don't be afraid of it if you decide to go that route. Raspberry GUI is meant to be user friendly.

Interesting, I didn't know JMRI/CMRI would run on Linux? I don't know a whole lot about either of those though, never tried either. Good to know anyway, even though I have not yet fiddled with a Pi. If I live long enough, it's all on the to-do list for someday!

It only has to boot up once. Is boot time really a consideration? New computers can cost hundreds of dollars, whereas old ones are cheap or free.

It's not necessarily that JMRI runs on Linux, it's more that Java runs on Linux, Windows, IOS, etc. Hence Java Model Railroad Interface, therefore JMRI will run on Java which runs on many platforms. I'm just starting to build a control panel with JMRI panel pro, and using the Chubb CMRI hardware, but have had good success so far using the Raspberry to run it all.

How big is your railroad?

If you are just doing a few signals, processor speed isn't really an issue. I'm going to be doing detection, turnouts and signals with C/MRI and JMRI, and my layout is huge, with over 200 detection bits, 100+ turnout bits and 400+ signal bits, and I don't expect there to be any problems.

If you keep your computer on all the time, then you just have to start the program, and boot time is irrelevant.