The recommended system specification for a TeleForm workstation running Scan Station, Verifier or Designer is stated as:
Additionally, the recommended specification for a workstation running the Reader module is stated as:
This article will describe the key hardware recommendations for your PC hardware to help you make the most of your TeleForm system and minimise the possibility of problems in the future.
If you are using a SCSI scanner as part of your TeleForm system then you will need a PC capable of taking full size PCI cards as a SCSI controller card will be required. Many computer manufacturers are driving towards smaller and smaller PC's and although they have their advantages you will need to keep in mind that internal interface cards that allow for expansion such as SCSI cards are generally still manufactured for the standard ATX compliant sized PC's and will not fit into ultra small form factor units. If a USB scanner is to be used, the only requirement is a free USB socket.
Computer screens are often the last thing that are considered when purchasing a new PC and yet they represent probably the most important function a computer can fulfill - providing you with information. The size and quality of screen is primarily dependent on what information you need to see at any given time. If a Verifier operator works on a very basic form where only a small number of fields or characters are reviewed then a 17" monitor should provide enough screen "real estate" to cope. However, some of the more complex forms and systems may require additional "pop up" windows or operators may need to see information from other sources while verifying certain fields. In this case running the TeleForm system at a higher resolution will enable more information to be viewed at once but in turn will shrink the details to scale and become harder to read. As a result a 19" or larger monitor should be considered. Be aware that employers have growing responsibilities for the welfare of computer operators and can be found liable if an employee suffers eye strain or other problems as a result of insufficient or faulty VDU equipment.
As a rule modern PC's, especially those running Windows Vista in a business environment, are expected to have at least 1GB of RAM. Although the minimum required by Windows XP is 128MB this is regarded as the minimum Windows itself needs to run, without any other applications running. A typical business PC will have the following running concurrently, all requiring their own share of the system RAM:
TeleForm's minimum recommended memory size of 512MB assumes that nothing else will be making demands on the memory. So, if Verifier for instance was to be run on a user's everyday PC which would have other applications running, then you may want to consider upgrading the RAM, especially if the user is experiencing system slowness during high loads.
1GB of RAM is recommended for PC's running the TeleForm Reader module. This module is perhaps the most resource hungry of the system as it is where the various recognition engines read and convert text and pass the information onto the Verifier. The more forms and the more complex the forms are, will have a direct impact on the amount of memory and CPU resources required. Although other factors apply on a heavily loaded Reader machine, you would generally expect to see an increase in throughput on a PC with higher RAM than one with the minimum specified. Please also bear in mind that in a TeleForm Workgroup or Enterprise environment the Reader PC should not be used for any other function where possible.
In a distributed TeleForm environment such as Workgroup, specific tasks are carried out on different PC's. Hard drive space requirements are different dependent on what function is being performed.
Hard drive performance also makes a massive difference to system performance, as it is one of the last remaining components of a PC with physically moving parts, therefore is inherently slower that RAM or a processor. Have a look at our Server Storage FAQ form more information.
Generally most modern PC's capable of running Windows will have a graphics card which meets the minimum requirements for TeleForm.
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