Re: PC requirements

Posted by Johannes Helm on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/PC-requirements-tp7587774p7587778.html

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Dear Peter and dear list,

might it be an alternative to have a PC with large Graphics memory,
only, and use this PC then solely for display purposes? The image
analysis calculations could well be done on a large mainframe computer
(parallel, vector, or both), which usually is provided and taken care of
by specialized staff in a University's or Research Center's central IT
unit. Often, there will also be qualified staff to implement suitable
image analysis software. In addition, one would need a rapid data line
to transfer the original data to a suitable disk on the mainframe
computer, but all this is cheaper than a "super PC".

Besides being considerably cheaper than putting a lot of money into a
de-centralized unit, which still will be slower than a large main frame
computer, one can avoid having to take care about any expensive damage,
which sooner or later will materialize on the PC. Also, the IT unit will
take care of software, hardware and firmware updates on the main frame
computer.

The disadvantages might be a somewhat reduced flexibility and that
someone in the lab would have to learn at least some UNIX.

I had, during the late 80s and early 90s, been in a lab in Heidelberg,
FRG, where one of the old Sarastro Phoibos IV systems had been installed
and in use. It was one of the earliest CLSMs, and it was a very fine
one. The software was run on a Personal Iris by Silicon Graphics. Once
the scanned data volumes became larger and larger, we asked for and got
access to the source codes for the 3D reconstruction software, and a
master student vectorized the source code, which then was installed and
run on a Convex C210, then one of the fastest mainframe computer systems
available. When initial problems with process swapping had been
resolved, the speed of data processing increased roughly "by and order
of magnitude", i.e. processing large data sets consumed about 1/10 of
the time, which had been required before on the small frame Personal
Iris.

Best wishes,

Johannes



On 2018-01-15 13:22, Owens, Peter wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
> posting.
> *****
>
> Dear listers,
>
> I am looking into purchasing a high end image processing PC , that
> will be capable of processing large multidimensional data sets up to 1
> TB in size.
> Does anyone have any recommendations on a PC configuration that would
> be suitable?
> Do people build custom PCs or buy off the shelf?
> Are high spec gaming PCs up to this task?
>
> thanks for any advice on this .
>
> all the best
>
> Peter
>
>
> Peter Owens
> Centre for Microscopy and Imaging,
> National University of Ireland Galway.
> P: [phone] m: [phone]
> W: www.imaging.nuigalway.ie e: [hidden email]
>
>
>

--
P. Johannes Helm, M.Sc. PhD
Seniorengineer
University of Oslo
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences
Department of Molecular Medicine
Division of Physiology
P. O. Box 1103 - Blindern
NO-0317 Oslo
Norway

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WWW: folk.uio.no/jhelm