System Requirements - Dkmariolink/ez-streaming GitHub Wiki

System Requirements

Comprehensive guide to hardware and software requirements for running EZ Streaming effectively.

Minimum System Requirements

Operating System

Windows 10 (64-bit) or newer
Version 1903 (May 2019 Update) or later
Windows 11 fully supported

Hardware Requirements

Processor (CPU)

Minimum: Intel Core i3-4000 series or AMD FX-6000 series
Architecture: 64-bit (x64) required
Cores: 2+ cores recommended
Clock Speed: 2.0 GHz base frequency minimum

Memory (RAM)

Minimum: 4 GB RAM
Available: At least 1 GB free RAM for EZ Streaming
System Load: Additional RAM needed for launched applications

Storage

Free Space: 100 MB for EZ Streaming executable
Configuration: 10 MB for configuration and user data
Temporary: 50 MB for temporary files during operation
Type: HDD acceptable, SSD recommended for better performance

Graphics

Minimum: DirectX 11 compatible graphics card
VRAM: 512 MB minimum
Resolution: 1024x768 minimum display resolution
DPI: Supports high-DPI displays (100%-300% scaling)

Software Dependencies

No additional software required - completely portable
Visual C++ Redistributable (included in Windows 10/11)
.NET Framework not required

Recommended System Requirements

Operating System

Windows 11 (latest version)
Windows 10 version 21H2 or newer
Regular updates installed for best compatibility

Hardware Recommendations

Processor (CPU)

Recommended: Intel Core i5-8000 series or AMD Ryzen 5 2000 series
Cores: 4+ cores for smooth multitasking
Clock Speed: 3.0 GHz base frequency
Features: Hardware virtualization support (for compatibility)

Memory (RAM)

Recommended: 8 GB RAM or more
Available: 2+ GB free RAM
Usage: Additional RAM scales with number of applications launched
Performance: 16 GB+ for heavy streaming setups

Storage

Recommended: SSD (Solid State Drive)
Free Space: 500 MB+ for optimal performance
Speed: Faster storage improves application launch times
Location: Install on fastest available drive

Graphics

Recommended: Dedicated graphics card
VRAM: 2 GB+ for streaming applications
DirectX: DirectX 12 support
Multi-Monitor: Native support for multiple displays

Performance Scaling by System Specs

Budget Systems (4GB RAM, Dual-Core CPU)

Optimal Configuration

Profile Size: 3-5 applications maximum
Launch Delays: 8-12 seconds between applications
Application Types: Lightweight applications preferred
Background Apps: Minimize running background applications

Expected Performance

Launch Time: 30-60 seconds for full profile
System Impact: Noticeable system slowdown during launches
Stability: Good with appropriate delays
Multitasking: Limited during launch sequences

Recommended Applications

Streaming: OBS Studio (basic scenes)
Communication: Discord (voice only)
Music: Spotify (lightweight mode)
Avoid: Heavy games, multiple browsers, resource-intensive software

Standard Systems (8GB RAM, Quad-Core CPU)

Optimal Configuration

Profile Size: 5-8 applications
Launch Delays: 5-7 seconds between applications
Application Types: Mix of light and moderate applications
Background Apps: Moderate background activity acceptable

Expected Performance

Launch Time: 45-90 seconds for full profile
System Impact: Minimal system slowdown
Stability: Excellent with default settings
Multitasking: Good performance during launches

Recommended Applications

Streaming: OBS Studio with multiple scenes
Communication: Discord with video
Games: Most indie and competitive games
Creative: Basic photo editing software
Browsers: Multiple browser tabs

High-Performance Systems (16GB+ RAM, 6+ Core CPU)

Optimal Configuration

Profile Size: 8-15 applications
Launch Delays: 3-5 seconds between applications
Application Types: Any applications including heavy software
Background Apps: Multiple background applications supported

Expected Performance

Launch Time: 30-75 seconds for full profile
System Impact: No noticeable slowdown
Stability: Excellent even with aggressive timing
Multitasking: Full system responsiveness maintained

Recommended Applications

Streaming: Multiple streaming applications
Games: AAA games with high settings
Creative: Professional creative software (Photoshop, Premiere)
Development: IDEs, compilers, virtual machines
Utilities: System monitoring, RGB control, macro software

Storage Requirements and Performance

Storage Type Impact

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Launch Times: 50-100% longer application startup
Recommended Delays: 8-15 seconds between applications
System Impact: Higher disk I/O causes system pauses
Configuration: Store EZ Streaming on fastest available drive

Solid State Drive (SSD)

Launch Times: Optimal application startup performance
Recommended Delays: 3-8 seconds between applications
System Impact: Minimal disk I/O bottlenecks
Configuration: Ideal storage type for EZ Streaming

NVMe SSD

Launch Times: Fastest possible application startup
Recommended Delays: 2-5 seconds between applications
System Impact: No disk I/O limitations
Configuration: Best performance option

Storage Space Requirements

EZ Streaming Executable

Executable Size: ~15-20 MB
Required Space: 100 MB (for updates and temporary files)
Installation: No installation - just executable

Configuration Data

Basic Configuration: 1-5 KB per profile
Large Configurations: 50-100 KB for complex setups
Growth: Scales with number of profiles and applications
Backup Space: 10 MB recommended for configuration backups

Launched Applications

Variable Requirements: Depends on applications in profiles
Large Games: AAA games may require 50-100+ GB
Streaming Software: OBS, Streamlabs typically 500 MB - 2 GB
Communication: Discord, Skype typically 100-500 MB

Network Requirements

EZ Streaming Core Functionality

Network Access: Not required for core functionality
Offline Operation: Fully functional without internet connection
Local Configuration: All data stored locally

Application-Specific Network Requirements

Streaming Applications: Require internet for streaming
Communication Apps: Need network for voice/video/chat
Music Services: Spotify, YouTube Music require internet
Game Launchers: Steam, Epic Games need internet for updates

Network Performance Impact

EZ Streaming: No network usage
Launched Applications: Network usage depends on applications
Bandwidth: No additional bandwidth requirements from EZ Streaming

System Compatibility

Windows Version Compatibility

Windows 11 (Recommended)

Compatibility: Full compatibility
Performance: Optimal performance
Features: All features supported
Updates: Regular compatibility testing

Windows 10

Version 21H2: Full compatibility, recommended
Version 21H1: Full compatibility
Version 20H2: Full compatibility
Version 2004: Compatible with minor limitations
Version 1909: Compatible, update recommended
Version 1903: Minimum supported version

Older Windows Versions

Windows 8.1: Not officially supported
Windows 7: Not supported (lacks required frameworks)
Windows Server: Not tested, may work

Hardware Architecture

x64 (64-bit): Fully supported and required
ARM64: Not currently supported
x86 (32-bit): Not supported

Performance Factors

CPU Performance Impact

Single-Core Performance

Application Launch: Critical for individual application startup
UI Responsiveness: Affects EZ Streaming interface smoothness
Recommendation: Higher single-core performance preferred

Multi-Core Performance

Multitasking: Important for running multiple applications simultaneously
Background Processing: Enables better system responsiveness
Scaling: More cores = better performance with large profiles

CPU Features

Virtualization: Helpful for compatibility with some applications
Instruction Sets: Modern instruction sets improve performance
Cache: Larger CPU cache improves application switching performance

Memory Performance Impact

Memory Amount

4 GB: Suitable for basic profiles (3-5 light applications)
8 GB: Good for standard profiles (5-8 mixed applications)
16 GB: Excellent for large profiles (8-15 applications)
32 GB+: Optimal for professional setups with heavy applications

Memory Speed

DDR3: Adequate for basic functionality
DDR4: Recommended for better performance
DDR5: Optimal performance, future-ready

Memory Configuration

Single Channel: Basic performance
Dual Channel: Recommended configuration
Quad Channel: Professional/workstation benefit

Graphics Performance Impact

EZ Streaming UI

Requirements: Minimal graphics requirements
Scaling: Supports high-DPI displays
Performance: Hardware acceleration for smooth UI

Launched Applications

Games: Graphics performance critical for gaming applications
Streaming: GPU encoding improves streaming performance
Creative: Graphics cards accelerate creative applications

System Optimization

Windows Optimization

Performance Settings

Windows Settings → System → About → Advanced system settings
→ Performance Settings → Adjust for best performance

Power Settings

Control Panel → Power Options → High Performance
OR
Windows Settings → System → Power & sleep → Additional power settings

Background Apps

Windows Settings → Privacy → Background apps
→ Disable unnecessary background applications

Hardware Optimization

RAM Optimization

Close Unnecessary Programs: Free up RAM before launching profiles
Disable Startup Programs: Reduce memory usage at boot
Memory Diagnostic: Use Windows Memory Diagnostic for issues

Storage Optimization

Disk Cleanup: Regular cleanup of temporary files
Defragmentation: Defragment HDDs (not needed for SSDs)
Free Space: Maintain 10-15% free space for optimal performance

CPU Optimization

Background Processes: Minimize unnecessary background processes
Power Settings: Use high-performance power profile
Thermal Management: Ensure adequate cooling for sustained performance

Troubleshooting Performance Issues

Common Performance Problems

Slow Application Launches

Symptoms: Applications take much longer than expected to start
Causes:

Insufficient RAM
Slow storage (HDD vs SSD)
Too many background processes
Antivirus scanning during launch

Solutions:

Increase launch delays
Upgrade to SSD storage
Close unnecessary background applications
Add EZ Streaming and applications to antivirus whitelist

System Freezing During Launch

Symptoms: System becomes unresponsive during application launches
Causes:

Insufficient system resources
Too aggressive launch timing
Hardware limitations

Solutions:

Increase launch delays significantly
Reduce number of applications in profile
Close background applications
Consider hardware upgrade

High Memory Usage

Symptoms: System runs out of memory with launched applications
Causes:

Insufficient RAM for application requirements
Memory leaks in applications
Too many applications launched simultaneously

Solutions:

Upgrade system RAM
Monitor application memory usage
Create smaller, specialized profiles
Close applications when not needed

Performance Monitoring

Windows Performance Tools

Task Manager: Basic resource monitoring
Resource Monitor: Detailed resource analysis
Performance Monitor: Advanced system metrics
Event Viewer: System error and warning logs

Third-Party Tools

CPU-Z: Hardware information and monitoring
HWiNFO64: Comprehensive system monitoring
CrystalDiskInfo: Storage health monitoring
MemTest86: Memory testing and validation

Future System Requirements

Planned Features Impact

Cross-Platform Support

macOS: Will require macOS 11+ (Big Sur)
Linux: Ubuntu 20.04+ or equivalent distributions
Hardware: Similar requirements across platforms

Advanced Features

Cloud Sync: Minimal additional requirements
Performance Monitoring: May require additional system permissions
Plugin System: Requirements depend on plugins used

Resource Monitoring UI

Additional RAM: 50-100 MB for monitoring interface
CPU Impact: 1-2% CPU usage for real-time monitoring
Graphics: Hardware acceleration for smooth charts/graphs

Hardware Trends

Minimum Requirements: May increase with new Windows versions
Recommended Specs: Will scale with typical hardware improvements
New Technologies: Support for emerging hardware technologies

Specific Use Case Requirements

Gaming Streamers

CPU: 6+ cores for game + streaming + EZ Streaming
RAM: 16+ GB for modern games and streaming software
Graphics: Dedicated GPU with hardware encoding
Storage: SSD for game installations and faster loading

Creative Streamers

CPU: High single-core and multi-core performance
RAM: 16-32 GB for creative applications
Graphics: Professional or high-end consumer GPU
Storage: Fast SSD with high capacity

Podcast/Talk Show Streamers

CPU: 4+ cores sufficient for audio/video processing
RAM: 8-16 GB adequate for communication and recording software
Graphics: Basic graphics sufficient
Storage: SSD recommended for recording storage

Professional/Corporate Use

CPU: Business-class processors with reliability features
RAM: 16+ GB for professional applications
Graphics: Professional graphics cards for certified drivers
Storage: Enterprise SSD with reliability features