Avid Configuration Guidelines

Ports & Slots

The front and rear of the DELL 3430 workstation are equipped with the following ports and slots:

• 1. Power Button
• 2. Optical Drive (optional)
• 3. Internal SD Card reader (Optional)
• 4. Universal Audio Jack
• 5. USB 2.0 (2), Type A
• 6. USB 3.1, Type A [5Gb]
• 7. USB 3.1, Type C [10Gb]
• 8. Audio Line Out
• 9. PS2 Keyboard/Mouse
• 10. Serial Port
• 11. Display Port (2)
• 12. USB 3.1, Type A [5Gb] (4)
• 13. USB 2.0, Type A [w/ SmartPower] (2)
• 14. RJ45 Network Connector
• 15. Power plug

1. DELL 3430 AVID Qualified System Specification

3430 Hardware Configuration

Supported Intel Xeon and 8th Generation Intel Core i7 CPU Choices

• Intel Core i7 8700 3.2 GHz, turbo up to 4.6 GHz, 6-core
• Xeon E-2136 3.3 GHz, turbo up to 4.5GHz, 6-core (Better)
• Xeon E-2146G 3.5 GHz, turbo up to 4.5GHz, 6-core (Best Performance)
• Xeon E-2174G 3.8 GHz, turbo up to 4.7GHz, 4-core

Supported Video Cards

1. NVIDIA P620 2GB PCIe video board
2. NVIDIA P1000 4GB PCI-e video board

System Disk Drive

500 GB (recommended) SATA SSD. DELL offers higher performing solid-state, NVMe, and SAS boot drive options which are acceptable. A DELL qualified drive is recommended.

Standard AVID memory configuration

• Systems using Xeon CPUs will use DDR4-2666MHz ECC memory (up to 4 DIMMs per system).
• Systems using Core i7 will use DDR4-2666MHz Non-ECC memory (up to 4 DIMMs per system).
• 64 GB memory maximum for this system.
• Each CPU has 2 memory lanes, providing optimal bandwidth when 2 or 4 memory lanes are filled.
• 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 2666MHz memory (Requires two 16GB DIMMs).

Memory modules must be installed according to manufacturer's requirements.

Optional AVID memory configuration

• 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 2666 memory (Requires two 8GB DIMMs).
• 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 2666 memory (Requires four 8GB DIMMs).
• 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 2666 memory (Requires four 16GB DIMMs).

Memory configuration constraints

• No other memory configurations are formally supported in AVID environments.
• Un-balanced memory configurations which mix and match memory module sizes and locations will result in poor performing, non-optimal operating environments.

2. Qualified Operating Systems, Avid Client Editing Applications, Hardware and Shared-Storage support for the DELL 3430

DELL Supports:

• Microsoft® Windows 10 Pro for workstations 64-bit Version 1803 (MC 2018.7 or above)

Not Supported

• Microsoft® Windows 7 – any version
• Microsoft Windows 8 or 8.1 – any version

Media Composer Application Compatibility

* Nvidia P620, P1000 require Nvidia driver that ships with the version of MC 2018.7 and above.

The required GPU files and installation instructions for AMD graphics can be found at the following Avid KB link: http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/download/AMD-Supported-GPU-Drivers

3. Qualified O.S., Hardware and shared storage supported

3rd Party Qualified Hardware

See release notes and Avid website for information regarding supported 3rd party hardware (vendor qualified).

4. AVID qualified HBA info

Notes:

• DELL Thunderbolt 3 PCIe card is supported in 7920, 7820, 5820, 3630, 3430. For older DELL workstations, use Thunderbolt 2 PCIe card from DELL.

5. Slot Configuration

Slot Configuration Information (Tower and SFF)

6. Use of embedded NIC ports for Nexis/ISIS connectivity

Important Information

The Dell 3430 has one embedded NIC port. This port is qualified for Nexis.

For proper operation and connectivity of the Intel network interface with NEXIS, the following settings are required:

1. For the Intel NIC driver, under the performance settings, change the following parameters:
   • Receive Buffers to 1024
   • Transmit Buffers to 1024
2. Disable the Windows firewall.

7. Required system BIOS settings for AVID environments

Use latest version from Vendor website.

Please Note: CPU Hyper-threading should be enabled in all configurations. It is currently enabled by default by DELL for shipping 3430 systems.

3430 Required system BIOS changes:

1. Verify CPU Processors are set to Hyper-Threading.
   • During boot up, press F1 at the DELL splash screen to invoke Set Up.
   • Select the Performance tab.
   • Select Hyper-Threading.
   • Verify setting is Enabled (or enable if currently set to disable).

8. Graphics Qualified Drivers

After installation of the AVID software, the supported Nvidia driver can be found in the following directory: Program Files / Avid / Utilities / Nvidia.

** The AMD graphics driver is NOT included with MC release builds. You can find this driver on the AMD web page: http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

Set optimized Nvidia driver settings for Avid editing environments

Follow these steps to configure the NVIDIA Control Panel for optimal performance:

1. Right-click on the desktop and select "Nvidia Control Panel".
2. In the control panel menu bar, select the "Desktop" menu.
3. Enable "Desktop -> Video Editing Mode".
4. Select "Manage 3D Settings".
5. Select the "Global Settings" tab.
6. Under the "Global Settings" tab, select “3D App – Default Global Settings" (This is also known as the Base Profile).
7. Scroll down and locate the “Power Management Mode” feature. The default setting is “Adaptive”.
8. For the "Power management mode" feature, select “Prefer maximum performance”.
9. Depress the "Apply" button.

Nvidia driver optimization settings for Avid environments are now complete.

E. GPU monitor connectivity

The NVIDIA P620 and P1000 graphics cards feature 4 mini-display ports. All 4 ports can be used simultaneously.

(Important: Display-ports are not HDMI ports; at first glance they may look very similar to HDMI ports).

F. Serial Port Deck Control

The DELL 3430 workstation does NOT have an embedded serial port. Primary or secondary / additional serial port deck control can be established via two methods, both of which have been qualified by Avid and will maintain frame accuracy in Avid environments:

1. Addenda model RS-USB / 4: A direct USB-to-RS422 serial adapter. This is a simple device that connects directly from a USB port to the RS422 port of a deck.
   http://www.addenda.com/addenda-elect/products/rsUSB4.pDell
2. Keyspan (Tripp-Lite) Model USA-19HS USB-to-serial-port adapter with Addenda Rosetta Stone model RS – 2/8 RS232-to-RS422 converter:
   • Keyspan (Tripp-Lite) Model USA-19HS (AVID P/N 7080-20013-01)
   http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtSeriesID=518&EID=13384&txtModelID=3914
   • Addenda Rosetta Stone (or equivalent) model RS – 2/8 RS232-to-RS422 converter (AVID P/N 7070-00507-01)
   http://www.addenda.com/addenda-elect/products/rs28.pDell

To connect the Keyspan 19HS / Addenda RS -2/8 combination:

• Install the Keyspan 19HS driver before plugging the device into the USB port.
• Once the Keyspan 19HS driver is installed, plug the Keyspan 19HS into a USB port.
• The Keyspan 19HS will now show up in the device driver.
• Using a serial cable, connect the 9-pin serial port of the Keyspan 19HS USB adapter to the port of the Addenda marked RS232 from PC.
• Using a 2nd serial port cable, connect the port of the Addenda marked “RS422 to VTR” to the deck control serial port of the deck.

G. O.S. setting recommendations for optimum performance with Avid Editing applications

The following links provide O.S. setting suggestions for ensuring optimum performance when working with your Avid editing application with a Windows operating system.

• Optimizations for Video Editors - windows 10: http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Troubleshooting/Media-Composer-Windows-10-Optimizations-and-Troubleshooting

I. Intel NIC Port(s) for NEXIS connectivity

For proper operation and connectivity of any Intel NIC port used with NEXIS, the settings below are required. The example below is for the Intel PRO 1000 PT.

1. For the performance settings, change the following parameters:
   • Receive Buffers to 1024
   • Transmit Buffers to 1024
2. Disable the Windows firewall.

To set the Intel NIC Receive / Transmit buffers:

Go to Device Manager and select each instance of the network adapter device that will be used for NEXIS connectivity.

Select performance options and then select Properties.

(Description of screenshot: The NVIDIA Control Panel window is shown, with options to adjust settings. The user is guided to select "Prefer maximum performance" for the "Power management mode".)

(Description of screenshot: The Computer Management window is shown, with Device Manager expanded to show Network adapters. The Intel(R) PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Server Adapter is highlighted.)

(Description of screenshot: The Intel(R) PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Server Adapter Properties window is shown, with the Advanced tab selected. The "Performance Options" setting is highlighted, and the user is instructed to set Receive Buffers to 1024 and Transmit Buffers to 1024.)

Perform this for each instance of an Intel NIC port which will be used for NEXIS connectivity.

J. Disable the windows firewall

Navigate to Control Panel / Windows Firewall -- Select "Turn Windows Firewall on or off".

(Description of screenshot: The Windows Firewall control panel is displayed, showing options to turn the firewall on or off for different network types. The user is instructed to select "Turn off Windows Firewall" for both Home/work and Public network locations.)

Select "Turn off Windows Firewall" in both network locations, then click OK to save.

Revision Update