Vernier Tech Info Library TIL #1579

Question

What are the system requirements for Logger Pro and Logger Lite?

Answer

System recommendations, updated August 2009 for Logger Pro 3.8:

Any new computer purchased in the last two years will be more than adequate for running Logger Pro or Logger Lite.

To do basic data collection with small (fewer than 500) data points and not using any video features, we recommend the following as a minimum:

Windows:
� Windows� XP SP2/SP3, Vista, Vista 64, Windows 7, or Windows 7 64.
� Pentium� processor or equivalent running at 500 MHz or faster
� 512 MB total minimum RAM
� 100 MB of hard disk space for a minimum installation
� Available USB or serial port. Only LabPro uses a serial port; all other devices require USB.

Mac:
� Macintosh OS� OS X 10.4.11, or 10.5.1 or newer
� Built-in USB port
� 512 MB RAM

Using the video capture features of Logger Pro will require a faster processor and more memory. Movies are supported by QuickTime�, which you can add during Logger Pro installation. In general, faster computers with more RAM will work more smoothly with movies. Dropped or skipped frames are symptoms of inadequate RAM or processors.

Windows for video and optimum performance:
� Pentium� processor or better running at 1.5 GHz or faster, 3 GHz for Vista
� 1 GB RAM minimum, 2 GB for Vista and Windows 7
� 200 MB of hard disk space for a full installation plus 10% of hard disk size in free space
� Available USB and firewire port

A DV camera will require either a firewire or USB 2 port, depending on the camera used.

Macintosh for video and optimum performance:
� OS X 10.4.11 or 10.5.8 or 10.6.
� G5, or any Intel processor
� 1 GB RAM minimum, 2 GB better
� 200 MB of hard disk space for a full installation plus 10% of hard disk size in free space

The WDSS Vernier Wireless Dynamics Sensor System, order code WDSS, $249.00 requires a Bluetooth-enabled computer and either Windows XP SP2 or Vista, or Mac OS X 10.3.9 or newer. You can add a USB Bluetooth radio to computers meeting the OS requirement; see Bluetooth USB Adapter, order code BLUE-USB, $35.00.

We also have versions of Logger Pro that will run on older operating systems but will not support all new features. To see a complete list of which version of Logger Pro to use with each operating system, please see:
http://www.vernier.com/tech/lpupdates.html#older_os

Logger Lite 1.4, shipping since 2007, does install drivers for LabPro and LabQuest, but is not compatible with Windows Vista 64. Otherwise the system requirements are the same as for Logger Pro with the addition of support for OS X 10.3.9 and Windows 2000 for Go! and LabPro devices only.

a 64-bit compatible version of Logger Lite is planned, but is not yet available.

Created by: jhopkins on September 11 2006
Last updated by: gastineau on August 26 2009