diff --git a/doc/requirements.rst b/doc/requirements.rst index 100cdc7e..8fdb102a 100644 --- a/doc/requirements.rst +++ b/doc/requirements.rst @@ -11,28 +11,32 @@ Required Linux host A Linux system capable of running KVM/QEMU and building the Looking Glass Client. The client requires an EGL-capable graphics driver. X11 and Wayland - are supported. For a responsive passthrough setup, use at least six CPU - cores with twelve hardware threads. + are supported. For a responsive passthrough setup, at least six CPU cores + with twelve hardware threads are required. Windows guest - A Windows 10 version 1803 or newer, or Windows 11, virtual machine. The - recommended IDD path can create its own virtual monitor and does not require - a physical monitor or dummy plug. + A Windows 10 version 1803 or newer, or Windows 11, virtual machine. Looking + Glass can create its own virtual monitor and does not require a physical + monitor or dummy plug. Shared memory - An IVSHMEM device large enough for the maximum guest resolution. The KVMFR - kernel module is recommended and is required for direct GPU imports. + An IVSHMEM device large enough for the maximum guest resolution and refresh + rate. The KVMFR kernel module is recommended and is required for direct GPU + imports. Matching components - Use the current client, IDD and OBS plugin from the same Looking Glass - release. A protocol version mismatch is not supported. Legacy Host users - must use the complete matching B7 stack described below. + The Looking Glass client, IDD, and OBS plugin (if used) must be of the same + version. Legacy Host users must use the B7 stack described below. The IDD can fall back to software processing if the Windows guest has no suitable render GPU. This is useful for compatibility, but hardware processing is strongly recommended for lower latency and higher frame rates. Software mode is SDR-only and does not provide the same performance as the GPU path. +.. seealso:: + + :ref:`libvirt_determining_memory` + .. _recommended: Recommended @@ -42,15 +46,13 @@ For a responsive high-resolution setup, use: * a host CPU with eight cores and sixteen threads or better, with full performance cores around 3 GHz or faster; -* KVMFR rather than a plain shared-memory file; -* a host GPU and driver that support direct DMA imports; -* a hardware render adapter in the Windows guest; and -* enough memory bandwidth for the chosen resolution and refresh rate. +* the KVMFR kernel module rather than a plain shared-memory file; +* a host GPU and driver that support direct DMA imports; and +* a hardware render adapter in the Windows guest. -Do not assign every CPU core to the guest. Reserve at least two physical CPU -cores, or four threads, for Linux. Looking Glass, QEMU, the Linux desktop and -audio server all need host CPU time. High refresh rates also raise -shared-memory and GPU bandwidth requirements. +Reserve at least two physical CPU cores, or four threads, for Linux. Looking +Glass, QEMU, the Linux desktop and audio server all need host CPU time. High +refresh rates also raise shared-memory and GPU bandwidth requirements. For a passed-through GPU, PCIe bandwidth can also limit performance. Use at least eight PCIe 3.0 lanes or four PCIe 4.0 lanes where practical. @@ -60,12 +62,11 @@ least eight PCIe 3.0 lanes or four PCIe 4.0 lanes where practical. Physical display and dummy plugs -------------------------------- -The recommended IDD does not require a physical display or dummy plug. It -creates a virtual Windows monitor, including on systems without a -passed-through display output. +The IDD does not require a physical display or dummy plug: it creates a virtual +Windows monitor, including on systems without a passed-through display output. A physical display, dummy plug or another virtual monitor is only required -when using the :doc:`legacy Host Application `, because that +when using the :doc:`Legacy Host Application `, because that application captures an existing Windows display. .. _igpu_kvmfr_recommended: