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Requirements

PC Requirements

RouteMaster VR runs under Microsoft Windows, and is designed to run on typical desktop and rack-mount systems without specific hardware requirements. We recommend Windows 11, but Windows 10 is also supported. Windows on ARM is not currently supported.

Windows Server versions 2016 to 2025 are supported.

For RouteMaster VR, we recommend a minimum of 8GB of memory for NDI routers up to 128×128, and 16GB for routers up to 512×512.

For RouteMaster VR, any PC or server meeting Microsoft's minimum requirement for the chosen operating system is suitable, but - as always - faster systems with more memory may give better performance, particularly if other applications are being run on the same system.

Microsoft - and computer hardware vendors - continually release updated drivers, security updates and Service Packs for their operating systems and software. We strongly suggest your computers are continually kept up to date with these.

Cloud Installations and Virtual Machines

Rascular software is regularly tested on various VM's, and should run satisfactorily on any virtual machine capable of running the operating systems listed above.

Firewalls and Network Configuration

RouteMaster VR uses standard TCP/IP communications to connect to routers, and other devices. It is important that the computer running RouteMaster VR can communicate with the routers and devices it is controlling, and that any firewalls or network security settings allow this communication.

Outbound connections to Routers

Consult your router's documentation for the specific ports and protocols it uses, and ensure that your firewall allows outbound connections from RouteMaster VR to these ports on the router.

Inbound connections for RouteMaster VR Clients

RouteMaster VR can be controlled by various control protocols, such as SW-P-08, Blackmagic Videohub and Rascular Websockets. These protocols require RouteMaster VR to listen for incoming connections on specific ports.

The ports used for these are all configurable in RouteMaster VR. Ensure that your firewall allows inbound connections to RouteMaster VR on these ports.

Connection between RouteMaster VR service and RouteMaster VR Web UI

RouteMaster VR can be configured and monitored using a web UI. This requires port 80 to be open for incoming TCP connections. Note that this can also be configured to a different port if desired.

Connection between RouteMaster VR service and RouteMaster VR GUI front-end

RouteMaster VR has a front-end GUI application that can be installed on the same or different computer to the RouteMaster VR service. The front-end connects to the service using TCP/IP, typically on port 7777, but a different port can be selected during product installation.

Ensure that your firewall allows inbound connections to RouteMaster VR on this port if the front-end is installed on a different computer to the service.

RouteMaster VR NDI Networking

RouteMaster VR requires full access to the NDI device network to discover NDI devices, and to publish its outputs as NDI streams. This typically requires that the computer running RouteMaster VR is on the same subnet as the NDI devices, and that any firewalls allow this communication.

For the latest details of NDI port usage, see the NDI documentation.

Supported Routers

RouteMaster VR supports most common broadcast routers. An indicative list of supported routers and protocols is provided here

Rascular continues to add support for new routers. If the router you want to control is not listed, please contact us.

Router Connection

RouteMaster VR can use Ethernet or serial communications to connect to routers, depending on the router capabilities.

Additional Utility Software

The following software tools are useful for testing and troubleshooting RouteMaster VR installations, but are not required for normal operation.

  • NDI Tools: A suite of tools for working with NDI video streams, including monitoring and testing tools. Available from https://ndi.video/tools
  • Notepad++: A powerful text editor that can be used for editing configuration files and logs. Available from https://notepad-plus-plus.org
  • Wireshark: A network protocol analyzer that can be used for troubleshooting network communications. Available from https://www.wireshark.org
  • SQLite Expert Personal: A tool for viewing and editing SQLite databases, which can be useful for troubleshooting RouteMaster's internal database. Available from https://www.sqliteexpert.com/
  • TeamViewer: A remote desktop application that can be used for remote support and troubleshooting. Available from https://www.teamviewer.com/