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Minimum Requirements
Level 1 Level 2
------------------------------
RAM 2 MB 4 MB
Processor 386SX, 16 MHz 486SX, 25 MHz
Hard Drive 30 MB 160 MB
CD-ROM Drive
Sustained 150 KB/sec. 300 KB/sec
Data
Transfer
Rate
Maximum 1 second 400 milliseconds
Average
Seek
Time
Other CD-ROM XA ready,
Multisession capable
Sound 8-bit digital sound, 16-bit digital sound,
8-note synthesizer, 8-note synthesizer,
MIDI playback MIDI playback
Video Display 640 x 480, 16 colors 640 x 480, 65,536 colors
Ports MIDI I/O, joystick MIDI I/O, joystick
Recommendations
RAM 8 MB
CD-ROM Drive 64 KB on-board buffer 64 KB on-board buffer
Sound CD-ROM XA audio ability,
support for IMA adopted
ADPCM algorithm
Video 640 x 480, 256 colors Delivery of 1.2 megapixels/sec.
given 40 percent of CPU bandwidth.
NOTE: The above requirements are the minimum system requirements; they
do not constitute a recommendation by the Multimedia PC Marketing
Council for a particular system configuration.
Minimum Full System MPC (Level 1) Configuration
A full Multimedia PC system requires the following elements and
components, all of which must meet the full functional specifications
outlined below. Please note that this is a minimum system requirement
and not a recommendation for a particular system configuration.
CPU 386SX or compatible microprocessor
RAM 2 megabytes of RAM
Magnetic Storage 1.44-MB floppy disk drive, 30-MB hard disk drive
Optical Storage CD-ROM with CD-DA outputs
Audio DAC, ADC, music synthesizer, on-board analog
audio mixing
Video VGA graphics adapter
Input 101 key keyboard, two button mouse
I/O Serial port, parallel port, MIDI I/O port,
joystick port
System Software Windows 3.1 or Windows 3.0 with Multimedia
Extensions (or binary compatible)
Minimum MPC (Level 1) Upgrade Kit Configuration
A Multimedia PC Upgrade Kit requires the following elements and
components, all of which must meet the full functional specifications
outlined below.
Optical Storage CD-ROM with CD-DA outputs
Audio DAC, ADC, music synthesizer, on-board analog
audio mixing
I/O Serial port, parallel port, MIDI I/O port,
joystick port
System Software Providing system software with upgrade kits
is optional.
Full Functional MPC (Level 1) Specification
CPU
Minimum requirement: 386SX (or compatible) microprocessor
RAM
Minimum requirement: 2 megabytes of RAM
Magnetic Storage
Requirement: 3.5-inch, high density (1.44-MB) floppy disk drive.
Minimum requirement: 30-MB hard disk drive.
Optical Storage
Requirement: CD-ROM drive with sustained 150kB/second transfer rate;
average seek time of 1 second or less; 10,000 hours MTBF; mode 1
capability (mode 2 and form 1 & 2 optional); MSCDEX 2.2 driver that
implements the extended audio APIs; subchannel Q (subchannels P and
R-W optional--if R-W subchannel support is provided, additional APIs
must be implemented in MSCDEX driver; specifications for these
additional APIs are available from Microsoft).
The drive must be capable of maintaining a sustained transfer rate of
150kB/sec. without consuming more than 40 percent of the CPU bandwidth
in the process. It is recommended that this capability be achieved for
read block sizes no less than 16K and lead time of no more than is
required to load the CD-ROM buffer with 1 read block of data.
It is recommended that the drive have on-board buffers of 64K and
implement read-ahead buffering.
Audio
Requirement: CD-ROM drive with CD-DA (Red Book) outputs and a front
panel volume control.
Requirement: 8-bit (16-bit recommended) digital-to-analog converter
(DAC) with linear PCM sampling; DMA or FIFO buffered transfer
capability with interrupt on buffer empty; 22.05 and 11.025 kHz sample
rate mandatory.
44.1 kHz sampling rate desirable; optional stereo channels; no more
than 10 percent of the CPU bandwidth required to output 11.025 or
22.05 kHz; no more than 15 percent for 44.1 kHz.
Requirement: 8-bit (16-bit recommended) analog-to-digital converter
(ADC) with linear PCM sampling, 11.025 kHz mandatory, (22.01 kHz, or
44.1 kHz sampling rate optional); DMA or FIFO buffered transfer
capability with interrupt on buffer full; microphone input.
Requirement: Internal synthesizer hardware with multi-voice,
multi-timbral capabilities, six simultaneous melody notes plus two
simultaneous percussive notes.
Requirement: Internal mixing capabilities to combine input from three
(recommended four) sources and present the output as a stereo,
line-level audio signal at the back panel. The four sources are: CD
Red Book, synthesizer, DAC (waveform), and (recommended but not
required) an auxiliary input source. Each input must have at least a
3-bit volume control (eight steps) with a logarithmic taper.
A 4-bit or greater volume control is strongly recommended. If all
sources are sourced with -10dB (consumer line level: 1 milliwatt into
700 ohms=0dB) without attenuation, the mixer will not clip and will
output between 0 dB and +3 dB. Individual audio source and master
digital volume control registers and extra line-level audio sources
are highly recommended.
Video
Requirement: VGA-compatible display adapter, and a color VGA-
compatible monitor. A basic Multimedia PC uses mode 12h (640 x 480, 16
colors).
An enhanced configuration referred to as VGA+ is recommended with
640 x 480, 256 colors.
The recommended performance goal for VGA+ adapters is to be able to
blit 1, 4, and 8 bit-per-pixel DIBs (device independent bitmaps) at
350K pixels/second given 100 percent of the CPU, and at 140K pixels/second
given 40 percent of the CPU. This recommendation applies to run-length
encoded images and non-encoded images. The recommended performance is
needed to fully support high-performance applications, such as
synchronized audio-visual presentations.
User Input
Requirement: Standard 101-key IBM-style keyboard with standard DIN
connector, or keyboard that delivers identical functionality utilizing
key-combinations.
Requirement: Two-button mouse with bus or serial connector, with at least
one additional communication port remaining free.
I/O
Requirement: Standard 9-pin or 25-pin asynchronous serial port,
programmable up to 9600 bits per second (BPS), switchable interrupt
channel.
Requirement: Standard 25-pin bidirectional parallel port with
interrupt capability.
Requirement: 1 MIDI port with In, Out, and Thru must have interrupt
support for input and FIFO transfer.
Requirement: IBM-style analog or digital joystick port.
System Software
Multimedia PC system software must offer binary compatibility with
Microsoft Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions or Windows 3.1.
Minimum Full System MPC2 (Level 2) Configuration
Same configuration as Level 1 with all elements and components meeting
MPC2 (Level 2) full functional requirements outlined below.
Unless all the new MPC2 or Level 2 requirements are included, a system
is considered a Level 1 machine.
Minimum MPC2 (Level 2) Upgrade Kit Configuration
Same configuration as Level 1 with all elements and components meeting
MPC2 (Level 2) full functional requirements outlined below.
Full Functional MPC2 (Level 2) Specification
The following elements are specific to the Level 2 specification; only
changes and additions from the Level 1 specification are listed. All
other elements from the Level 1 specification are in effect as well for
the Level 2 specification.
CPU
Minimum requirement: 25 MHz 486SX (or compatible) microprocessor.
RAM
Minimum requirement: 4 megabytes of RAM (8 megabytes recommended).
Magnetic Storage
Requirement: 160-MB or larger hard disk drive.
Optical Storage
Requirements: CD-ROM drive capable of sustained 300 KB/sec. transfer
rate, average seek time of 400 milliseconds or less, CD-ROM XA ready
(mode 1 capable, mode 2 form 1 capable, mode 2 form 2 capable),
multisession capable.
At 300 KB/sec. sustained transfer rate it is recommended that no more
than 60 percent of the CPU bandwidth be consumed. It is recommended
that the CPU utilization recommendation be achieved for read block
sizes no less than 16K and lead time of no more than is required to
load the CD-ROM buffer with 1 read block of data.
Audio
Requirement: 16-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), 44.1 kHz sample
rate mandatory, stereo channels; no more than 15 percent of the CPU
bandwidth be required to output 44.1 kHz.
Requirement: 16-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with Linear PCM
sampling; 44.1 kHz sample rate mandatory.
CD-ROM XA audio capability is recommended.
Support for the IMA adopted ADPCM software algorithm is recommended.
Video
Requirement: Color monitor with display resolution of 640 x 480 with
65,536 (64K) colors.
The recommended performance goal for VGA+ adapters is to be able to
blit 1, 4, and 8 bit-per-pixel DIBs (device independent bitmaps) at
1.2 megapixels/second given 40 percent of the CPU. This recommendation
applies to run-length encoded images and non-encoded images. The
recommended performance is needed to fully support demanding
multimedia applications including the delivery of video with 320 x 240
resolution at 16 frames/second and 256 colors.
User Input
No changes from Level 1.
I/O
No changes from Level 1.
System Software
No changes from Level 1.
MORE INFORMATION
For additional information regarding multimedia personal computers,
multimedia titles, information on upgrading an existing system,
information on how to gain approval for the Multimedia PC (MPC or
MPC2) logo(s), and other general multimedia topics of interest, please
contact the Multimedia PC Marketing Council at the following location:
Multimedia PC Marketing Council, Inc.
1730 M Street NW
Suite 707
Washington, DC 20036-4510
Voice: (202) 331-0494, Extension 340
Fax: (202) 785-3197
NOTE: The Multimedia Development Council is the owner of the MPC and
MPC2 logos.
For information regarding a specific multimedia product, contact the
manufacturer of that product.
For related information from the Software Publishers Association, see the
following Web page: