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Client system requirements

This page lists what a computer needs to run the MultiTaction Canvus client. For video walls, also read performance and sizing.

Operating systems

Platform Supported version Package
Windows Windows 11 Pro (x64), Windows Server 2022 (x64) mt-canvus-client-<version>.exe installer
Linux Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, 64-bit (amd64) mt-canvus-client-<version>-Ubuntu-24.04.deb package
macOS macOS 13 (Ventura) or later, Apple silicon only .dmg disk image

Note

The Windows installer does not enforce the versions above. They are the ones MultiTaction supports. Other versions may install but are not supported. Canvus needs Windows 10 or later in any case, because its built-in web browser does not run on older versions.

Graphics

Canvus renders with OpenGL.

  • Minimum: OpenGL 4.1 (core profile). Canvus asks for OpenGL 4.5 and uses its features when the driver offers them.
  • If the graphics driver cannot provide what Canvus needs, Canvus shows an error that names the OpenGL 4.1 requirement or asks you to install the latest graphics drivers, and exits with code 4. With --disable-dialogs, it exits with code 4 without the message. See exit codes.
  • Install the latest driver from the GPU vendor.
  • The video wall documentation assumes NVIDIA professional graphics cards. On a wall with more than one GPU, configure one window per GPU. See performance and sizing.

Video decoding

On Ubuntu computers with an NVIDIA GPU and a working NVIDIA driver, Canvus decodes compressed video such as H.264 and HEVC on the GPU (NVDEC) by default. Other computers, and all Windows computers, decode video in software. See performance and sizing.

Software installed with Canvus

  • Windows: the installer also installs the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64). It does not restart the computer.
  • Ubuntu: the package declares the system packages it depends on. Install it with apt, which fetches them from the standard Ubuntu archive. The package also installs an AppArmor profile that the embedded web browser needs. See install on Linux.
  • macOS: the application bundle contains everything it needs.

Processor, memory and disk

MultiTaction does not publish minimum processor, memory or disk figures for the client. Plan disk space for:

  • local canvases and their assets in the data folder (see file locations);
  • the asset cache for shared canvases, which keeps assets for 30 days by default ([cache] max-age);
  • automatic backups of local canvases ([backup] root).

For a video wall, the MultiTaction configuration tool at https://multitaction.com/config/ shows the full specification of the wall and its computer for systems of up to 24 outputs. For a larger wall or a large deployment, ask MultiTaction for a hardware recommendation.

Network

The client needs network access to your Canvus Server and, for online activation, to the MultiTaction license service. See network requirements.

Linux file limit

On Linux, Canvus sets its open-file limit to 4096 at start-up, capped at the hard limit of the system. Change the value with [system] max-open-files in mt-canvus.ini. If you raise it above the hard limit of the system, raise the system limit too.