Question: We had to replace an older Windows XP PC that housed the Matrix +3 software that operated our System 200 frame with a Windows 7 x64 bit PC. When we tried to re-install the PGM-WIN software the PC gave us an error message stating that the program wasn't supported by a 64-bit Windows 7 platform. Is this software capable of being run on a Windows 7 PC?
Answer: Matrix +3 software (PGM-WIN) is not directly compatible with Windows 7 64 bit machines, it was designed for 32 bit platforms such as Windows XP, 2000, Windows 98 and Windows 95. The Matrix +3 software is no longer supported by Clear-Com, the last update was version 2.4.1 released in 2005 / 2006.
However you can use Matrix +3 PGM-WIN software on a Windows 7 64 bit PC by installing Windows XP compatibility mode and Windows Virtual PC on your Windows 7 PC. This will install a virtual XP platform on the PC that supports 32 bit native programs like PGM-WIN Matrix +3 software. The link to the windows download site is: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx
Follow the instructions at the Microsoft web page to install the necessary components, once the files are downloaded install them when directed by the PC and reboot the PC.
From your start menu select Windows Virtual PC, install the Matrix +3 CD or ZIP files to the virtual XP platform and install the Matrix +3 software. You will need to verify that either the serial comport / USB to serial comport is activated on the virtual platform and that the Comport range is between 1 and 4 on the PC in order to use the Matrix +3 software.
It takes under an hour to download the windows files and install them and configure the USB to serial port adapter and install the M+3 software and firmware programs.