Sentinel on ARM Processors

[N9JIG]

Has anyone had experience with running Sentinel (HP or x36) on an ARM processor?

The new version of Parallels (16.5) that runs Windows on ARM is out and I am thinking of getting an M1 Mac but want to see if I can run Sentinel on it.

 

[gdaykoloa]

Last I read, Win10 Arm had limited x86 emulation, and 64bit was barely functional, and even then in very limited ways. I have an M1, and use Parallels, but only on my MacPro, so, no funky emulation shenanigans to worry about.

I don’t have a Win10 Arm version hanging about to try on my M1, sorry - but this feels like it may be a bit of a painful problem…happy to be proven wrong, of course!

 

[N4DJC]

I'd like to know as well, have a M1 MBP. I'm hanging on to my 2015 just in case....

 

[N9JIG]

OK, I borrowed my wife's M1 Mac Mini today and downloaded Parallels as well as the Developer's Edition of the ARM-based Windows 10. I had poor results:

Sentinel was a no-go. While it started to install it stopped since there was no dotnet Framework on the Windows installation and the version included would not run in ARM Windows, nor would the downloaded one from Microsoft. I was unable to find any version of dotnet Framework to run in the ARM environment.

If I can get dotnet going eventually it might work.

 

[N4DJC]

OK, I borrowed my wife's M1 Mac Mini today and downloaded Parallels as well as the Developer's Edition of the ARM-based Windows 10. I had poor results:

Sentinel was a no-go. While it started to install it stopped since there was no dotnet Framework on the Windows installation and the version included would not run in ARM Windows, nor would the downloaded one from Microsoft. I was unable to find any version of dotnet Framework to run in the ARM environment.

If I can get dotnet going eventually it might work.

That is not encouraging but not surprising. Hopefully it will get resolved. Does Kenwood or Icom radio software require the .NET framework?

 

[N9JIG]

Not sure about Icom and Kenwoods.

I have been told on a computer forum that they were able to install dotnet on an M1 Mac, so it might be possible. I might do some more digging around this week.

 

[N4DJC]

When I read that Win 10 would run as a virtual, I didn't consider the .NET framework. My fault for not digging deeper. It's a fast machine but....ugh

 

[K7MFC]

Only the newest versions of the .NET Framework are supported across multiple platforms, so if Sentinel is targeting an older version of .NET, it will definitely be difficult or impossible to get it running in a virtualized environment on top of MacOS/M1 chip. Definitely give it time, there will be solutions that emerge which allow what was once possible on Intel-based Macs. Containerization is becoming extremely popular as well, and that may prove to be a popular choice to once again run software which originally targets Windows, on MacOS.

 

[N9JIG]

I have been able to run ProScan and ARC-xx products (see M1 Macs and ARM Windows with ProScan and Butel) on the M1 Mac since they do not use the .NET (dotnet) architecture. As far as I know there are no plans for Sentinel to move away from this platform but if it does that part at least would be moot.

Sentinel runs great on my Intel based Macs so I think I will stay with my current computers until this is resolved one way or another. Of course I could always keep my little NUCs around as well but would really rather be able to do it all on the Mac.

 

[K7MFC]

Wishful thinking, but it would be great if Uniden open sourced Sentinel and let the community contribute to making it a cross-platform application. Microsoft's recent efforts to bring .NET applications to Linux and MacOS is a big deal and will help bridge the gap a little bit more between *nix/MacOS and Windows.

 

[N4DJC]

I believe Sentinel requires .NET 2.0

 

[N4DJC]

I think the Kenwood software requires .NET 4.6 framework.

 

[ProScan]

I have been able to run ProScan and ARC-xx products (see M1 Macs and ARM Windows with ProScan and Butel) on the M1 Mac since they do not use the .NET (dotnet) architecture.

ProScan targets the .NET Framework 4.8

 

[K7MFC]

ProScan targets the .NET Framework 4.8

Any plans to port it to .NET 5, and bring ProScan to MacOS and Linux? I know that is a lot easier said than done. At my last job, I led an effort to explore re-targeting our .NET 4.X applications to .NET 5 and it was a substantial amount of work.

 

[ProScan]

Any plans to port it to .NET 5, and bring ProScan to MacOS and Linux? I know that is a lot easier said than done. At my last job, I led an effort to explore re-targeting our .NET 4.X applications to .NET 5 and it was a substantial amount of work.

It's on the list.

 

[K7MFC]

I'll happily help test when the time comes!

 

[N9JIG]

SUCCESS!

While I had tried to run Windows Updates over the last week or so I finally had one appear today. There was also a Cumulative Update for .NET 3.5 (from what I understand includes the 2.x version). After running both updates and 2 restarts Sentinel x36 installed and runs fine. I updated the database on my 436 and all worked well. I was able to read and write to the radio, update the database and firmware.

I was also able to install and run our company's phone system software which also uses .Net (dotnet) Framework 2.

So for me an Apple Silicon Mac is a feasible thing. While I am more than happy with my current 2018 Mini and 2019 MBP (Both Intel) if & when I need to replace either I will be OK.

 

[K7MFC]

Very cool! Glad You got it working 👍