When preparing for online classes you should consider three main aspects of your home workstation.

  • Is your computer fast enough to run the required software?

  • Do you have a tablet that will work properly for animation?

  • Lastly, is your internet connection fast enough to properly work remotely?


1. Is your computer fast enough for the required software?

Your home workstation should meet the minimum requirements for Toon Boom Harmony and Adobe Photoshop. The minimum specifications for these programs are described below.

Minimum Windows based workstation


CPU processor

Intel i5 processor with 64-bit support,
AMD A10 processor with 64-bit support

Operating system

Microsoft Windows 10 - version 1809 or later

RAM

8Gb,

Graphics card

Intel HD Graphics 4000

Hard disk space

120 GB hard driver

Monitor

1280 x 800 display

Minimum Mac based workstation


CPU processor

Intel i5 processor with 64-bit support

Operating system

macOS 10.13.6 or later

RAM

8Gb,

Graphics card

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640

Hard disk space

120 GB hard driver

Monitor

1280 x 800 display

To run more advanced 3D software and complex scenes efficiently locally, it is recommended that you use a computer system with these specifications.


CPU processor

Intel Core i7 or Xeon processor,
AMD Ryzen 7 processor

Operating system

Microsoft Windows 10 - version 1809 or later

RAM

16 GB,

Graphics card

Geforce GTX 1070 or Quadro GPU
AMD Radeon R9 Fury/X or FirePro GPU

Hard disk space

500GB Solid State Drive

Monitor

1920 x 1080 display, or higher


CPU processor

Intel Core i7 or Xeon processor

Operating system

macOS 10.13.6 or later

RAM

16Gb,

Graphics card

Radeon Pro Vega 64

Hard disk space

500GB Solid State Drive

Monitor

1920 x 1080 display, or higher

2. Do you have a tablet that will work properly for animation?


The second thing you should prepare for your online classes is a digital drawing tablet. Sheridan has reduced your tuition to help you purchase your own tablet, the Wacom One is recommended and available at a reduced price. Detailed instructions on purchasing, setup and installing the drivers are covered on this page(coming soon).
NOTE: If you already own a tablet you are welcome to use that model, the Wacom One is just the basic model that is recommended.

Setting up your Wacom One Cintiq


3. Lastly, is your internet connection fast enough to properly work remotely?


You will also need a fast internet connection for online meetings and possibly the remote operation of a Sheridan Workstation. High-speed internet is generally about 50mbs download and 10mbs upload speed. This is the ideal speed for online working, although; you may be able to work with speeds of 12mbs Download and 4mbs upload. To check your internet connection speed, go to fast.com and from there make upgrades to your internet service as needed. Below is a link to a detailed document on internet speeds and services.

Internet Connection Guide