Mac Support

ARC is primarily designed for Windows operating systems. However, you can run ARC on a Mac using virtualization software like Parallels Desktop or Boot Camp to create a Windows environment.

For your M3 Pro MacBook, you can use Parallels Desktop to run Windows on your Mac. This setup should allow you to run ARC as you did on your Intel-based MacBook. Keep in mind that performance may vary depending on the virtualization software and the resources allocated to the Windows environment.

If you have any specific questions about setting up ARC on your MacBook or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

ARC/Synthim is mainly a Windows-only product. However, if you're using a Mac, you can still run it effectively using virtualization tools like Parallels or BootCamp.

Before diving in, I'd recommend planning out your robot project thoroughly and researching the best parts to meet your goals. For example:

ESP32: This is a great little wireless board that's awesome for quick prototyping and remote control. It can easily be turned into an EZB-like setup. Arduino Boards (Nano, Uno, Mega): These are excellent for direct PC connections. If you choose this route, pairing them with an onboard mini PC can enhance your setup. ARC is well-optimized and can run on systems with just 2-4 GB of RAM, so it should work well even on modest hardware.If you opt for this route, pairing them with an onboard mini PC can significantly enhance their functionality. Definitely check out the Getting Started guide for ARC/Synthim. It provides a lot of useful information and will point you in the right direction.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your robotics project!

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.  I have used ARC previously with my Robotis equipment but have not done anything since 2020 and wanted to get back into things.  I thought I had seen a note that ARC struggled with the Apple chips in Parallels, hence my question.  Thanks again!

@athena I just moved to M4 from Intel Mac. Using Parallels Version 26.2 and Windows 11 ARM.   ARC seems to install and run ok but I have not tested all the hardware plugins.  Is there a list of working or not working plugins.  A lot of the hardware devices need windows drivers so was wondering what had been tested.  Any issues doing development on laptop ARM and then moving project to X86 to run on Robot?

Any other users using ARC with Parallels on Apple ARM ?

@nink i can also answer that. I don't think there will be any issues at all unless you're using something requiring a specific hardware driver such as the microsoft kinect or intel realsense. Anything else such as joysticks and such should work fine. I doubt a wiimote will work though.

Thanks @DJ  I guess I will do it old school and just test stuff and see what works or doesn't and report back.   I will probably just use my desktop but its nice to be able to sit on the couch with the wife while I play instead of hiding in the study.

Short answer

• ARC (Windows app) can run on Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3) via Parallels Desktop + Windows 11 ARM - many users report ARC installs and runs.
• Caveat: hardware that requires Windows kernel USB drivers (Microsoft Kinect Xbox 360 SDK 1.8, Intel RealSense native drivers, and other USB device drivers) frequently will NOT work inside Windows ARM/Parallels because the drivers themselves are not available or not compatible with Windows ARM. WiFi-based devices (EZ-B over WiFi) and most network/USB-over-IP or generic HID devices often do work.

What to expect for your setup (EZ-B v4 + Kinect Body Control + Intel Realsense D435i)

• EZ-B v4

  • Best: connect the EZ-B to ARC over WiFi from the Windows VM. This works normally - ARC connects to the EZ-B IP using the ARC Connection skill.
  • USB passthrough of an EZ-B may work but is less dependable; prefer WiFi.
  • EZ-B docs: https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v4

• Kinect Body Control (Xbox 360 Kinect + SDK 1.8)

  • Kinect relies on Windows drivers (kernel-mode drivers included with SDK 1.8). Those drivers are targetted for x86/x64 Windows and typically are not compatible with Windows ARM. Result: Kinect is unlikely to work in Windows ARM/Parallels.
  • If you must use Kinect, use a native x86/x64 Windows PC (desktop) or test to confirm driver availability in the VM.

• Intel RealSense D435i

  • RealSense requires native drivers and the librealsense/RealSense Windows runtime. Those installers/driver stacks are generally built for x64 Windows; Windows ARM support is limited or non-existent for many versions. So RealSense sensors often will not function when passed through to Windows ARM.
  • Workarounds: attach the Realsense to an x86 Windows PC and stream data over network to ARC (or use a small x86 mini PC next to the robot).

Why drivers are the main limit

• Windows ARM can emulate x86/x64 user-mode applications in many cases (so ARC itself may run), but kernel-level drivers for USB devices must be built specifically for Windows ARM. Most Kinect and RealSense drivers are not offered as Windows ARM drivers, so the VM cannot use the hardware even if ARC runs.

Practical testing steps (if you want to try Parallels/Windows 11 ARM)

1. Install Parallels Desktop (latest version) and create a Windows 11 ARM VM.
2. In Windows VM, download & install ARC: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC
3. Test ARC alone - see if it launches and basic functions work.
4. For EZ-B (recommended):
   • Put EZ-B on same WiFi network as the Mac host.
   • In ARC, add the Connection skill and try connecting to EZ-B using its IP (no drivers needed).
5. To test a USB device in the VM:
   • Connect the USB device to the Mac.
   • Use Parallels > Devices > USB & Bluetooth > connect device to Windows.
   • Check Windows Device Manager to see if the device enumerates and a driver is installed.
   • Install Kinect SDK (1.8) or RealSense viewer inside the VM and test whether Windows detects the device and the vendor driver installs. If driver fails, the device won’t work in ARC.
6. If a device fails in the VM, move that specific device to an x86 Windows machine and run ARC there or stream data over the network.

Alternatives and recommendations

• For development and final robot deployment, the most reliable option is to use a native x86 Windows PC (desktop or small form-factor) for any hardware that needs vendor drivers. Use the Mac/Parallels for coding, UI, and testing non-driver devices.
• Use a separate x86 Windows PC as a sensor/comms node, and forward data to ARC running in VM via network (NMS, UDP, HTTP, or a custom robot skill).
• Boot Camp is not available on Apple Silicon - Boot Camp only works on Intel Macs. Parallels/VM is the route for M1/M2/M3.

Useful links

• ARC downloads: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC
• EZ-B v4: https://synthiam.com/Support/Hardware/EZ-B-v4
• Kinect Body Control skill: https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Camera/Kinect-Body-Control?id=15859
• Intel RealSense D435i skill: https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Navigation/Intel-Realsense-D435i?id=20404
• ARC system requirements: https://synthiam.com/Support/Install/system-requirements

Would you like a short step-by-step test plan I can paste here to try in Parallels? Also, which Kinect model (Xbox 360 or Xbox One) and how do you plan to connect the EZ-B (WiFi or USB)? I can tailor the testing steps based on that.