> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.privatesolution.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.privatesolution.org/start-here/what-is-dma.md).

# What is DMA?

**DMA** stands for Direct Memory Access. In plain words: a small card in your gaming PC that can read the game's memory directly, over the PCIe bus, without the game knowing.

## How the pieces fit together

1. **Main PC** — the PC you play on. It has a small expansion card (the DMA card) plugged into a free PCIe slot.
2. **DMA card** — reads the game's memory. It ships pre-flashed, so there is nothing to set up on the card itself.
3. **2nd PC** — a second computer (even a cheap laptop) connected to the DMA card by USB. All the reading and processing happens here, not on your gaming PC.
4. **Software on the 2nd PC** — the program that turns that memory data into what you see on screen.

Because the main PC never runs anything suspicious, the game only sees a normal PC with a normal PCIe device.

## What you need

* Main gaming PC with a free PCIe slot
* A DMA card
* A second PC (any laptop or mini PC will do)

That is the whole setup. See [What You Need](/start-here/what-you-need.md) for the full list, then [Pick Your Solution](/start-here/pick-your-solution.md) if you are not sure a card is right for you.

## Not into hardware?

If you would rather not buy a card at all, look at [**XMA**](/xma-setup/welcome-to-xma.md) (your motherboard does the job of the card) or [**RDMA**](/rdma-setup/welcome-to-rdma.md) (two PCs linked on the same network).

{% hint style="info" %}
Stuck or confused? Open a ticket in our Discord — a real person will help you pick and set everything up.
{% endhint %}


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