TTL signal to biopac (case 14307)

[elegizer]

I'm trying to trigger Biopac using MediaLab that are both installed in a single Laptop computer.
I've tested that TTL test can send signal to Biopac, and Biopac's software successfully read TTL signals as I send them from TTL test.

Although, I was able to check that Biopac can receive and display the TTL signals at channel 8, auto-triggering was not activated by TTL siglnals.

Is this problem related with your finding that parallel port signals of laptops are not strong enough? Is there any solution to solve this issue? Parallel ports on Laptop computer is added via pci express slot. Let me know if you have specific information about this.



Thank you.

UPDATE:

We learned that the laptop running MediaLab had a parallel port not 'strong' enough to drive the BioPac box. So we switched to a desktop computer and had good luck communicating between Empirisoft's IOTest utility and the Biopac system.

After further testing and removal of a small typo in the experiment file, we were rewarded with a properly running MediaLab experiment which triggered the Biopac system at the appropriate time.

[JEC]

I'm trying to trigger Biopac using MediaLab that are both installed in a single Laptop computer.
I've tested that TTL test can send signal to Biopac, and Biopac's software successfully read TTL signals as I send them from TTL test.

Although, I was able to check that Biopac can receive and display the TTL signals at channel 8, auto-triggering was not activated by TTL siglnals.

Is this problem related with your finding that parallel port signals of laptops are not strong enough? Is there any solution to solve this issue? Parallel ports on Laptop computer is added via pci express slot. Let me know if you have specific information about this.



Thank you.

So just to confirm: Your single computer has TWO parallel ports installed. You can send data from one to the other, and the data is received (albeit, in manual mode). If that is true, it sounds like DirectRT is behaving properly.

Can you also send codes from within the DirectRT experiment? IE, run the experiment as usual, and set Biopac to 'port monitor' or 'debug' mode, or something similar? That way, we can confirm that data is being sent during your experiment as well.

I'm not sure how Biopac handles auto-trigger. Can you post a link to their instruction manual? Perhaps there is a setting that's not quite right.

John

[elegizer]

This is how I did,

http://www.biopac.com/visual-presentation-system-triggering-the-mp150-100

Small correction, TTL signals are send and receive through a parallel port, and Biopac reports signals through an Ethernet port in a computer.

1641

[elegizer]

This is the setting that I followed, http://www.biopac.com/visual-presentation-system-triggering-the-mp150-100

1643
Regarding the hardware setting, as you see in the picture, Biopac communicate with their software via Ethernet cable and TTL signals are communicate through parallel port between Medialab and Biopac.

In addition, using TTL test, I confirmed that the TTL signals that are send by the TTL test program are well monitored on Biopac's monitor at channel 8. As far as I know, Biopac detect the signal changes such as 0 to 1 or 1 to 0 depends on settings. And this change triggers data acquisition.

I will try in an experiment setting and feedback this to you tomorrow.

Thank you.

[elegizer]

I've run a test with sendttl.csv, and Biopac read the ttl signal correctly while I monitor the signals.
It is ok to make a certain markers with it. but It would be better if I could trigger the Biopac using DirectRT.


Thank you

UPDATE:

We learned that the laptop running MediaLab had a parallel port not 'strong' enough to drive the BioPac box. So we switched to a desktop computer and had good luck communicating between Empirisoft's IOTest utility and the Biopac system.

After further testing and removal of a small typo in the experiment file, we were rewarded with a properly running MediaLab experiment which triggered the Biopac system at the appropriate time.

[JEC]

I've run a test with sendttl.csv, and Biopac read the ttl signal correctly while I monitor the signals.
It is ok to make a certain markers with it. but It would be better if I could trigger the Biopac using DirectRT.


Thank you

That's a great first step. Can you share your DirectRT file as well?