Multichannel Systems LTP-Director Manual - Manual (Page 10)

LTP-Director Manual
6
3.2
MEA2100-System
The MEA2100-System consists of two main devices: The interface board with integrated
high-capacity digital signal processor DSP and the headstage equipped with amplifier,
A / D converter and stimulus generator. It is possible to connect one headstage only
or two headstages to one interface board. The MEA2100-32-System is a descendant
of the MEA2100-System with all functions except of the real-time feedback via DSP.
Five different types of headstages are available for the MEA2100-System. A headstage
for microelectrode arrays (MEAs) with 32 electrodes (MEA2100-HS32), a headstage for
60-electrode MEAs (MEA2100-HS60), and a headstage for MEAs with 120 electrodes (MEA2100-
HS120). Additionally headstages for two microelectrode arrays with 32 electrodes (MEA2100-
HS2x32) and with 60 electrodes (MEA2100-HS2x60) are available.
If you are working with two headstages, each headstage can be operated independently
by opening two instances of the LTP-Director software for each headstage separately.
When using two headstages with two 60-electrode MEAs or two 32-electrode MEAs,
please open four instances of LTP-Director software for independent control of each MEA.
Software Settings
Using the MEA2100-System you are able to control up to two headstages with up to four MEAs
with up to four instances of LTP-Director independently from a single computer. When starting
more than one instance of LTP-Director in parallel, be aware that the MEA2100 headstage is still
a single hardware component only. That is why the first instance of LTP-Director is acting like
the master of all following instances for some hardware dependent settings. You can change
the sampling frequency and the voltage input range in the hardware dialog of the main menu
"Settings" in the first instance of LTP-Director only. The settings are saved in the "*.ini" file,
and used for the following instances, respectively. The settings in “Hardware” tab are disabled
in LTP-Director instances 2, 3 and 4. If you like to change hardware settings, please close all
running instances of LTP-Director, and start the first instance again. All other settings can
be adjusted for each amplifier independently in the assigned LTP-Director instance.
When connecting two headstages to the MEA2100-System, the first USB port is assigned to
the MEA2100 with “A” in the serial number of the device and the second USB port is assigned
to serial number “B”.
Using a headstage with 120-electrodes MEA (MEA2100-HS120), please open only one instance
of LTP-Director. Using a headstage with two 32- or 60-electrodes MEAs (MEA2100-HS32 or
MEA2100-HS2x60), please open two instances of the software. The first instance will control
the MEA on the left side of the headstage, when looking at the headstage with the articulation
in the back. The second instance controls the MEA on the right side. Respectively when using
two MEA2100-HS2x32 or MEA2100-HS2x60 headstages on headstage “B” the left MEA will
be controlled by the third instance and the right MEA by the fourth instance of LTP-Director.