Alternative PCI card to interface with Biopac

David McFarlane mcfarla9 at msu.edu
Thu May 22 20:12:19 UTC 2014


I don't know about anybody else, but I have never 
used this equipment and could use more details, 
maybe you could get those from whoever originally set up this system for you.

Just Googling around, as far as I can tell the 
UIM100C "Universal Interface Module" is little 
more than a breakout box for the 25-pin and 
37-pin connectors on the MP150, merely a 
convenience because whatever you could do with 
the UIM100C you could do just as well by wiring 
up directly to the ports on the MP150 (details at 
http://www.biopac.com/universal-interface-module 
, 
http://www.biopac.com/Product_Spec_PDF/UIM100C.pdf 
) -- the MP150 does all the real work.

The 25-pin connector on the MP150 handles 16 bits 
of digital I/O plus two analog output channels, 
and the 37-pin connector handles 16 analog input 
channels (between them the connectors also supply 
+5VDC and +/-12VDC supplies) (details at 
http://www.biopac.com/Product_Spec_PDF/MP150%20Systems.pdf ).

In turn, the NI PCI-6503 handles 24 bits of 
digital I/O (plus +5VDC) through a 50-pin IDC 
connector (details at 
http://www.ni.com/pdf/products/us/4daqsc379-384_374-376.pdf ).

Now, you say that you have the 25-pin port on the 
MP150 connected to the parallel printer port on 
your EP computer.  (BTW, it is incorrect to refer 
to the 25-pin connector on the MP150 as either a 
"printer port" or "parallel port", it is 
neither.)  If so, then you are using the parallel 
port on your EP computer for digital I/O between 
it and the MP150.  But then you say you have the 
digital I/O from the NI PCI-6503 connected to the 
MP150 via various inputs on the UIM100C.  But 
that digital I/O would have to reach the MP150 
over the same 25-pin port already used for the 
connection to the computer's parallel port.  So 
something does not make sense here.  And nowhere 
do we get any idea of where the outside world 
comes in (i.e, the physiology for which you use the MP150 in the first place).

So I would need several more details.  What 
physiological data do you mean to measure?  Is 
this analog or digital?  Do you use E-Prime to 
actually record the physiological data from the 
MP150, or merely to send trigger or marker 
signals to the physiological instruments?  What 
exactly gets plugged into the UIM100C, and into 
exactly what ports?  How does the UIM100C get 
connected to the MP150?  With both cables, or 
just one?  Which one?  How does the computer 
parallel port get connected to the MP150?  From 
the point of view of the MP150, which signals are 
used as input, and which as output?  Do you use 
any of the analog input or output channels?  What 
do you use each bit on the digital I/O 
for?  Basically, you need someone there to do a 
complete cable trace and fully document this system.

Best,
-- David McFarlane


At 5/22/2014 02:42 PM Thursday, ekwing wrote:
>Hi Paul and David,
>
>Thank you so much for your help- it is much 
>appreciated.  Embarrassingly, I mistakenly gave 
>you some incorrect information.
>
>Actually, the 25-pin printer port on the MP150 
>is already connected to the parallel port on the 
>E-Prime computers.  And yes, the Optiplex's have 
>this port already, so that should be easy enough 
>to replicate.  The NI PCI-6503 card in the PCI 
>slot (that can't be replicated on the new 
>computers) actually goes through an adapter and 
>then connects to individual ports on the back of 
>the UIM100C module of the MP150.  To be honest, 
>I'm actually not entirely sure of the 
>differentiation between this connection and the 
>printer port- parallel port connection for port forwarding from E-Prime.
>
>Any idea what this connection is actually being used for?  I'm a bit lost.
>
>Best,
>Erik
>
>On Thursday, May 22, 2014 9:58:27 AM UTC-6, McFarlane, David wrote:
>As Paul said, installing a simple parallel port
>adapter may do what you need here.  You could use
>that from E-Prime using the older Port Device, or
>the using newer ParallelPort Device, perhaps
>combined with the newer Task Events feature.
>
>But, if you don't mind, I'm a bit curious, and I
>would like to pass on some other
>information.  So, you currently use the NI
>PCI-6503, which provides 24 bits of digital
>I/O.  How do you use that with E-Prime?  Do you
>just addres it with the E-Prime Port Device?  Or
>does the NI PCI-6503 come with its own routine
>library that you must call from E-Prime?  How do you do that?
>
>If you really need a replacement for the NI
>PCI-6503, and do not mind calling external
>library routines from E-Prime, then you could
>look at various devices from Measurement
>Computing (<http://www.mccdaq.com/>http://www.mccdaq.com/ ) or LabJack
>(<http://labjack.com/>http://labjack.com/ ).  These companies offer
>devices that connect to any computer via USB to
>provide digital I/O.  You then control them from
>E-Prime using the supplied libraries.  We have
>had good results using a D/A USB device from
>Measurement Computing, I would would expect
>similar good resutls with their digital I/O devices.
>
>-----
>David McFarlane
>E-Prime training
>online: 
><http://psychology.msu.edu/Workshops_Courses/eprime.aspx>http://psychology.msu.edu/Workshops_Courses/eprime.aspx 
>
>Twitter:  @EPrimeMaster 
>(<https://twitter.com/EPrimeMaster>https://twitter.com/EPrimeMaster)
>
>/----
>Stock reminder:  1) I do not work for PST.  2)
>PST's trained staff take any and all questions at
><https://support.pstnet.com>https://support.pstnet.com , and they strive to
>respond to all requests in 24-48 hours, so make
>full use of it.  3) In addition, PST offers
>several instructional videos on their YouTube
>channel 
>(<http://www.youtube.com/user/PSTNET>http://www.youtube.com/user/PSTNET
>).  4) If you do get an answer from PST staff,
>please extend the courtesy of posting their reply
>back here for the sake of others.
>\----
>
>
>At 5/22/2014 06:49 AM Thursday, Paul Groot wrote:
> >Hi Erik,
> >
> >We just use a simple parallel port adapter card
> >to be used in a PCI slot (From Startech, but If
> >I remember correctly, PST has a list on their
> >website with compatible cards.) If the optiplex
> >comes with a built-in parallel port, their is no
> >need to use the PCI card to add an additional
> >port anyway. In our setup, we only use the 8
> >databits as output from the PC to the biopac
> >system, using a customized cable. Biopac also
> >offers a cable that can be used without
> >modifications to have 8 output and 4 inputs:
> ><<http://www.biopac.com/Product_Spec_PDF/STP100 
> C.pdf>http://www.biopac.com/Product_Spec_PDF/STP100C.pdf>http://www.biopac.com/Product_Spec_PDF/STP100C.pdf. 
>
> >
> >Best,
> >Paul
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On 21 May 2014 18:00, ekwing
> ><<mailto:erik... at gmail.com>erikkwing at gmail.com> wrote:
> >Hello,
> >
> >First, I realize this question is a bit atypical
> >as it's hardware, however, after talking with
> >Biopac and local Tech services I wanted to make
> >sure none of you had encountered the same 
> issue and found a better solution.
> >
> >Our current set-up for port forwarding involves
> >a direct connection between a
> ><<http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/ni 
> d/1108>http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/1108>NI
> >PCI-6503 card via the E-Prime computer's PCI
> >slot and the MP150 25-pin printer port. Ã'
> >However, we are currently in the process of
> >upgrading our computers, and the new computers
> >have a slimmer shell/tower that is not
> >physically large enough to house the PCI-6503 in the PCI slot.
> >
> >Because,
> ><<http://www.pstnet.com/support/kb.asp?TopicID= 
> 3023>http://www.pstnet.com/support/kb.asp?TopicID=3023>according
> >to the E-Prime knowledge base, a USB to Parallel
> >connection will not work, the only solution we
> >have come up with so far is to
> ><<http://www.cooldrives.com/index.php/1popcto4x 
> pci.html?fee=1&fep=63&utm_source=merchantcntr2014>http://www.cooldrives.com/index.php/1popcto4xpci.html?fee=1&fep=63&utm_source=merchantcntr2014>purchase 
>
> >two of these (we have two set-ups).
> >
> >So, to simplify, my main question is this- Does
> >anyone know of an alternative interface card
> >that will adequately replace the NI PCI-6503
> >that comes in a low-form factor design? Ã' If
> >curious, the new computers are Dell Optiplex 380s.
> >
> >Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

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