response unit for E-prime 2.0 Professional with ERP hardware

Sun Feb 3 21:36:13 UTC 2013

Hi Margot,

The SRBox devices sends a continuous stream of bytes representing the
button status. If I remember correctly, there is a mode switich to select
9600 or 19200 bytes per second. I think the continuous stream makes it
possible to make the response times more accurate. However, you will need a
kind of device driver that deals with the continuous stream in a background
process. I have created such driver as a so called Windows COM-object,
several years ago, but I don't think that will be compatible with Matlab.

Best,
Paul

On 2 February 2013 02:51, Margot Elizabeth <turquoised13 at gmail.com> wrote:

> We gave up on using E-Prime to present videos of 7000 ms in length; they
> just wouldn't run reliably. Instead we went to Matlab, then discovered that
> the PST SRBox is sending random bytes to Matlab which are being
> misinterpreted as button presses. The biggest consequence is that Matlab
> skips presenting videos unpredictably when there is extra information in
> the buffer.
>  I'm using the same SRBox for an audio experiment that E-Prime is
> presenting, so of course I was concerned when I discovered the visual bug.
> E-Prime evidently "knows" about the problem because NetStation isn't
> recording more than one button press during the audio experiment.
>  Has anyone else had this problem? It does *not* appear to be the cable.
> Moving the cable, even violently! :)), does nothing to the amount of noise
> we're recording; in contrast, button presses, particularly late in the
> video presentation just before a timeout, do. Do these boxes send random
> bytes of information that E-Prime deals with routinely, or is there some
> problem with the way we've set it up (e.g., grounding?). Or maybe it's a
> defective box. The 'wait' code for Matlab from this thread lessened the
> problem but didn't solve it.
>  thanks,
> Margot
>
> On Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 2:43 PM, Chris Jones <c.jones.phd at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I'd also like to thank Ben very much for this information.  I came to
>> this group looking for instructions on how to build a serial or parallel
>> response box.  My department won't be able to approve a response box until
>> the fall and I want some data now...
>>
>> The game controller option makes sense for so many reasons, including the
>> psychological effect or context effect - perhaps pulling for more valid
>> data - particularly in a stop signal paradigm.   Seems to fit with what
>> Mich (Psychology, Nottingham; sorry don't have thread handy) elsewhere
>> about psychological effects as being under-rated in comparison with timing
>> precision...
>>
>> Just to review: I can use a Logitech game pad - for example
>> http://www.logitech.com/en-ca/gaming/controllers/7360
>>
>> and download a driver...  I don't actually see a place to download
>> drivers of the type Ben describes, but there is this information:
>>
>> ____________________________________
>>
>> DirectInput (D)
>>
>> DirectInput mode works with Windows drivers to enable basic input
>> functionality. This input mode also lets you use the Logitech Gaming
>> Software to customize the inputs for games that don't normally allow you to
>> do so, or don't have gamepad support at all.
>>
>> You can use the Logitech Gaming Software with DirectInput mode to assign
>> a specific key or key combination to any of the buttons or thumbsticks on
>> the gamepad. You can also assign each thumbstick to work like a joystick or
>> mouse.
>>
>> NOTE: Logitech doesn't provide configuration software for non-Windows
>> systems, but many games allow you to configure inputs in-game. DirectInput
>> mode lets the gamepad communicate with the drivers on many such systems.
>>  __________________________________________
>>
>> ...And so using a driver and/or the above information, I will be able to
>> assign an ASCII key or number to one or more gamepad buttons, right?
>>
>> And e-prime will be able to add this device - as an input device or
>> the type, "response box"?
>>
>> And then what about the timing errors?   I'm not so concerned, but can
>> anyone estimate the timing errors for data logging?  Is there a way to
>> minimize the error by changing the input refresh rate somewhere?
>>
>> Thanks so much,
>> Chris
>>
>> Chris Jones, Ph.D.
>> Department of Psychology
>> Kwantlen Polytechnic University
>> Surrey, BC, Canada
>>
>>
>> On Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:17:25 AM UTC-7, ben wrote:
>>
>>> i've used a couple different USB controllers for this purpose over the
>>> years.  they're so much cheaper than the cedrus boxes or the pst response
>>> boxes.
>>> both controllers i've used, and i would imagine all controllers of this
>>> type, have an accompanying driver which you download from the
>>> manufacturer's website and which allows you to assign a value to the
>>> various controller buttons.  presses on the controller mimic keyboard
>>> button presses, so all you need to do in eprime is set the object
>>> collecting responses to look for a keyboard response (as opposed to a
>>> response from a mouse or a pst response box).  for instance, set the object
>>> to accept '0' or '1', and then assign one button on the controller to be
>>> '0' and the other to be '1', turn off all the other buttons, and you're
>>> good to go.
>>> pretty straight forward.
>>> http://www.logitech.com/index.**cfm/gaming/pc_gaming/gamepads/**
>>> devices/301&cl=US,EN<http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/gaming/pc_gaming/gamepads/devices/301&cl=US,EN>
>>>
>>> ben
>>>
>>> On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 7:56 AM, Jeffrey Bedwell <jbedwell at mail.ucf.edu>wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for this info. Are you using this gamepad with E-Prime? If so,
>>>> do you write script to tell the software how to interact with the
>>>> gamepad?
>>>>
>>>> -Jeff
>>>>
>>>> On Apr 21, 9:20 am, baltimore.... at gmail.com wrote:
>>>> > we use the logitech precision usb gamepad.
>>>> >
>>>> > On Apr 10, 2009 2:09pm, Jeffrey Bedwell <jbedw... at mail.ucf.edu>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > > Hi. I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for a button response
>>>> > > unit to use with E-Prime 2.0 Professional in the context of ERP/EEG
>>>> > > experiments? The PST response unit does not appear to be ideal for
>>>> > > this because it has an A/C power cable coming up to the unit that
>>>> may
>>>> > > cause interference with the ERP signal. I'd like some type of video
>>>> > > game controller or wireless unit that the participant can hold in
>>>> > > their lap comfortably. Also, if it can plug into USB port, that may
>>>> be
>>>> > > ideal. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, if anyone has
>>>> > > successfully used the PST response unit in the context of ERP/EEG
>>>> > > equipment, please let me know your thoughts on this. Thanks. I'd
>>>> > > appreciate any feedback!
>>>> > > Jeffrey S. Bedwell, Ph.D.
>>>> > > Assistant Professor
>>>> > > Department of Psychology
>>>> > > University of Central Florida- Hide quoted text -
>>>> >
>>>> > - Show quoted text -
>>>>
>>>>
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