Alternative PCI card to interface with Biopac

Thu May 22 21:51:36 UTC 2014

Thanks again for your help and interest.  

As Paul alluded to, there is certainly some reason why both of these 
connections exist, however because this additional functionality has not 
been utilized by me- I'm simply using the connection for initial triggers 
and event markers for our studies- I really cannot expand on why we have 
both.  Unfortunately, this is the very question I'm trying to answer, to 
see if finding a solution to the PCI card transfer issue is actually 
necessary.  For this reason, I'm going to be contacting the expert who 
originally set this up for us in an attempt to clarify the situation. 
 Until I hear back, David, I'm going to hold off on answering your 
questions as that will take me a bit of time and some of them I don't 
believe I will even be able to answer with full confidence.

Again, I apologize for not providing more info- this kind of went from a 
"Does anyone have an alternative to this PCI card" question, to describing 
the intricacies of our E-Prime/MP-150/AcqKnowledge hardward set-up, which 
is admittedly beyond my scope.

Best,
Erik

On Thursday, May 22, 2014 2:12:19 PM UTC-6, McFarlane, David wrote:
>
> 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 <javascript:>> 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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