Knowledge Base

Introduction

This DanioVision Service Manual describes how to install EthoVision XT, additional drivers and hardware. If you have purchased the DanioVision Observation Chamber including a computer from Noldus Information Technology, all hardware and software has been installed and tested. In this case you do not need most of the information in this document.

This DanioVision Service Manual describes how to:

• Install EthoVision XT – You need this information if you use your own computer or an 'old' computer you bought from Noldus IT. In both cases, make sure the computer meets the EthoVision XT 8 system requirements.
• Configure the Anti-Condensation Mechanism – You need this information when you want to configure the settings of the anti-condensation mechanism for the lens.
• Configure the DanioVision White Light – You need this information when you want to use very low intensities for the DanioVision White Light.

Installing EthoVision XT

If you have purchased the DanioVision Observation Chamber including a computer from Noldus Information Technology, all software has been installed and tested. If you use your own computer (or a computer you bought from Noldus IT in the past), make sure it meets the EthoVision XT 8 system requirements before proceeding.

During installation of EthoVision XT 8, make sure you select the Noldus Mini USB IO-Box.

See the "Mini USB IO-box - Technical Note" on the EthoVision XT installation disk for instructions on how to install the drivers for the Mini USB IO-Box.

If you use a computer on which the Noldus USB IO-Box has been installed, you first need to de-install the drivers for the USB IO-Box (via the Control Panel), before you can install the drivers for the Mini USB IO-Box.

Configuring the Anti-Condensation Mechanism

The DanioVision Observation Chamber is equipped with an anti-condensation mechanism to prevent the lens from condensing during an experiment. This anti-condensation can be set to three modes using a switch inside the chamber, located just below and to the right of the camera.

The following modes are available:

• Auto (Default and Recommended) – The anti-condensation mechanism is automatically switched on when the air temperature inside the chamber drops below 28°C (82.4°F), to prevent condensation on the lens. When the air temperature inside the chamber exceeds 28°C, the anti-condensation mechanism is automatically turned off to prevent heating the water in the wells. The value of 28°C is the default setting of the embedded controller.
• Off – The anti-condensation mechanism is permanently turned off. Use this mode when the air temperature inside the chamber is equal to the desired water temperature in the wells (28°C).
• On – The anti-condensation mechanism is permanently turned on. Use this mode when the air temperature inside the chamber is lower than the water temperature in the wells. Use this in combination with a temperature-controlled water circulation to keep the water in the well at the desired level for experiments that last several hours.

TTL port 2 on the back panel of the DanioVision Observation Chamber is reserved for future use (controlling/displaying DanioVision's anti-condensation mechanism) and is therefore no longer available as a TTL I/O port. TTL port 3 and 4 can still be used.

Configuring the DanioVision White Light

In the current version of the DanioVision Observation Chamber (DVOC-0011 Analog), it is possible to use very low light levels for the DanioVision White Light in addition to the default, standard white light levels.

Both standard and low light are controlled in the same way by EthoVision's Trial and Hardware Control: you can set the light level between 0 and 100% and also specify the Fade duration. The standard white light levels range from approximately 150 Lux to over 4000 Lux. The low light maximum intensity value is 1 Lux.

There is a switch inside the DanioVision Observation Chamber (at the bottom-left of the black mini USB IO-Box) with which you can set the White Light level:

• H – This is the standard, high light level (right position).
• L – This is the low light level (left position).

Source: EthoVision XT 18 - THC - Trial and Hardware Control, Noldus Information Technology