Knowledge Base

Connections

The back panel of the DanioVision Observation Chamber contains the following connections (see Figure 3 below):

1. Expansion 1. You can optionally use this connector to set up to 4 TTL out lines, to control external devices.
2. Temp. Connector for the temperature sensor. Use this in combination with the DanioVision Temperature Control Unit (TCU).
3. Cable Grommet. If you install additional hardware inside the observation chamber, puncture the rubber membrane to let the cables pass through. For example, to connect the sensor of a digital thermometer placed in the water basin to a digital display outside the DanioVision Observation Chamber.
4. Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) Camera Connector. Use this output to connect the DanioVision camera to the EthoVision XT computer.
5. Expansion 2. This is a RJ45 type, 8-pin feed through connection. You can use it to connect future internal add-on hardware to get external signals in the DanioVision Observation Chamber.
6. Connector for Water Flow. See the water-flow system section for details.
7. TTL1 to TTL4. You can optionally use these TTL input/output connections to control external devices such as a sound or shock generator, or the DanioVision Temperature Control Unit.
8. USB Port (type Standard-B) to connect the DanioVision Observation Chamber to the EthoVision XT computer.
9. Connection for the 24 V Power Supply.
10. Connectors for Water Flow. See the water-flow system section for details.

Connect DanioVision

Make sure the DanioVision Observation Chamber is placed on a level surface.

Power

Connect the DanioVision Observation Chamber's 24 V socket to the power supply using the power cable and adaptor.

Video

Use the Ethernet cable with the large round connector to connect the digital video output of the DanioVision Observation Chamber to the Ethernet port labeled DanioVision camera on the EthoVision XT computer.

The DanioVision camera must be connected to a 1-Gb Ethernet card. If you have purchased a PC from Noldus together with DanioVision, this card is already installed. Contact Noldus if you need a new Ethernet card for the DanioVision camera.

White Light, Tapping Device, and Other Hardware

Use the USB cable that comes with DanioVision to connect the USB port of the DanioVision Observation Chamber to a USB port on the EthoVision XT computer. Do this only if:

• You want to control the White Light or the Tapping Device in the DanioVision Observation Chamber during data acquisition in EthoVision XT.
• You have the DanioVision Temperature Control Unit and you want EthoVision XT to take action if the water temperature gets too low or too high.
• You want to control any custom hardware connected to the DanioVision Mini USB-IO box.

Set Up a Water-Flow System

If you require a temperature-controlled water flow underneath the well plate, the Noldus DVTCU Temperature Control Unit is the preferred method.

The back panel of the DanioVision Observation Chamber contains three connections for controlling the water flow: a water inlet (marked in green), a water outlet (marked in yellow), and a water overflow (marked in red).

Connect the DanioVision Observation Chamber to the DVTCU using the tubes that match the color of the connectors. Please see the Reference Manual - DanioVision Temperature Control Unit DV-TCU for the complete instructions.

Suggested Temperature

For Danio larvae, the temperature of the water flowing through the system is usually 28 degrees Celsius. You can set a different temperature when needed.

Light and Switches

Main Switch

The main switch is located on the front panel. After you switch on DanioVision, wait at least 15 minutes for it to start up and to avoid condensation in the system.

Internal LED Light

The DanioVision Observation Chamber is equipped with a LED light to illuminate the inside of the chamber while you set up your experiment. Operate the Light switch at the left of the camera to turn the light on and off.

Anti-Moisture Switch

This switch is located at the right of the camera. Operate this switch to adjust the anti-condensation mechanism.

Low Light Switch

This switch is located on the Mini USB-IO box, behind the camera at the back of the observation chamber.

• When the switch is set to H (default), the standard light levels are activated, from approximately 20 to 10000 lux.
• Set this switch to L to allow very low light intensities, from 0 to approximately 20 lux.

Install EthoVision XT

If you have purchased the DanioVision Observation Chamber including a computer from Noldus Information Technology, all software has been installed and tested. You can skip this section and proceed to Set Up EthoVision XT.

If you use your own computer, make sure it meets the EthoVision XT system requirements. EthoVision XT 16 is supported with Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit. For more information about system requirements, press F1 in EthoVision XT.

Mini USB-IO Box Drivers

The Mini USB-IO box is the embedded electronics unit that communicates with EthoVision XT. The Mini USB-IO box makes it possible for EthoVision XT to control hardware such as the white light stimulus.

Before installing EthoVision XT, remove older versions of the drivers for the Mini USB-IO box. To do so:

1. In the Windows Control Panel, select Programs and Features.
2. Click each of the items whose name begins with Noldus_Hardware_Assistant.

Source: DanioVision DVOC-0041 Reference Manual, Noldus Information Technology