Knowledge Base

Installing the USB-IO Box

The USB-IO box comes with the following cables:

• Power supply 24 V 3A DC (A) with mains cable (B)
• USB cable with two different connectors

Connects the USB-IO box to other devices/power consumers with a power feed-through cable, for example, a PhenoTyper Top Unit.

Important: When you connect devices to the 24 V Out power supply, do not exceed the maximum power rating of your mains supply.

Connect the USB-IO Box to the Computer

1. Make sure that EthoVision XT is not running.
2. Connect the USB port on the USB-IO box to a USB port on the EthoVision XT computer using the USB cable.

Notes:

• Use a direct USB port on your PC, not a USB hub or a USB port on your PC's monitor. Try to minimize the number of USB devices connected to your computer.
• You can in principle connect multiple USB-IO boxes to the EthoVision XT computer; however, Noldus cannot guarantee that all possible combinations of devices will work.
• If you disconnect the USB-IO box while EthoVision XT is open, a message appears on screen. Re-connect the USB-IO box and in EthoVision XT click Try Again. Note that it can take some time before the software recognizes the USB-IO box after you re-connect it.

Connect the USB-IO Box with the Noldus USB Extender Cable

The standard USB cable length is limited to 3 meters. When you need a longer distance between the computer and the PhenoTyper setup, Noldus recommends using the Noldus active USB extender cable of 20 meters, as not all standard USB extenders work correctly with the USB-IO box.

The Noldus USB extender cable comes with a small jumper that must be set inside the USB-IO box in order for the USB extender cable to function correctly.

• When you use the USB extender cable in combination with the mini USB-IO box (PTIO-003x), you do not need to set the jumper.
• When you purchased your USB-IO box together with the USB extender cable, the jumper has already been set by Noldus.

To set the jumper, do the following:

1. Open the USB-IO box by unscrewing the 2 screws at the bottom, and remove the top part.
2. Set the jumper on position JMPR4 (indicated by the arrow in the figure).
3. Re-assemble the USB-IO box.
4. Connect the USB-IO box to the computer.

The USB-IO Box Device Driver Software

The current driver software for the USB-IO box and Mini USB-IO box is installed automatically when you install EthoVision XT.

For EthoVision XT 18, the driver software for both the USB-IO box, the Mini USB-IO box, and DanioVision is Noldus HardwareInterface USB-IO box 5.1.14.

To check that the driver is installed, open the Control Panel and go to Programs and Features / Add or Remove Programs. The driver name is Noldus - HardwareInterface IoBox - x64 Package - 5.

If you want to uninstall the driver software, in Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs, select Noldus - HardwareInterface IoBox - x64 Package - 5 and click Uninstall.

If you need the driver software for the USB-IO box and the Mini USB-IO box, you can find it on my.noldus.com. Log in or register first, then choose Downloads > EthoVision XT > Versions. Download EthoVision XT - Full Installation Disc - 18.0, then unzip the file and open the folder Drivers and tools > PreRequisites > HardwareInterfaceIobox. Run the file HardwareInterface IoBox - x64 Package - 5.1.12.msi.

Older Versions of the USB-IO Box Device Driver

It is not necessary to uninstall the drivers of previous versions of the Noldus USB-IO box or the Noldus Mini USB-IO box. Note that for EthoVision XT 11 and older versions, the USB-IO box and the Mini USB-IO box had separate drivers.

Connecting the USB-IO Box to Devices

Connect One Device

1. Plug one end of the modular network cable into the hardware device. Note that although an RJ45 cable is used in computer networks, the signal from and to the hardware device is not a network signal. The device cannot be connected via a network hub or similar.
2. Plug the other end of the network cable into one of the ports available on the USB-IO box:
   • TTL (front panel): for the Pellet dispenser and other devices that communicate via TTL.
   • SDI (rear panel): for the Lickometer and the Top Unit Interface.

Note: The network cable comes with the Noldus device, not the USB-IO box.

• To connect the Top Unit of PhenoTyper 1, connect the network cable to the Top Unit Interface, then connect the Top Unit Interface to each Top Unit. Connect the Top Unit Interface to port SDI 13.
• To connect the Top Unit of PhenoTyper 2, use the TTL ports, not the SDI ports. For more information, see the PhenoTyper - EthoVision XT 18 - Reference Manual.

Connect Multiple Devices

Connect each individual device to a TTL or SDI port of the USB-IO box. If you use PhenoTypers with devices like the Noldus Lickometer or the Noldus Pellet dispenser, connect devices of the same type to the same group of connectors.

Examples:

• Four Lickometers: SDI ports 1 to 4
• Four Pellet dispensers: TTL ports 1 to 4
• Top Unit Interface: SDI port 13

Speed of TTL communication is optimized if devices are connected to the same group of connectors.

Important: Always test a specific combination of devices before carrying out actual trials. Whether a combination of devices works also depends on the timing of the commands. Controlling 12 pellet dispensers may work if the pellets are dropped at different times; however, dropping 12 pellets at exactly the same moment will not work.

Connect a Third-Party Device: LED Lamp

You can connect a third-party device that can be controlled by TTL. The following example describes connecting a LED lamp.

The LED lamp must be connected between TTL output 1 (color: brown/white) and ground (color: orange/white). Add a series resistor (approximate value 560 ohm) to limit current through the LED.

To control the LED lamp with EthoVision XT, in the Port Device Mapping window select the TTL port connected to the LED and under Device Type select TTL Port Tester. To define an action on this device, use the Light 1 On/Off option.

The resistor can be skipped when you connect a real TTL device such as a shocker input or a maze.

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