Knowledge Base

Experiment Settings

To access the Experiment Settings, in the EthoVision XT Overview window, click Experiment Settings, or choose Setup > Experiment Settings.

In the Experiment Settings, specify those aspects of your experiment that remain constant during the entire course of the experiment.

• Experiment information
• Video source
• Enable DAQ co-acquisition of external data
• Number of arenas
• Subjects per arena
• Tracked features
• Body point detection technique
• Analysis options: Activity analysis and Behavior Recognition
• Trial control hardware
• Units

See Also

• Select multiple cameras
• Adjust camera settings in EthoVision XT
• More about Experiment Settings

Experiment Information

Experiment Mode

The mode depends on your EthoVision XT license and the options you choose while creating a new experiment. The mode can be:

• Standard if you created an experiment, without selecting the DanioVision experiment, or GLP experiment option.
• DanioVision if you selected DanioVision experiment while you created a new experiment, or created an experiment using a DanioVision template. Manual Scoring Settings are not available and the Arena Settings and Detection Settings are optimized for zebrafish larvae in well plates.
• Standard GLP if you selected GLP experiment while you created a new experiment. This option is only available if you have the Quality Assurance Module. See EthoVision XT and Quality Assurance.
• DanioVision GLP if you create a new experiment and select both options DanioVision experiment and GLP experiment. The experiment is set up for Quality Assurance and optimized for DanioVision.

Important: Once you created an experiment, the mode cannot be changed. Create a new default experiment if you want to change the mode.

For details about setting up a DanioVision experiment, see the DanioVision DVOC-0041 - Reference Manual. See Manuals.

Location

The location where your experiment is stored on your computer. The default location is (unless it changed during installation or in the Preferences): C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Noldus\EthoVision XT\Experiments.

To change the default location for experiments, choose File > Preferences.

Description

Enter information about your experiment such as the kind of test that you perform, the scientific research question that you aim to answer with this study, etc. To edit the description, use Unicode characters in the Basic Multilingual Plane range. You can enter up to 255 characters.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(Unicode)#Basic_Multilingual_Plane.

Video Source

From Video File

Select this option if you track from video files acquired with software other than EthoVision XT, for example MediaRecorder. For the list of compatible video formats, see Video File Formats.

Live Tracking

Select this option to acquire data live from the camera image.

Important: If you work with Basler digital cameras, close the camera software Pylon Viewer before operating the camera in EthoVision XT.

One Digital Camera

Connect the camera to the Ethernet port of the PC. Click the Refresh button. Select 1 from the list next to Number of Sources and select the camera from the list under Source.

Tip: For how to install and connect digital GigE Vision cameras, watch the video tutorial Set Up the Cameras. To open the tutorial, choose Help > Video Tutorial.

Multiple Digital Cameras

• See Select Multiple Cameras.

One Analog Camera

Connect your camera to the encoder board. Select 1 from the list next to Number of Sources and select the correct input from the list under Source.

Multiple Analog Cameras

• See Select Multiple Cameras.

Notes

• Important: You cannot use a combination of analog and digital cameras. Always use the same type of camera in one experiment.
• You can use 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, or 16 cameras simultaneously. Using for example 5 cameras is not supported.
• When you use analog cameras, you need an encoder board. See Install Analog Cameras and Connect Analog Cameras to the Computer.
• If you mix the image from multiple cameras with a hardware video mixer, follow the procedure for one analog camera.
• The quality of the camera image can only be adjusted prior to acquisition. For details, see Adjust Camera Settings in EthoVision XT.

See Also

• Cameras Supported by EthoVision XT
• Check That the Camera Is Set Up Properly
• Install GigE Cameras and Install USB 3.0 Cameras
• Install Analog Cameras

Enable DAQ Co-Acquisition

Aim

To co-acquire external data with a separate Data AcQuisition (DAQ) system. You can co-acquire, for example, physiological data while you track the subjects.

Prerequisites

• Under Video Source in the Experiment Settings, you have selected Live Tracking.
• You have the External Data module.

Procedure

1. Choose Setup > Experiment Settings.
2. Under Video Source select Live Tracking.
3. Select Enable DAQ Co-Acquisition.
4. For the complete procedure, see Enable DAQ Co-Acquisition in EthoVision XT.

See Also

• External Data