Knowledge Base

The TTL Port Tester

Use the TTL Port tester to test or demonstrate the TTL control functionality of the USB-IO box. You can also use it to simulate a TTL device (for example a pellet dispenser), trigger an action (for instance, switch on a light) or as a manual input device.

Your TTL Port tester package includes a TTL Port tester PTTB-001x with a green RJ45 modular cable connected (1 meter long).

Technical Specifications

• Noldus device number: PTTB-001x
• Power supply: 5 V DC, supplied by the USB-IO box
• Current consumption: 30 mA (when one of the LEDs is on)
• Connector: RJ45 8 pin modular
• Dimensions: 60 x 40 x 20 mm (l x w x h)
• Weight: 50 grams
• CE compliant in accordance with EMC directive 2004/108/EC

Test the USB-IO Box TTL Functionality

We assume that you have set the port connection in the Experiment Settings and assigned the TTL Port tester to the arena.

1. Make sure that the USB-IO box is connected to (A) your EthoVision XT computer and (B) a power supply.
2. Connect the TTL Port tester to the TTL port on your USB-IO box which you want to test, using the green RJ45 modular network cable. When both the USB-IO box and the TTL Port tester are properly connected, the TTL power LED on the TTL Port tester is on.
3. Start EthoVision XT and open your experiment. In the Experiment Explorer, click Arena Settings.
4. In the Arena Settings window, click the Arena - Hardware mapping button.
5. In the Arena - Hardware mapping window, under the arena name, select TTL Port Tester (PTTB-001x) and click the Test button.
6. A new window appears. In the Command drop-down list, select either Light 1 on, Light 1 off, Light 2 on or Light 2 off and click Test. Check the LEDs on the TTL Port tester (Light 1 corresponds to OUT-1, and Light 2 to OUT-2) and the information in the window.

Note: The signal from and to the TTL Port tester is not a network signal. The TTL Port tester cannot be connected via a network hub or similar.

Manual Input

You can also manually supply TTL input events to a TTL port. Follow steps 1-5 in the procedure above. Press either button IN-1 or IN-2 on the TTL Port tester and check the result in the window.

Simulate a TTL Device

You can connect the TTL Port tester to a TTL port that is defined for another TTL device, for instance, the Noldus Pellet dispenser. In this way, you can simulate the working of the device. You will see that the OUT-1 LED on the TTL Port tester is turned on whenever EthoVision XT decides to have the dispenser drop a pellet. Because it is not the pellet dispenser connected to the port, there will be no "pellet dropped" reply, but you can simulate this by pressing the IN-1 button on the TTL Port tester. The IN-2 button on the TTL Port tester is connected to the same input as the "error" line of the pellet dispenser. With a pellet dispenser connected, this line will become active whenever the dispenser fails to drop a pellet. By pressing the IN-2 button, you can simulate this occurrence.

Trigger an Action with the TTL Port Tester

You can use the manual input buttons on the TTL Port tester to trigger an action, for instance, switch on a light. Define a Trial Control condition based on the TTL Port tester and define that the light is switched on when, for instance, IN-1 is pressed.

1. Open your Trial Control Settings and in the Components pane click the button next to TTL Port Tester (under Conditions - Hardware).
2. In the Signal to check drop-down list select one of the following options:
   • Is button 1 pressed? or Is button 2 pressed? and in the Signal value drop-down list select True. Then click OK. The light will be on as long as the button is pressed.
   • Button 1 presses or Button 2 presses and in the Signal value drop-down list, select = and enter 1 as the value. Then click OK.

To define the appropriate action:

1. In the Components pane under Actions, click the button next to the hardware you want to control.
2. In the Action to perform drop-down list, select which action should follow the condition you defined above. Then click OK.
3. Insert the Condition and Action box in the appropriate position in the Trial Control rule.

Use the TTL Port Tester as a Manual Event Recorder

Although you can score behaviors manually with EthoVision XT, you can also do so with the TTL Port tester. For example, in a resident-intruder test, during acquisition press the IN-1 button when the resident mouse is aggressive and the IN-2 button when the intruder mouse is aggressive. For more complex coding schemes, use the Manual Scoring Settings in EthoVision XT.

If you use the TTL Port tester as a manual event recorder, you can view the number of key presses in a hardware log. In EthoVision XT from the Export menu, choose Track Data and select the Hardware log check box.

Calculate the Statistics for the TTL Port Tester

For testing purposes, you can calculate the number of times the buttons were pressed, or visualize when the lights were switched on. To do so, in the Analysis profile:

• To analyze and visualize button presses, under Hardware click the button next to Hardware continuous. In other cases, skip this step. In the window that appears, next to Device type, select TTL Port Tester (PTTB-001x). Next to Device, select the correct device if you have more than one device connected. Next to Signal, select Button 1 pressed or Button 2 pressed.
• To analyze or visualize the time when the lights were switched on, under Hardware select Hardware Command or Hardware State. Choose Command to view the time that the command was given. Choose Hardware state to visualize the status of the light (feedback from the TTL Port tester).

In the Trial Statistics tab of the variable properties window, select the statistic Total, then click Add.

You can now calculate the number of times the button was pressed, or the light was switched on and off, by running an analysis. Choose Analysis > Results > Statistics & Charts. Make sure that the correct Analysis profile is selected on the toolbar. Next, click Calculate.

You can also visualize the button presses and the light being switched on and off in the Integrated Visualization. Choose Analysis > Results > Integrated Visualization. You will see in the Time Event Plot when the buttons were pressed, or when the lights were switched on and off.

The Optical Isolated TTL-IO Interface

Aim

• To enable isolation between the Noldus USB-IO box or the Mini USB-IO box and a third party device, for example the Inscopix nVista camera system.
• To connect the Noldus USB-IO box or the Mini USB-IO box to a third party device with BNC connectors.

Important: This isolator is not intended for medical applications.

Features

• It supports TTL-output from and TTL-input to EthoVision XT (two lines each).
• Output/input voltages 0-5 V.
• Isolation protects the device from the so-called "ground loops".
• Minimizes noise and prevents damage to the USB-IO box in the case the device connected does not function properly.

Package Contents

• PTISO-00x0 TTL-IO Isolator
• 1x network cable with RJ45 connectors
• 2x input/output double cables with BNC connectors

Connect and Use

1. Connect a TTL port of the Noldus USB-IO box or Mini USB-IO box to the TTL-I/O port of the PTISO-00x0 Isolator.
2. Connect one or more of the In/Out BNC connectors of the PTISO-00x0 Isolator depending on your setup. For example, to trigger a device, use Out 1 or Out 2.
3. When setting the port connections, specify the TTL port and the line used.

Technical Specifications

• Type name: PTISO-0010 TTL-IO Isolator
• Power requirements: 18-24 V DC; 0.02 A from USB-IO box
• Isolation value: Supply 2kV (1 sec); TTL IO 5.3 kV (1 sec)
• Connections: 1x RJ45 type from USB-IO; 4x BNC type, optical isolated TTL input/output
• Input/Output: TTL level signal (0-5.5 V DC)
• Dimensions: 31 x 113 x 67 mm (1 7/32 x 4 29/64 x 2 41/64 inches)

Technical Specifications

USB-IO Box Version 2

• Noldus model number: PTIO-002x
• Power supply: 24 V DC
• Current consumption: Max 2.0 A (varies depending on the number and type of devices connected)
• Connections: 12 TTL control connections (24 TTL Input lines and 24 TTL output lines) with RJ45 ports; 13 Special Device Interface connections with RJ45 ports
• Cables: Power supply 24V 3A DC with mains adapter; USB cable with connectors of type A and B
• Operating temperature: 0 to +40 degrees C (+32 to +104 degrees F)
• Storage temperature: -20 to +70 degrees C (-4 to +158 degrees F)
• Operating humidity: Up to 80%, no condensation
• Dimensions: 160 x 160 x 90 mm / 6.3 x 6.3 x 3.5 inches (L x W x H)

Mini USB-IO Box Version 1

• Noldus model number: PTIO-003x
• Power supply: 24 V DC
• Current consumption: 1.0 A (varies depending on the number and type of devices connected). Important: Max. overall current for all TTL ports must not exceed 0.5 A.
• Interface to PC: USB-2
• I/O connections: 4 TTL control (representing 8 TTL Input lines and 8 TTL output lines) with RJ45 modular type connectors; 1 Multi TTL (representing 16 TTL output lines and external device supply) with 20 way IDC connector; 1 Special Device Interface with RJ45 modular type connector
• Cables: Power supply 24V type 70 A24 with mains adapter; USB cable with connectors of type A and B, 3m type SB2403
• Operating temperature: 0 to +40 degrees C (+32 to +104 degrees F)
• Storage temperature: -20 to +70 degrees C (-4 to +158 degrees F)
• Operating humidity: Up to 80%, no condensation
• Dimensions: 175 x 81 x 30 mm / 6.9 x 3.2 x 1.2 inches (L x W x H)

The Nortio Interface System

Nortio is the hardware and software system that allows control of hardware devices by EthoVision in a very efficient manner.

The system consists of one Nortio Core, connected to the EthoVision XT computer, and one or more Nortio Hubs, which form the interface with various devices such as PhenoTyper Top Units, Pellet dispensers, etc.

• EthoVision XT 18 supports one Nortio Core connected to one Nortio T12T TTL Terminal Hub. Check regularly the Noldus web site for updates.
• When using PhenoTyper 2, we recommend connecting up to eight PhenoTypers to one Nortio TTL Terminal Hub.
• Nortio is compatible with EthoVision XT 16 and later versions.
• A daisy-chaining configuration of multiple Nortio Hubs (not yet available) will greatly increase the number of possible connections to one EthoVision XT computer, with minimal cabling.

Main Features

Compared with the previous USB-IO box, the Nortio system has several advantages.

Speed

The Nortio system does not depend on USB protocols as was the case for the USB-IO box and the Mini USB-IO box. A significant amount of data is processed within the Nortio Core, and is therefore independent of the operating system of the computer. As a result, there is less variability in the time needed to process a command or receive an input signal.

• Trial Control actions that are sent out to the Nortio Core are processed within 10 ms.
• EthoVision XT synchronizes the data with the Nortio Core once per video frame.
• A sequence of events from receiving an input signal and sending out a command in response can take up to two frames. For a typical experiment with video at 30 frames per second, that corresponds to 66.7 ms.

Higher Degree of Scalability

With Nortio Core connected to several Nortio Hubs it becomes easier to expand systems at minimal cost.

Note: The current release is limited to one Nortio Core and one Nortio T12T TTL Terminal Hub. Both are included in the Trial and Hardware Control add-on module of EthoVision XT.

Improved Usability

• The system architecture designed for Nortio makes it possible to reduce cabling, particularly in complex configurations like that of multiple PhenoTypers.
• Future versions of the Nortio Hub can in principle host interfaces to third-party devices. Therefore, there is no need of separate interfaces between EthoVision XT and those devices.
• Robust connectors make device communication more reliable.

Devices Supported with Nortio

The following devices are supported with the Nortio Hub T12T TTL interface:

• Noldus Pellet dispenser (Noldus type number PTPD-001x)
• Noldus Pellet receptacle (Noldus type number PTPR-001x)
• Noldus Lickometer (Noldus type number PTLM-001x). Note: To use the Lickometer in combination with the Nortio system, you need to alter the jumper position in the electronics box. Instructions are found in the chapter The Lickometer in the PhenoTyper 2 - EthoVision XT 18 - Service Manual.
• Noldus Beam Controller (Noldus type number PTBC-001x)
• Top Unit TTL interface of PhenoTyper 2 (Noldus type number PT2I-01_TTL)
• Shock, Tone, Light and Noise in the Ugo Basile Fear Conditioning System. Note: With EthoVision XT 17.5 and later versions you can have EthoVision XT control the Ugo Basile Fear Conditioning System without any additional hardware. See the connection schemes in the chapter Fear conditioning experiments in the EthoVision XT 18 - Application Manual.
• White light in the Noldus Backlight unit (Noldus type number IRWB-xxxx)
• The Med Associates Activity Wheel Brake (ENV-042)
• The TTL Port Tester (for testing purposes; Noldus type number PTTB-001x)
• Custom devices controlled through TTL signals

For the Pellet dispenser, the Pellet receptacle, the Lickometer and the Feeding Monitor (IR Beam Controller), more information is available in the PhenoTyper 2 - EthoVision XT 18 - Service Manual and the PhenoTyper 2 - EthoVision XT 18 - Reference Manual.

Components

Nortio Core

Product code: NOCO-IMX6-00xx

The Nortio Core manages communication between each device and EthoVision XT. The Nortio Core is based on ARM architecture. ARM stands for Advanced RISC Machine, where RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computing. Because of minimal power consumption and low heat generation, ARM-based chips are ideal for light and portable devices.

Buttons and Ports

Buttons:

• Start - Press the button to switch on the Nortio Core. The red LED turns on for a few seconds. Wait about one minute, then the green LED turns on again and stays on. You can then start using the system.

Ports currently in use:

• Power adapter - For connecting to the mains power through its adapter Nortio NOPS-2403-0010 100-240V AC.
• Ethernet board - RJ45 jack for connecting Nortio Core to the EthoVision XT PC through its dedicated 1GB Ethernet interface board.
• Backbone cable - For connecting Nortio Core to one of the Nortio Hubs.

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Source: EthoVision XT 19 - Trial and Hardware Control Reference Manual