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8 auto sync for autocreating trigger pulses – Multichannel Systems STG4002 Manual User Manual

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Programming Stimulus Protocols

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5.8

Auto Sync for Autocreating Trigger Pulses

If you want to synchronize other devices, for example, a MEA1060-BC amplifier, the MC_Card or
an USB data acquisition device with the stimulus generator, you have to set up the digital output
of the Sync Out channels in synchrony to the stimulus pulses. This may sometimes be a bit tricky
and time consuming, especially for complex stimulus protocols.

The Auto Sync feature is intended for making the work with MC_Stimulus more efficient: Digital
Sync Out TTL pulses synchronous to stimulus pulses are generated automatically by this feature.
Each time an analog channel generates a pulse (that is, its value is not equal to zero), the logical
state of the assigned Sync Out channel is set to HIGH (=1). You can set the time offset of the
TTL's rising edge before the stimulus pulse and of the TTL's falling edge after the pulse.
If you change the stimulus protocol, corresponding Auto Sync pulses are updated on the fly.
This feature is especially recommended for controlling the MEA1060-BC amplifier with superior
stimulus artifact suppression.

1.

On the Edit menu, click Auto Sync Settings. The Auto Sync Settings dialog box appears.

2.

Assign the analog stimulus channels that will be used as the basis for autocreating the protocols

on the Sync Out channels 1 and 2. For example, if you use only stimulus channel 1, select Ch1
under Sync1. If you use a MEA1060-BC amplifier, you can use up to two output channels per
amplifier, that is, you may want to select Ch1 and Ch2 for Sync1. The preceding screen shot
shows an advanced setup that could be used, for example, for a setup with 4 MEA1060-BC
amplifiers, each connected with two analog STG channels and one Sync Out.

3.

Set the time offset of the TTL's rising edge before the stimulus pulse (Pre Time) and of the TTL's

falling edge after the pulse (Post Time). For operating a MEA1060-BC amplifier, a Pre Time of 0
μs and a Post Time of 100 μs are default, but especially the Post Time may have to be adjusted
according to your stimulus amplitude and the stimulus artifact suppression performance (please
see the user manual of your MEA1060-BC amplifier or the MEA_Select help for more details).