Multichannel Systems MC_Rack Manual - Manual (Page 175)

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5 Data Export
5.1 About Data Export
The data acquisition and analysis program from Multi Channel Systems MC_Rack provides tools
for a user friendly online and offline analysis of basic parameters like peak-to-peak amplitudes,
spike rates, and so on. For more advanced analysis methods like tetrode analysis, or analyzing
sorted spikes, you can easily transfer your data files to external analysis programs. Several free
or commercially available programs support data files generated with MC_Rack (*.mcd files).
For all other programs, the add-on program MC_DataTool conveniently exports MC_Rack data
files to universal file formats like ASCII (*.txt), binary format (*.raw), or Axon Binary File
(*.abf).
Unless otherwise noted, the mentioned programs are based on a Windows operating system.
For more information, please refer to the corresponding documentation of the import filters of
the mentioned programs. Please note that MCS cannot provide support for third party programs.
Programs for offline analysis
This table gives you an overview about the wide range of possibilities of further processing your
data. The list of programs is not complete; and Multi Channel Systems does not intend to favor
some programs over others. If you do not find your favorite graphing or analysis program in this
chapter, please ask your local retailer or Multi Channel Systems whether this program would
support data files generated with MC_Rack. Please note that the feature list may not be up to
date. Please ask the provider or developer of the program of interest for more information.
The file format column specifies the file format that can be imported into the program. In many
cases, the original *.mcd file format is supported.
For extracting graphs, for example, for presentations, you can use the Image Capture feature
of the Parameter Display. If you like more features, Multi Channel Systems recommends to use
a commercially available screen shot program, for example, SnagIt from TechSmith Corporation
(www.techsmith.com). If you like to change the resolution or the color of the traces, for instance,
you can export the data as ASCII either directly from the MC_Rack display or from the *.mcd data
file with MC_DataTool and then import the ASCII file into the graphics program of your choice.
Program License File format Signal type Data
source Application
Neuro Application
Cardio
MeaTools Freeware .mcd
(MC_Rack)
Spikes,
field
potentials,
cardiac
signals MEAs Analysis, for
example spike
sorting, PSTH,
correlational
analyses,
min/max,
differentials,
statistics,
principal
component
analysis,
clustering
3-D movie of
wave
propagation,
local
activation
time
mapping,
time delays
Offline Sorter Plexon .mcd
(MC_Rack)
Spikes Single
electrodes
and
tetrodes
Spike sorting,
tetrode
analysis
Spiker Freeware binary
(MC_DataTool)
Spikes Tetrodes Spike sorting,
tetrode
analysis