Intel Play Qx3 Microscope Software
Nerio Cintron
After you have determined that your Windows 98 computer meets the minimum system requirements, it is time to install the Intel Play software. The microscope package has a compact disk containing software that is configured to AutoPlay after being inserted into the CD-ROM drive. Insert the CD into the drive and wait a few seconds for the AutoPlay to initiate.
When the CD starts AutoPlay, the first menu will be the install screen illustrated in Figure 1. If AutoPlay does not launch automatically, double click on the My Computer icon on the desktop to open a file menu and find the icon for the CD-ROM or DVD drive. Double click on that icon to jump-start AutoPlay. Sometimes even this does not work, and double clicking on the CD drive icon will instead open a file menu containing a list of files contained on the CD, as illustrated in Figure 2. Look for the file named Setup.exe and double click on that icon to launch the installation Setup program.
When Setup first launches, it scans the computer searching for installed components necessary to support the microscope hardware and software. The diagnostic program run by Setup first creates a file named QX3Diag.log and stores it in the QX3 root directory (default is C:\Program Files\Intel Play\QX3 Microscope). This file is a text log file containing the results of the system scan, which includes the universal serial bus qualifications, a check of the minimum system requirements, a review of the available monitor display resolutions and color depths, and a scan of pre-installed dynamic link libraries in the Windows system directory. After software installation is completed, the Setup program runs a final check of installed files and writes this data into the log file.
When the system check is finished, and before the software installation is started, the Setup program displays a dialog box containing the results of the system scan (illustrated in Figure 3). If the hardware and software meet the minimum system requirements, use the mouse to click on the Next button of the dialog box to proceed with installation. If the computer is missing a non-vital hardware or software feature, Setup diagnostics will fail that portion of the system check and will ask whether you want to proceed with software installation. Several components are not critical to the software (for example, a sound card) and the microscope will operate without them. However, if the computer is missing a vital component necessary to operate the microscope software and/or hardware, the Next button will be grayed out and you must exit installation (Figure 3). This is the case for computers lacking the USB port, Windows NT systems, and pre-release betas of Windows 2000.
Before Setup proceeds further with software installation, it displays a Welcome dialog box (Figure 4) that strongly recommends exiting all Windows programs before continuing with the installation. This dialog box also has a warning message about copyright protection and unauthorized reproduction or distribution of the software. Clicking on the Next button takes you to the software license agreement dialog box (Figure 5) containing the legal information and terms for installing the software. At this point, the dialog box suggests you read the information in the Mattel license agreement and gives you a choice of yes or no to the agreement or going back a step. Clicking on the No button terminates Setup.
Clicking on the Yes button takes you to the Setup type dialog box (Figure 6) that asks which of three Setups to install: Minimal, Typical (the default), and Full. When one of these installation types is selected (by clicking on it with a mouse), a description of the items to be installed appears in a window below the install type choice window. A Minimal installation contains only the components necessary to run the microscope. A Typical installation contains all the components of the minimal installation with the addition of sample images and some other support files. A Full installation contains all the contents of the CD, so the microscope can be run from the hard drive without requiring occasional retrieval of data or images from the CD.
The QX5 USB microscope is a discontinued, computer-only microscope with magnification power of 10x, 60x and 200x. The QX5 was sold by Intel Play. Intel Play did not officially support QX5 for use with GNU/Linux, but the cpia2 kernel module supports it well. The 200x magnification setting requires good lighting, and benefits from external lighting sources.
The QX5 is an improved version of the QX3 USB microscope. Both devices have an upper portion that is removable from the base while in operation. The QX5 replaces the QX3's incandescent bulbs with LEDs. There were at least two versions of the QX5 produced. QX5 revision 2 identifies itself as 093a:050f. While the QX3 maxpower is reported as 500mA, the QX5 (revision 2) maxpower is reported as 100mA.
For at least this version (revision 2) of the QX5, illuminator_1 refers to the scope/upper light, and illuminator_2 refers to the stage/lower light, opposite of the QX3 behavior. If both illuminator values are set to "1", the microscope will deactivate the first light and activate the most recent assigned light. If the value for that illuminator is set back to 0, that light will switch back off, and the first light will switch back on.
Then insert your microscope USB cable, and launch vlc. You can specify the video device as the output in the command line. Note again that if your system has an internal webcam, replace "video0" with "video1":
In the vlc display, you can find the microscope lighting controls by clicking the "show extended settings" button at the bottom of the window, then clicking on the "v4l2 controls" tab. There will be check boxes for illuminator_1 and illuminator_2.
To allow the user to take videos and snapshots (just like the bundled software allows): Under the "View" menu in vlc, check the "Advanced Controls" box. This will show a bar at the bottom of the window that allows recording and snapshots. The storage location should default to the user's "Videos" folder in their home folder for video recordings, and to the user's "Pictures" folder in their home folder for snapshots.
The Cpia2 driver was ported to v4l2 and version 2.0 of the driver was released in September 2005; in February 2006 it was accepted into Andrew Morton's 2.6.16-rc4-mm2 experimental kernel branch; cf. submission patch.
If you'd like a gui to control lights and other QX5 features try qv4l2 while vlc is running. v4l2-ctl and qv4l2 are parts of the v4l-utils package in Debian Wheezy. This all worked with kernel version 3.1.0-1-686-pae.
This was for the most part already working in Ubuntu 12.04LTS. The only exception was the installation of v4l-utils with "sudo apt-get install v4l-utils". I already had VLC present on the system and got it up and running quickly:
Open up the Ubuntu Software Center on your computer and search for "video4linux" one word no spaces. The top listed software should be "Video4Linux Control Panel" v4lcp which is what you want, so click and install.
Next go ahead and run v4lcp but don't panic if the lights do not respond just yet. You need to have VLC or Cheese running at the same time. Once you have a media player running you will be using the CPiA drivers and the light switches will work.
*Notes: Make sure your microscope is receiving the full 5V 200mA from your USB port. Some ports may have issues and cause blinking or the microscope to not function. Unplug unused usb devices or try a different port. Alternatively usb expansion ports with secondary power supplies are very useful.
Lastly if you do not see video try closing and restarting the media viewer. Ubuntu seems to need a few seconds to register the microscope. Also note that v4lcp has an "Update" setting. This is not to update the software it's how often the panel updates the settings.
Follow the installation instructions. I chose "Full Install". Then the Registration Wizard comes up. You can fill it out or exit. Then it asks you to restart. If you wish to play with the microscope you MUST reboot.
On the right you will see a slider with a button above and one below it. These are controls for the lights. The top button shines light on the stage from above. The bottom button shines a light from the bottom of the stage.
Now look at the microscope. You will notice that the top half of the unit came off of the base. It is supposed to do that. You will notice a green button with a picture of a camera on it. This is so you can snap an image with out using your mouse.
The entire lens assembly comes out of the base unit so that the microscope can view objects that a conventional microscope could never do. Although it takes a steady hand it opens opportunity's for microscopic examination of the ordinary world never before possible in your home.
Notice on the lens assembly that there is a green thumb wheel. Turn the wheel and you will see there is a 10x 60x and 200x. 10x is the lowest magnification and 200x is the highest. You will also notice that the wheel turns easily and is textured to be easily turned by your thumb or finger. You will also notice that then the numbers are in he front it clicks into place, lining up the chosen lens with the camera at the top of assembly.
[Get picture of lens assembly separate from base unit]
For now put the lens assembly back into the base. You should probably start on 10x. Now place a slide under the microscope. The knob on the sides of the base move the stage up and down to focus. Turn the knob until the image on the screen is in focus. To zoom in turn the green thumb wheel to 60x and adjust the stage height again.
Q. Does the softwear that supports this product, have any scientific value?
A. No. The soft wear is designed for 6 year olds, it includes a paint program and adjustments to alter the color and a host of cool things for kids.