Biopac MP150, Parallel Ports and Timings

[Act and React]

Dear all, 

I am currently lost while trying to assist an undergraduate student and figured I'd ask here - 

I am relatively new to both Biopac's equipment and Python but not new to electronics (having put together a custom TTL switcher for a TMS) or programming in general. We have a BioPac MP150 with a STP-100C module with both a 25 pin and 37 pin digital I/O. I connected the 25 pin to a parallel port (address 0x0378, checked on device manager - properties - resources) on my computer running 64 bit Windows. We are running PsychoPy Version 1.8xxx or something similar I believe (I am not near to check currently!). I set the Biopac Mp150 to receive on digital channels 1-16 - haven't changed the sampling rates or anything similar. I downloaded relevant drivers including the InOut32/64 ones and tried them in different directories. 

The aim, eventually, is to trigger it or at least to mark the stimulus as it's being presented on screen so the physiological data can be matched up with images presented on screen/also in use during the BART.

I downloaded the LPT Test Utility software and tested the port to make sure that it could send on the port (which is what I assume it does?) - either way, it definitely can receive a signal/send. Wire has continuity testing done to make sure signal can get through.

I did a quick search in the topics but couldn't find a concrete answer that worked for me even after adapting the code snippets others have posted - entirely possible that I didn't understand the others so far but trying to use their code hasn't worked so far. 

Coder View

Firstly, I tried using the parallel function to send 255 (what I'm assuming is the 'high' state) then send 0 - this didn't produce a change in voltage or register in their AcqKnowledge software during recording. I also tried using the demo parallel out file but the traceback and the output kept giving me error messages about other software running or graphics card not being set to vertical sync (this error is only given when the AcqKnowledge software is running in the background to record for the Biopac). 

Builder View

I then gave it a shot in builder view, just making a simple presentation of an image or some text and then using the parallel out function - again, no response from the Biopac or any noticeable view. 

I gave the Pygaze tutorial a go available from Pygaze - but that also didn't send or receive a signal at all. I haven't tried any other experimental builder software that makes use of Python like OpenSesame but I'd be relatively lost as to where to start there.

Anyone here have any experience with this? I've probably missed a few really obvious things being a complete novice...

Many thanks,

Ferenc 

[Jon Peirce]

My guess is that it's an issue with the driver that the parallel library uses. If your port address is correct then this is the only remaining piece of the puzzle.

You need either the inpout32 driver (I *think* you need the 32bit even though your machine is 64bit because it will be 32bit python) or the dlportio driver (download http://www.dinceraydin.com/python/winioport_py24.zip and just do the "install driver" part. Don't bother with the python lib). I've heard of people having success with one driver and others having success with the other. PsychoPy will try to use whichever it finds first, but you could also force psychopy to use one or the other by doing:

from psychopy import parallel
port = parallel.PParallelInpOut32 (address = 0x0378 )
port = parallel.PParallelDLPortIO (address = 0x0378)
port = parallel.ParallelPort(address = 0x0378) #auto-choose one of the above

hope that helps
Jon

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Jon Peirce
http://www.peirce.org.uk