Parallel Out Component

This component allows you to send triggers to a parallel port, USB2TTL8, or LabJack U3 device.

An example usage would be in EEG experiments to set the port to 0 when no stimuli are present and then set it to an identifier value for each stimulus synchronised to the start/stop of that stimulus. In that case you might set the Start data to be $ID (with ID being a column in your conditions file) and set the Stop Data to be 0

Categories:

I/O, EEG

Works in:

PsychoPy

Parameters

Basic

The required attributes of the stimulus, controlling its basic function and behaviour

Name

Everything in a PsychoPy® experiment needs a unique name. The name should contain only letters, numbers and underscores (no punctuation marks or spaces).

Start

When the Parallel Out Component should start, see Defining the onset/duration of components.

Expected start (s)

If you are using frames to control timing of your stimuli, you can add an expected start time to display the component timeline in the routine.

Start type

How do you want to define your start point?

Options:

  • time (s)

  • frame N

  • condition

Stop

When the Parallel Out Component should stop, see Defining the onset/duration of components.

Expected duration (s)

If you are using frames to control timing of your stimuli, you can add an expected duration to display the component timeline in the routine.

Stop type

How do you want to define your end point?

Options:

  • duration (s)

  • duration (frames)

  • time (s)

  • frame N

  • condition

Device

Information about the device associated with this Component. Keyboards, speakers, microphones, etc.

Port address

You need to know the address of the parallel port you wish to write to. The options that appear in this drop-down list are determined by the application preferences. You can add your particular port there if you prefer.

Options:

  • 0x0378

  • 0x03BC

  • LabJack U3

  • USB2TTL8

U3 register (if :ref:`paralleloutcomponent-address` ==’LabJack U3’)

When using a LabJack U3, you can select which register is used to write a data byte to. Register EIO is the default.

Options:

  • EIO

  • FIO

Data

What information about this Component should be saved?

Start data

Data to be sent at ‘start’. The value is given as a byte (a value from 0-255) controlling the 8 data pins of the parallel port.

Stop data

Data to be sent at ‘end’. The value is given as a byte (a value from 0-255) controlling the 8 data pins of the parallel port.

Save onset/offset times

Store the onset/offset times in the data file (as well as in the log file).

Sync timing with screen refresh

If true then the parallel port will be sent synchronised to the next screen refresh, which is ideal if it should indicate the onset of a visual stimulus. If set to False then the data will be set on the parallel port immediately.

Sync to screen

If the parallel port data relates to visual stimuli then sync its pulse to the screen refresh

Options:

  • True

  • False

Testing

Tools for testing, debugging and checking the performance of this Component.

Disable Component

Disable this Component


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