Serial Out Component

This component allows you to send triggers to a serial port. For a full tutorial please see :ref: this page <serial>.

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

Note: Since this is still in beta, keep an eye out for bug fixes.

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 Serial 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 Serial 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

Port

You need to know the address of the serial port you wish to write to. For more information on how to find out this address please see :ref: this page <serial>.

Start data

Data to be sent at start of pulse. Data will be converted to bytes, so to specify anumeric value directly use $chr(…).

Stop data

String data to be sent at end of pulse. Data will be converted to bytes, so to specify anumeric value directly use $chr(…).

Device

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

Baud rate

The baud rate, or speed, of the connection.

Data bits

Size of bits to be sent.

Stop bits

Size of bits to be sent on stop.

Parity

Parity mode.

Options:

  • None

  • Even

  • Off

  • Mark

  • Space

Timeout

Time at which to give up listening for a response (leave blank for no limit)

Data

What information about this Component should be saved?

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 serial 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 serial port immediately.

Get response?

After sending a signal, should PsychoPy read and record a response from the port?

Testing

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

Disable Component

Disable this Component


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