Micro1401-4 top Boxes and expansion

Top Boxes and expansion

The Micro1401 is expanded by similar format cases that are fixed on top of the main case, with hidden internal electrical links.

ADC expansion top-box Sets of 12 more waveform inputs - the ADC12
The set of waveform input channels may be expanded by adding 3001-3 top boxes with 12 extra channels each. Once the Micro1401 is told about the extra channels by the installation program, the new ones may be freely used just like the basic set. Software that reads the extra channels would have returned data values of zero if the top box were not installed.

The electrical and timing characteristics of these inputs are the same as those of the base four.

64 more waveform inputs - the ADC64
For large numbers of channels, an additional 64 differential channels are available with this 3701-64 top box. There is not room for 64 BNCs on the front, so there are mass termination sockets on the back. Two of these top boxes may be fitted, giving a maximum of 128 channels of waveform input.

64 channel top-box
The electrical characteristics of these inputs are similar to those of the base four. The common mode rejection is 75 db and the maximum sampling rate is slower, at 400kHz for the ±5V setting, instead of 500KHz, and 200kHz for the ±10V setting.

Digital BNC connections - the Spike2 Expansion
In some applications, such as many uses of Spike2, the digital inputs and outputs are heavily used for signals. It is convenient to have more of these connectors available on the front panel as BNCs, which is achieved by this 3001-9 top box.

3001-9 Spike2 top-box
The safe working voltage range of the inputs is ±10 volts, and they present an impedance of 47 kOhms, as with the front panel Event and Trigger inputs.

This top box has external connections to the digital input and output connectors of the main 1401, as well as internal ones, so the top box carries auxiliary connectors for these functions, which to the user, are identical with the original ones.

12 channel event expansions - the Event Expander
The 2501-12 gives Spike2 12 extra event inputs. These new events are sampled using the Spike2 digital marker channel. Each event input generates an 8 bit digital code and the codes are recorded on the digital marker channel. The unit can be installed as either a Micro1401 top box, or free standing. Free standing units can be used with other types of 1401.

2501-12 event expander If you have this unit fitted, you must enable the digital marker channel, then each event will be recorded as a marker coded from 0 to 11. You can display these as separate channels in Spike2 by duplicating the channel for each event and setting the marker filter for the duplicated channel to show only one event code.

You can stack these units; each unit adds 12 more event channels. The 1401 will unload events from the unit in sequence, taking perhaps 10 microseconds (for a Micro1401) to unload an event. Events are unloaded in priority order with lower numbered event channels having the higher priority. If it is likely that you will have simultaneous events on multiple channels you must consider if the timing uncertainties will limit the number of channels you can use.