Connecting Peripherals to the RZ
The rest of this guide gets the communication loop between your computer and your processors working. Most other devices in a System 3 rig, such as amplifiers, stimulators, behavioral interfaces and data streamers, do not join that loop. They connect to the RZ processor instead, usually over their own fiber optic link to a DSP card inside the RZ.
Set up and test your processor first, then connect the devices below.
These devices do not appear in zBUSmon
zBUSmon shows the chassis and programmable devices on the PC interface loop. Peripherals that connect directly to an RZ, such as the PZ5 or SIM, are not on that loop and will not be displayed. See Test Your System. They are declared in the Synapse Rig Editor instead.
At a Glance
PZ5 NeuroDigitizer
Analog signals are digitized and transmitted to the RZ base station for further processing via a single fiber optic connection. Configuration information is also sent from the RZ to the PZ5 across the same fiber optic connection.
The PZ5 can connect to the PZ Amplifier input on an RZ2 base station, or directly to any RZDSP-P card on any RZ base station. A PZ5 can return at most 256 recording channels to the RZ base station.
See the PZ5 NeuroDigitizer page in the System 3 Manual for channel counts, amplifier options and front panel details.
SIM Subject Interface
The Subject Interface connects to the fiber optic port labeled To SI on the back of an RZ base station configured with a DSP-M card (RZDSP-M). Configuration information is sent from the RZ to the SI across the fiber optic connection.
A typical system consists of a Subject Interface and an RZ processor equipped with a specialized DSP and an additional fiber optic connector on the back panel. SIM devices are available in 2, 4, or 8 bank models.
See the SIM Subject Interface Module page in the System 3 Manual for bank configuration and stimulation options.
iCon
iCon and iConZ connect differently
The iCon has an optical communication port that interfaces to an RZ processor, and is covered here. The iConZ is a standalone device with its own onboard DSPs that connects straight to a PC over USB 3. See Setting Up an iCon over USB instead.
The iCon connects to a DSP-M card in your RZ processor. It runs at the RZ system sampling rate, up to a maximum of 50 kHz.
You can connect multiple iCons to the same DSP interface card.
See the iCon Behavioral Controller Interface page in the System 3 Manual for connection diagrams and the available iCon modules.
IZ2M / IZ2MH Stimulator
A typical system consists of an RZ processor equipped with a specialized DSP (RZDSP-I) and an additional fiber optic connector on the back panel.
Stimulus parameters for each electrode channel are first defined on the RZ base station and digitally transmitted over a fiber optic cable to the stimulator. Monitoring signals are returned across the same link to the RZ.
Before connecting, ensure that the TDT drivers, PC interface, and RZ and zBus devices are already set up and tested. Then connect the stimulator to the base station using the provided duplex fiber optic cable.
See the IZ2M/IZ2MH Medically Isolated Stimulator page in the System 3 Manual for the connection diagram, channel counts and safety information.
PO8e Streaming Interface
The PO8e is an optional interface for RZ processor devices, designed to transfer high channel-count data to a PCI Express card in the PC.
The RZ connects to the PO8e card via a special optical DSP (RZDSP-U). The optical card has an interface located on the back panel of the RZ processor and connects to the PO8e via orange fiber optic cables provided with the system. Data is transferred over that fiber optic link into a RAM buffer on the PC.
A second, separate fiber link
The PO8e link is not the same as the Optibit interface that carries command and control between the PC and the processor. See Setting Up with a PCI Card or UZ3. A system using a PO8e has two independent fiber optic connections into the computer.
The PO8e must be added to your Hardware Rig in Synapse.
See the PO8e Streaming Interface for the RZ page in the System 3 Manual for requirements and Synapse configuration.
RS3 Data Streamer
Not a fiber optic connection
Unlike the devices above, the RS3 deliberately bypasses the fiber optic link.
The RS3 Data Streamer is a specialized DSP that streams data directly from an RZ2 processor to the PC running Synapse through a USB 3 cable. Bypassing the fiber optic connection improves real-time performance and allows you to acquire continuous data at higher channel counts.
The RS3 is installed internally on the RZ2 processor. The USB port is accessible on the back panel and must be connected to the same computer that is connected to the RZ2 with the PC interface.
Multiple RS3 cards can be installed in a single RZ2, and can be connected to the same computer through separate USB cables. Alternatively, TDT provides a USB hub that is mounted inside the RZ2 to minimize external USB cable connections.
See the RS3 Data Streamer page in the System 3 Manual for installation and Synapse configuration.
Other Devices
Other devices, such as preamplifiers, headstages, video trackers, commutators and speakers, connect through the processor or through a zBus chassis. For information about each device in your system, see the System 3 Manual.
Next Steps
- After Setting Up Your System: documentation, warranty, and where to more help.