Usage Warnings#
Warning
Improper setup and usage can cause damage to system components.
Read the following warnings before starting to work with your system. These are crucial aspects to consider during setup and usage that are included in the documentation but are listed here for your convenience.
Read the complete documentation carefully to understand how the system works and refer back to these warnings before using it.
Hardware#
Connecting or disconnecting the breakout board while the PC is on causes damage to the FMChost. For more details, see Breakout Board Guide.
Warning
Power off the PC before connecting/disconnecting the breakout board.
Headstage voltage must be configured correctly for operation. The voltage that works for one headstage can damage another, and depends on your hardware configuration such as tether length. For more details, see Tethered Headstage Voltages.
Warning
Ensure each headstage is configured with the correct voltage according to its specification before connecting and switching on the headstage port switch.
Software#
For the current Bonsai.ONIX library which is being revised to improve usability
Headstage port voltage configuration is managed via the ONIContext node or the HeadstagePortControlDevice node. The changes you make using these nodes apply immediately and persist in hardware even if the Bonsai workflow is not running. Headstage port voltage is reset to the default 4.9V only on a power cycle (power off and on — not reboot).
Warning
Keep the headstage port switches off until you have configured each port correctly.
Warning
Remember to set the headstage voltage to the desired value after a power cycle.
The ONIContext provides a dynamic window to read and write to hardware, but parameters such as device voltage are not saved in the node when the workflow is saved. The HeadstagePortControlDevice node also reads and writes to hardware, but parameters are saved with the workflow. On loading a workflow, Bonsai writes the parameter values set when the workflow was last saved.
Warning
When you configure the voltage, the ONIContext node shows that value
and when you save the workflow this value is not saved. Therefore, that value will
not be set to hardware when you load the workflow again. On loading the workflow,
the ONIContext node will be reading the voltage that is already set
on the hardware and showing this in the LinkVoltage field.
Warning
When you configure the voltage, the HeadstagePortControlDevice node shows
that value and when you save the workflow this value is saved. Therefore, that value
will be set to hardware when you load the workflow again. If you make changes to the
voltage value (with any node) and save the workflow, they will be saved in the
LinkVoltage property of the HeadstagePortControlDevice node.
Any workflows containing the NeuropixelsV1eDevice node require the Neuropixels-1.0e Headstage to be connected before the workflows can be opened or loaded into Bonsai.
Warning
Check that the voltage set to the headstage port is correct for the Neuropixels-1.0e Headstage by using a workflow of a single ONIContext node to configure it before connecting the headstage in order to open a workflow that contains the NeuropixelsV1eDevice node.
An ONIContext node or any device node in a workflow can override device settings in another workflow if device addresses are not distinct, because these nodes read/write directly to hardware.
Warning
Only have one workflow open at a time.