Doric NC500 Console Debugging and Troubleshooting Guide

Run the accompanying CD or downloaded installation package and follow the on-screen prompts to install the software onto the hard drive.

Note: The software only supports Windows 10 64 bit operating system. Ensure that the system has installed the latest USB 3.0 driver.

Connect NC500 hardware

Use the included 12V DC power adapter to power the NC500.

Connect the USB 3.0 port of the NC500 backplane to the USB 3.0 interface (blue socket) of the computer using the included USB 3.0 cable. Do not use USB 2.0 ports, as it may result in insufficient bandwidth.

Press the power switch on the front panel, and the green power indicator light should be constantly on.

Connect peripherals (optional)

If using a miniature microscope or electrophysiological headset, connect it to the corresponding port with an HDMI cable.

If TTL pulses or analog outputs need to be sent to external devices such as behavioral cameras or optogenetic stimulators, connect them to the Digital I/O or Analog Out ports using BNC wires.

If external TTL or analog signals (such as behavioral event markers) need to be received, connect to the Digital I/O or Analog In port.

Launch the software

Open Doric Neuroscience Studio, the software should automatically recognize NC500, and the status indicator light ("Software Connected") should be constantly on.

Common connection issues:

Device not recognized: Check USB 3.0 cable and port; Try replacing the computer USB port; Ensure that the latest version of software (including drivers) is installed.

The indicator light for the microscope or electrophysiological headset is not on: check if the HDMI cable is securely plugged in; Try hot plugging (if the software is already open, reconnect the header and refresh the device list).

Flashing or extinguishing power light: There may be overcurrent or short circuit, immediately power off and check if the peripheral is short circuited.

Performance optimization: Balancing sampling rate and noise

The analog input channel of NC500 adopts chopper technology to reduce 1/f noise and offset. But the final signal-to-noise ratio is directly related to the selected sampling rate. The following table (excerpted from Table 3.2 in the manual) provides the RMS noise and effective resolution at different data rates.

Data rate (kSps) Actual rate (Hz) Time resolution (μ s) -3dB bandwidth (Hz) RMS noise (μ V) Effective resolution (bits)

0.3 372 2686 200 9.6 20.0

1.0 1001 999 520 15.5 19.3

2.5 2534 395 1300 26.1 18.5

6.0 6041 166 3100 46.0 17.7

12.0 12166 82 6300 120 16.3

Explanation

The effective resolution is calculated based on a ± 10V input range and linear mode. Lock in mode can provide higher effective resolution than RMS noise.

At 0.3 kSps, each code value corresponds to 9.5 μ V, which means very small fluorescence changes can be distinguished.

At 12 kSps, the noise reaches up to 120 μ V, and the effective resolution drops to 16.3 bits (which is close to the nominal resolution of the ADC but significantly increases the noise).

Practical application suggestions:

Fiber optic photometry (slow signal,<10 Hz): Choose 0.3 or 1.0 kSps. It can obtain sub microvolt level noise and smooth signal.

Local field potential (LFP,<300 Hz): Choose 1.0 or 2.5 kSps. Capable of capturing low-frequency oscillations while maintaining low noise levels.

Action potential (spike, up to several kHz): It may require more than 6 kSps, but the noise is high at this time, and subsequent digital filtering can be considered.

Lock in detection: If a modulated light source is used, the built-in lock-in mode of NC500 can provide higher effective resolution without being limited by the noise table mentioned above.

Common faults and troubleshooting methods

5.1 Software cannot connect to NC500

Possible causes and solution steps

If the USB 3.0 cable is not securely plugged in or damaged, try unplugging it again with another cable.

A computer USB port of 2.0 must use a blue USB 3.0 port. If the computer does not have USB 3.0, a PCIe to USB 3.0 card needs to be installed.

The driver program was not installed correctly. Uninstall Doric Neuroscience Studio, restart the computer, and reinstall as an administrator.

Firewall or antivirus software prevents temporarily disabling the firewall or whitelisting DoricStudio.exe.

The device firmware needs to be updated. Contact technical support to obtain the firmware update tool.

5.2 Excessive noise in analog input signal

Possible causes and solution steps

Setting the sampling rate too high reduces the data rate (such as dropping from 12k to 1k).

Use coaxial BNC cable for unshielded or poorly grounded input signals, ensuring that the shielding layer is grounded at the NC500 end. Share the recording device with NC500.

If there is a strong electromagnetic interference source nearby, keep the NC500 away from power lines, frequency converters, mobile phones, etc. Use a magnet bead to attach to the power cord.

BNC input terminals that are not in use should be short circuited to GND or connected to a 50 Ω terminal, otherwise noise will be introduced.

5.3 TTL synchronization failure or trigger loss

Possible causes and solution steps

If the output pulse frequency exceeds 20 kHz, check the output frequency setting and reduce it to below 20 kHz.