Revision 2.00 / LB-0805 – CerePlex W: Instructions for Use 9
©2019 Blackrock Microsystems®, LLC
than wirelessly. The headstage battery will continue to charge while transmitting
in wired mode.
Use caution when removing the micro-USB cable as excessive force or twisting
can damage the connector on the headstage.
The transmission frequency is set at the time of manufacture to 3.5 GHz. The
CerePlex W receiver must be tuned to the same frequency as the transmitter.
This process is described in Setting Up the CerePlex W section below. It is
possible to use two complete CerePlex W systems together for a total of 192
channels if they are tuned to different frequencies. If you are interested in using
two CerePlex W systems simultaneously, contact a Blackrock Microsystems
representative at support@blackrockmicro.com.
CerePlex W Referencing
Unlike the CerePlex Elixis, the CerePlex W does not have reference-toggling
capabilities on a bank-by-bank basis. This means the connections between the
LGA pads and the electrodes in a CerePort assembly must be carefully planned
in order to properly reference your recordings. Banks A and B (channels 1–64)
use Ref 1 and Bank C (channels 65–96) use Ref 2.
CerePlex W Receiver and Antennas
The CerePlex W receiver can use up to 8 antennas to acquire data transmitted from the
CerePlex W headstage. The receiver only needs a robust signal from one antenna to
reliably receive the transmission. If the signal strength declines from one antenna, the
receiver will cycle through the remaining antennas to find a suitable signal. In this way,
the 8 antennas can be used to cover a larger operational area than would be possible
with a single antenna. If at least one antenna is close enough to the headstage
transmitter, the data link will remain intact. If an antenna input channel is receiving data,
the blue reception indicator LED for that channel on the front of the receiver will
illuminate.
The antennas provided with the CerePlex W system are rugged outdoor antennas
designed for harsh conditions (Figure
4). They have a wide beam width
(receiving angle) of over 45° to better
cover an experimental area. The
antenna cables are low-loss coax
cables specifically designed for high
performance in the frequency range
used by the CerePlex W system.
After amplifying and decoding the
wirelessly transmitted signal, the
receiver relays the data to either the
digital hub—as part of a Cerebus
system—or the CerePlex Direct for
further signal processing, display, and
storage. Figure 5 shows the CerePlex
W wireless receiver with important
features labeled.
Figure 4 – Receiving antenna used with the
CerePlex W system.
