BITS++ digital video processor

Bits++ is a revolutionary tool for vision scientists. It increases the dynamic range of your existing 8 bit or 10 bit computer graphics system to 14 bit, which for the first time allows you to run high resolution colour and contrast experiments using your current computer equipment.

Not just another attenuator!

Bits++ is a high-speed, real-time Digital Video Processor, which allows you to use standard desktop Digital Visual Interface (DVI) video cards in completely new ways. Unlike other schemes, Bits++ uses a single high-performance 14 bit Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) system, not several 8 bit devices. The output is monotonic and completely free of the artefacts usually associated with simple attenuator networks, and full colour displays can be generated without compromise.

Look-up tables can be loaded using our unique frame-by-frame system. In this new technique, the LUTs are encoded in each displayed image. This provides high speed LUT manipulation that is guaranteed to be synchronous with the stimulus display.

Synchronisation

BITS++ includes an integrated digital I/O interface, which can be used to synchronise and control external equipment such as eye movement recorders and electrophysiological amplifiers.

The output data can also be encoded with the video to guarantee timing.

Subject responses and reaction timing

A digital interface is also compatible with the CRS range of response boxes. A CB6 or CT6 can be connected directly to Bits++ to capture your subject's responses and measure their reaction times.

Calibration

Bits++ is compatible with the SpectroCAL vision science meter and CRS Colour Toolbox for MATLAB. The CRS Toolbox for MATLAB also includes display device calibration procedures for Psychtoolbox for Windows (but not currently for the Mac).

Software

Bits++ is supplied with Dynamic Link Libraries for Windows and a Shared Library for the Macintosh. A MEX file is provided to support MATLAB. These software interfaces help make the special features of Bits++ available to your own experimental software. All the major Windows programming environments are supported and several simple stimulus demonstrations are provided with full source code for Delphi, C++Builder, and Visual Basic.

Psychtoolbox is a free software system for visual psychophysics, which provides an interface between MATLAB and the computer's video display system. PsychoPy is an open-source package for creating psychology stimuli in Python. PsychoPy combines the graphical strengths of OpenGL with the easy Python syntax to give psychophysics a free and simple stimulus presentation and control package.

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