A preamplifier blade is a circuit board that amplifies voltage from PMTs and provides a low impedance signal suitable to send through a long cable run to the GPIO box.

• Old blades (white BNC connectors) work better for galvo/galvo imaging (brighter)

• New blades (black BNC connectors) work better for galvo/resonant imaging (brighter and less streaking)

Changing Blades (Hardware)

• Unscrew all nuts around BNC connectors
• Unscrew the front panel of the enclosure and remove it
• Slide out the blade you wish to remove
• Metal shields slide in slots between blades

Changing blades (Software)

The old blades require legacy mode to be enabled but new blades do not. To enable or disable legacy mode:

• Ensure PrairieView is closed
• Open C:\Program Files\Prairie\Prairie View\PrairieConfigUtility.exe
• Select the Channels/PMTs/Preamps tab
• Check or uncheck the Legacy checkbox
• Click Save
• Open PrairieView

Changing Preamp Scaling

Decreasing the dynamic range increases the overall brightness of images. Old preamp blades were run with a maximum input voltage of 1.25 V and new blades are run at 0.625 V

• In PrairieView click Tools and select Scan Settings
• Select the DAQs/Preamplifier tab
• Double-right-click the tab to enable editing
• Set the maximum input voltage as desired