MPI-W2 - DeltaVision Core - Startup & shutdown

Startup

Hardware

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Open the plastic door on the computer cabinet, by pressing in the plastic catch button on the little handle.

1. Switch on the Small Green power button
2. Switch on the CCD camera power supply brick, at the bottom of the cabinet.
3. Switch on the Linux computer with the biggest button (might need to press 2x)
4. Switch the instrument controller Windows PC with the nice circular metal button.
5. The weather station temperature controller (top left of the system) should be left on at all times, usually at 25oC, unless someone want to use it a 37oC.
6. Heated 5% CO2 flow can be turned on by turning on only the power switch of the CO2 mixer - grey box on the shelf, and the flow controller on - small black box on top of the weather station. Don't change the position of any of the valves or regulators. You should see bubbles in the humidifier (which should have enough water in it) and flow in the flow meter (6 ml per min). You can match the temperature of the gas to the temperature of the weather station heater controller by changing the setting on the gas mixer.

Software Initiation

1. Log in to the Linux machine - usual LMF username and password (no spaces here... it's Linux)
2. Start the software by double clicking the SoftWorx icon on the desktop.
3. In the main window, do File - Acquire (Resolve 3D). This will start up the instrument controller, which will ask you to lower the objective so it can initialize the stage motors. Make sure the 10x objective or another other objective is out of the way before you click OK so the stage does not hit anything as it does it's little dance. In a couple of minutes it will be done.
4. Start the Xenon lamp by clicking the light bulb icon in the Resolve3D window.

Observation Modes

In the bottom front of the microscope stand there is a rotatable switch to send light to the eyepieces or the CCD camera. It is manual, the software can not move it. Be gentle with it, these break easily.

Basic Acquisition Setup

This is the Resolve3D window. From here you can access all needed control windows (bottom row buttons)

1. Choose the right objective lens.
   Onlt the 10x air lens is kept on the stand. The other objective are stored on the bottom drawer.
   Choose the lens you need, carefully remove it from its box and screw in into the one free position in the objective revolver. You now MUST tell the software what lend you hare using, as it can not sense it. You also must tell the software if the auxiliary magnification (optovar) on the right side of the stand - hidden under the weather station box - is in or out. In is 1x (Aux Mag box unchecked), out is 1.6x (Aux Mag box checked).
   Click the INFO button to get the gadget that calculates what immersion oil you need to use, depending on temperature, mounting medium, coverglass thickness etc.
2. Filter position viewer
   Here you can see the positions the EX (fluo excitation), EM (fluo emission filter in front of CCD camera), EP (emission filter in front of eyepieces) and %T ND filter (for fluo and transmitted light) positions are
   Note: Changing the manual EP wheel also chooses the correct EX and EM filters. But no the other way around. Changing EX in the software also selects the correct EM filter position, but not the EP filter wheel position - it cant do that - its not motorised. It can only sense its position, but not move itself. Thats a feature not a bug.

Shutdown

Before you do anything, please check the LMF booking database at the END(!) of your imaging session to see whether you are the last user or not!!!

If you are not the last user...

1. Close the main software window. In order to do this, either choose "File" > "Exit", or click the "x" in the top right corner.

1. Upload your data to your file server.
2. Log off the linux account via bottom left "Start" like icon > "Log off...".

If you are the last user...

1. Turn off the Xenon lamp by clicking the little lightbulb icon in the resolve 3D window.
2. Then close the Resolve 3D window and Main software window. In order to do this, either choose "File" > "Exit", or click the "x" in the top right corner.

1. Upload your data to your file server.
2. Shut down the Instrument controller Windows: Double click the Instrument controller icon on the desktop. Do: Start - Windows Security, then Shutdown. After a couple of seconds the green light will go out on the top computer and it will get less noisy.
3. Log out of the Linux computer and then shut it down.
4. Turn off the CCD camera power supply brick - at the bottom of the cabinet.
5. Turn off the green power switch
6. Leave the weather station temperature controller ON (at 25 or 37 oC)