You can use Fast Acquisition to acquire images much more quickly than they can be acquired using other methods.
This data acquisition mode should be used carefully. Fast Acquisition uses a single command to set up a data stream to the Instrument Controller. Because no checking for user input occurs once the command is executed, you cannot stop an acquisition sequence once it is started.
If you are using a CoolSNAPHQ camera, Fast Acquisition provides several benefits:
It uses the interline chip in this camera to gather data faster.
It uses electronic shuttering to automatically upload the data (you still need to shutter between wavelengths).
It allows you to use the "Wavelength then Z" acquisition sequence to gather data more efficiently. (This sequence acquires all of the wavelengths in a section before moving to the next Z section.)
If you are using a CH350 camera, Fast Acquisition provides some benefit by allowing you to use the "Wavelength then Z" acquisition sequence.
Fast Acquisition also has some disadvantages:
The time lapse is not adjustable.
Data transfer may cause slight pauses between image acquisitions.
If you are using Point Visiting, each point is captured before moving to the next point instead of being interleaved as it normally would.
When "Fast Acquisition" is enabled, the Experiment Designer uses the SCANZWT macro command in place of explicit commands to change filter wheels and move the XYZ stage. When the experiment macro is run, the SCANZWT macro command is transferred to the Instrument Controller. The workstation simply records and displays images while the controller handles all other aspects of the scan including Z, wavelength, and time-lapse scanning.
Macros that contain a SCANZWT macro operate differently than a regular macro command. In particular, there is an extra Cancel button on the Running Experiment window. When this button is pressed, the SCANZWT macro cancels the scan.
Fast acquisition is available for systems with an Ethernet style instrument controller, including the DeltaVision system.
Note: There is an upper
memory limit for data collection that is based on the size of
RAM memory for the Instrument Controller (typically about 350-400
MB). If you run into this limitation, turning Fast Acquisition
off allows you to collect data sets of virtually unlimited size. If the system is unstable after collecting a large data set with Fast Acquisition, restart the workstation or stop using Fast Acquisition unless it is strictly necessary. Sometimes Fast Acquisition is not much faster than standard acquisition, and more is risked than gained by using it. |