I already have an Active2 or Active2.5 system. Can I use my old electrodes in the Active3?
 
Can use in Active2?
Can use in Active2.5?
Can use in Active3?
MK2 connector with green PCB
Yes Yes (only after changing connector to MK3) No (green PCB does not work in Active3)
MK2 connector with red PCB
Yes Yes (only after changing connector to MK3) Yes (only after changing connector to MK3)
MK3 connector with green PCB
No (because Active2 uses MK2 connectors) Yes No (green PCB does not work in Active3)
MK3 connector with red PCB
No (because Active2 uses MK2 connectors) Yes Yes
TP connector with green PCB
Yes Yes No (green PCB does not work in Active3)
TP connector with red PCB
Yes Yes Yes
CMSDRL cord with DIN4 connector
Yes Yes No (Active3 uses different CMSDRL connector)
CMSDRL cord with P4 connector
No No Yes
Active 2 AUX Sensors
Yes (Active2 has dedicated sensor inputs) Yes (Active2.5 has dedicated sensor inputs) No (Active 3 has 6 universal sensors inputs)
Active 3 AUX Sensors
No (Active2 has dedicated sensor inputs) No (Active2.5 has dedicated sensor inputs) Yes (Active 3 has 6 universal sensors inputs)

PS: Explanatory pictures will follow......

 

The Active2 uses Optical Hyperscanning. The Active3 uses Triggered Hyperscanning. What are the differences?

With Optical Hyperscanning (Active2), maximum 4 AD-boxes are optically Daisy chained by installing an extra fiber input on every AD-box. All data goes to 1 acquisition PC.
With Triggered Hyperscanning (Active3), each subject has its own acquisition PC. The experiment is started by the Master PC. The data is synchronized with standard UTP cables connected to the Hyperscanning version of the USB Trigger Interface. A Triggered Hyperscanning setup can contain an unlimited number of AD-boxes.

For the Active3, we moved on to the method with the Triggered Hyperscanning because it has the following advantages:
- The timing accuracy of Triggered Hyperscanning is similar as compared to the timing accuracy obtained with optical Hyperscanning.
- There are no hardware changes required to enable Triggered Hyperscanning (no installation of the extra optical receiver input is necessary)
- With Triggered Hyperscanning, the AD-boxes do not need to be in a specific Speedmode. (optical method needed selection with Speedmode switch)
- Triggered Hyperscanning works up to 16 kHz (Optical Hyperscanning was limited to 2 kHz)
- Triggered Hyperscanning offers an unlimited number of AD-boxes in the chain (Optical Hyperscanning was limited to four AD-boxes)
- Triggered Hyperscanning works over various platforms/devices. The Master should be an Active3, but the other devices can be any system that can read in at least 2 trigger lines and has a known file format (e.g. Active3, ActiveTwo, various fNIRS systems, various Eyetrackers, etc.).

 

CMSDRL on the front or integrated in the A-set?

The Active2 offered the possibility to have the CMSDRL electrodes to be integrated in the A-set, or to have the CMSDRL as a separate cord that plugs into the front of the AD-box.
The active2.5 and Active3 systems only can have the CMSDRL to be connected to the front. Your Active2 AD-box will need to have a CMSDRL input on the front.
If you currently own an Active2 system, and want to upgrade this to an Active2.5 system, then this can be done by replacing the TOP PCB as described here.
When you decide to have BioSemi upgrade your Active2 to an Active2.5 system, then BioSemi will also replace all the MK2 connectors of your electrode sets with the new MK3 connectors. (25 Euro per connector). If your electrode set currently has the CMSDRL integrated in the A-set, then we will cut-off those electrodes and provide a separate CMSDRL PIN cord (plugs into the front of the AD-box)

 

What about the compatibility of the USB Receiver?
The old USB Receiver (white housing) only works on the Active2.
The new USB Receiver (red housing) will work on both the Active2 as well as on the Active3.

 

What about the compatibility of ActiView?
For the Active3, there will be a new ActiView, version10
The controls and file format of ActiView10 will be the same as the previous version.

 

What are the differences between the Active2 and the Active3 system?
- On the Active3, electrode sets with integrated CMSDRL are not possible anymore.
- The Active3 has the new Mk3 electrode connectors (not compatible with previous AD-boxes)
- The Active3 has a new housing.
- The Active3 uses an optical fiber with SC connectors instead of ST connectors.
- The Active3 uses SAR ADC conversion.
- etc

 

I want to upgrade my Active2 system to an Active2.5 system

The SCSI connector (MK2 connectors) as used on the Active2 system is no longer produced by the manufacturer (Tyco), that is why BioSemi moved to the new MK3 connector for the Active2.5 and for the Active3 system. We still have a large stock of the old MK2 connectors, so we will be able to deliver electrode sets for your Active2 system at least until 2030.
But for customers who plan to buy an Active3 system, it would be very practical for their electrode sets to be compatible. When a customer buys an Active3 system, then we always advise to upgrade their old Active2 system to an Active2.5 system. This upgrade would involve 2 things:
- replace the TOP PCB and the complete housing of your old Active2 system (550 Euro)
- replace the connectors of your old electrode sets to MK3 connectors. (25 Euro each)
Standard time for upgrading an Active2 to an Active2.5 system is about 1 week.

Please do realize that your old electrode sets (MK2) probably will not be able to work in your new Active3 system (not even after upgrade them to MK3 connectors)
MK2 electrode sets produced before May 2024 are made with green PCB's:
- Electrode sets with green PCB's can only be used in the Active2 and Active2.5 systems. They can not be used in the Active3. (not even after upgrading to an MK3 connector)

MK2 electrode sets produced after April 2024 are made with red PCB's:
- Electrode sets with red PCB's can be used in the Active2, Active2.5 and Active3.

So, the advantage of upgrading your Active2 to an Active2.5 system would be that all new electrode sets that you buy (bought after May 2024) will be able to use in both your systems (Active2.5 and Active3)
So .