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Electrophysiology Quickstart Guide-Part I

Section 1: Hardware Configuration

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1. Selecting a Headstage 

  • Choose a suitable headstage based on experimental requirements.  For example, acute vs chronic, electrical stimulation requirement, and etc.

  • Select and configure the headstage according to:
    1. The number of active channels.
    2. Whether the experiment involves recording only or stimulation + recording.
    3. Desired cable solution and its corresponding connector (e.g., uHDMI or Omnetics)
    4. Passive vs active probe technology (e.g., Neuropixels vs. conventional probes)

  • KonteX X-Headstage™ offers improved performance over conventional headstage designs for passive probe technologies:
    1. Ultra-small design that is implantable and re-usable
    2. Highly flexible and adaptive design
    3. Quick experiment start without needing to anesthetize animal
    4. Cost-saving features: low-cost cable, replaceable probe adapters, and headstage repairs.
    5. Minimized motion artifacts and improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to analog headstages.

  • XDAQ™ works with all Intan headstages and other Intan-compatible designs with a suitable system adapter.

  • XDAQ™ works with stock imec Neuropixels headstages and cables.  KonteX offers equivalent designs that may meet additional length/functionality requirements.

2. Headstage Fitting

  • For Neuropixels, directly connect the headstage and cable to the XDAQ; no adapter is required.

3. Selecting the XDAQTM‍

  • Detailed XDAQ™ model comparison
  • CORE2 
    1. Up to 32 channels for electrical stimulation experiments (XSR Mode)
    2. Up to 512 channels for non-stimulation, recording only experiments (XR Mode)
    3. Up to 2 Neuropixels ports for simultaneous NP Mode recordings

  • ONE+
    1. Up to 128 channels for electrical stimulation experiments (XSR Mode)
    2. Up to 1024 channels for non-stimulation, recording only experiments (XR Mode)
    3. Up to 4 Neuropixels ports for simultaneous NP Mode recordings

  • AIO
    1. 128 channels for electrical stimulation experiments (XSR Mode)
    2. 1024 channels for non-stimulation, recording only experiments (XR Mode)
    3. 4 Neuropixels ports for simultaneous NP Mode recordings
    4. Guaranteed synchronized video recording for precise temporal alignment
    5. 4 channels of integrated high-power optogenetics light source drivers

‍“Up to X channels” refers to the system’s maximum supported capability, which depends on the license configuration purchased and available connected headstages.

For instance, the base CORE2 model (SKU: XDAQ-CORE2-R512-SR16-NP0) supports 16 channels of XSR headstages. When using an X3SR32 headstage with this model, only a subset of 16 out of 32 channels will be recognized and available for use.  

Models with an upgraded license—available as a post-purchase remote upgrade (SKU: XDAQ-CORE2-R512-SR32-NP0)—support up to 32 channels, which is the maximum electrical stimulation capacity on the CORE2 platform.

Users requiring support for more than 32 channels of XSR headstages should consider upgrading to the ONE+ system, which supports up to 128 channels in XSR mode.

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  • All Gen2 XDAQ™ models require a PC equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 or higher port. While this port uses a standard USB Type-C connector, it is distinct from a conventional USB-C port and must display the Thunderbolt lightning symbol to ensure compatibility.

  • Note: Simultaneous operation of XR, XSR, and NP headstages/probes is not currently supported within a single Gen2 XDAQ™ system. For experimental protocols that require concurrent use of multiple modes—for example, electrical stimulation (XSR mode) alongside Neuropixels recording (NP mode)—two separate XDAQ™ units must be used, each configured for its respective mode. The X-Hub enables deterministic synchronization by distributing a shared clock signal across all connected devices, ensuring sub-millisecond temporal alignment essential for neural data acquisition and closed-loop experiments.
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  • Additional functionalities — within the hardware capabilities of the selected model — can be enabled through post-purchase upgrades. For example, XDAQ™ systems not initially configured for Neuropixels support can be remotely upgraded by purchasing a license at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new system.‍

4. Peripheral Equipment

  • IO Expander: increase the number of digital I/O by 24 bits and general-purpose ADC and DAC by 6 pairs.

  • Commutator: cost-effective, motorized and non-motorized cable management solution highly recommended for freely moving experiments.  The Pro models include multi-modal support: simultaneous operations of passive probes, Neuropixels and optical/fluidic applications.

  • Brainwave Simulator: essential tool for self-test and system-level validation.

  • Port Expander: enables XDAQ to support up to 16 XR or 8 XSR animals/headstages. The Port Expander conditions communication signals and provides isolated and independent ground/reference circuits for each animal.
  • ThorCam: KonteX designed and validated industrial cameras for the XDAQ™ AIO.  One camera system is included with the XDAQ™ AIO; additional systems can be purchased for validated multi-camera requirements.
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  • X-Hub and Harp Adapter

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5. Product Manuals, 3D Models, and Pin Maps

Refer to KonteX web resources section.  Contact us directly for missing information as we are updating our website.

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Section 2: Software Installation

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1. Download and install driver & software 

  • Gen2 XDAQ driver, visit Developer Center, direct download links:
    WIN
    Mac
    Linux (Ubuntu24 Kernel Module 6.14.0-33-generic)
              Contact suppot@kontex.io for additional Linux deployment

  • Open-Ephys XDAQTM : download main application here, then install from the Open-Ephys application:
    • XDAQ OE plugin for XR Mode
    • XDAQ Neuropixels plugin for NP Mode

  • Ported Intan RHX (XDAQ RHX) for both XR Mode and XSR Mode

  • NeuroNexus Radiens for both XR Mode and XSR Mode

2. Updating firmware

Before first use, it is recommended to run the XDAQ™ firmware update tool to ensure the system operates with the latest stability and performance enhancements. See the XDAQ™ User Manual section “Firmware Update” for detailed guidance.

Some XDAQ™ units are shipped in a base configuration identified by the suffix “R0-SR0-NP0.”

Your system’s available features are determined by the license level associated with your XDAQ™ device. When you run the firmware update tool, the system securely connects to the XDAQ™ license server to confirm your device’s current license and automatically enable all applicable features.

Additional functionality can be activated at any time by upgrading your license. The process requires no hardware changes and simply unlocks software-controlled capabilities within the same hardware platform.

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3. Select the software and companion tools

In general, you may use the software you prefer, but in certain situations, specific software may be recommended or required.

  • Neuropixels probes 1.0 and 2.0 (NP Mode):
    Use XDAQ™ OE, which provides a dedicated XDAQ™ Neuropixels plugin for data acquisition and visualization.  SpikeGLX support is coming soon.  Users willing to help beta test XDAQ SpikeGLX may contact suppot@kontex.io for early access.

  • Stimulation and recording through a single headstage (XSR Mode):
    Use XDAQ RHX, which offers integrated stimulation–recording control within one unified interface.

  • Simultaneous video and neural data recording:
    Use XDAQ OE or XDAQ RHX combined with ThorVision, enabling guaranteed, synchronized video and neural signal acquisition.

4. Custom Software Development

pyxdaq (in development) is designed to provide direct XDAQ control and real-time data streaming for flexible, customizable recording, stimulation, and I/O integration.  We welcome users to contact us directly for a discussion on your specific needs.

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