# generate TTL signal on Macbook pro 10.8

**URL:** <https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/generate-ttl-signal-on-macbook-pro-10-8/342>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 8, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/generate-ttl-signal-on-macbook-pro-10-8/342 "2013-04-08T08:52:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Allen\_Ingling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Allen\_Ingling](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/Allen_Ingling)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/generate-ttl-signal-on-macbook-pro-10-8/342/1 "2013-04-08T08:52:33Z")

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Dear all,

  

I'm searching for a way to connect the parallel port to the Macbook pro with 10.8 OS/X, and send TTL triggers to the EEG system.

  

I checked the forum regarding this topic, and seems to me that the cheapest and easy way is to use UBW32 setup.

  

Pardon my ignorance, however, I was not sure how the UBW32 works. How would you connect the parallel connector to the UBW32? Or is this possible at all? Would this work well on a Mac as well? Also, what additional code will I have to write in my main experiment script so that it sends the TTL signals accurately and reliably to the EEG system?

  

Thank you.

  

Best regards,

Hweeling

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**Author:** ![et\_roesch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c67d28/32.png) [@et\_roesch](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/et_roesch)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:11am UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/generate-ttl-signal-on-macbook-pro-10-8/342/2 "2013-04-08T09:11:40Z")

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Hi Hweeling,

  

It looks like the UBW32 board could do the trick, provided you're savvy enough to solder a parallel connector to it; that being said, if it is not properly done, it might impact on robustness and accuracy of the system.

  

A few weeks ago, someone was asking if using a&nbsp;USB-1208FS-Plus&nbsp;multifunction DAQ device to send TTL from a macbook would work, and we had concluded that it would. It looks like it might be less work using the USB-1208FS-Plus, even though might be a tad more expensive.&nbsp;I reproduce the thread of info below.

  

Hope that helps.

  

  

> > For completeness:  
> >   
> > 
> > > [http://psychtoolbox.org/wikka.php?wakka=FaqTTLTrigger](http://psychtoolbox.org/wikka.php?wakka=FaqTTLTrigger)
> > 
> >   
> > links to  
> > [http://psychtoolbox.org/FaqTTLTriggerOSXLinux](http://psychtoolbox.org/FaqTTLTriggerOSXLinux)  
> >   
> > which links to  
> > [http://docs.psychtoolbox.org/Daq](http://docs.psychtoolbox.org/Daq)  
> >   
> > that says "The USB-1208FS is the size of a wallet and is powered  
> > through its USB cable. We have complete control of it from within Matlab or, Octave via the PsychHID extension."  
> >   
> > .. so, yes, it works.  
> >   
> > Etienne

  

  

On 8 Apr 2013, at 09:52, Hwee Ling Lee \<[hweeling.lee@...](mailto:hweeling.lee@...)\> wrote:
  

> Dear all,  
> 
>   
> 
> I'm searching for a way to connect the parallel port to the Macbook pro with 10.8 OS/X, and send TTL triggers to the EEG system.
> 
>   
> 
> I checked the forum regarding this topic, and seems to me that the cheapest and easy way is to use UBW32 setup.
> 
>   
> 
> Pardon my ignorance, however, I was not sure how the UBW32 works. How would you connect the parallel connector to the UBW32? Or is this possible at all? Would this work well on a Mac as well? Also, what additional code will I have to write in my main experiment script so that it sends the TTL signals accurately and reliably to the EEG system?
> 
>   
> 
> Thank you.
> 
>   
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Hweeling