TSG Doc - New pages [en]

RME Babyface Pro FS

2026-03-17T09:47:21Z

E.vandenberge:

{{Under construction}}
{{Infobox tsg
| name = RME Babyface Pro FS
| image = Rme_babyface.jpg
| caption = RME Babyface Pro FS
| downloads =
| manuals = {{bulleted list
| [https://rme-audio.de/downloads/bface_pro_fs_e.pdf Official Manual (Windows/Mac)]
}}
}}

The RME Babyface Pro FS is a professional USB audio interface. The device is fully configurable in software, giving you complete control over all audio inputs and outputs.



==Specifications==

==Installation==
The RME drivers and TotalMix FX software are installed on all our lab computers as part of the [[System Image]].

==Configuration==
We recommend using the TotalMix FX software to configure your device, instead of using the controls on the device itself. This way, you can save and load your settings, giving you consistent results for all your experiments.

Ask the TSG for help configuring your device.

⚠️ '''NEVER''' turn on 48V (Phantom Power) on any input channel unless you are sure you're using a compatible [[microphone]].



==Usage==
# Open Totalmix FX from the start menu or the system tray.
# Load your Workspace (File -> Load Workspace)
# Load your Snapshots (File -> Load Snapshot)
# Select your snapshot; Check channel configuration
# When using (a) microphone(s) to record participants; adjust the gain on the input channel to compliment their speaking volume.

⚠️Input gain is set by the Gain knob; '''NOT''' by the input fader (slider). The fader only controls how much of the input gets routed to the output (e.g. speakers or headphones).



==External Links==
*[https://rme-audio.de/babyface-pro-fs.html Official product page]

OBS Studio/Recording A Teams Meeting

2026-03-16T11:02:27Z

E.vandenberge: /* Scene Setup */

For data security reasons, we generally advise against using the built-in recording options in Microsoft Teams (or similar software) when wishing to record e.g. an online interview with research participants.
Instead, you could record the session locally, with [[OBS Studio]].

⚠️ '''ALWAYS''' check with your institute's data security guidelines/steward/officer if recording is allowed. 
⚠️ '''ALWAYS''' get explicit consent from all people involved in the call before recording. 

==Configuration==

===Scene Setup===

# Set up a new scene with Desktop Capture (see [[OBS Studio#Configuration]]).

(You can also setup Application Capture for Teams specifically, if you don't wish to record the entire desktop)

===Audio Settings===
# Goto File -> Settings
# Goto the Audio page (sidebar).
# Set "Desktop Audio" to "Default".
# Set "Mic/Auxiliary Audio" to your microphone.
# Click "Apply"; Close Settings menu.
# Check audio levels in the Audio Mixer by playing some music on your computer and speaking into the microphone.

Desktop Audio (what you hear) is used to record everyone else in the call. 
Your microphone is used to record your voice, as this is otherwise not included.

====Notes====
* You may need to turn off Exclusive mode in your microphone settings, as it needs to be accessed by both Teams and OBS at the same time:
*# In Windows 10/11: Open Start Menu and type "control panel" -> Open Control Panel.
*# Select View By: Small Icons.
*# Click "Sound".
*# Go to "Recording" tab.
*# Select your microphone and click "Properties".
*# Select Advanced tab.
*# Uncheck "Allow applications to make exclusive control of this device".
*# Click "Apply" and close all settings windows.
* Ideally, set your desktop volume to 100%. Otherwise, the desktop audio will be very quiet in the recording. We recommend using an external headphone volume controller to adjust your headphone volume. Most [[Audio Interface]]s have independent volume control for main output and headphones.
* Optionally, you can configure your track routing to record desktop audio and your microphone on different tracks. See [[OBS Studio/Recording Multiple Audio Sources#Track Routing]] for example.

==Recording==
# Set up your Teams view in a way that makes sense for the recording.
# In OBS Studio, click "Start Recording" to start recording when you're ready.
# Click "Stop Recording" to stop recording.

The recorded video file can be found in the folder you selected before. You can open said folder via File -> Show Recordings.

⚠️ '''ALWAYS''' let people know when the recording has started and ended.

==See Also==
*[[OBS Studio]]

==References==
<references/>

Elgato Facecam

2026-02-12T11:20:42Z

E.vandenberge: Created page with " The El..."

The Elgato Facecam is a (range of) high-end webcam(s) with excellent performance and advanced control options.



==Specifications==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:200px;"|
! style="width:200px;"| [[File:facecam.jpg ‎|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
|-
! 
! Elgato Facecam Mk.2
|-
| Max. Resolution || 1080p
|-
|}

==Configuration==
Ask TSG.

==Usage==
{{See also|OBS Studio#Webcam}}

==See Also== 
*[[Camera]]s
*[[OBS Studio]]



==External Links==
*{{Official website|https://www.elgato.com/ww/en/p/facecam-mk2}}

Benq XL2420Z

2026-02-03T14:09:13Z

E.vandenberge:

{{Infobox tsg
| name = Benq XL2420Z
| image = XL2420T.jpg
| caption = Benq XL2420Z monitor
| downloads =
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"|
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"| [[File:XL2420T.jpg|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
|-
! scope="col"|
! scope="col"| Benq XL2420Z
|-
| Screen Size (diagonal) || 24"
|-
| Aspect Ratio || 16:9
|-
| Resolution (px) || 1920 * 1080
|-
| Pixel Pitch (mm) || 0.276
|-
| Brightness (cd/m2) <ref group="fn" name="spec">As specified by manufacturer, measured values may differ.</ref> || 350
|-
| Contrast <ref group="fn" name="spec" /> || 1000:1
|-
| Panel Type || TN
|-
| Viewing Angle (horizontal/vertical) <ref group="fn" name="spec" /> || 170°/160°
|-
| Vert. Refresh Rate (Hz) || up to 144 Hz
|-
| Response Time GtG (ms) <ref group="fn" name="spec" /> || 1
|-
| Display Colors || 16.7 mln
|-
| Color Gamut <ref group="fn" name="spec" /> || 72%
|-
| Touch || style="background-color:#F99;" | No
|-
| Display Connections || D-Sub, DVI-DL, HDMI *2, DisplayPort
|-
| Other Connections || Headphone jack, USB 2.0 Hub
|}
<references group="fn" />

== Calibration ==
As with most TN panels, the XL2429Z does not have the best color representation out of the box. Our Benq XL2429Z lab monitors are individually color-calibrated using a Datacolor Spyder4 Elite colorimeter, based on a fixed hardware profile as specified below. This calibration is used to normalize the color representation of all lab monitors, which allows users to transfer their stimuli from one lab to the other with a minimized change in color perception. The color profile for each monitor will be automatically loaded or refreshed when a user logs into Windows, and will be periodically updated to provide the best possible representation of the [[Wikipedia:International_Color_Consortium | ICC]] standard the monitor's display panel can deliver.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:200px;"|
! style="width:200px;"| Benq XL2420Z
|-
! Hardware Settings
! colspan=1 |  
|-
| Picture Mode || sRGB
|-
| Brightness || 31 (~200 lumen)
|-
| Contrast || 50
|-
| Gamma || 5
|-
| AMA || Off
|-

|}

== Motion blur reduction ==
[[File:LabMonitorBlur.PNG|thumbnail|full persistence mode shows a steady image]]
[[File:LabMonitorNoBlur.PNG|thumbnail|low persistence mode ('blur reduction') shows a pulsed image]]
By default the Benq XL2420Z is in 120 Hz mode. This means that the minimum time that a stimulus is shown is 8.3 ms. The monitor menu, reachable with the touch buttons on the right side of the monitor has a ''blur reduction'' setting. This changes the backlighting of the LCD screen in such a way that it is lighted only a quarter of the time. A stimulus present on the screen for one frame will now be visible for only 2ms.

This setting is useful when the participant is moving with respect to the screen or is watching a moving object on the screen. The perceived blur will be reduced with 75%.

See [http://www.blurbusters.com/ www.blurbusters.com] for more information on (motion) blur.

Additionally the setting is useful when not only the onset (moment of appearing) but the moment the object is perceived is important. Do note that the latency of the onset does not change.

Corsair K70 PRO TKL

2026-02-03T13:11:48Z

E.vandenberge:

{{Infobox tsg
| name = Corsair K70 PRO TKL
| image = k70_pro_tkl.jpg
| caption = Corsair K70 PRO TKL (2025)
| downloads =
}}

The Corsair K70 PRO TKL is a keyboard with magnetic switches and programmable RGB backlighting. It has a tenkeyless form factor.

Not to be confused with the [[Corsair Vengeance K70]], or the [[Corsair K70 RGB MK.2]]; Both are older models no longer in use. As of January 2026, the K70 PRO TKL is the standard keyboard in all our research labs.



==Specifications==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"|
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"| [[File:k70_pro_tkl.jpg|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
|-
! scope="col"|
! scope="col"| Corsair K70 PRO TKL
|-
| Size || 80% (TKL)
|-
| [[Keyboards#Keyboard Layout|Keyboard Layout]] || US-International QWERTY
|-
| Key Switches || Corsair MGX v2
|-
| Actuation Force || 30-55cN
|-
| Polling Rate || up to 8000Hz
|-
| USB Pass-through || style="background-color:#F99;" | No
|-
| Multimedia Controls || style="background-color:#FFB;" | Yes<ref group="fn">Dedicated volume knob, playback control via Function keys</ref>
|-
| Backlight || style="background-color:#9F9;" | Yes (RGB)
|-
|}
<references group="fn" /> 

==Making Screenshots==
One quirk of Corsair's TKL layout is that it omits the PrtScrn, Scroll Lock and Pause/Break buttons. The latter two are rarely used in daily life, but we can imagine you may want to take a screenshot sometime. You can best do this via the Windows Snipping Tool, which you can open by holding '''Windows Key + Shift + S'''. Then select the area you wish to capture. The screenshots are saved in the Pictures folder.

==Backlight Programming==
Backlights can be set up in the Corsair iCUE software.
Ask TSG for instructions.

==See Also== 
*[[Keyboards]]


<references />

Das Keyboard 4Q

2026-02-03T12:39:07Z

E.vandenberge: Created page with " ==Backlight Programming== The Das Keyboard allows for more advanced programming of keys. The photo on the right shows how t..."

==Backlight Programming==

The Das Keyboard allows for more advanced programming of keys. The photo on the right shows how the Das Keyboard can be programmed to react to the key mapping of the experiment. Some participants are instructed to press the ''E'' key for a green stimulus and the ''I'' key for a blue stimulus. For other participants it is the other way around. These instructions are shown at the start of the experiment. The keyboard backlights are used as a constant reminder of the instructions.
[[File:Das Keyboard Simon Task.png|thumb|Das Keyboard backlight reacting to the counterbalanced key mapping of a Simon experiment.]]

If you want to borrow the Das Keyboard 4Q, please contact the Technical Support Group. Please note that the [https://www.daskeyboard.io/get-started/software/ Das Keyboard Q software] must be installed on a computer for the keyboard backlights to work.

[https://www.daskeyboard.io/get-started/ Detailed information] about programming the Das Keyboard 4Q can be found on the manufacturer website. A few examples are given below.

=== Setting key backlights from Python, the easy way ===
The easiest way is to use the daskeyboard [https://gitlab.socsci.ru.nl/wilberth/daskeyboard Python library]. Just put the file [https://gitlab.socsci.ru.nl/wilberth/daskeyboard/-/raw/master/daskeyboard.py?inline=false daskeyboard.py] in the same directory as the experiment and use:
<source lang="python">
import daskeyboard

daskeyboard.keyColor("g", "blue") # G key becomes blue
</source>

=== Setting key backlights from Python, the hard way ===
What is done below the hood is that your python code calls a restful deamon that controls the keyboard:
<source lang="python">
#!/usr/bin/env python3

url = 'http://localhost:27301'

headers = { "Content-type": "application/json"}

import json
import requests

# prepare signal
signal = {
'zoneId': 'KEY_Q',
'color': '#F0F',
'effect': 'SET_COLOR',
'pid': 'DK4QPID',
'name': 'Set Q to purple'
}

# send signal
result = requests.post(url + '/api/1.0/signals', data=json.dumps(signal), headers=headers)

# checking the response
if result.ok:
print("OK")
print(result.text)
else:
print("Error: " + result.text)
</source>

==See Also== 
*[[Keyboards]]


<references />

Corsair K70 RGB MK.2

2026-02-03T12:37:15Z

E.vandenberge: Created page with "The Corsair K70 RGB Mk.2 is an upgraded version of the Corsair Vengeance K70, with full programmable RGB backlights. ==Backlight Programming== Install the [https://github..."

The Corsair K70 RGB Mk.2 is an upgraded version of the [[Corsair Vengeance K70]], with full programmable RGB backlights.

==Backlight Programming==
Install the [https://github.com/ckb-next/ckb-next ckb-next] software. Open the user interface and select the [https://github.com/ckb-next/ckb-next/wiki/Animations#pipe Pipe animation]. From your experiment you can now simply make the g key red with (in bash):

echo "rgb g:ff0000ff" > /tmp/ckbpipe000

or (in Python):

with open("/tmp/ckbpipe000", "w") as k70:
print("rgb g:ff0000ff", file=k70)

Corsair Vengeance K70

2026-02-03T12:34:05Z

E.vandenberge: Created page with "{{Infobox tsg | name = Corsair Vengeance K70 | image = K70.jpeg | caption = Corsair Vengeance K70 (red) | downloads = }} Not to be confused wi..."

{{Infobox tsg
| name = Corsair Vengeance K70
| image = K70.jpeg
| caption = Corsair Vengeance K70 (red)
| downloads =
}}

Not to be confused with the [[Corsair K70 PRO TKL]], or the [[Corsair K70 RGB MK.2]] The Vengeance K70 is the oldest version of the K70 range, with red backlight only. It is no longer in use in our labs.



==Specifications==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"|
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"| [[File:K70.jpeg|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
|-
! scope="col"|
! scope="col"| Corsair Vengeance K70
|-
| Size || 100%
|-
| [[Keyboards#Keyboard Layout|Keyboard Layout]] || US-International QWERTY
|-
| Key Switches || Cherry MX Red
|-
| Actuation Force || 45cN
|-
| Polling Rate || 1000Hz
|-
| Chassis || Black anodized aluminum
|-
| USB Pass-through || style="background-color:#9F9;" | Yes (USB 2.0)
|-
| Multimedia Controls || style="background-color:#9F9;" | Yes
|-
| Backlight || style="background-color:#9F9;" | Yes (Red)
|-
! Test Results
! scope="row" colspan="2"|
|-
| Button response time || 1ms
|-
|}
<references group="fn" /> 

==Backlight Programming==
[[File:Corsair top keys.png|thumb|Top row keys]]
[[File:Corsair K70 key backlight.png|thumb||Corsair Keyboard indicating which keys can be pressed during a Simon experiment.]]
The K70 only has one backlight color (red). The backlights can be turned on and off with the keys on the top row:
* Use the round key in the center of the top row marked with a ''sun'' to set the keyboard backlight level in 4 steps.
* Use the round key in the left of the top row marked with a ''keyboard'' to switch between ''backlight on'' and ''programmed backlight''. In ''backlight on'' mode all backlights will be ''on''. In ''programmed backlight'' mode only those backlights that you have selected will be on.
* Press and hold the round key in the left of the top row marked with a ''keyboard'' to change which keys are ''on'' and which keys are ''off'' in programmed mode. Watch [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au2D8GnGlPw this video] for a demonstration.

You can for instance program the keys to show which keys are allowed during a certain experiment.

==See Also== 
*[[Keyboards]]


<references />

OBS Studio/Recording Multiple Audio Sources

2026-01-27T17:09:31Z

E.vandenberge: /* Extracting Audio */

A common limitation of audio recording software like Audacity is that they can only record from one audio device at a time. For multi-channel recordings, this means having to find an [[Audio Interfaces|audio interface]] with an appropriate number of inputs. However, this often overcomplicates a setup. Another solution is to use [[OBS Studio]] to record from multiple audio devices simultaneously. The only caveat is that OBS is designed to record video, so it cannot record straight to audio file.<ref>Technically, there are ways in OBS to write directly to e.g. MP3, however we recommend using the method described above for better data safety.</ref> Thankfully, we can automate the afterwards conversion to audio file(s).

Below is a step-by-step guide on setting up OBS Studio for recording audio from 4 people, using two wireless receivers (2 lavalier microphones per receiver) connected via USB to a single PC/laptop.

==Requirements==
For the audio extraction, [[FFmpeg]] is required.

==Configuration==

===Scene Setup===
[[File:obs_multiaudio_01.png|thumb|none|500px|Adding Audio Input Capture Source]]

In a new/empty scene:
# Click the "+" icon at the bottom of the Sources panel.
# Select "Audio Input Capture" to add an audio input device.
# Select "Create new" and give the source a descriptive name so you can distinguish it from the other(s).
# Click "OK".
# From the drop-down menu, select one of the audio devices you want to record from and click "OK".
# You should now see the new device show up in the Audio Mixer panel, where you can monitor its input volume.
# Repeat for all additional devices.

Note: if you have connected multiple devices of the same type, they may all have identical names in the drop-down menu. Remember which one you picked for each source. To check which is which, speak into one of the microphones and see which volume meter lights up in the Audio Mixer panel. You can always swap devices around by clicking the Audio Input Source and changing the Device in the properties panel.

[[File:obs_multiaudio_02.png|thumb|none|500px|Two sources added. Signals from mic A1 and B2 are visible in the Audio Mixer]]

===Track Routing===
OBS can output up to 6 separate audio tracks. All tracks are stereo by default, so will record 2 channels per track. Using the mixer, you can determine which audio source gets recorded onto which track.
# Open the Advanced Audio Properties menu by clicking the cogs icon in the Audio Mixer panel.
# Assign each input to its own Track. <ref>If multiple Inputs route to the same Track, they get mixed together in the recording.</ref>
# Take note of which input you routed to which track.

[[File:obs_multiaudio_03.png|thumb|none|500px|Track routing settings]]

===Settings===
# Goto File -> Settings
# Goto the Output page (sidebar).
# Set Output Mode to "Advanced".

====Recording Settings====

# Select the Recording tab.
# Set your Recording Path to where you want to store the recordings.
# Set the Recording Format to "Matroska Video (.mkv)".<ref>The MKV format allows for file recovery in case of a crash, unlike e.g. MP4. This makes recording to MKV a safer option.</ref>
# Set Audio Encoder to "FFmpeg PCM (16-bit)" for lossless audio recording.
# Make sure the Audio Tracks you routed to earlier are checked (in this case #1, #2 and #3), and the others are unchecked.
# Under Encoder Settings, set Rate Control to "CBR".
# Set Bitrate to 50 Kbps (the minimum), since we are not interested in the video quality. This helps keep the overall file size down.<ref>See [[OBS Studio]] for recommendations if you do wish to record video at the same time</ref>

[[File:obs_multiaudio_04.png|thumb|none|500px|Output Recording settings]]

====Audio Track Setup====
(optional)
# Select the Audio tab (next to Recording tab).
# Name your audio tracks so you can easily recognize them again later. Otherwise, they'll be called "Track 1", "Track 2", etc.

Note: Audio Bitrate does not apply to PCM audio encoding, so you can leave the default values.

[[File:obs_multiaudio_05.png|thumb|none|500px|Output Audio settings]]

====Audio Settings====
# Goto the Audio page (sidebar).
# Set Sample Rate to 48kHz.
# Set Channels to "Stereo".

Click "Apply" to apply settings and close the settings menu.

[[File:obs_multiaudio_06.png|thumb|none|500px|General Audio settings]]

==Recording==
# Click "Start Recording" to start recording when you're ready.
# Click "Stop Recording" to stop recording.

The recorded video file can be found in the folder you selected before. You can open said folder via File -> Show Recordings.

==Extracting Audio==
You can extract the audio from the video file and save each channel as individual .wav file using [[FFmpeg]]. Below is a Python3 script to process your recording. Change "src" and "dst" to the paths applicable to you.
<syntaxhighlight lang="python" overflow:auto;">import subprocess
import os

######################################################
# CHANGE THESE TO POINT AT THE CORRECT FILES/FOLDERS #
######################################################

src = "C:\\Recordings\\2026-01-15_11-26-25.mkv" # source video
dst = "C:\\Recordings\\Audio" # output folder

######################################################

if not os.path.exists(dst):
os.mkdir(dst)

def extract_audio_channels(path:str):
# Get audio channel configuration from ffprobe. Expected to return "<streamId>|<numChannels>|<streamTitle>"
cmd = f'ffprobe -v error -select_streams a -show_entries stream_tags=title:stream=index,channels -of compact=p=0:nk=1 "{path}"'
output = subprocess.run(cmd, check=True, capture_output=True, text=True)

if (output.stdout is None or output.stdout == ""):
print("Error: no audio channels detected")
return

file_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))[0]

# Extract each channel from each stream individually
for stream in output.stdout.splitlines():
idx, chans, stream_name = stream.split('|')
for i in range(int(chans)):
print(f'Extracting stream {idx} ({stream_name}) channel {i}...')
cmd = f'ffmpeg -i "{path}" -map 0:a:{int(idx)-1} -af "pan=mono|c0=c{i}" -y "{dst}\\{file_name}_{stream_name}_{i}.wav"'
subprocess.run(cmd)

if __name__ == "__main__":
extract_audio_channels(src)
</syntaxhighlight >

The script uses FFprobe to check the audio track and channel configuration. FFprobe comes with FFmpeg.
It then uses FFmpeg itself to write each channel in each track to a separate .wav file (mono), using the same PCM 16-bit encoding as before.

The file names will include the track name (as set in the Audio tab, or "Track 1", "Track 2", etc. by default) and channel id (0 for left, 1 for right).

===Batch Processing (Windows)===
To process multiple video recordings at once:
# Download and extract [[File:extract_audio_per_channel.zip]].
# Edit the script to match your input and output folders.
# Run the batch file.

===Automatic Processing In OBS Studio===
If you use this recording setup often, we can automate the process even more by integrating the script into OBS Studio:
# Download and extract [[File:obs_extract_audio_per_channel.zip]]
# In OBS Studio, goto Tools -> Scripts.
# Click the + icon.
# Browse to the downloaded script and open it.
# Customize the output folder if needed.

OBS Studio will now automatically process the video file the moment you click "Stop Recording" :)

==See Also==
*[[FFmpeg]]
*[[OBS Studio]]

==References==
<references/>

Audio Interfaces

2026-01-12T14:32:51Z

E.vandenberge:

An audio interface lets you connect microphones, speakers, headphones and/or musical instruments to your computer. Some interfaces also offer built-in mixing, routing and processing options.

==Interfaces==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"|
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"| [[File:XR18-large.jpg|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
! scope="col" style="width:200px;"| [[File:Rme_babyface.jpg|200px|Image: 200 pixels]]
|-
! scope="col"|
! scope="col"| [[Behringer X-Air XR18]]
! scope="col"| [[RME Babyface Pro FS]]
|-
! I/O
! scope="row" colspan="2"|
|-
| Analog Channels (In) || 18 (16x XLR, 2x Line) || 4 (2x XLR, 2x Line)
|-
| Analog Channels (Out) || 10 (6x XLR Aux, 2x XLR Main, 2x Phone) || 4 (2x XLR Main, 2x Phone<ref>Headphone output is split between a 6.3mm and 3.5mm jack port; they cannot be managed individually.</ref>)
|-
|}

As of January 2026, audio and EEG labs are equipped with the RME Babyface by default. If your setup requires a more advanced interface, with more channels and/or mixing options, the Behringer X-Air XR18 is available on request.

==References==
<references />