Cyton and UltraCortex Mark IV EEG Headset not working & slow customer service
Hi,
I purchased a Cyton, Daughterboard, and Professionally Built UltraCortex Mark IV EEG Headset, and have not been able to make it work correctly since it was purchased. At first I was having troubles with the signals all looking the same - then it was noticed that there was a huge 60Hz signal - and all throughout the unit will work "ok" and then start to rail on various channels until 90% of the channels are railed.
I started with just the Cyton, Daughterboard, and Gold Plated Electrodes in the hopes that I could make my own headset. Upon receipt, I went through the tutorial and have openly admitted that I did not try the EKG portion as I was not interested in that part. Happy to see EEG signals, I went about making my own plastic plated metal headset, and used wooden dowels to hold the gold plated electrodes in place. Unfortunately I was not able to get it to work correctly, so I made a posting on this group for assistance. A great guy, William, tried to help me. Yes, I am using the pins closest to the board, and I am also using the provided cable to short both SRB pins on the Cyton and Daughterboard.
Since then we have performed many diagnostics, tried different things, and I was unable to get it to work correctly. Thinking that the metal rails in the plastic covering might not allow the unit to work correctly, I purchased a Professionally Build UltraCortex (Mark IV) EEG Headset - also thinking that if I purchased one pre-assembled that it would cut out any possibility that I built it wrong! I also figured this would help rule out that it was the cables, or my headset, or how I was applying the electrodes to the scalp.
Upon receipt there were loose items in the box, and two of the spikey's were physically damaged (spikes were broken off). I was advised the unit would still work but they quickly sent me out replacements. While I was happy they sent me the replacements, unfortunately the unit did not function correctly. I quickly received the replacements and swapped out the broken spikey's. The unit did work better, but is not stable. As I noticed that since I bought the unit, some of the channels rail following a pattern, I was advised to switch the spikes around to eliminate them. As they had sent me too many replacements, rather than swap the spikey's around I simply replaced them with new ones. Again, the unit worked better, but is not stable. Hearing that it could be my hair is too long (I keep my hair pretty short) and that it could be the cream rinse I used, I got my hair cut as short as it has ever been, and stopped using cream rinse. I noticed a little difference, but not much. It still rails after a while of use.
I am at a loss as to what to do next. Unfortunately as this is my first attempt to use technology such as this, I used an old toothbrush that, even though I rinsed it well, I guess still had remnants of toothpaste on it, so when I used it to clean the electrodes it took off their gold plating. In the other post I made about this I left off with a request to further diagnose the unit by shorting out some pins using the cables - but I can't do this test correctly now as the gold was removed from the cables, and I don't want to purchase more as I won't use them beyond this test - so to me it's a waste of money.
I contacted OpenBCI directly and was able to speak to someone on the phone, who did spend some time with me, and I was asked to communicate via email with them. It takes a long time for them to get back to you via this method and I am running out of patience. This unit has cost me thousands - and it has never worked correctly out of the box.
Currently the unit works for a while, then the channels will start to rail. I can adjust them - loosen them off then tighten them back up, but eventually this fails as the spikey's are all bottomed out and can't go any tighter (eventually no matter what I do the channels will rail). And if I turn it off and back on without adjusting anything, then different channels will rail. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would really, really like to get this working.
Thanks,
Don
I purchased a Cyton, Daughterboard, and Professionally Built UltraCortex Mark IV EEG Headset, and have not been able to make it work correctly since it was purchased. At first I was having troubles with the signals all looking the same - then it was noticed that there was a huge 60Hz signal - and all throughout the unit will work "ok" and then start to rail on various channels until 90% of the channels are railed.
I started with just the Cyton, Daughterboard, and Gold Plated Electrodes in the hopes that I could make my own headset. Upon receipt, I went through the tutorial and have openly admitted that I did not try the EKG portion as I was not interested in that part. Happy to see EEG signals, I went about making my own plastic plated metal headset, and used wooden dowels to hold the gold plated electrodes in place. Unfortunately I was not able to get it to work correctly, so I made a posting on this group for assistance. A great guy, William, tried to help me. Yes, I am using the pins closest to the board, and I am also using the provided cable to short both SRB pins on the Cyton and Daughterboard.
Since then we have performed many diagnostics, tried different things, and I was unable to get it to work correctly. Thinking that the metal rails in the plastic covering might not allow the unit to work correctly, I purchased a Professionally Build UltraCortex (Mark IV) EEG Headset - also thinking that if I purchased one pre-assembled that it would cut out any possibility that I built it wrong! I also figured this would help rule out that it was the cables, or my headset, or how I was applying the electrodes to the scalp.
Upon receipt there were loose items in the box, and two of the spikey's were physically damaged (spikes were broken off). I was advised the unit would still work but they quickly sent me out replacements. While I was happy they sent me the replacements, unfortunately the unit did not function correctly. I quickly received the replacements and swapped out the broken spikey's. The unit did work better, but is not stable. As I noticed that since I bought the unit, some of the channels rail following a pattern, I was advised to switch the spikes around to eliminate them. As they had sent me too many replacements, rather than swap the spikey's around I simply replaced them with new ones. Again, the unit worked better, but is not stable. Hearing that it could be my hair is too long (I keep my hair pretty short) and that it could be the cream rinse I used, I got my hair cut as short as it has ever been, and stopped using cream rinse. I noticed a little difference, but not much. It still rails after a while of use.
I am at a loss as to what to do next. Unfortunately as this is my first attempt to use technology such as this, I used an old toothbrush that, even though I rinsed it well, I guess still had remnants of toothpaste on it, so when I used it to clean the electrodes it took off their gold plating. In the other post I made about this I left off with a request to further diagnose the unit by shorting out some pins using the cables - but I can't do this test correctly now as the gold was removed from the cables, and I don't want to purchase more as I won't use them beyond this test - so to me it's a waste of money.
I contacted OpenBCI directly and was able to speak to someone on the phone, who did spend some time with me, and I was asked to communicate via email with them. It takes a long time for them to get back to you via this method and I am running out of patience. This unit has cost me thousands - and it has never worked correctly out of the box.
Currently the unit works for a while, then the channels will start to rail. I can adjust them - loosen them off then tighten them back up, but eventually this fails as the spikey's are all bottomed out and can't go any tighter (eventually no matter what I do the channels will rail). And if I turn it off and back on without adjusting anything, then different channels will rail. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would really, really like to get this working.
Thanks,
Don
Comments
As for the Mark IV, did you try using 5mm FRI Dry Electrodes? I have been having a lot of success with these!!! Seriously, best comfort yet. I use FRI ear clips too. The OpenBCI electrodes are very spikey, the FRI, not so much. Although the OpenBCI electrodes seem to last much longer then the FRI.
I can see that they would be more comfortable, as per their smoother ends. And they are cheap! I hope to try them out next week....
Thanks for the heads up on these 5mm FRI Dry Electrodes - they are FANTASTIC!
Great signal! I don't have to tighten them as much. Great feel!
I am 100% satisfied! Wonder why OpenBCI does not just supply them?
Thanks,
Don
Thanks for the info. I'll monitor their life-cycle and post back for future reference. I will also advise @kzurn.
Don