Re: Software for running experiments

["Bruce N. Walker" <walkerb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We use MEL (Micro Experimentation Laboratory, I think) for many things.
It actually runs under MS-DOS mode, for very accurate millisecond timing. I
believe it supports all the things you asked for, has SoundBlaster
support, plus tons of statistical and data analysis tools built in. It
supports external response devices (available from the company or build
your own) that have about 1-2 ms timing accuracy (as opposed to 12-17 ms
for a keyboard). MEL isn't cheap, but it is a powerful experiment-control
package, built for all manner of experiments.

While it was not originally for multimedia type experiments, it does quite
well with simple sound and pictures (no video support that I know of).
Also, you have total control over the I/O devices, but it is usually just
in color text mode, not Windows. DOS-like in its text-based interface and
low-level control. There is mouse support, if you really want to use it in
text mode. A bit of a learning curve, but good documentation and lots of
sample experiments.

More info and a demo version at the Psychological Software Tools Web site:
http://www.pstnet.com/

--Bruce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bruce Walker  (PC86-88)        Rice University Psychology Department
email: walkerb@rice.edu      6100 S. Main St., Houston, Texas, 77005
ph: (713) 522-2969 (home)              (713) 527-8101 x3772 (office)
Web: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~walkerb        (713) 285-5221 (fax)
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