VÜ IMAGING MANUAL V2.0
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Vü Imaging Systems
User Manual
VÜ IMAGING MANUAL V2.0
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Copyright
This document may not be reproduced or copied in any way, stored electronically or translated into any
language without the permission of Pop-Bio Ltd
Trademarks/Patents
Trademarks and Patents are registered by Pop-Bio Ltd. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the
property of their respective holders. Specification and software are subject to change without notice.
Disclaimer
The contents of this manual have been checked for accuracy and every effort has been made to ensure there
are no errors. Pop-Bio Ltd makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of this document and reserves the right to
make changes to the contents without prior notice.
Pop-Bio Ltd
October 2018
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Safety Precautions
Before using the Vü Imaging System read the following safety precautions and this manual. Proper operation
of this system and its accessories with help to prevent injuries or damage to the equipment or users
Symbols used throughout this manual
Power Supply
Use only the power supply provided by Pop-Bio
Ensure the mains power to all devices are switched off before connecting or
disconnecting cables
Ensure mains plug is fully inserted into socket to avoid ‘arching’
If the device is not being used for long periods unplug it from the mains socket
Moving the device
Always select the ‘park’ position before moving the device
Do not drop the device
Place the device on a flat, dry surface
Avoid placing the device where it can get wet
Place the device away from any heat sources and direct sunlight
Maintenance and Service
Ensure the device is unplugged from the mains before conducting any servicing or
maintenance
This symbol indicates CAUTION. Not following instructions could lead to injury or
damage to equipment or users.
This symbol indicates WARNING Not following instructions could lead to serious
injury or death to users.
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Use only parts supplied by Pop-Bio Imaging
Only suitably qualified persons should conduct any maintenance or service operation
Illumination
The Blue LED light present a low risk and in normal operation should not be visible to the
user
The UV tube does present a UV hazard however in normal operation should not be visible
to the user
Avoid attempting to use the system in anyway where Blue of UV light is visible to the
user.
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Contents
Page 3 Safety Precautions
Page 6 The Vü Imaging system
Page 7 System requirments
Page 8 Getting to know your system
Page 9 Setting up your system
Page 10 Installation and installing the Vü software
Page 13 Using the Vü-F
Page 16 Using the Vü-C
Page 19 How to get the best images from your Vü system
Page 24 Understanding the Vü software
Page 34 Taking care of your Vü
Page 35 Maintenance and settings
Page 41 Specifications
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The Vü Imaging system
The Vü imaging system is available in two configurations.
Vü-C is for chemiluminescence applications. The unit has built in RGB LED’s which are used for illumination of
marker lanes on a blot. No other lighting is available. The Vü-C is used exclusively for chemiluminescent
western blot applications
Vü-F is for Fluorescence application. The unit has built in blue LED’s and a 302nm UV tube. Blue light is used
for a wide range of ‘safe’ dye application. The UV is typically used for illuminating Etbr stained DNA gels. A
white light converter is used to created transmitted white light.
This manual covers both systems
Key features of the Vü systems
• Highly sensitive sensor technology able to acquire low light level faint bands and blots
• A patented acquisition [applied for] system which automatically controls the sensor head unit and
processes the acquired image.
• Simple interface to select method of operation and location of saved images.
• Very small foot print taking up minimal bench space
• Easy to install, operate and maintain.
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System requirements
The Vü system can be operated as follows:
The Vü system can be connected to a network either by ethernet cable or a WiFi adaptor. There is an ethernet
port on the rear of the system and spare Wifi slots for a WiFi adaptor.
It is also possible to connect the system directly to a computer using the ethernet cable. This is best when a
stand-alone installation is required and is probably the most common setup.
The computer should have the following specification.
• PC using Windows 10 or higher
• 200 MB HDD or higher
• 512 MB RAM or higher
• Ethernet connection
• USB for software updates
See the separate software installation instructions for connection to a network or stand-alone computer.
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Getting to know your system
Front View
Rear View
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Setting up the system
Unpacking the system
Carefully remove the unit from its box – remove any packing pieces that are used
Locate the following items included with the system.
Vu-C
• Black plastic plate use to place over the blot
• Power supply
• Appropriate power cable
• Ethernet cable [ yellow]
• Plastic tray for blot
Vu-F
• Black tray for blue light applications
• Plastic tray for gels
• Power supply
• Appropriate power cable
• Ethernet cable [blue]
• White light conversion screen
• UV transmitting glass spacer for use with very thin gels
Also supplied with the system[s] is a folder containing software installation instructions, memory stick with
Vü software and this instructions manual, Analysis software licence information.
Check for any damage to the unit or packing. Report any damage in the first instance to the shipper and then
to Pop-Bio for further instruction or advice. Retain all packing material if the unit needs to be shipped later.
If there are any shortages contact Pop-Bio for instruction or advice
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Installing the unit
Place the unit on a clean, flat, dry surface with the front drawer being easy to reach
Locate the 4 pin socket on the rear of the unit and plug the lead from the power supply into this.
Using the power cable supplied connect the power supply to a suitable mains outlet. [do not switch on the
mains socket at this time]
Plug the ethernet cable into the appropriate socket on the rear of the unit.
Plug the other end of the ethernet lead into a stand-alone computer. Depending on the type of computer you
have you may need to use an adaptor [ not supplied] to connect the ethernet lead to a suitable port.
Switch on your computer first.
Software Installation
Finding the Network name
The initial set up of the system requires that you use a stand-alone computer connected to the system. This is
the most common set up however later you may wish to connect the system to work on a network with each
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unit [if a Vu-F and a Vu-C are being used] being connected to the facility network using either an ethernet or
Wifi connection method. For all connections you will need to use a Network name. This name is assigned to
the unit during the manufacturing process. The initial network name given to each system is as follows.
For Vü-F the network name is: vu-fluor-serial number.
The serial number can be found on the plate on the rear of each unit. Therefore, system serial number
04000001 has been given network name vu-fluor-04000001. The next would be vu-fluor- 04000002 and so
on.
For Vü-C the network name is vu-chemi- serial number.
Again, the serial number can be found on the plate on the rear of each unit. Therefore, system serial number
03000001 has been given network name vu-chemi-03000001. The next would be vu-chemi- 03000002 and so
on.
Installing the Vü Software application
1. The software can be found on the memory stick supplied with the system or downloaded
from the Pop-Bio Imaging website at www.pop-bioimaging.com/download This is a zipped
file
2. Locate the file and now double click the Vu-app icon which will take you to the Vu app setup
file. It should look like this…
3. Once you double click this setup file the software will be installed on your computer. Follow
any on-screen instructions you are asked. When asked if you wish to put a Vu app icon on
your desktop it is preferable to say YES
4. Now double click on the Vu app icon to open the software. If successful you will see a screen
like this..
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5. To check the version number you have just loaded on your computer click the Popbio
Imaging logo on the top left hand corner of the screen and see the ‘About Vu’ option. Click
this to see the version number of your software.
Switching on the unit
Now switch on the power from the mains socket to turn the unit on.
The LED on the front of the unit will initially glow red while the system does its calibration and setup checks.
The LED will turn Green when the unit is ready.
Connecting system to computer
The Vü software automatically finds the Vü system if it is connected using a direct link between the computer
and system using an ethernet cable. Once connected the Vü interface will show an icon of the Vu system. If
you are connecting a Vü-C and a Vü-F then click on the icon to change from one system to the other.
Click here to find Version Number
Shows which system is connected.
Click to switch between either
system if a Vü-C and a Vü-F are
being used
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• Using the Vu-F Imaging system
Open the Vu software
Select the system you want to use by clicking on the system icon. Select Vü-F [ Blue]
1. Plug out the drawer from the front of the unit as far as you can. It will reach a ‘stop’ point.
Remove the tray insert from the drawer. [ Make sure any protective film on the tray has been
removed before you first use it]. You can now place your gel in the centre of the tray. Place the gel
FACE UP in the plastic tray. If you are using very thin gels [1-2mm] then put the clear glass screen
onto the plastic tray first with the gel on top of this. If you wish to use white-light then place the
white light converter below the gel
2. Place tray back into the drawer
3. Using the thumbwheels on at the back of the drawer select the following:
• Lighting required [ UV, Blue, White conversion] – position 1, 2 or 3
• Sample size [ 20 x 20cm, 10 x 10cm, 5 x 5cm] – position 1,2 or 3
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• User [ numbers 0-11]. If you are not using user ID then this should be set to position 0. [See more
about User ID
later]
4. Push the drawer in all the way.
5. The system will start automatically
The system will now begin its process and will typically take around 20 -90 seconds to complete the
acquisition and processing.
The image will appear on the computer screen in the Vü software. Alternatively, it will be sent to another
location that has been nominated during the set-up process – see later.
Open drawer and remove the tray insert with your gel. Remove your gel.
Ensure the tray is clean and dry for the next user. The tray can be washed to remove any residual fluids.
Switching off the Vü
If you wish to switch off the Vü then you need to follow this procedure.
Locate on the rear of the unit the ‘park’ button
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Hold this button in for 2-3 seconds
You may hear the sensor head moving to its park position. Once parked the indicator light glows solid red. In
this position the unit can be switched off from the mains and safely moved to another location. Switching the
unit back on moves the sensor head out of the park position.
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Using the Vü-C Imaging system
Open the Vu software
Select the system you want to use by clicking on the system icon. Select Vü-C [ Yellow]
1. Plug out the drawer from the front of the unit as far as you can. It will reach a ‘stop’ point.
Remove the tray insert from the drawer. [Make sure any protective film on the tray has been
removed before you first use it]. You can now place your blot in the centre of the tray. Place the blot
in the plastic tray – FACE DOWN. Then place the black plastic cover over the blot. The Vü-C maps
from below and hence is looking upwards. Hence the need to have the blot facing downwards.
Blots are often imaged still in their saran wrap covering in which case these tend to curl up or add
additional thickness. When not in any wrapping blots can also tend to dry out and can curl. Hence, by
positioning the blot face down but with a plastic cover on top it keeps the blot perfectly flat.
2. Place tray back into the drawer
3. Using the thumbwheels on at the back of the drawer to select the following:
• Light - select whether you are using
1. Chemi only,
2. White light for marker lane only,
3. Coloured light for coloured marker lane only,
4. Chemi+ white light marker lane,
5. Chemi + coloured marker lane.
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• User [ numbers 0-11]. If you are not using user ID the setting should be 0. [See more about
User ID
later]
4. Push the drawer in all the way.
5. The system will start automatically
The system will now begin its process and will typically take around 2 -5 minutes to complete the acquisition.
The image will appear on the computer screen in the Vü software. Alternatively, it will be sent to another
location that has been nominated during the set-up process – see later.
Open drawer and remove the tray insert with your blot. Remove your blot.
Ensure the tray is clean and dry for the next user. The tray can be washed to remove any residual fluids.
Switching off the Vü
If you wish to switch off the Vü then you need to follow this procedure.
Locate on the rear of the unit the ‘park’ button
Hold this button in for 2-3 seconds
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You may hear the sensor head moving to its park position. Once parked the indicator light glows solid red. In
this position the unit can be switched off from the mains and safely moved to another location. Switching the
unit back on moves the sensor head out of the park position.
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How to get the best images from your Vü system
The Vü system is designed for rapid and easy imaging of all gel and blot types. The capture settings are all
pre-set and have been determined by Pop Bio Imaging as the typical conditions for capturing a range of
image types. About 80-90% of samples can be captured without any change to these settings. However, we
recognise that not all gels and blots are the same and that sometimes settings need to be changed or the
captured image needs to be displayed in a different way. It is important to always use good quality gels or
blots to try and get the best image anyway. Ideally gels and blots should be ‘fresh’ otherwise the signal output
decays with time and the bands become diffused. Capturing image of old or diffused material is never a good
idea. Therefore, always use new samples – never try to use something which is even several hours old. This
guide will help you get the best from your Vü system.
Image capture
The Vü systems have been pre-set with a different exposure time for each lighting setting [when you set the
thumbwheel position]. Usually you can place your gel or blot into the Vü and simply push the drawer in to
capture the perfect image. The exposure times that have been pre-set for each lighting setting [ thumbwheel
position] are as follows-
UV 0.02s
Blue Light 0.001s
Converted [white light] 0.02s
Chemiluminescence 0.5s
Once you have captured an image you can see its exposure time by clicking ‘click for more’ which can be
found at the bottom right of the screen. The information also contains other details about the image such as
date, time, user, size, resolution.
What if I am not happy with the image?
If you think the image is too bright or too faint, then you have some options.
Changing the exposure time
By making the exposure time longer or shorter then you can capture more [or less] of the signal coming from
the bands. If the bands are too faint then increase the exposure time. If they are too bright then decrease the
exposure time. To do this click onto the Pop-Bio Imaging logo on the top left-hand side of the screen and a
menu appear.
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From this menu select ‘Manual Scan’ and a set-up box appears like this-
Here you can see which illumination type you have just used [ UV, converted, chemiluminescence or Blue (as
shown in this case) and the exposure time. So, if the image you have just captured using blue light is too faint
– then increase the exposure time to say 0.002. Or if it is too bright them reduce the exposure time to 0.0005.
You will see a similar box when using UV, converter or chemiluminescence as your illumination type.
Once you have reset the exposure time by typing the required exposure time into the box then click scan to
start the capture process. This time your captured image will be either brighter or fainter depending on your
new exposure time setting.
Changing the exposure time using this settings box does not permanently change the setting for the
thumbwheel. It will retain its factory setting the next time you make a capture of a gel or blot. If you want to
make a permanent change to the exposure time for a particular thumbwheel setting, then you need to use the
‘Configure Thumbwheel’ dialog box which should only be done be a qualified person.
Using the Optimize function
On the left-hand side of the screen you will see an ‘Optimize’ button. If you have captured an image and you
think the bands are too faint or too bright then rather than changing the exposure setting as described above,
you can use the Optimize function instead.
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When you click Optimize the software analyses the image you have just captured. It then measures the signal
levels. It will then automatically change the exposure setting [ either up or down] to what it thinks will give
you the best image based on the signal it sees.
Once you have the Optimize image it is a good idea to note the exposure time used [ use the ‘click for more’
information on the bottom right hand side of the screen. You can either use this exposure time when making
‘Manual scans’ in future or you may want to use this as a permanent exposure time and therefore configure
the thumbwheel with this time as the setting.
Highly recommended method - Using the image enhancement functions- automatically
The Vü software has some powerful image enhancement functions to help present the best image for the
user. This is the best way of producing an enhanced image rather than changing exposure time. This is
because typically the Vü system will have already gathered a lot of signal from the gel or blot anyway and all
the image really needs is some adjustment to help viewing. The data contained within the image is already
fine for analysis but here we are looking at the ways of improving the visual output. Here is how to use the
most powerful of these enhancement functions-
When you capture an image with the ‘Auto’ button ticked ON then the image that is captured will be
displayed on the screen using the full range of black and white levels – usually 65536 grey levels.
Auto ticked ON
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All the grey levels have been used and the image ‘stretched’ to do this. The result can sometimes seem to
reduce the brightness of the bands at the expense of other not so important parts of the image. The simple
trick here is to zoom into the image to focus on the areas of the gel or blot which you think are important. So,
in this example the gel has been zoomed into just the bottom row of the gel where the bands are faintest.
The important thing to notice here is that the faint bands become automatically brighter as you zoom further
into the band[s] of interest.
Now un-tick the ‘Auto’ button and zoom back out to show the full gel again
Now you will have a perfect image. In the example you can see a black background and bright white bands.
This is because the software has now used the area of interest we have given it as the basis to set which grey
levels it needs rather than trying to display all 65536 of them. The result is a perfectly presented balanced
image.
You can now print or export this image exactly as you can see on screen using the buttons on the left-hand
side of the interface.
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Using the image enhancement functions- manually
Instead of using the ‘Auto’ box to make the image look good you can do all the above yourself using the
sliders below the image. To use these, un-tick the ‘Auto’ box. Now find the sliders to the right-hand side of
this. You will find 3 sliders – their functions are:
• Pixel intensity mapped to black
• Pixel intensity mapped to white
• Gamma
Use your mouse pointer to see the tool tips telling what each slider does
Using a combination of these 3 sliders you can adjust the image to what you want to see. Everybody has a
different idea of their perfect image but with these 3 sliders you can make the image suit your own purpose.
There is also an ‘Invert’ button so that you can reverse the black and white levels.
Again, you can now print or export the image exactly as you can see on screen using the buttons on the lefthand side of the interface.
These simple tips are to help you get the best from your Vü system.
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Understanding the Vü Software
The Vü systems are built in such a way that the user has the need to control very little. All of the image
acquisition and processing is automatic with the intelligent software making the decisions depending on the
application/lighting selected by the user. There is no need for focussing, filter selection, sensitivity level
selection or exposure time control. This is all programmed into the system for automatic control. Hence the
Vü software is very simple and has just a few basic user settings.
Launching Vü software
Once the software is loaded and installed on a computer you can open it by clicking the program icon.
Main Window
Device type
The icon indicates the type of scanner you are connected to. If this is blank, you are not connected to a
scanner – check the hostname you are using (see ‘Network Settings’, below) and the network connections to
and from your computer, and to and from the scanner.
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Image display
Zoom
To increase or decrease zoom: roll the mouse-wheel forwards or backwards.
On a laptop, the touchpad may offer different functionality depending on the laptop model and settings:
• the “pinch” gesture: touch the pad with two fingers then open or close fingers to control zoom
• the “scroll” gesture: touch the pad with two fingers held together, then move both fingers together
vertically to scroll
• touch the right-hand edge of the pad with one finger and move it vertically along the edge to scroll
Image adjustment
Auto
Click the Auto box to activate the auto-contrast function
Sliders
Un-click the Auto box to be able to manually adjust the pixel mapping for white or black and gamma.
Invert
Click box to invert the image [black on white or white on black]
User controls
Open
Vü can open previously scanned images.
Click the Open... button to present the Open File dialog, then navigate to find your image file, then click the
Open button to view that image.
Vü cannot read any image file format other than 16-bit TIFF.
Save As
Vü can export a copy of a scanned image to another file location, perhaps to a USB drive or a network
location.
Click the Save As... button to present the Open Save dialog, then navigate to a destination folder for your
image file, then click the Save button to save the displayed image to a file.
Vü can only export 16-bit TIFF format.
This button is disabled when there is no displayed image.
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Modify user settings
If the user (number selected on scanner tray thumbwheel) has not previously set up using the User Settings
(see section 0 below), a message box is presented when the scanner sends an image.
Click Yes button to change settings for this user:
• As each subsequent scan is completed, it will be saved automatically as a new file in the same folder.
• This dialog will not appear again.
Click No button to change settings for this user:
• As each subsequent scan is completed, the Save File dialog will be presented automatically.
• This dialog will not appear again.
Click Cancel to make no changes:
• This dialog will appear again the next time a file is saved manually.
Export
Vü can export a copy of a modified image to another file location, perhaps to a USB drive or a network
location. This means that what you see on the screen is exported so that any image where the levels have
been altered or if it has been inverted can be saved.
Click the Export button to present the Open Save dialog, then navigate to a destination folder for your image
file, then click the Save button to save the displayed image to a file.
Vü can export as an 8bit TIF, PJG, BMP or PNG image. Images cannot be re-imported back into Vü software
This button is disabled when there is no displayed image
Print
Vü can Print a copy of a modified image to any connected printer. This means that what you see on the screen
is exported so that any image where the levels have been altered or if it has been inverted can be printed.
Click the Print button to present the Printer dialog, select the printer where you want the image to be printed
and then click the Print button to send the image to the printer.
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Users
On the main window, click the Users button to present the User Settings dialog:
User List
A list of users corresponds to numbered positions on the tray thumbwheel.
Change
Click the Change button for any user to change automatic behaviour on each scan.
A menu is presented:
Automatically Save All Scans to Folder...
A Browse Folder dialog is presented.
Navigate to a location on your computer or on a shared network drive.
As each subsequent scan is completed for this user, it will be saved automatically as a new file in the
same folder.
Always Prompt to Save Each Scan
As each subsequent scan is completed for this user, the Save File dialog will be presented
automatically.
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Clear settings for this user
The user name and save action will be cleared for this entry on the list, cancelling any automatic save
actions for this user.
User 0
The settings for User 0 (number zero) are often used as a “default” or “catch all” if lab users have not yet set
up their own save locations. It is recommended that Always Prompt to Save Each Scan would be appropriate
for this user.
OK
Click the OK button to save changes and dismiss this dialog, to return to main window.
Cancel
Click the Cancel button to dismiss this dialog without saving changes, to return to main window.
Optimize
If you are not happy with the captured image [ either too bright or too faint] then you can click the Optimize
button. This automatic function will re-map the gel or blot again but using different settings. These settings
are determined by the system automatically after it analyses the output from the original capture.
Additional Set-Up menu
There is an additional setup menu that can be accessed. Click the Pop Bio Imaging logo on the top left-hand
corner of the screen.
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Here you will find
• Manual Scan
• Network setting
• About Vü
Click here of additional Menu
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Network Settings
Host Name
Use this control to specify the network name (hostname) of the Vü Scanner you want to connect to.
Unless you have changed the hostname (see below), it will match the serial number of the system.
Vu-F
Serial number format is vu-fluor-04xxxxxx
The number if found on the rear of the unit
Vu-C
Serial number format is vu-chemi-03xxxxxx
The number is found on the rear of the unit.
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If the scanner cannot be located on your network, Trying to connect appears next to the hostname.
As you enter the name of your Vü scanner, the connection is retested continuously.
When the scanner is located on your network, Connected appears next to the hostname.
Unlock Scanner Settings
Uncheck the Locked checkbox under scanner settings to access the settings for the scanner itself:
Scanner Host Name
This control changes the future 'network name', or hostname, of the Vü Scanner that you are connected to.
If you change the name, then in future the scanner will appear on your network with the new name and this
must be used whenever you connect to it.
It may be necessary to restart your computer, the scanner and/or other network elements for the new name
to be recognised.
Enter the new name for your scanner then click the Change button.
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Scanner WiFi
Check the Enable WiFi on Scanner checkbox to access the WiFi controls:
If you have plugged a supported WiFi adaptor into your Vü Scanner, these controls allow you to link it to your
wireless network.
You must connect to the Vü Scanner using an Ethernet cable before changing these settings, and it is
recommended that you consult your Network Administrator before doing so.
It may be necessary to restart your computer, the scanner and/or other network elements for these changes
to be recognised.
WiFi SSID, WiFi Password, WiFi Country
Enter the codes exactly as specified by your Network Administrator, then click the Change button.
If you have changed the scanner to another network, after you disconnect the Ethernet cable you will have to
configure your computer to also use the same network.
Close
Click the Close button to dismiss this dialog and return to the main window.
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Manual Scan
Here you can enter in a new expsoure time to change the one that is preset by the lighting
thumbwheel. Simply chose the lighting type you wish to change and type in the new exposure time
in the box.
Note this setting does not change the permanent expsoure time setting for the thumbwheel. You
need to go to Confgure thumbwheels to make any permanent change.
About Vü
To check the version number you have just loaded on your computer click the ‘About Vu’ option.
Click this to see the version number of your software
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Taking care of your Vü
Keep your Vü clean to ensure optimum performance
Cleaning the gel/blot tray
Remove the tray insert and wash under running water after use. This will avoid long term build-up of dried
liquids on the surface of the glass.
Dry using a non-abrasive cloth or a paper towel.
Do not use any detergents or solvents to clean the surface.
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Maintenance and Settings
The Vü has very few parts that require servicing. In the unlikely event of a problem then only suitably qualified
service personnel should attempt to remove the cover of the unit. The only routine maintenance that can be
undertaken by the user is to change the UV tube in the Vü-F system
Changing the tube
1. Ensure the Vü-F has been set to ‘park’
2. Switch off the unit from the mains supply and remove all cables
3. Turn the unit upside down and place it on a firm flat surface. Make sure there is nothing on the
surface which could scratch the top of the unit.
4. Locate the plate covering the tube holder and remove the screws.
5. Inside you will find the UV tube. Simply twist and pull the tube out from its fixing.
6. Replace with a new tube and twist it into position in the tube holders.
7. Replace the cover plate
8. Turn the unit back onto its feet, reconnect and make a test exposure using the UV setting to test that
the tube is functioning correctly.
Making manual adjustments to the operation of the system
To access the settings box where the exposure time and other settings can be changed place the cursor on the
Pop Bio Imaging logo then press control+ shift at the same time and click the mouse button
The following choices will be given:-
• Commission
• Configure Thumbwheels
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Commission – Service Engineer only
This dialog box is reserved for the use of a trained Service Engineer only. Please see separate service
instructions for the use of the options in the box
Configure Thumbwheels – Service Engineer only
Calibration
• Start with the drawer open
• Use the Vu app. Open the Commissioning dialog (CTRL + SHIFT + click on the scanner icon)
• Set the thumbwheels to the first combination from the relevant table below (e.g. For a fluor unit
set them to 6, 3, 3 - left to right so that User is 3, Lighting is 3, Size is 3)
• Press the Thumbwheels button once on the dialog (text says "Waiting for drawer to close")
• Close the drawer, hold it until the text changes (about 4s), then open it again (if the progress bar
reaches the left-hand end, the command will terminate. By contrast, you can leave the drawer open
for as long as you want)
• For each combination in the list in turn: set the thumbwheels, close the drawer, hold until the text
changes, open again. (It doesn't matter if you repeat an item in the list, it doesn't matter if you use a
setting that is not in the list, just be sure to use each combination in the list at least once)
• When you reach the final item in the list, close the tray and leave it closed so that the command
terminates
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Testing
• Start with the drawer open
• On the Commissioning dialog, press Test thumbs
• Repeat for all positions of each thumbwheel: o Set the thumbwheels, close the drawer, open o
Check the reported values
• Close the tray and leave it closed so that the command terminates
If you see any failures, please save the image that has built up on the image view and send us the file.
Fluor combinations sequence
• 6, 3, 3
• 3, 1, 1
• 6, 2, 2
• 3, 1, 1
Chemi combinations sequence
• 6, 1
• 3, 5
• 3, 4
• 3, 3
• 3, 2
• 3, 1
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Information for Vü networking connections and configurations
The following tells you how you can connect to your Vü scanner. It cannot teach you all about
computer networks, so you may need to seek further information, advice or guidance from
elsewhere. Your IT staff may also wish to be involved in configuring the networking options of your
scanner.
Configurations
Vü supports two basic connection configurations:
• A direct connection between a PC and a single Vü scanner through an Ethernet cable. Note that, in
this configuration, only these two devices are connected, and that you must use a cable (WiFi is not
supported).
• The Vü scanner can be connected to a network, such as the network in your office or laboratory. In
this configuration you may have multiple scanners connected to the same network, and multiple
computers connected at the same time. In this configuration, the links between each device and the
network may be either wired (Ethernet) or wireless (WiFi).
In many ways the configuration and setup of the Vü scanner is similar to the corresponding task for a
networked printer or scanner. Such devices are frequently set up using something like the first
configuration, and then put to use in a configuration like the second.
IP addresses and DHCP
On TCP/IP networks (the standard computer networking protocol), devices ‘find’ one another using
IP addresses – something like “198.164.1.73”. In some cases certain devices are assigned fixed IP
addresses, but in most cases a central service on your network (provided by your router, perhaps, or a
computer server) allocates IP addresses to devices that need them so that each device has a unique
IP address. This service is called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), and the Vü scanner
requires a DHCP service because it does not have a fixed IP address.
DNS
IP addresses are not very convenient for us humans to use; we prefer names that we can remember
more easily. What’s more, DHCP means that the IP address assigned to a particular device such as
the Vü scanner may change from time to time, so we really want to use a fixed name to refer to it
rather than having to use an IP address that may change. The DNS (Domain Name System) allows
devices to be referred to by name (in the case of Vü, the name is set to something like “Vü-
Chemi03000123” when it is configured). This name is called the scanner’s hostname, and while you
can change it, it’s not advisable in most circumstances.
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DNS also requires a central service on your network (your router or other server) to provide a
centralised way to map the names to IP addresses. (DNS also enables you to type
“www.google.com” instead of requiring you to know the IP address of Google’s server.)
You can connect to your scanner using its IP address instead of its hostname – if you know it. (So if
you know your scanner’s IP address is “192.168.1.89”, you can type that into the ‘hostname’ field on
the Vü app instead of the hostname itself. This can be useful if you change the hostname and then
forget it, or if there is some problem with the DNS service – but you will require some knowledge of
networking to find out the IP address assigned to it.)
Direct Connection configuration
When your PC is connected directly to your Vü scanner – and therefore only connected to the
scanner – the PC must provide the DHCP and DNS services. A limited DHCP is provided as part of
Windows, but it does not provide DNS ‘out of the box’. Instead, in this configuration, we use a
technology developed by Apple called Bonjour so that we can use our scanner’s name instead of the
IP address. Bonjour is Apple's implementation of zero-configuration networking, a group of
technologies that includes service discovery, IP address assignment, and hostname resolution.
Bonjour locates devices such as printers, other computers, and the services that those devices offer
on a local network using multicast Domain Name System (mDNS).
It may seem strange that Windows does not provide its own DNS or mDNS system; it is beginning to
but it remains somewhat limited. Windows expects to be connected to a ‘proper’ network and for
other devices to be connected to that network rather than a direction connection – and that the
network itself will provide the DNS or mDNS service.
Note that Bonjour is only required to be installed on your PC if you are using the Vü scanner in the
‘direct connection’ mode. You may well find that Bonjour is already installed on your PC; many
applications require it.
Windows 10 version 1803
Unfortunately, if you had Bonjour installed and then installed Windows 10 version 1803 as an update,
it seems that this ‘broke’ the Bonjour installation and its mDNS service stopped working. If these
circumstances apply to you (the symptoms, for the networking expert, are that you can ‘ping’ the
scanner from the PC using its IP address, but you can’t do so using the hostname.local address), the
fix is simply to uninstall Bonjour, then re-install it. (Running the installation opens the required ports
on the firewall).
Sole connection
It may be that, for the direct connection to work, you will need to disable all other network
connections on your computer. For example, if your computer is normally connected to your office
network by WiFi and you now connect it to the scanner by Ethernet cable, you may need to turn off
the WiFi connection to your office network while you work with the scanner. (The solution, of course,
is to also connect the scanner to your office network as described below).
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Networked configuration
If you have a ‘proper’ network in your office or laboratory that provides shared network storage,
connection to the internet, shared printers etc. then it’s much simpler to just connect the Vü scanner
to the network. The network will provide DHCP and DNS, and you can refer to the scanner by name
without any difficulty. In this configuration, you also have the option to connect the scanner by either
Ethernet cable or WiFi.
An Ethernet connection will always work; it does not require any configuration or setup. Configuring
the WiFi does not disable the Ethernet port, so it will continue to work.
WiFi configuration
Setting up the WiFi connection on the Vü scanner is very similar to setting up a WiFi connection on
your phone or tablet – the only difference is that you are using an app on your PC to change the
settings. Note that this means that you must connect the scanner to the network with an Ethernet
cable whenever you change the WiFi settings!
First, plug your supported WiFi adapter into any available USB socket. Next, go to the Network
Settings dialog on the Vü app. Unlock the scanner settings and check the box to enable the WiFi on
the scanner. Then, provide the required information:
• WiFi SSID: this is the name of your WiFi network. (When you start to connect your phone or tablet
to a new WiFi network, a list of the available network names is shown to you; these are the SSIDs of
the available networks).
• WiFi Password: you need to provide the password for the WiFi network you choose. WPA is the
supported WiFi security protocol.
• WiFi Country: select the country in which you are operating the scanner, because the radio
frequency rules vary by country: the transmission power may be limited and some frequency bands
may not be allowed.
When you have entered the required information, please press the ‘Change’ button. When the
scanner has connected to the network the status indicator will show “Connected” in green. Once the
scanner has connected to the WiFi network you should be able to disconnect the Ethernet
connection and still communicate with it; the app will invite you to do so.
(There are some complexities associated with this. Your PC has communicated with the scanner over
Ethernet using a particular IP address, which it has been told by the DNS is the correct IP address to
use for it. Now, the scanner is connected using a different network - the WiFi network - and probably
has a different IP address. So when the Vü app tries again to communicate with “Vüchemi-
03000123”, the PC’s networking system may provide the wrong address for it. To avoid this, the app
asks the PC’s networking system to ‘flush the DNS cache’ when the WiFi network is first enabled; this
means that the PC will ‘start from scratch’ and establish the correct IP address for the scanner, rather
than using the one it had found previously. If you want to force the system to flush the cache again
you can open a command prompt and type “ipconfig /flushdns”, but this should not be necessary).
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Specifications
Vü-F
Vü-C
Application
Fluorescent gels and blots
Chemiluminescence Western blots
Illumination
UV integral 302nm [1 tube]
RGB integral LEDs for marker
including coloured markers
Blue light integral LEDs
Blue Green LEDs [optional]
White light conversion screen
Sample size (cm)
20 x 20
10 x 10
Sample Drawer
Thumbwheel selection for lighting, ROI
and user
Thumbwheel selection for lighting
[marker lane] and User
Drawer type
Pull out drawer with removable washable
gel tray
Pull out drawer with removable
washable blot tray
Sensor resolution
90Mpixel
51Mpixels
Image output
resolution
3550 x 3550 (12.6 Mpixel)
1530 x 1530 (2.34 Mpixel)
Image format
TIFF
TIFF
Sensor type
CMOS linear
CMOS linear high sensitivity
Process speed
20-90 seconds - depends on gel and dye
used
2-5 minutes - depends on blot and
reagent
Sensor lens T-Stop
2.86
1.01
Footprint (mm)
480D x 426W x 205H
375D x 353W x 175H
Power Supply
100-240V external
100-240V external
Connectivity
Integral ethernet; optional external WiFi
Integral ethernet; optional external
WiFi
Analysis software
3 copies
3 copies
Warranty
2 years
2 years
Ordering
10-1007-04 [UV, Blue LED]
10-1007-02
Part numbers
10-1007-05 [UV, Blue/Green LED]
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Pop-Bio Imaging
Milton Hall
Ely Road
Milton
Cambridge, UK
CB24 6WZ
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 620020
Email: sayhello@pop-bioimaging.com
Website: www.pop-bioimaging.com
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