Compare products that can help improve your millisecond timing accuracy


To see which of our products is right for you we have put together the two comparison tables below. If you're unsure feel free to get in touch and we will be happy to advise. Presentation, synchronization & response timing validation and Event marking | Response devices

Presentation, synchronization & response timing validation and event marking

Product / Features

BBTK v3

mBBTK v2

USB TTL module


Main function
Presentation, synchronization & response timing validation.
Complex real time timestamping and TTL event marking/TTL triggers.
Basic event marking.
Example usage Independently check the onsets and durations of stimulus images, sounds or event marks against responses. Also lets you tune your experiment generators accuracy in a particular study by automatically simulating a human participant that is millisecond accurate. This enables you to modify onsets, delays and RTs so that they are accurate in the real world. Show me a worked example. Timing critical independent TTL event marking of stimulus images, sounds, TTL inputs or response pad button presses on EEG machines or eye trackers. Create TTL triggers quickly, easily and reliably in EEG, fMRI or any cognitive paradigm. Show me a worked example. Acts as a USB parallel port replacement to allow basic TTL event marking/TTL triggers from any experiment generator that supports a serial port.
I/O options
  • 2-4x Opto-detectors
  • 1-2x Mics
  • 1-2x Tone generators (trigger your own voice key)
  • 1-2x TTL trigger in
  • 1-2x TTL trigger out
  • Optional 16 channel TTL I/O module
  • 2-4x Active Switch Closure
  • 1-4x button response pad
  • 1x Robotic Key Actuator (press keys or touchscreens)
  • 2-4x Opto-detectors
  • 1-2x Mics
  • 1x Audio in/out (pass-through)
  • 36x TTL trigger in (24 bit + 8 bit port)
  • 24x TTL trigger out (24 bit port)
  • 1-8x button response pad
  • 1x shared TTL in for voice key trigger or patient button
  • 8x TTL trigger in (8 bit port)
  • 8x TTL trigger out (8 bit port)
Connection to PC USB 2/3 USB 2/3 & Bluetooth USB 2/3
Software Full Microsoft Windows suite for programming, control and timing analysis. API available for advanced users. Full Microsoft Windows suite for programming, control and event marking and response monitoring. Can also be used independently without a PC using 10 on-board profiles stored in RAM. API available for advanced users. Basic Microsoft Windows configuration and latency testing PC software. Basic API available for event marking.
Platforms supported
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS*
  • Linux*
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS*
  • Linux*
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS*
  • Linux*
  • Plug in & Play
Nominal timing characteristics Onboard timing chip for real time accuracy. Sub-millisecond accurate. Timing accuracy independent of PC or experiment generator used. Onboard timing chip for real time event marking accuracy. Sub-millisecond accurate. Timing accuracy independent of PC or experiment generator used. Hardware capable of sub-millisecond accuracy. Timing accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used.


Product / Features

TTL to USB keys module


Main function Turns a TTL signal into a key press.
Example usage Converts any TTL input into a keyboard keystroke or value if a TTL pattern is detected.
I/O options
  • 8x TTL trigger in (8 bit port)
  • USB A lead with option to use an adapter on tablets or phones running Apple iOS or Android
Connection to PC USB 2/3
Software Microsoft Windows keystroke configuration utility (once configured stored on TTL to USB keys module).
Platforms supported
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
Nominal timing characteristics Full Speed USB keyboard HID with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz). Timing accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used.


Response devices

Product / Features

1-8 button USB response pad

1-8 button URP & voice key

4 port USB response box

Main function Accept responses on up to 8 buttons. Accept responses on up to 8 buttons and vocal response via a mic. Accept responses on up to 4 external buttons or hand-held triggers.
Example usage Turns a button press into a USB keyboard keystroke as if a key had been pressed on a real keyboard. Turns a button press or vocal response into a USB keyboard keystroke as if a key had been pressed on a real keyboard. Turns an external button or hand-held trigger press into a USB keyboard keystroke as if a key had been pressed on a real keyboard.
I/O options
  • 1-8x built-in buttons (4x std)
  • 8x TTL trigger out (8 bit port)
  • 1x shared TTL trigger out (50 ms blip)
  • 4-8x external button inputs (4x std)
  • 1-8x built-in buttons (4x std)
  • 8x TTL trigger out (8 bit port)
  • 1x shared TTL trigger out (50 ms blip)
  • 1x mic input
  • 4-8x external button inputs (4x std)
  • 1-4x external buttons or hand-held triggers
  • 1x shared TTL trigger out (50 ms blip)
Connection to PC USB 2/3 USB 2/3 USB 2/3
Software Microsoft Windows keystroke configuration utility (once configured stored on response pad). Microsoft Windows keystroke configuration utility (once configured stored on response pad). PC keystroke configuration utility (once configured stored on response box).
Platforms supported
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS*
  • Linux*
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
Nominal timing characteristics Full Speed USB keyboard HID with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz). TTL event marks sent in real time with sub-millisecond accuracy. Response accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used. Full Speed USB keyboard HID with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz). TTL event marks sent in real time with sub-millisecond accuracy. Response accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used. Full Speed USB keyboard HID with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz). TTL event marks sent in real time with sub-millisecond accuracy. Response accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used.


Product / Features

Hand-held USB response button

1-5 button pressure sensitive force activated USB response pad

1-4 button USB response pad with slider/fader

Main function Accept responses on up to 4 external buttons or hand-held triggers. Accept pressure sensitive force responses on up to 5 buttons. Accept responses on up to 4
buttons and up to 1024 positions
on a linear slider/fader.
Example usage Turns a button press into a USB keyboard keystroke as if a key had been pressed on a real keyboard. Turns a button press into a pressure sensitive force curve whilst at the same time generating a standard USB keyboard key press for ease of integration with your own experiments. Turns a button press into a USB
keyboard keystroke as if a key
had been pressed on a real
keyboard.

Produces keystrokes for each
position on the slider/fader for
Likert Scales (2-32 positions) or
for finer grain judgements types
numbers 0-1023.
I/O options
  • 1x built-in button
  • USB A lead with option to use an adapter on tablets or phones running Apple iOS or Android
  • 1-5x built-in pressure sensitive force buttons
  • 5x TTL trigger out
  • 2x External TTL trigger in
  • 1-4x built-in buttons
  • Choose color, size & location
  • 4x TTL trigger out (4 bit port)
  • 5x TTL trigger out port for slider/fader positions 1-32 (5 bit port)
  • 2x TTL trigger in (2 bit port)
  • 1-4x external button inputs or hand-held triggers
Connection to PC USB 2/3 USB 2/3 USB 2/3
Software Keystroke configuration utility built-in to hand-held (once configured stored on response button). Microsoft Windows configuration utility for setting thresholds and keyboard keys etc. (once configured stored on response pad).

PC App for streaming pressure sensitive force data to a file whilst your experiment is running and accepting standard keyboard keystrokes. Enables you to automatically time lock your data to pressure/force curves.
PC configuration utility sets
one of three slider/fader modes
(once configured stored on
response pad)
Utility also allows you to test
button presses and slider
position.
Platforms supported
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
  • Microsoft Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2 (32/64), Windows 7 SP1 (32/64), Windows 8 (32/64), Windows 8.1 (32/64), Windows 10 (32/64), Windows 11 (64 bit)
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Plug in & Play
Nominal timing characteristics Full Speed USB keyboard HID with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz). Response accuracy tied to PC and experiment generator used. Samples at 250 Hz and transmits data to PC as an 11 byte serial stream.

Keyboard keystrokes generated once a set force threshold is reached. Full Speed USB keyboard HID and Virtual COM port with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz).
Samples at 500 Hz & transmits
button and slider positional data
to PC as keyboard keystrokes.
Full Speed USB keyboard HID
with 1 ms latency (1,000 Hz).

Response accuracy tied to PC
and Experiment Generator used.

*BBTK Microsoft Windows software Apps not supported directly. Full API provided for control over serial regardless of platform used.

Unless otherwise labelled, all products offered for sale by The Black Box ToolKit Ltd are for academic study and/or research use only.


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Founded in 2003 by a team of psychologists, software experts and electronic engineers we are dedicated to improving the millisecond timing accuracy and experimental rigor of researchers in the behavioral and brain sciences.

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