Acquisition Software for Leica TCS NT

[Dave Arney]

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Hello,

I've inherited a Leica TCS NT system which seems to be complete except for
the computer, which went missing quite some time ago. I realize that this is
an antique system these days and long out of support. I've read through the
list archives and gleaned helpful hints about running on newer (well, newer
than 1997) hardware, but the upgraders already had a running system.

I've tried asking Leica about acquisition software and got the response
you'd expect. The documentation I've found for the TCS NT mentions TCS
Powerscan software and "TCS NT Version 1.6.582". I'm fine with running a
dedicated Windows NT machine just for acquisition, but the original
computer, install media, and dongle went astray many years ago.

Does anyone have suggestions for software to run this thing? It seems like a
shame to scrap it just because the software is unavailable.

thanks,
-Dave

[Lloyd Donaldson]

Dave

We have the remains of a Leica TCS NT system which was taken out of service about 7 years ago. We have the PC. I have not been able to find the TCS install CD and we have disposed of the NT install floppies and the Excel97 install floppies. I do have a back up of the TCS as it was installed on the hard disk in 2001. TCS runs in Microsoft Excel. I found the main TCS file and attempted to run it in Excel 2013 but the file is password protected. While I might have a record of the password somewhere it will take a very long time to find it.
Even if the PC still boots it will be password protected and I have no record of any user or admin passwords from 7 years ago. I guess I could send you the hard drive but simply plugging it in to a new PC (requires a scsi interface) is unlikely to result in a usable system.
You may be better off spending your time putting a nice camera on the microscope and using it as a widefield system (which is what we have done), or perhaps write a grant for a new SP8 ! If you would like a copy of the backup files let me know.

Regards

Dr Lloyd Donaldson
Microscopy & Wood Identification
Senior Scientist – Plant Cell Walls & Biomaterials
Scion – Forests, Products, Innovation
49 Sala Street, Rotorua 3010
New Zealand
Ph 07 343 5581
www.scionresearch.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dave Arney
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 3:53 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Acquisition Software for Leica TCS NT

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Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
*****

Hello,

I've inherited a Leica TCS NT system which seems to be complete except for
the computer, which went missing quite some time ago. I realize that this is
an antique system these days and long out of support. I've read through the
list archives and gleaned helpful hints about running on newer (well, newer
than 1997) hardware, but the upgraders already had a running system.

I've tried asking Leica about acquisition software and got the response
you'd expect. The documentation I've found for the TCS NT mentions TCS
Powerscan software and "TCS NT Version 1.6.582". I'm fine with running a
dedicated Windows NT machine just for acquisition, but the original
computer, install media, and dongle went astray many years ago.

Does anyone have suggestions for software to run this thing? It seems like a
shame to scrap it just because the software is unavailable.

thanks,
-Dave
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[Torsten.Fregin]

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Hi Dave,

I have the setup.exe file for the software (I found it years ago on  
the Leica ftp server), but alas it is password protected and the Leica  
guys did not want to give me the password.

The software on the computer itself is hardware dongled, that is, if  
you exchange e.g. the motherboard, it refuses to start. I wanted to  
upgrade the hardware to run Win XP; without an upgrade, it was kind of  
slow but running...

In the PC there are also several PCI cards you need to have, otherwise  
you cannot control the system (e.g. frame grabber, serial ports).

So, without an original computer you will probably not be able to run  
the system.

But maybe you are lucky! When my old department bought a new confocal,  
I got the old computer! I still have it in the basement. I don't know  
if it is still working, though. It is sitting there now for years... I  
truly loved the old TCS NT, it was "my" first one ;-) And I did not  
think the new one was much faster (400 lines per second vs. 533 is not  
that much of an improvement, I'd say...)

:-) Torsten

Zitat von Dave Arney <[hidden email]>:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Hello,
>
> I've inherited a Leica TCS NT system which seems to be complete except for
> the computer, which went missing quite some time ago. I realize that this is
> an antique system these days and long out of support. I've read through the
> list archives and gleaned helpful hints about running on newer (well, newer
> than 1997) hardware, but the upgraders already had a running system.
>
> I've tried asking Leica about acquisition software and got the response
> you'd expect. The documentation I've found for the TCS NT mentions TCS
> Powerscan software and "TCS NT Version 1.6.582". I'm fine with running a
> dedicated Windows NT machine just for acquisition, but the original
> computer, install media, and dongle went astray many years ago.
>
> Does anyone have suggestions for software to run this thing? It seems like a
> shame to scrap it just because the software is unavailable.
>
> thanks,
> -Dave
>