Installing Software and Drivers

Minimum Computer Requirements

  • 3.0 GHz single core or 2.4 GHz dual or quad core processor

  • 4 GB RAM

  • Hard drive: 850 MB/sec write speed recommended for the data rate associated with the max. frame rates. 100 MB free hard disc to install software

  • For USB PCI Express x1 or greater (x4 recommended). For CoaXPress PCI Express x8 required

  • Windows (8.1 and 10) or Linux

Installing Software or Drivers

The same instructions cover the installation procedure for Andor’s Solis software or Andor’s SDK, which is used in conjunction with third party software. If you are planning to run your camera through a third party interface you will require the Andor Drivers, called Software Development Kit (SDK). For sCMOS cameras, SDK3 is required whereas, SDK2 is required for CCD and EMCCD cameras. If purchased please visit andor.oxinst.com/downloads to request a software or driver download.

Note
You must have administrator access on your PC to perform this installation

  1. Terminate & exit any applications which are running on the PC.

  2. Insert or run the provided or downloaded copy of Andor Solis or SDK. The InstallShield Wizard should now start. If it does not start automatically, run the file Solis setup.exe file.

  3. Select appropriate location for installation of software and drivers on your computer / network.

  4. If prompted, select Sona or Marana.

  5. Continue installation and restart your computer - when prompted - to successfully complete the installation.

  6. The camera is now ready to be connected to a PC / laptop and powered on.

New Hardware Wizard

When the Sona and Marana-6 sCMOS camera is connected to a PC for the first time, the New Hardware Wizard screen will appear.

  1. Select the ‘No, not this time only’ option then click Next>.

  2. Select the ‘Install from a list or specified location (Advanced) option then click Next>.

  3. Navigate to the directory where the Andor Solis software was installed to on the PC, then click Next> so that the Installation Wizard can start.

  4. Click the Finish button to complete the installation.

    Note
    If the camera is connected to a different USB port, steps 1 – 4 will have to be repeated on the first connection only.

  5. A system message will appear to indicate that the device has been successfully installed.

    Note
    You can check that the camera is correctly recognized and installed by opening the Device Manager (Devices and printers) in Windows, Control Panel. The camera will show under the Devices list.

 

Checking & Setting BIOS options (for PCs not supplied by Andor)

Enter the BIOS menu when starting PC. For Dell workstations, press F12 at start-up and select System Setup in the One Time Boot Menu. For Dell workstations 3 options in the Performance menu of the BIOS need to be checked/set:

  • C-States Control – Disable C-States

  • Intel Speed-step – Disable Speed-step

  • Memory Node Interleaving – Set from NUMA to SMP. Note: This option is only available on larger workstations with 2 physical processors and may have a different name- ensure that NUMA is disabled