To those who have have asked me publicly and privately why I don't consider
upgrading from our PC & OS-9 based TCS-4D to Leica's new TCS-NT, here's
what I know about that question (perhaps Dr. Hoppe of Leica can fill in the
blanks).

I asked Frank Lie, our Leica confocal rep, about this issue.  As I
understand his response such an upgrade is probably not possible.
Apparently the European Union (the confocal is made in Germany) has some
fairly strick specifications about electromagnetic radiation that has meant
that the NT confocal requires pretty elaborate shielding to comply with the
specs.  The 4D confocal was built before the specs came into affect and
does not comply with the specs.  To upgrade would require virtually gutting
the current electronics almost all the way until they interface with the
optics.  You would only have (perhaps) the DM-IRBE microscope, mouse,
keyboard, maybe the monitors left over.

That's not even to mention the fact that the NT software is still new-ish
and (as has been chronicled on this list) is not without its problems.  All
I'm interested in is adding Win 95 to the PC of our TCS-4D.  I don't think
I'm up for anything else.

Doug
.....................................................................
: Douglas W. Cromey, M.S.       Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy     :
: Sr. Research Specialist       University of Arizona               :
: (office:  AHSC 4212A)         P.O. Box 245044                     :
: (voice:  520-626-2824)        Tucson, AZ  85724-5044    USA       :
: (FAX:  520-626-2097)          (email: [log in to unmask]) :
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