HydraHarp 400 TCSPC Software version 3.0.0.4
PicoQuant GmbH - April 2022


Introduction

The HydraHarp 400 is a TCSPC and time tagging system with USB interface. 
The system requires a 686 class PC with USB 2.0/3.0 host controller,
4 GB of memory and at least a 1.5 GHz dual core CPU. The HydraHarp 
software is supported under Windows 8.1, 10 and 11. Windows 7 should 
still work but is no longer actively tested or supported. 


What's new in this Version 

Version 3.0.0.4 is a bugfix release addressing the following issues:
- Fixes an issue with high resolution monitors where some user interface 
  elements were not scaling very well 
- Fixes an issue with loading T3 files as histograms where loading
  always started at record 0, ignoring the user's input > 0
- Fixes an issue of properly storing TRES parameters in .phu files
- Fixes an occasional freezing of the histogram display upon changing 
  StopAt during a measurement
- Fixes a version check issue of the built-in firmware updater
- Updated file demos in C for compatibility with more recent compilers. 
- Now officially supporting Windows 11. 
Please read the notes for version 2.0 below if you are upgrading from 
a software version prior to 2.0! 


What was new in version 3.0.0.3

Version 3.0.0.3 is a bugfix release addressing the following issues:
- Fixes an issue with dual monitors where the large rate meters were 
  off screen. 
- Fixes a bug where warnings were wrong or missing upon change of 
  measurement modes. 
- Fixes some wrong and misspelled error messages. 
- Fixes a potential memorry allocation error. 
- Provides updated device drivers v2.16 with better recovery from USB 
  errors, secure boot is now supported. 
- Supports Windows 10 and 8.1 (Windows 7 probably still works but is 
  no longer tested and supported). 
- Updated specifications regarding relative humidity. 
- Running under Linux+Wine will now use Libusb 1.0
Please read the notes for version 2.0 below if you are upgrading from 
a software version prior to 2.0! 


What was new in version 3.0.0.2

Version 3.0.0.2 is a bugfix release addressing the following issues:
- Fixes a firmware bug in continuous mode where the hardware controlled 
  start of a measurement did not work properly in repetition.
- Fixes the elapsed time in TTTR mode (rolling over modulo 24h). 
- Fixes a data pointer time overflow. 
- Fixes the control panel where invalid input was not rejected. 
- Fixes the acquisition offset (1 ns steps now also in T3-Mode, 
  extended range of 500000 ns). 
- Fixes the handling of legacy TTTR mode files. 
- Provides several corrections in file demos, manual and help 
- Provides new file demos for Python. 
- Improves the support information dialog. 
- Provides an updated device driver v2.13 (note: secure boot is 
  not supported). 
- Supports Windows 10 and 8.1, Windows 7 still works but is no longer 
  actively supported/tested. 
Please read the notes for version 2.0 below if you are upgrading from 
a software version prior to 2.0! 


What was new in version 3.0.0.1

Fixes an incompatibility with USB 3.0 ports of Intel Z97 chipsets. 
Fixes some minor bugs in file content and user interface.
Provides bugfixed file demos for LabVIEW 
Provides an updated device driver to meet new Windows driver 
signing requirements (XP and Vista are no longer supported). 
Please read the notes for version 2.0 below if you are upgrading 
from a software version prior to 2.0! 


What was new in version 3.0

Fixes some bugs and provides more hardware debugging information for 
support cases. Provides a module firmware update replacing buggy 
versions. Uses a new file format. The idea is to place individual 
header data items not in a strict file position and order but to tag 
the items by name, so that future additions do not harm existing 
software. The new file format will therefore be future proof in 
terms of maintenance and compatibility across new versions. 
It is also compatible with the powerful SymPhoTime 64 software. 
Please read the notes for version 2.0 below if yo are upgrading 
from a software version prior to 2.0! 


What was new in version 2.1

Version 2.1 is an improved release that supersedes version 2.0.0.x.
It includes a new driver (inf file version 6.0.0.6 and driver file 
version 2.10). Windows 8 is now officially supported. 
File formats remain unchanged. If you are still running 
version 1.x please see the notes below as to the implications of
an upgrade.


What was new in version 2.0.0.x. versus 1.2

- Supports HydraHarp devices with USB 3.0 interface 
- Supports time bin widths of up to 33.5 s and histogram time spans 
  up to 2.2 seconds. 
- Supports compressed TTTR overflow records for file size reduction at 
  low count rates. 
- Fixes some minor bugs. 
- NOTE 1: This version requires a firmware update of the HydraHarp device. 
  The software can perform this update when it is first started.
- NOTE 2: This version has a new file format. 

IMPORTANT! The firmware update requirement has consequences that you 
must observe:

1. Once the update is performed you will no longer be able to use any 
   HydraHarp software prior to version 2.0.0.x.
2. Custom software you may have written for file import will require 
   minor adaptions for version 2.0.0.x.
3. You will no longer be able to use custom software based on HHLib.dll 
   prior to version 2.0.0.x.
4. Custom DLL-based software you may have written will require minor 
   adaptions for version 2.0.0.x.
5. In case of a power failure or computer crash during the update the 
   device may become inoperational.
6. Reverting to old firmware or repairing a disrupted update requires 
   a return to factory and may incur costs.


Disclaimer

PicoQuant GmbH disclaims all warranties with regard to this software 
including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. 
In no case shall PicoQuant GmbH be liable for any direct, indirect or 
consequential damages or any material or immaterial damages whatsoever 
resulting from loss of data, time or profits; arising from use, inability 
to use, or performance of this software and associated documentation. 


License and Copyright Notice

With the HydraHarp hardware product you have purchased a license to use 
the HydraHarp software. You have not purchased other rights to the software. 
The software is protected by copyright and intellectual property laws. 
You may not distribute the software to third parties or reverse engineer, 
decompile or disassemble the software or part thereof. You may use and 
modify demo code to create your own software. Original or modified demo 
code may be re-distributed, provided that the original disclaimer and 
copyright notes are not removed from it. Copyright of the manual and 
on-line documentation belongs to PicoQuant GmbH. No parts of it may be 
reproduced, translated or transferred to third parties without written 
permission of PicoQuant GmbH. 


Acknowledgements

When the HydraHarp software is used under Linux with Wine its uses Libusb 
to access the HydraHarp USB devices. Libusb is licensed under the LGPL 
which allows a fairly free use even in commercial projects. For details 
and precise terms please see http://libusb.info. In order to meet the 
license requirements a copy of the LGPL as applicable to Libusb is provided 
as part of the distribution archive. The LGPL does not apply to the 
HydraHarp software as a whole.


Trademark Disclaimer

HydraHarp, PicoHarp, TimeHarp and NanoHarp are registered trademarks 
of PicoQuant GmbH. Other products and corporate names appearing in the 
product manuals or in the online documentation may or may not be registered 
trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners. They are used only 
for identification or explanation and to the owners benefit, without 
intent to infringe.


Installation 

The HydraHarp software can be distributed on CD or via download.
If you received the package via download it is packed in a zip-file. 
Unzip that file and place the distribution setup files in a temporary 
disk folder. 

Dependent on your version of Windows you may need to log on as administrator
in order to perform the software setup. It is important to perform the setup 
as administator because otherwise the device driver installation will fail.
Only if you intend to use the software without hardware, e.g. as a file 
viewer, you may run setup without administrator rights.

The setup program setup.exe will install the HydraHarp software including 
driver, manual, online-help, sample data and programming demos for reading
the data files. 


Contact and Support

PicoQuant GmbH
Rudower Chaussee 29
12489 Berlin, Germany
Phone +49 30 1208820-0
Fax   +49 30 1208820-90
email info@picoquant.com
www http://www.picoquant.com
