About Us
Contact Us
HeartMath & You
Free Services
Store
News & PR
Alliances
Clients
USB
Quick Start Guide
USB
Hardware Installation Guide
If you're having a problem with your emWave or USB sensors, please read through this page, which covers almost every known issue that may arise when installing or using the emWave with a USB sensor.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Upgrade issues
Installation issues
Problems Running the emWave
Problems with Results
Printing Problems
Deinstalling emWave Software
Moving the emWave Software
Running emWave on a Macintosh
Data Transfer From emWave
1
How to Install the Online Tutorial
if it Wasn't Initially Installed
Call Technical Support
Q. I installed emWave 2.0, but at the time, I didn't convert my user and session data from emWave 1. How can I do that now?
Go to C:\Program Files\HeartMath\emWave 2.0, and delete the FF.mdb file. Then start the emWave program, and it will ask you if you want to transfer your old data into the new database.
Q. I want to remove the emWave 1.x software now that I have emWave 2.0 installed.
Click on the Start icon and then select Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs. Select emWave, then click on the Add/Remove button. Select emWave (not emWave 2.0) then the Change/Remove icon.
Q. What versions of Windows does the emWave program run on?
The emWave program is compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4 w/service pack 4, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. The emWave is not compatible with Windows CE nor will it run on Palm handhelds. If you are using a USB sensor, it must be supported by the operating system. Windows 95 and NT do not support USB HID devices.
Q. How do I know if I have the latest version of the emWave software?
When the emWave program is running, go to the Help menu, click and drag down to the "About emWave" item. You'll see the version number on the resultant screen. The latest version is 2.05. You can download and install the latest version of the program files from Updates and Downloads.
Q. Can the emWave program run on a Macintosh?
It's possible using the Virtual PC program, but we don't recommend it, due to frequent program freezes that some users experience. See the end of the FAQ for details. See the "Running the emWave on a Macintosh" section below for details.
Q. Where do I register my software?
If your computer connects to the Internet, you can register on the Web by starting the emWave program and then going to the Help menu, Register emWave item.
Q. I put the CD into the computer, and the installer screen doesn't appear.
Double-click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop. If the CD-ROM icon says "Audio CD", you've inserted the Quiet Joy music CD instead of the emWave software installation CD, which is in a white paper jacket in the emWave box. Remove the music CD from the CD-ROM drive and insert the emWave installation CD. The installation program should start automatically.
If you have the emWave software installation CD in the CD-ROM drive, double-click on the CD-ROM icon in the "My Computer" window, then double-click on CD-ROM icon, then the Setup icon that appears in the open window. This will start the installer.
Q. The installation program won't accept the serial number.
The serial number contains zeros, not the letter "O." Use the serial number from the installation CD jacket, not the serial number on the finger sensor. Also, don't enter any spaces when entering the serial number.
Q. There is a CAB File Error During Installation
If you receive error messages during installation that relate to CAB files, try selecting custom install and uncheck the box for Tutorial. Only installing the core emWave program can bypass many problems that may occur during installation. If the smaller installation is successful then you can later modify your installation to install the tutorial. If modifying the installation to add the tutorial doesn't work then please e-mail emWave tech support at: support@freezeframer.com
Q. I am getting ERROR 117.
If you receive the error message "Error 117. Please contact Freeze Framer support.", it means that the computer could not read information from the CD. Many times simply taking out the CD, rebooting your computer and then reinserting the CD for a second installation can resolve this problem. If this doesn't resolve the problem then examine the shiny side of the CD for scratches, stains, pieces of material, etc. Some CDs produced can have a strange glue-like substance on them that can cause this error because a track on the CD cannot be read. The solution is to clean the CD to remove the offending substance and then reinsert the CD by touching only the sides of the CD. If cleaning the CD does not make the error cease then try another CD in your computer to ensure that the drive is working correctly before calling customer support.
Q. When I open the meadow game all I get is the buttons at the bottom and a black screen or a series of pictures resembling a sun rise.
This most likely is because the "Custom Meadow Game" option is turned on in the emWave User Interface options. To turn off the custom meadow game, go to Options from the Edit menu in the emWave, then click on the "User Interface" tab near the top of the window. You should see a check in the box next to the Custom Meadow Game option, uncheck the box and click Ok. The next time you open the meadow game you should see the original meadow game with a monochrome image of a meadow before clicking Start.
Q. The game graphics are distorted or the cursor disappears when running the games; or the message "A Required .dll file, dddraw. dll was not found." appears when you start the program, or your computer freezes when attempting to run a game.
You may need an updated video driver in order for the games to work. We urge you to back up your computer prior to installing any system software updates. Go to your computer vendor's Web site, and download and install the latest video driver for your model of computer.
Q. I still have problems running the emWave - poor display quality, freezes, etc.
-or-
The lines in the Heart Rate screen consist of faint dots
1. Exit the emWave software by selecting "Exit" from the file menu. (If the screen has gone black or blank and you cannot access the file menu. Press the "Ctrl" "Alt" and "Delete" keys on your keyboard simultaneously. Then highlight "emWave" and select "end task"). This will close the emWave program.
2. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop.
3. Select properties from the pop-up menu.
4. Click on the "Performance" tab.
5. Click on the "Graphics." button.
6. Move the hardware acceleration slider to the left one or two notches, until the description underneath says "Basic accelerator functions:"
7. Click the "OK" button to close the Advanced Graphic Settings dialog box and then click "OK" to close the System Properties dialog box.
8. You will be prompted to restart your computer. Click "Yes" to restart.
9. After the computer restarts, try running the emWave software again.
If this doesn't work, repeat the above process and move the hardware acceleration slider all the way to the right. If this doesn't work, contact technical support.
If the problem is not resolved a DirectX installation maybe necessary regardless if you already have the latest version. If you have Windows 95 or 98, insert your emWave Installation CD, open My Computer, right-click on the emWave CD and select Explore. Open the DirectX8 folder in the Support folder. Double-click on "DX80eng.exe" to start the DirectX installation. If you have a newer version of Windows, you will need to download DirectX from Microsoft's web site, available at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/
If none of the above solutions resolve the problem you will need to update your video drivers. Please contact your computer vendor for instructions on how to do this. If you have a clone computer or your computer is homemade you may be able to update your video driver from the Internet by going to Display Properties, Advanced, Adapter, Properties, Driver and then Update Driver. Windows will search for the correct driver.
If you're not comfortable making any of the suggested changes or updates, please contact emWave technical support at support@freezeframer.com. If you have help desk or someone that helps you maintain your computer please ask them about these updates and changes before contacting technical support.
Q. I switched the screen resolution on my laptop to 800 x 600, but the whole picture won't fit on the screen.
Some older laptops are limited to displaying 640 x 480 screen resolution. Consult with the laptop's manufacturer.
Q. I have a laptop computer, and the games, such as the balloon game, do not fill the whole screen.
You may need to change the BIOS settings for graphics to "stretch" mode. Consult with a computer hardware specialist or call tech support if you are not experienced in making BIOS changes - an improper change to BIOS settings could disable your laptop.
Q. I am seeing a warnings for LCD Displays
If you receive; "Warning: You have selected a non-optimal Screen Resolution setting for your LCD display panel.", simply click the check box "Don't show me this message again" and then restart your emWave software. If the game still doesn't show up after you open it, try, switching into the game by pressing ALT+TAB. The games use a 640 x 480 screen resolution, which is not a "native" resolution for most LCD screens.
Q. I get a emWave Game Error
If you receive; "DirectDraw Init failed: SetCooperativeLevel: after SetCooperativeLevel", you may have tried to open a game when there is already a game running. Make sure that you exit the game when you are finished playing and that you don't leave the game running in the background.
Q. The emWave program runs for about a minute and a half and then stops running.
Your computer may not have enough memory to run the emWave program properly. To check how much memory your computer has:
1. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon on your Desktop.
2. Select "System Properties" from the pop-up menu.
3. The amount of memory the computer has is shown towards the lower right-hand corner of the window. E.g. 32.0 MB RAM indicates 32 megabytes of memory. Computers with less than 32 megabytes of memory will generally not run the emWave program properly — the program will stop collecting data after a short time. Additional memory may be required if the computer has many programs running along with the emWave software.
Q. The emWave stops collecting data after about twenty minutes.
Go to the Edit menu, and select Options. Change Session Length from twenty to a higher number of minutes.
Q. The text and icons on the Main Screen of the emWave program are out of place.
Change the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600. (See the answer to the next question.)
Q. The Accumulated Coherence Score and Coherence Ratio Graphs don't show up at the bottom the Coherence Ratios screen. I only see gray area where the graphs should be.
This can happen on some computers when the screen resolution is set at 640 x 480. Slide the mouse pointer arrow over the top of the bar that separates the top and bottom halves of the screen. When the mouse arrow changes to two horizontal lines with up and down vertical arrow click and hold down the left mouse button. Then slide the bar up about 1 / 4 inch. Release the mouse button. If the graphs still appear gray, move the bar up another 1 / 4 inch until the graphs appear.
Increasing the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600 pixels or greater will correct this problem:
1. Open the Display Control Panel by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop area.
2. Select "Properties" from the pop-up menu.
3. Click on the Settings tab.
4. Now move the desktop area slider to the left until "800 x 600" is displayed (if your monitor is capable of 800 x 600 resolution.) Click on "OK."
Q. The heart rate graph is missing from the heart rate screen.
Click on the AutoCenter icon near the upper right corner of the screen to center the heart rate graph.
Q. I am getting Media Control Interface (MCI) errors.
If you receive "MCI ERROR: The specified file cannot be played on the specified MCI device.", it means that the file may be corrupt, not in the correct format, or no file handler is available for this format. Please refer to Microsoft's knowledge base article for instructions on how to resolve this issue: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q219/0/47.asp
Q. I Click Quick Start Guide from the Menu and Get an Open File Dialog
This usually means that Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed. You can install Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Support folder on the emWave installation disk. If you're sure that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader already installed, then browse to the location of the Quick Start Guide. By default it is: C:\Program Files\Quantum Intech\emWave 2.0\Documentation\QSGENG.pdf. If the PDF file gives an error message or opens and crashes then the Quick Start Guide PDF file may be damage or corrupt. You can copy the Quick Start Guide from the emWave installation disk.
Q. How do I manipulate the Database?
All emWave sessions are kept in one database file titled "FF2.MDB" which you can find by clicking on the "Show" button in the "About emWave" dialog. This will open a Windows Explorer window showing the emWave data folder.
You can duplicate this file to make a back up copy or you can transfer this file to another computer with the emWave software to use you session database on multiple computers. At this time we do not support combining of databases or transferring of sessions and users. However, if you familiar with Microsoft Access 97, you may be able to manually edit your database. Just make sure that you make a back up copy of your database first.
Q. When I run one of the Training Modes, either the heart rhythm waveform on the heart rhythm screen jumps to the top and bottom of the screen, or nothing happens in one of the three games.
The data shown on the heart rhythm screen is very choppy, with lots of red segments.
Review the "Record and View Accurate Data" section of the manual. Here's a more detailed description of what to try.
To get consistently good data from the finger sensor, begin with the pulse wave view on the heart rhythm coherence skill building screen when you start an HRV recording session.
From the main menu, click on the heart rhythm coherence skill building screen icon. Click on the fourth icon from the left at the top of the screen which displays "pulse wave" when you move the cursor over it. This will split the screen in two, with heart rate in the top graph, and the pulse wave in the bottom graph.
Insert the finger into the finger sensor.
Make sure that the finger tip is over the small rectangle in the finger sensor - if the finger joint is over this rectangle or the tip of the finger is too far back, data quality will be diminished.
Adjust the strap to be comfortably snug. Too tight or too loose will affect data quality - you can get a sense for the proper pressure by starting to collect data with the pulse wave displayed and then pressing down and lifting the finger in the sensor to see what happens to the pulse wave - it will flatten out or become chaotic when there's too much or too little pressure.
Your hand and finger in the sensor should be on a hard, flat surface to minimise movement, which can result in red-line artifacts in the HRV graph. The hand should be in a relaxed position.
If your hands are cold, reduced circulation may interfere with recording an accurate pulse signal and affect the data collection process. Rub your hands together rapidly to warm them up and check the shape of the pulse wave in the heart rhythm recording mode. Propping your feet up on a chair can also help.
Click on the "Start" icon, and observe the pulse wave - it should consist of successive rounded peaks. See the pulse wave pictured in sections 5.1 and 5.4.4 of the manual. Each person's pulse wave will be somewhat different.
When you have good pulse wave, stop the data collection by clicking on the "stop" icon. Click on the second icon from the left to start collecting data again.
There's a remote possibility that the finger sensor is defective, but the techniques described above should enable you to get good HRV data.
Make sure the Finger Sensor test program is not running at the same time the emWave program is running.
Q. No matter what I do, I always get the same results.
The emWave program may be set to "Demo" (Simulator) mode. Check the Option screen to turn it off.
Q. Reports that I print from the emWave program aren't correct - they have missing graphics, colours, etc.
If you have an HP DeskJet or OfficeJet printer, try installing the DeskJet 550C printer driver. Insert your Windows installation CD into the CD-ROM drive.
1. Double-click on the "My Computer" icon on your Desktop.
2. Double-click on the "Printers" folder.
3. Double-click on the "Add Printer" icon.
4. Follow the steps - select "local printer", "HP" from the manufacturers list, and "HP DeskJet 550C" from the printer list. Available ports is most likely "LPT1:". Printer name - leave as is. Default printer - No. Print a test page - yes.
Start the emWave program. When you are ready to print, go to the File Menu, Print Setup, and select "HP DeskJet 550C" from the list of available printers and then print the report.
Hewlett-Packard technical support may be able to suggest a different printer driver if this doesn't help. An updated printer driver may be available from http://www.hp.com
Another option is to have the emWave report on-screen and then press the "Print Screen" button. This will copy the screen contents to the clipboard. Open a word processing program, and paste (control-V) the screen image into the blank document. Print.
Deinstalling the emWave software.
Q. How do I deinstall the emWave program?
NOTE: If you are deinstalling the emWave program and would like to save your session data, you must move or copy the "Ff.mbd" file located in the emWave folder. To find the location of the data file, go to the Help menu, About emWave, and look for "Data Folder", followed by the file name path to the data files.
- Click on the Start button and then select Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Select emWave, then click on the Add/Remove button.
- Select emWave 2.0 then click on the Change/Remove icon.
- Select the Remove item and click on the Next button.
- Confirm your choice by clicking on "Yes."
- The emWave will be removed. However, your Data Folder and files will remain.
Moving and backing up the emWave software.
Q. I want to move the emWave software to another computer. How do I transfer the session data that I've already collected?
Your session data is contained in the "FF2.MDB" file in the emWave folder You can find the location of the data file by going to the Help menu, About emWave 2.0.
You can open the Data Folder by clicking on the small "Show" button inside the About dialog box. This will open the folder in the Windows Explorer. You should close the dialog and exit the emWave before moving any data files.
Copy the FF2.MDB file to a floppy disk or other removable storage. After you install the emWave software on the new computer, copy the file to the emWave folder on the new computer, replacing the existing copy of the file. Run the emWave program on the new computer and check to make sure that the session data is present.
If the FF2.MDB file is too large to fit on the storage devices you have available, you may use a shareware program such as WinZip to compress or segment the file. See http://www.winzip.com for details.
Q. I see several files named "FF" in the emWave 2.0 folder and I can't tell which one is which.
Go to the Option menu in the emWave 2.0 folder and select Folder Options and then click on the View tab. Under the Advanced settings uncheck the option Hide extensions for know file types and click ok. You should now be able to see the file extensions. The application file is titled "FF.exe"
Q. How do I back up my session data?
Your session data is contained in the "FF2.MDB" file in the emWave folder. See above for finding the data file location. Make a copy of this file in another location of your hard drive, or back up to other removable storage.
Running emWave on a Macintosh.
Q. Is there a way to run the emWave on the Macintosh?
The emWave runs on Windows computers. Some users with appropriate technical skill have been able to get the emWave to run on a Macintosh using Virtual PC 6 with an IOGear USB PDA adapter (GUC232A) under OS 9 and OS X 10.2 or greater. Note that some have failed to get this arrangement to work correctly. We recommend that Macintosh users purchase an inexpensive Windows PC laptop to run the emWave rather than invest the time and money necessary to attempt to get the emWave program running.
The USB sensor currently does not work with Virtual PC 6 or 7 under OS X. The "USB Pass Through" function is not working properly with HID devices.
For more information, see http://www.heartmath.com.au/macfreezeframer.html. There you can sign up to be notified of any developments regarding emWave for the Macintosh.
When you first start the emWave 2.0 program, the program will transfer the data file containing users and session information from the emWave 1.0 program for use by the emWave 2.0 program. The following dialog box will be displayed when the transfer is complete.
If you did not have the emWave 1.0 program installed on this computer, you will see the following dialog box. Click on the No button.
If you installed the emWave 1.0 program somewhere other than the default location, the installer will also display the following dialog box. In this case, see instructions at the end of this document for how to locate the emWave 1.0 data file for transfer.
If you don't transfer emWave 1.0 data during installation, it's possible to do so after the fact. See the procedure towards the end of this document.Procedure for transferring emWave 1.0 data when the emWave 1.0 program was installed somewhere besides the default location:
If emWave 1.0 was installed somewhere besides C:\Program Files\Planetary\emWave\ , the installer will display the following dialog box.
If you click on "Yes", the installer will ask you to locate the folder containing the emWave 1.0 program.
Use the "Browse" button to navigate to the folder containing the emWave 1.0 program. Click on the Ff.mdb file name in the big box.
Click on the Start Transfer button to begin the conversion.
When the conversion is complete, the installer will display a window.
How to transfer emWave 1.0 data files after installation.
If you didn't transfer your emWave 1.0 data file (Ff.mdb) during the installation, or you have other data files that you would like to transfer to the emWave 2.0 format, run the CopyDB.exe program that's installed in the emWave 2.0 support folder (C:\Program Files\HeartMath\emWave 2.0\Support) by default.
You will need to rename or delete the existing FF2.mdb file in your Data Folder before transferring an existing Ff.mdb file to the emWave 2.0 folder.
The program displays a dialog box. Use the upper Browse button to navigate to the existing Ff.mdb file, probably in C:\Program Files\Planetary\emWave.
Use the lower Browse button to navigate to where the Ff.mdb file should be saved, probably C:\Program Files\HeartMath\emWave 2.0\. Enter FF2.mdb, the standard name of the emWave data file, in the File Name box. Click on the Open button.
If you just want to transfer the data file to 2.0 format, and not replace the existing 2.0 data file, give the new data file a different name, e.g., FF extra.MDB.
Click on the Start Transfer button.
You should see this dialog box. Click on the OK button.
If you see this dialog box, a data file with the file name you entered already exists. Rename the session data file in the emWave program and then click the Start Transfer button again.
How to install the Online Tutorial, if it was not
initially installed.
Run the installer, and select the Modify option.
Make sure that both the Program Files and Tutorial items are selected and then click the Next button.
This screen is displayed with the update is complete. Click on the Finish button. Start the emWave program and click on the Tutorial button to start the emWave tutorial program.
You may also drag-copy the tutorial folder manually from the installation CD. It is located in the Setup folder. The first time you click on the tutorial button on the Home Screen, emWave will ask you to locate the Tutorial.exe file. It will remember the location, so you only have to do that once.
Before contacting technical support please register
your emWave.
You can contact technical support at:
For Information
Telephone: (02) 9412 2500 (Australia)
Telephone: +61 2 9412 2500 (International)
E-Mail: info@macquarieinstitute.com