This section describes how synchronization is achieved.

• TDT data is stored as a continuous data (starting from start of recording)
• behavioral data is stored per trial (starting from first trial)

For combining both, we first convert TDT data to trial format (function TDT_trial_struct.m) preferentially using epocs store (Tnum and SVal) information.
Note: There is a flag in TDT_trial_struct for using the continous state information stream (stream_state_info), but it is permanently turned off, as the epoc information is already extracted from the continuous state information within the TDT circuit (see ) But first things first, how do we make sure we CAN synchronize TDT and behavioral data?

Note that pins are only switched either to send trial information or after a state change (AND after the flip happened!) The idea is that both trial information and state information can be sent via the same channel. Details are described below.

Values of 252 to 255 are preserved for indicating start of trial/state information and in-between trial information stoppers:

• 252: indicates start of trial information
• 254: in between trial information to define trialinfo packages
• 253: end of trial information
• 255: start of state information

Note that due to preserved values, a trial information package maximum value is limited. For example, to encode the date first package would be first 2 digits of the year, second package the last 2 digits of the year, third package the month and fourth package the day. That way none of the packages reaches a value of over 100. Trial information is sent during INI (state 1), during the other states the stat value reflects the current state.