MindPlace Procyon AVS User manual

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READ THIS BEFORE USING PROCYON
Procyon is intended for use as a tool for enhancing con-
sciousness and for personal growth. It is not intended for
use as a medical diagnostic or therapeutic device, and no
medical claims of any sort are made for it.
DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT without your doctor’s specific
guidance if you or any family member has ever experienced
any form of seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, or if you are or
have been taking any form of psychoactive drug, such as am-
phetamines, barbiturates, etc.

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Procyon
Audio-Visual Synthesizer
TM
User's guide and Reference
I. Introduction
Congratulations! You have just purchased the most advanced per-
sonal light and sound system available on the market today. The
Procyon Audio-Visual SynthesizerTM is a powerful tool for exploring a
wide range of interesting and beneficial states of awareness, and
we think you will find it very helpful when used regularly.
The Procyon includes 50 unique, pre-programmed light and sound
stimulation sequences (called sessions and sometimes programs)
within its internal memory, each designed with a specific goal in
mind. We suggest that you first work with those sessions which
best suit your needs before exploring further. All sessions were
designed to support the mental processes required to integrate the
lessons of daily life and we believe you will will help make your
inner travels more productive.
The Procyon also provides you with maximum flexibility, because
you can create your own sessions using our free Procyon Editor soft-
ware for Windows .
You can mix your own audio sources (CD’s, MP3’s, etc.) with the
internally synthesized audio tones. And the Procyon is the first
light and sound system available that includes compact-disc quality
digital audio. Now you can transform the experience of your fa-
vorite music, or enhance the effects of learning, personal growth,
and imagery-based audio with the powerful effects of light and
sound.

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Consciousness as art-form?
Procyon’s ability to create and fluidly control a palette of millions
of colors, and to precisely synchronize this flowing rainbow with
music and other audio sources presents the opportunity to create a
new kind of consciousness-altering artform. Be sure to check our
site (www.mindplace.com) frequently for the latest updates and
audio-visual artworks!
Color, mood and awareness
It has long been known that color can have a profound effect on
cognition and perception. That’s why colors such as blue and
green are often used in hospitals and prisons—due to their calming
effects. Research has shown that pure colored light can achieve
this same goal: for example, red light is more effective at inducing
mental and physiological activation, while blue light reduces such
activation and can instill a sense of deep calm. Yellow, on the
other hand, appears to help the mind focus while studying and can
allow access to “peak performance” mind-states. The Lumatron®
is an example of a system which uses colored, flickering light in a
therapeutic context (though of course we make no medical claims
of any sort for the Procyon).
It is possible to use the Procyon to produce pure, jewel-like colors
which do not flicker at all. It can also play sequences which un-
fold gradually, or shift rapidly from hue to hue. When this is done
in the range of about 4 to 20 times per second, especially unusual
visual and psychological effects can be produced, inducing the illu-
sion of complex, shifting geometrical imagery. This imagery can be
so compelling that the mind clears of extraneous thoughts and
distractions and the other stressors of daily life. In this way the
Procyon is like a form of "accelerated meditation."

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Benefits
We've created the Procyon as an experimental tool for the explora-
tion of a wide range of colored light (and sound)-induced alternate
states of awareness. And, although we hope you will take advan-
tage of our software tool for creating your own works of "mind-
art" and other applications, we've also included a variety of preset
sessions to get you started. Sessions are grouped into these general
categories:
Tranquility and calming. These sessions use mostly "calming"
colors, especially blue and green, but also shades of purple and oc-
casionally other colors for visual variety. They tend to change
slowly and are intended to lead the mind towards a state of tran-
quility.
Before bed. Similar to the calming sessions, but even slower and
again focused on blue and green light and their combinations. The
goal is to help clear the mind before bed. Some users have re-
ported having unusually vivid dreams with these sessions.
Learning. Most of these are based upon the twilight learning and
super-learning paradigm, and are intended to lead your mind into a
light trance-like state known as hypnogogia.
Peak performance. Mostly "middle of the rainbow" colors and
frequencies associated with the goals of mental activation and peak
performance; often used for learning and sports preparation.
Energy/rejuvenation. More active; patterns shift rapidly and are
intended to prepare the mind and body for activities such as sports
and other physical activities, or before meetings and tests. Perfect
for use during breaks from work and for study.
Visualization/artform/entertainment. These sessions demon-
strate the more purely aesthetic aspects of the Procyon, and are
intended to induce more complex (even hallucinatory) visual im-
agery, and as preparation for exploring altered states of awareness.

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Features
Compact Full-Color Personal Display . Our new GanzFrames™
design uses state-of-the-art surface-mounted solid-state optoelec-
tronic emitters which generate and mix pure red, green and blue
light. With 255 brightness levels for each color, there are literally
millions of colors to choose from.
Ganzfeld feature . A Ganzfeld is a field of pure color which does
not flicker. With Procyon, you can select a favorite color and use it
for color meditation, for example. Of course, the colors can trans-
form into another hue at any rate you choose.
Independent color channel programming . Each color channel
(red, green, blue) can be assigned its own brightness and frequency,
for creation of complex visual effects and mind states.
Large internal program store . More than 1500 segments, which
can be divided between up to 250 sessions, stored in internal flash
memory..
USB port . Transfer new sessions into your Procyon, update its
operating system, and back up your current sessions to your PC.
Control the Procyon in real time from your PC or biofeedback sys-
tem.
Digital audio input/output . Another Procyon first: low-noise,
compact-disc quality audio, for more precise control of internal and
external audio mixing, and virtual elimination of “clicking” from
the lights.
Internal audio synthesizer . Creates binaural beats, locked to the
frequency of one of the three color channels.
SynchroMuse
TM
. This powerful new function synchronizes audio
content on encoded compact discs with internally stored sessions.
The experience is similar to AudioStrobe®, only in full color.

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AudioStrobe
®
compatible . Play your legacy AudioStrobe-
encoded CDs by selecting this function.
Multiple visual waveforms . Choose from pulse, sine, triangle.
Multiple visual effects . Phase-shifting creates a constantly chang-
ing, complex range of colors, while pulse-width-modulation creates
"hard-edged" visual effects. Mix flicker with ganzfeld for subtle
"shimmering" effects!
II. Setting your system up
Your Procyon package should include the following items:
• Procyon console
• GanzFramestm personal display
• Stereo headphones
• USB "mini" to standard USB cable
• Stereo audio patch cord
• Carry case
• Manual
You will also need three "AA" alkaline batteries, not included, for
standalone operation. If you connect it to a PC, then your Procyon
will be powered via the USB cable.
Please refer to the illustration blow while setting your system up.
Step 1: Install the batteries
• Remove the sliding battery cover from the back of the Procyon
• Install three alkaline "AA" batteries. Be sure to observe proper
orientation.
• Replace battery cover.

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Step 2: Connect the GanzFrames and headphones
• Plug the GanzFrames gently into the top of the console. No-
tice that the plug fits in only one way.
• Plug the headphones into the correct jack on the right side of
the unit.
Step 3: Select and run a session
• Turn the unit ON by pressing the on/off button. The LED
display will briefly flash the word "on" and then show 000. This is
the "random" session.
• Press the Up/Down key to select a session. See pages 18-22
for a description of internal factory sessions. While holding the key
the session number will initially advance slowly, then accelerate
(like setting a clock radio). To cause the session number to decre-
ment, press the Up/Down and Start/Stop button at the same time.
• Press the Start/Stop button once to start a session. The dis-
play will briefly flash the word "run", then display the session num-
ber again.
• Use the dials at the top of the unit to adjust the audio volume
and light brightness. We recommend starting at low settings and
gradually increasing them to optimum levels.
• To stop the session, press the Start/Stop button once. The
display will flash "End" one time, then the session number.
CAUTION: Do not open your eyes while wearing the Gan-
zFrames. The LEDs are very bright! Do not start a session at
high brightness levels unless you are certain that you will find it
comfortable.

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III. Using your Procyon
How to have a perfect session
Finding a comfortable and quiet setting is an important ingredient
for having an ideal session with your Procyon. It can also help to
loosen any tight clothes, belts, etc.
• If your goal is to unwind during your session, then lying down
can also help, but is not essential.
• If you think you might fall asleep during your session, turning
the light out helps, since some ambient light would normally
make its way to your eyes from the sides of the GanzFrames
and slightly wash out the intensity of the colors. Choose a ses-
sion with a slow pulse rate and mostly blue-green hues is espe-
cially pleasant and helpful in this case. Using just the Gan-
zFrames alone while listening to your stereo (or to nothing)
would probably be most comfortable, unless you wanted to use
binaural beats; you can use loudspeakers if your head is between
them.
• If your goal is a short relaxation break, then sitting in a comfort-
able chair is ideal. If you are taking a break at work, short ses-
sions seem to give the best results, around fifteen minutes. A
longer period could put you to sleep, if you are at all tired, by
removing the environmental cues which would normally keep
you awake.
• To experience a clear-headed, meditative state, use one of the
"meditation" sessions.
• If you are feeling tired, try an "energize" session. Their acceler-
ating tempos function in a manner similar to listening to music
with similar tempo changes.

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On/off and power-saving
The system is turned on and off via the button on the right side of
the console. In order to save power in case you forget to turn it
off, it will automatically turn off in the following manner:
• In Session mode (display shows three digit session number):
after three minutes of inaction.
• In PC, dL1 or dL2 modes, after 20 minutes.
• In AS or DAS modes, after 80 minutes (allowing time for a full
CD to play before shutting off).
Buttons, connectors, and display
The three buttons on the front panel have the following functions:
The TOP button is the START/STOP button. Just press and re-
lease the button once, briefly, to operate.