Author Topic: switching data adapters for W/L 5.8.0 (Read 6649 times)

rjkeller · « **on:** March 19, 2008, 06:32:14 PM »

Ok guys, I am about to switch from the much maligned USB to a direct serial port (Davis says the adapter is on the way) and I want to make sure that I do not lose data when I pull the plug on the USB adapter and plug in the serial adapter.

What would be the proper sequence for the adapter change and the cable change?

Richard

capeweather · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2008, 07:54:19 PM »

1) Power off PC
2) Remove USB Datalogger
3) Install Serial Datalogger
4) Power on PC

ncpilot · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2008, 07:58:20 PM »

Shouldn't you probably follow some procedures for the VP itself? Don't you have to go into menu mode to stop logging, or something like that, before removing the data logger?

I don't know for sure, but seem to remember seeing those instructions somewhere...

WeatherBeacon · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2008, 08:10:45 PM »

Quote from: ncpilot on March 19, 2008, 07:58:20 PM

Shouldn't you probably follow some procedures for the VP itself? Don't you have to go into menu mode to stop logging, or something like that, before removing the data logger?

I don't know for sure, but seem to remember seeing those instructions somewhere...

I think you're right. Seems like you have to go through a menu sequence and completely power down the console. It should come with the necessary instructions, though.

Regarding losing data -- yeah, you'll miss some data while you remove the old datalogger and install the new, but... Besides, if you've been using the usb datalogger, haven't you been losing data anyway?

Kevin...

George Richardson · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2008, 08:24:07 PM »

The WeatherLink Getting Started Guide goes into great detail as to how to remove ALL power from the console prior to installing either the USB or Serial Data Logger. If you need to do that prior to installing, I would think you should need to do at least that prior to uninstalling then reinstalling. I would ask Davis for a procedure if the replacement doesn't come with detailed instruction. Also, remember the data logger is used to store information that the ISS has sent but has yet to be forwarded to your computer. Therefore you must be sure that all data has been transferred to your computer prior to start of transfer.
BTW, I've done anything like this so its just a FWIW comment.

George

tinplate · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2008, 01:56:34 AM »

Make sure the last thing you do is download of the archive data right before shutting down WeatherLink and the console. Any data in the data logger archive that you haven't downloaded will be lost.

Steve

Sawwth · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2008, 10:15:45 AM »

I just this morning installed WeatherLink on my desktop with the serial connector. However, I would like to run my 'weather' on my laptop but all it has is a USB connection. Is there an adapter, serial to USB, or is it a bad idea to use the USB reguardless of how it's hooked up. I have ver 5.7.1

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2008, 11:20:17 AM »

Quote from: Sawwth on March 30, 2008, 10:15:45 AM

I just this morning installed WeatherLink on my desktop with the serial connector. However, I would like to run my 'weather' on my laptop but all it has is a USB connection. Is there an adapter, serial to USB, or is it a bad idea to use the USB reguardless of how it's hooked up. I have ver 5.7.1

There are adapters available to convert it to USB. Probably best to stay with serial as the adapters are one more link in the chain to have a problem with. But I think some here are using serial to USB adapters without problems.

blackjack52 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2008, 11:27:40 AM »

http://www.serialgear.com/1-Port-Serial-PCMCIA.html

tinplate · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2008, 06:46:54 PM »

I am in the process of setting up my web site to add hardware sales to SoftWx's software offerings. One of the things I'll be offering is a USB to serial dongle for well under $10. Like many of these adapters, the one I'm carrying has the male connection screws, but I'm including 2 6mm little hex nuts to allow secure male to male connections. It uses the solid prolific chipset which XP and Vista detect and automatically install drivers, and comes with a USB extension cord. I've tested it with the serial VP data logger and it works great.

Steve
SoftWx

chief-david · « **Reply #10 on:** April 10, 2008, 09:55:28 PM »

I email Davis about this.. Mine has been dropping connection about once a week

THey said buy a "toroid"

1. Huh?

2. has anyone done this and has it helped?

dr

dre · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2008, 02:37:12 PM »

Chief,

Wraping the several turns at theend of the cable is a time honored way to reduce noise in a cable. Will it solve the problems - As the EPA says "Your mileage may vary". You can buy them at Radio Shack, thay are a low priced item.
Doug

jaded · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2008, 01:19:30 AM »

Quote from: chief-david on April 10, 2008, 09:55:28 PM

I email Davis about this.. Mine has been dropping connection about once a week

THey said buy a "toroid"

1. Huh?

2. has anyone done this and has it helped?

dr

A toroid makes sense in an RF cluttered environment. They absorb most of the stray RF, and keep the unwanted signals from building up to the point where it could 'mask' the intended bit, causing a damaged packet, and would therefore cause a retransmission of the failed data. However, an occasional retransmission is usually acceptable, and would certainly not pose a problem in this exceedingly low performance environment of weather reporting. (By low performance, I mean that there is very little data, and it is not particularly time critical in the way audio or video signals are.)

Given all the problems people are having with their USB gear, it seems like the chip (or drivers) Davis chose do not handle failures gracefully. A high quality cable with a toroidial choke could help avoid the problems that trigger their bug, and it certainly couldn't hurt (other than the money.) Corroborating this is the fact that when the Davis gear came out, people found big improvements by replacing the original USB cables with high quality replacements.

chief-david · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2008, 12:26:27 PM »

This is the pic that was sent.

Good thing they are cheap.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3012599&cp=&sr=1&origkw=snap+choke+core&kw=snap+choke+core&parentPage=search

figarocat · « **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2008, 10:56:55 PM »

The toroid actually worked for me. I was losing my USB connection every few days, sometimes even twice per day, until I swapped the cable out with one from a digital camera that happened to come with a toroid. Completely fixed the problem - it's been more than a year since I last saw the dreaded "connection lost" message. Even with a 16-foot repeater cable added on now, running from another room, it hasn't given me any problems. At one point I was curious so I switched the toroid cable out with another one (but not the original Davis one) that didn't have a toroid, and immediately started getting the connection problems again. So, for me at least, the toroid did the trick.

Jeff

chief-david · « **Reply #15 on:** April 16, 2008, 12:16:35 PM »

I put on 2 radio shack snap choke core parts

number 273-0069.

hopefully it will work.

I will let everyone know

chief-david · « **Reply #16 on:** April 23, 2008, 10:37:20 PM »

It has crashed twice.

I am not happy. I have invested a lot of time.

chief-david · « **Reply #17 on:** May 01, 2008, 11:04:21 PM »

I also have downloaded a new USB driver.

Has anyone had luck with this?

http://www.silabs.com/tgwWebApp/public/web_content/products/Microcontrollers/USB/en/mcu_vcp.htm

andro700 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 02, 2008, 09:04:46 AM »

I am running version 5.2.1 (5.2.2 is current version) with no problems at all. I am not updating because I do not have any issues with this version.

Chuck

chief-david · « **Reply #19 on:** May 16, 2008, 05:47:10 PM »

I will be doing the switch next week PLUS

The computer guru at school wants to re image the computer.
Says it needs to be done once a year on the network. I can't talk her out of it.

Other than my templates, what should I copy and save?

dr

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Author Topic: switching data adapters for W/L 5.8.0 (Read 6649 times)

blackjack52