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Weather Station Hardware => Davis Instruments Weather Stations => Topic started by: W5CI on January 09, 2011, 10:55:27 AM

Title: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: W5CI on January 09, 2011, 10:55:27 AM
Which is the easiest way to connect the Vantage Vue to the internet?? should i use the weatherlink IP or the weather logger software thru computer?  I am wanting to transmit to weather underground.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: johnd on January 09, 2011, 11:27:48 AM
Which is the easiest way to connect the Vantage Vue to the internet?? should i use the weatherlink IP or the weather logger software thru computer?  I am wanting to transmit to weather underground.

Well the _easiest_ would be the WLIP logger of course - not much more to do than to connect the logger to your Internet router and configure the weatherlink.com account to upload to WU (though it won't do Rapidfire). But WLIP costs quite a bit more and is less flexible/powerful, unless you also use a local PC.

The USB or Serial logger versions that you would oterhwise buy are cheaper, but require you to leep a PC running 24/7 if you wish to upload weather data 24/7.

Your choice really - convenience or price?

Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: duke666 on January 09, 2011, 11:39:02 AM
Don't mean to hijack the thread here but, how often does rapidfire upload to internet and how often using the WLIP logger without PC?

Duke
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: PaulMy on January 09, 2011, 11:41:44 AM
Quote
I am wanting to transmit to weather underground

Over time you may want to do more and the USB or Serial would likely be more flexible for the many alternative programs and gadgets out there.  And unless you want WU to be live, you can use the WU expansion module in WL to manually upload so your computer does not need to be on all the time.

Paul
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: d_l on January 09, 2011, 12:07:50 PM
And unless you want WU to be live, you can use the WU expansion module in WL to manually upload so your computer does not need to be on all the time.

I have strong opinions about PW stations on WU that appear only during the daytime hours and then shut down at night when the controlling computer is powered off.  I mean what's the point of maintaining a half-a##ed station.

IMHO, WU should penalize those stations that can't/won't maintain some minimum uptime percentage by NOT posting their results.  Those stations are basically unreliable and their data shouldn't be mixed with stations that are providing data 24/7.  Weather happens 24/7 and so should weather stations!  It takes work and commitment to maintain a station upload around the clock.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: PaulMy on January 09, 2011, 12:32:30 PM
Dave,
Quote
IMHO, WU should penalize those stations that can't/won't maintain some minimum uptime percentage by NOT posting their results.

I don't question your comment on the 'minimum', and for some it is not possible or practical to have their computer running 24/7 but by having all the past records uploaded, as can be done manually by the WU/WL module, the data that is shown is still accurate and correct for the date and time shown on WU.  IMO that is a viable level of interest in the hobby for some.

Paul
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: dalecoy on January 09, 2011, 12:57:07 PM
Don't mean to hijack the thread here but, how often does rapidfire upload to internet and how often using the WLIP logger without PC?

Duke

Depending on the software used, "Rapid Fire" can be as often as every 5 seconds. 

WeatherLinkIP with WeatherLink.Com accomplishes uploads to Weather Underground every 1 minute.  [Actually, the uploads aren't done directly by the WLIP]
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: duke666 on January 09, 2011, 01:50:48 PM
Thanks Dalecoy, also while on the subject of Davis to internet, after reading the Davis site, I believe that the logger without PC will only upload to Davis weather server (weatherlink), is it possible to display measurements from UV and other extra sensors on the weatherlink network?

Duke
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: W5CI on January 09, 2011, 02:15:44 PM
I am Leaning towards the usb data Logger, as my computer is never shut down , it is running an APRS Igate. an i thought the wx info would be a great addition to the digi/igate.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: dalecoy on January 09, 2011, 02:29:49 PM
I am Leaning towards the usb data Logger, as my computer is never shut down , it is running an APRS Igate. an i thought the wx info would be a great addition to the digi/igate.

You might consider the serial logger (same price as the USB logger). 
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: W5CI on January 09, 2011, 02:32:24 PM
Nothing has a serial port any more.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: d_l on January 09, 2011, 03:20:53 PM
WeatherLinkIP with WeatherLink.Com accomplishes uploads to Weather Underground every 1 minute.  [Actually, the uploads aren't done directly by the WLIP]

Unless Davis has changed their Weatherlink.com server software recently, they upload to WU every 15 minutes.

Solar radiation, UV, and extra sensor data can be viewed on the Daily Summary page.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: SlowModem on January 09, 2011, 03:32:33 PM
Nothing has a serial port any more.

Some people have had great luck with the usb datalogger.  Some people have had terrible luck with the usb datalogger.  I think the general consensus is the serial datalogger with a serial/usb adapter is the best route.  But, your milage may vary.

Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: W5CI on January 09, 2011, 03:59:45 PM
Why would the data logger work any differently with the usb or serial, i have a serial/usb adapter but that dont make sense to me
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: SlowModem on January 09, 2011, 04:04:11 PM
Why would the data logger work any differently with the usb or serial, i have a serial/usb adapter but that dont make sense to me

Here is an example:

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=9717.0

There are many more threads on the same subject.

Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: dalecoy on January 09, 2011, 04:05:58 PM
WeatherLinkIP with WeatherLink.Com accomplishes uploads to Weather Underground every 1 minute.  [Actually, the uploads aren't done directly by the WLIP]

Unless Davis has changed their Weatherlink.com server software recently, they upload to WU every 15 minutes.


I stand corrected.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: johnd on January 09, 2011, 04:56:42 PM
Some people have had great luck with the usb datalogger.  Some people have had terrible luck with the usb datalogger. 

But that ratio  is about 10:1 or 20:1. The grerat majority of users nowadays either see no problem at all with the USB logger, or in the minority of cases where there may be a small problem, it's relatively easily fixed. I don't disagree that serial will give you the absolute maximum chance of robust success, but it's important to keep a sense of proportion - you'll be pretty unlucky to hit USB problems.

And, yes, a serial logger via a serial-to-USB adapter is unequivocally better than straight USB. To my knowledge, no-one is 100% sure why. My guess is that the serial-to-USB adapter is usually right on the PC's USB port and so gets minimal chance to pick up interference on the cable on the USB leg, whereas the USB logger is USB all the way from logger to PC (USB being relatively prone to interference-pickup problems).
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: duke666 on January 11, 2011, 02:18:20 PM

Quote
Unless Davis has changed their Weatherlink.com server software recently, they upload to WU every 15 minutes.

Solar radiation, UV, and extra sensor data can be viewed on the Daily Summary page.

Thanks
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: Garth Bock on January 12, 2011, 12:19:37 PM
Quote

I have strong opinions about PW stations on WU that appear only during the daytime hours and then shut down at night when the controlling computer is powered off.  I mean what's the point of maintaining a half-a##ed station.


I know I will get static for taking your opinion one step farther. I think there needs to be a distinction between weather sites. A "kinda" friend of mine told me last week that he had weather on his website now. Thinking it was my stuff I checked it out only to find it was a radar map and stuff from WeatherBug and it wasnt a true website it was a blog.

Weather Blog - using a blog service, no station, data from other sources
Weather Page - web hosted site, no station, data from other sources
Weather Site - web hosted, station providing data, data from other sources
Weather Source - web hosted, commercial or governmental weather information provider

If you dont have a PWS dont call yourself a weather site....
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: duke666 on January 13, 2011, 02:34:16 PM
Why do Davis provide such a simple display of data from their datalogger via weatherlink.com for you to display on your own web site? Or am I missing something more than the simple blue display that is normally produced?


Duke
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: d_l on January 13, 2011, 06:40:50 PM
Or am I missing something more than the simple blue display that is normally produced?

There are two pages of data: the blue one and the Daily Summary page which is similar to, but not exactly the same as summary page in the WeatherLink software.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: duke666 on January 14, 2011, 12:20:37 AM
One more question, sorry, is it possible to use the USB logger connected to a meteohub and not have to purchase the WeatherlinkIP software?

Duke
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: d_l on January 14, 2011, 09:01:15 AM
Yes.  Most people probably connect the Meteohub to a Davis station with the USB logger, but with that set up, they can't ever use the WeatherLink software to download the archival records from the logger. So with a Meteohub-USB combination, you could only have the Meteohub's data records.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: W5CI on January 14, 2011, 10:55:44 AM
If i had done my research before i purchased the Vantage Vue and realized it took expensive hardware to make the connection i probably would have gone a different route.
Title: Re: Connect Vantage Vue to Internet??
Post by: dalecoy on January 14, 2011, 12:11:43 PM
If i had done my research before i purchased the Vantage Vue and realized it took expensive hardware to make the connection i probably would have gone a different route.

I'm curious what route you would have chosen.