Topic: What would you like in the ultimate affordable weather station?

[VaDeerHunter]

I have been somewhat frustrated by the offerings out there. One thing I would like to see is an LCD display I can setup that reflects the information I want not some preprgrammed set up. My ideal system would cover the normal stuff, Temps, in and out, humidity in and out, Barometer, wind speed and direction (real time), wind chill, dew point, solar/UV, rain-snow and of course some alarms. Ideally I would have base box with a USB connection for mouse and keyboard and a HDMI and RGB output to a monitor. I would like to lay all these out and be able to size them and build a screen I can read and understand at a glance, maybe also be able to have some graphical trending boxes too. I would like it to be wireless but I am willing to settle for power and data on a single CAT 5. I see a real nice 19 inch monitor hanging on my wall with a full color display all neat and organized for me. A cool thing would be a sensor pack that would plug into an older MAC MINI that you can often buy for less than $150. Don't get me started on the lack of MAC suppot.

I assume I am asking to much but at the cost of cheap computers and tablets nowadays I wonder why this hasn't happened yet.

Current stations are Lacrosse 2811, PEET Bros 2100 and a new Acurite 01035.

[wxtech]

Refer to the Dream Machine topic http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=13691.0
My intention was to collect ideas of what features would be in the Weather Dream Machine.  I was hoping that the forum would help build prototypes and we'd end with a usable do it yourself project.  
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?board=109.0
I built one set of sensors and used a laptop to read the minimum daily data that I wanted.  It was too complicated and expensive to offer as a design for everyone to build their own dream machine.
Al

[Old Tele man]

...with the proliferation of battery-powered, wireless sensor devices (T & RH), it's a shame a "standardized" DIY WX-station scheme hasn't surfaced, something that uses WiFi or Bluetooth communication between the sensor(s) and a small, low-power "brick" computer...a small computer that can either "feed" all the regular home computer devices, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc. -- or -- simply operate autonomously once up & running. And, automatically dumps/archives data to either USB thumbdrive or internal SSD.

...and, I REALLY liked your idea of using a 'smart' picture frame as a display!

[VaDeerHunter]

POE Sensors that could run over a switch would be really cool. Then you could use the brick machine and software for display construction and calibration. That and some webserve upload software and bingo! Ah but, so far I haven't found any devices that run that way. The interesting part is these devices could be more expensive since there is no Base involved and still come in less that a new station system. Right now because there  is no standard your tied to whatever manufacturer you choose and thats it. I like wireless but I want real time and with wireless unless a remote receiver is powered, you probably can't get real time.  I have an Acurite 01035 but am still hanging on to my Pett Bros 2100 because its real time and I have the "weather Picture"  on the wall, the older version with just WD, WS, Temp and BP. They want $389 for the later version which I could replace with a $79 monitor if my dream system was buildable.

We can wish and hope though!

Merry Christmas to all!

[Old Tele man]

...well, if you can solder you could make your own "one-wire" station as Tim Bitson did:



...link: http://www.weathertoys.net/weathertoys/main.html

...here's a look at his weather results at one of his stations in Oro Valley, AZ:

http://orovalleyweather.net/

...and, here's another DIY document on a "one-wire" system:

http://www.midondesign.com/Documents/1-WireApplicationGuide103.pdf

[wxtech]

...well, if you can solder you could make your own "one-wire" station as Tim Bitson did:

I wrote the book, "Exotic Soldering".  I have Tim's book and was a contributor to his forum.  I have built several one wire systems and still prefer I2C Maxim devices.  I have two CAT5 cables from a junction box on my workbench to a J-box on my wx station mast for 1-wire devices. 

[Garth Bock]

...and, I REALLY liked your idea of using a 'smart' picture frame as a display!

Check out past discussions like: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=14896.0 or http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=5787.0 or http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=17446.0. Already doing the 'smart' picture frame thing. Been doing it for several years now. Mine does more than just displaying jpgs from the weather station and I am not using RSS. I am doing it far easier with no scripting or special code. Still working up a how to vid to post soon. I am off 2 weeks from work so I will now have time to do it.