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Weather Station Hardware => Davis Instruments Weather Stations => Topic started by: #41 on July 21, 2014, 01:24:48 PM
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Just got a Vantage Vue last week, set it up at work and everything communicates fine. I've searched here and tried to do research but sometimes that leads to confusion and more questions.
So... I know Davis offers 3 dataloggers. USB, serial and IP. Can't use the serial on the computer I want to connect it to (although I guess a serial to usb converter would be an option) so unless there's a compelling reason, I'd like to stick with USB or IP. This PC it would be connected to is on 24/7 so that doesn't help narrow the 2 options. One thing, our network here is set up for only static IP addresses, no DHCP. One person at Davis said I would have to run DHCP the other said you can configure a static IP address.
Does anyone know which is true? Meaning you have actually done this? And if I went IP then the device would have to plug into a switch on the network, not the actual router. Any issues with that?
If I went USB it would be cheaper. That's a plus because I'm also considering an extra console toi put in a different location. Would the usb setup be easier or harder than the IP method? Not talking about assigning IP addresses, etc. Talking about configuring software, etc. to get data online?
I've also got the impression the USB and IP data loggers at Davis are not the only way to go. Is that true? Are the other ways much more complicated? I'd like to stick with simplistic if at all possible but if I can accomplish the same result and there are some online step by step methods, I'm all ears.
Lastly, my ultimate goal is to obviously get this online but I want to be able to check the current data as well as prior days with an android phone app. Davis told me that would cost $30 per year. Is that true? Is there not a "free" way of doing this?
Any thoughts?
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The best a simplest way is the USB data logger. You can then up load to Weather Underground and other places for free and they have android aps to see it with.
Weather Link software will do this it comes with the data logger. There are other donation ware programs available that will also do it. Just depends on what you really want to do.
I use WUHU a lot of people use Cumulus.
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Assuming that your PC is close to the console (because of USB cable length), then I completely agree with what Beaudog said.
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Thanks.
I will google WUHU but I have heard of Cumulus.
Glad you brought up distance from console to PC. That's one of the areas that the IP would have worked a bit better but the console can be relocated to be closer to the PC. SO, it's not a huge deal. Is the usb cable a proprietary cable? I assume it's at least 6 ft?
Seems like USB is my best bet. I'll still continue researching so if anyone has anything to add it might be a few weeks before I make the purchase.
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If you choose to go with the more-expensive WeatherLinkIP:
Yes, plugging it into a switch (even with a long cable) will work just fine.
Yes, it can be configured to use a static IP address, rather than DHCP.
But I still favor the USB solution in your case - and a short USB extension cable (perhaps just a few feet) would be OK if necessary.
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Cheapest option is a USB data logger. Belfryboy on these forums makes them for £55. These are an alternative instead of the Davis datalogger. Once you have that Cumulus is the easiest software to get the Vue online
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Cheapest option is a USB data logger. Belfryboy on these forums makes them for £55. These are an alternative instead of the Davis datalogger. Once you have that Cumulus is the easiest software to get the Vue online
...but you usually need WeatherLink software to configure the system.
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Pretty sure most alternative weather software should be able to configure the vue system as long as they see the USB module should they not?
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There are tweaks to the console that weatherlink makes easier. But if you are happy with the default settings then only the setup software from myself is necessary.
It is useful to note that since my clone loggers cost £55 they are not much cheaper than genuine Davis loggers with Weatherlink if you live in the continental US.
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Belfryboy can you confirm what tweaks these are?
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Setting the archive interval is very straight forward with weatherlink, but involves a few (albeit simple) steps using a terminal program or my custom setup software (supplied with my loggers)
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Setting the archive interval is very straight forward with weatherlink, but involves a few (albeit simple) steps using a terminal program or my custom setup software (supplied with my loggers)
Thanks though I think Weewx handles that OK.
http://www.weewx.com/docs/usersguide.htm#wee_config_vantage