Author Topic: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs  (Read 1923 times)

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Offline Emil K

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VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« on: April 04, 2021, 09:24:14 AM »
Hello
Im running a VP2 station with the USB logger and a weewx system (on Odroid XU4).
Im having an roll-off observatory and the controlling program (MaximDL) can integrate into the astro system also the Davis station. For now the astro system interrogates an BlueAstro weatherstick (temp, RH%, dew point, barometric pressure) and a cloud detector from Lunatico Astronomia Spain.
The idea is that MaximDL needs a connection over serial, USB or TCP/IP port to read the values coming from the weather station and that isn't possible (I have to take the console with me and move it outdoors).
Is there any software out there that can take the raw data coming from the USB port and send it over TCP/IP so that I can have that data also at my observatory?
Maybe a different logger if there is no software solution?

Thank you
Emil
« Last Edit: April 04, 2021, 11:26:33 AM by Emil K »

Online johnd

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2021, 10:19:06 AM »
Perhaps you need to spell out a little more clearly what you need - speaking for myself I'm a little confused:

  • Does your Maxim software definitely accept a feed from a Davis data logger? Are you saying that any of serial/USB/network loggers would be acceptable for this?
  • There's no easy/reliable way to feed the output from one logger to multiple devices. You could look at Virtual VP but that runs on a Windows PC and has various issues (it is legacy software) that you might or might not be able to work around easily.
  • To me, it sounds like you need 3 consoles and 2 loggers: one console/logger to feed weewx; one to feed Maxim; and a third console only to take outside, if I've understood correctly?
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Offline Emil K

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2021, 10:44:39 AM »
2 loggers and 3 consoles. The producer will be more then happy to honor my order :-)
The image taken by MaximDL is saved with the extension FITS and had the capability to store various data and not only the image itself.
This is how the Davis data is save (source https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/fits/java/v1.0/javadoc/nom/tam/fits/header/extra/MaxImDLExt.html)

DAVRAD – Davis Instruments Weather Station solar radiation in W/m^2
DAVRAIN – Davis Instruments Weather Station accumulated rainfall in mm/day
DAVAMBT – Davis Instruments Weather Station ambient temperature in deg C
DAVDEW – Davis Instruments Weather Station dewpoint in deg C
DAVHUM – Davis Instruments Weather Station humidity in percent
DAVWIND – Davis Instruments Weather Station wind speed in km/h
DAVWINDD – Davis Instruments Weather Station wind direction in deg
DAVBAROM – Davis Instruments Weather Station barometric pressure in hPa

From the update announcement to ver 6 of MaximDL

Built-in Davis weather station support
Display current weather status
Add weather information to image FITS headers
Includes USB and TCP/IP options

« Last Edit: April 04, 2021, 11:28:08 AM by Emil K »

Offline Mattk

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2021, 06:15:11 PM »
What would stream is is an APRS (6540) logger but haven't seen these listed for a few years now.     

Offline azchrisf

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2021, 02:00:34 PM »
A Meteostick may be an option. It can receive the Davis signals and then outputs it to the weather software of your choice running locally.
https://www.smartbedded.com/wiki/index.php/Meteostick

"...Meteostick can report data as
• explanatory text or
• ready computed data to feed your programs or
• raw data 1:1 as the sensors send it without any processing"

Contact Boris (meteobridge.com) and ask him some questions.

« Last Edit: April 05, 2021, 02:02:32 PM by azchrisf »
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Online johnd

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2021, 03:14:38 PM »
A Meteostick may be an option. It can receive the Davis signals and then outputs it to the weather software of your choice running locally.

The problem is that if you have two separate applications (ie weewx and this MaximDL program) that need a native logger data stream (ie LOOP or archive data as per the Serial Tech Ref) then you either need to find a way of using VVP in your particular context or you need two console/loggers. Meteostick is a very interesting device but it doesn't generate the same data feed as a standard logger. And the OP still seems to need a separate console to take outside.

If you can relax the requirements and not mandate eg two separate feeds of LOOP data then several other options open up. But from the sounds of it, weewx and MaximDL aren't going to play ball with this (unless maybe weewx has a driver for Meteostick, which I guess is a possibility).
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Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2021, 06:40:00 PM »
If I understand your need, Virtual Vantage Pro software would do the trick. I am using it to output to multiple programs via its virtual serial ports and to a test PC over my local network via TCPIp. The only extra thing i needed was a virtual serial port emulator VPSE to make it all work.

Offline Emil K

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2021, 12:40:50 PM »
As diagram :-)

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2021, 01:17:58 PM »
The only thing is Virtual Vantage Pro software is that it would have to run on a Windows pc. Doesn't have to be on a huge power sucking tower. You could use an old laptop. Since you are probably looking for a micro powered device. This isnt the best solution but it does work.

http://www.softwx.com/weather/virtualvp.html
« Last Edit: April 06, 2021, 01:20:47 PM by Garth Bock »

Offline Emil K

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2021, 02:41:54 PM »
To be honest, I was hopping that something like the Wifilogger or something similar would do the trick....
I have somewhere an old atom laptop.... The good point is that it has to run only when the weather allows, on clear nights so it wont be on all the time.
Thank you for your time and efforts put into my topic. I really appreciate it, seriously.

Have a great week
Emil
« Last Edit: April 06, 2021, 02:43:57 PM by Emil K »

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2021, 10:59:53 PM »
You're welcome. I hope it helped. If you didn't mind losing data on your odroid side you could use a wfilogger and shutdown one side while the IP is in use on the other. I did accidentally have the same Ip from the WiFi logger active on weather software on two different computers which caused sluggishness and lockups. So not a great idea. Also I don't know about the odroid side but with the WiFi logger if you shutdown the odroid side while the astronomy side is running and then shutdown the astronomy side and start up the odroid side it could download and pick up ehere it left off. Just doing some thinking.

Offline Emil K

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2021, 10:37:34 AM »
I have asked today the developer of wifilogger if the logger can support multiple simultaneous connections.
The answer was that he already had this kind of request and is makeble by opening more ports on the wifilogger so it will have the 22222, 22223 and 22224 ports open (as example).
But the firmware structure has to be changed....
And for now he works on the LAN version of the logger and maybe with this one he can make it possible.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2021, 02:22:34 PM by Emil K »

Offline docbee

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2021, 10:58:02 AM »
The problem is not the lack of ports to connect via TCP/IP to. The problem is that the Davis console provides a bidirectional protocol. When one connected PC asks for LOOP packets, the console is sending fresh live data every 5 secs for example. When now the other PC requests archived data, then this will go south completely. In theory one might design some wait mechanisms, where a PC is just given the right to connect to the console when the operation of the other PC has finished, but even when you do so you will run in timeouts as that program of the waiting PC does not understand why it can't send/receive data.

So just dump your idea, neither wifilogger nor any other approach will get around this limitation in how the Davis consoles work. Buy a second console and logger, when you really need multiple streams of data in the Davis style format.
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Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2021, 08:48:58 PM »
So just dump your idea, neither wifilogger nor any other approach will get around this limitation in how the Davis consoles work. Buy a second console and logger, when you really need multiple streams of data in the Davis style format.
You might want to check out Virtual Vantage Pro software by softwx.com
http://softwx.com/weather/virtualvp.html . Even though it has to run on a pc it wiil do the job. Many of us are using it to provide data from a console or Envoy to multiple software programs either by serial ports or by TCPIP. Some are sending data to multiple computers. So he doesn't have to "dump" his idea. There is a solution.

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2021, 08:50:59 PM »
Second pic..

Offline 92merc

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2021, 11:41:51 PM »
VVP only works on consoles V 1.90 max.  If you have a newer console, you'd have to downgrade the firmware.
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Offline docbee

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #16 on: April 18, 2021, 03:44:39 AM »
You might want to check out Virtual Vantage Pro software by softwx.com
http://softwx.com/weather/virtualvp.html . Even though it has to run on a pc it wiil do the job. Many of us are using it to provide data from a console or Envoy to multiple software programs either by serial ports or by TCPIP. Some are sending data to multiple computers. So he doesn't have to "dump" his idea. There is a solution.

When pointing to a 10 years old, discontinued SW, emulating a far outdated Davis console protocol (not including LOOP2 packets, which are vital to get proper gust readings and more) looks like a solution to you, then go ahead and learn the hard way.
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Online johnd

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2021, 05:41:36 AM »
@Garth Bock: It really would be a help if you could please read the thread you're replying to before putting pen to paper (electronically). If you look at the 3rd post upthread, I said 'You could look at Virtual VP but that runs on a Windows PC and has various issues (it is legacy software) that you might or might not be able to work around easily.'

This sums up the situation I think - it's not impossible that VVP might be able to help here, but on multiple counts it's unlikely to be a viable solution and could waste a lot of the OP's time in trying. VVP may still work for a few people in certain limited situations (eg if their software doesn't make LOOP2 requests), but it's no longer a general purpose solution, especially if the OP prefers not to run a Windows PC, which reading between the lines may well be the case.
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Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
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Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2021, 06:00:23 AM »
I was responding to docbee.....he said to "dump the idea"  and said there was no solution. When infact there is albeit not a perfect one. Also there were recent posts to this thread. However i don't see you admonishing them for posting.

 Not sure why you chose me but apparently you are the forum police. So no problem. I will no longer post here. Sorry to offend you.

Online johnd

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #19 on: April 18, 2021, 06:31:42 AM »
No offence intended and no I'm not the forum police - that job belongs to others. But I still don't like to see potentially misleading advice committed to posterity in these threads. And actually if you have found a way of using VVP with software that requests LOOP2 support (which is most of them nowadays) then please let us know the details - that would indeed be a step forwards for using traditional VP2 systems. And another big step would be running VVP on a Raspberry Pi or similar - I see that Windows on a Pi is making good if unofficial progress.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline galfert

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Re: VP2 Pro raw data over TCP/IP to multiple PCs
« Reply #20 on: April 18, 2021, 05:40:13 PM »
All weather station hardware and software choices and integrations are options where one must consider the pros and cons. There is no perfect solution. It is great that we have so many options. What suits one person's needs may not fit another's.

Everyone has a right to their opinion. Someone's opinion is usually more well stated when they back it up with pros and cons.


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