Author Topic: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services  (Read 3169 times)

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Offline galfert

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This is preliminary from the information that I cold gather. Please post follow-up if any information is incorrect. WeeWX is a bit different because it is expandable with extensions. There are many more WeeWX extensions than the ones I listed here. You can see the list here:
https://github.com/weewx/weewx/wiki#uploaders


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** The WLL and the WiFiLoggers are not really software. They are hardware with some added upload capabilities built in. The WLL is a great logger to use to then be able to run any of the other software. The Meteobridge comes in two forms (hardware or software)...hardware like the NANO, or PRO, or you can download a software image to SD card and use a Raspberry Pi. MQTT is not an online service. I included it because it is not a universal feature. A universal feature seems to be mySQL uploads with the software...but WLL is the exception on this. Another universal feature among the "software" is uploading to personal websites with various templates.

The point of this thread is not to pit at any one solution versus the other. The point is to enlighten users to consider expanding their station beyond possibly only using just one application.

Update:
Are you interested in making this information better? Read below posts. Sign up and take this little project over. If not I'll slowly get around to updating this with more info and into a more useful layout.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2021, 03:30:50 PM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
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Offline TraderGary

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2020, 10:32:51 PM »
Thanks for the very informative chart, George!

Looking it over makes me feel very pleased with my choices of Davis VP2+ 6163, Davis WLL 6100 and Meteobridge Pro.
Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus 6163 (Wireless) | Davis WeatherLink Live 6100 | Meteobridge Pro
WeatherLink | WundergroundCWOPAWEKASWindy

Online johnd

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2020, 06:21:54 AM »
This should be a very useful new resource. But it does cross my mind as to whether WLL really merits inclusion as a separate column rather than in a special footnote.

WLL gets used in two roles. One is to upload to wl.com of course, but that's not a service that set out to forward to many other platforms (just WU and CWOP for the average user) so a comparison with other programs with many upload targets is not really comparing apples and apples.

The other WLL role is to feed data to compatible programs running on a separate computer, eg CMX, MB WD etc, in which case it will have access to all the upload targets offered by those programs. But then it's acting no differently in principle to other simple logger hardware like a USB or IP logger, which the other programs also need. But yeah classification is tricky.

A couple of other random comments: I'm not sure whether you set out just to compare upload targets between programs or features more generally. But if it is more general then another row indicating what hardware or (range of) OS the program runs on might be useful.

WeatherCat is a fairly popular Mac-only program (trixology.com) that might deserve a mention. (No WLL support as yet but it's coming I believe.) And I do find the weewx features a bit obscure sometimes. Does it support WLL or not, for instance? There seem to be repeated suggestions that it does, but without any confirmation on the weewx website AFAICS.

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Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
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Offline galfert

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2020, 06:57:05 AM »
Great points johnd. I agree 100%. I don't know how else to portray this information, especially as it pertains to the WLL. That is why I included the footnote. I agree that it seems to unfairly pit the WLL against the others, when in fact the WLL is the star component that allows for anyone to run any of the other software.

I curated and created this spreadsheet over a year ago. My intention was always to have shared it. Then when I finished it and looked at it, I didn't like it for the same reasons you pointed out. So I never published it. Then I forgot about it. I just stumbled on it and I still felt the same but I decided that it was best to share it and that maybe I could get some help with it.

I would like to include WeatherCat if anyone could share its supported upload services.

I think what I'll do is separate the software from the hardware into separate sections. That way it will be more apparent that it is a different thing. If anyone wants to take this information and present it in a better way you have my permission. I would welcome the help. Like Gyvate recently took over my Fine Offset compatibility matrix and did a great job (and he continues to maintain it).
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=40730.0

The WLL is compatible with WeeWX and there are several drivers that have been created. But this diver below seems to be the one most recently updated with all the features and works with the latest version of WeeWX:
https://github.com/michael-slx/weewx-weatherlink-live

* reference to WLL driver pulled right from the main WeeWX Github Wiki: https://github.com/weewx/weewx/wiki

« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 07:08:10 AM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
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Online johnd

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2020, 07:40:14 AM »
I would like to include WeatherCat if anyone could share its supported upload services.

From the WC website:

'WeatherCat can also send your weather data to the Weather Underground (Wunderground), the Citizens Weather Observer Program (C.W.O.P.), the Met-Office WOW program, PWSWeather, WeatherBug, OpenWeatherMap and WeatherCloud. In addition it provides close to real time Custom C.G.I. upload to a web-server for your own web-based applications along with the ability to send your data to a MySQL database opening up a whole world of applications.'

Don't know whether that list of upload targets is 100% up-to-date - website descriptions are often at least a little behind the times.

More detail in the Overview section at: https://trixology.com/weathercat/
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 fkapp

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2020, 11:29:43 AM »
Hi,
One edit: It is possible to send data (well have AWEKAS) pull data from WLL.

You have to generate an API key from WLL, enter this into your station profile on AWEKAS, and the data is pulled.

Here is link to my AWEKAS panel with data sent by WLL.

https://www.awekas.at/en/instrument.php?id=17532

Offline galfert

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2020, 12:02:52 PM »
Ah yes, thank you fkapp. I knew that, thank you for reminding me. Updated.
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
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Online mcrossley

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2020, 02:43:32 PM »
Again, terminology confusion, AWEKAS pulls from weatherlink.com not the WLL device.
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Online mcrossley

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2020, 02:47:15 PM »
If WLL and wl.com are being included, why not the GW1000/ecowitt.net and Ambient equivalents? They can upload to multiple destinations as well.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 02:49:35 PM by mcrossley »
Mark

Offline galfert

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2020, 03:17:57 PM »
Yes I considered adding the Ecowitt and Ambient stations. Then it gets even more complicated because Ecowitt and Ambient are different into where they upload depending on model. Besides the chart that Gyvate is maintaining that I referenced before already has this information.
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=40730.0

I think the new layout should remove the WLL. But then I have to remove WiFiLogger. But the WiFiLogger does so much that many wouldn't need software if all they want is to upload and do without other software features.

But the biggest takeaway that I want to maintain focus on is that all of these software do so much more than just upload to various online services. That is but one small aspect of what these great softwares provide.

I'm beginning to now realize why I sat on this table that I created over a year ago and didn't publish this information. Everything you all have brought up I thought about. It's all coming back. This is playing out exactly as I envisioned. I actually envisioned it even worse as I thought it might actually disappoint many of these great software developers and I don't want to do that. Again it isn't about pitting one against the other. I feel that there is much value in actually running more than one software. I run them all. I enjoy them all. Why be limited? The WLL and the GW1000 are incredible because they allow you to run multiple software.

I did also think though that it might become an incentive for some of these software to gain support for other services. That would not be a bad thing.

Maybe I should just delete my post? I'm having second thoughts. Unless someone can help and come up with a good way to appropriately share this information. Perhaps this information is pointless. After all these software all upload to everywhere that most people even bother with; WU, PWSweather, CWOP, AWEKAS, WeatherCloud, Windy, Metoffice WOW. Does anything else really matter? And if it does then that individual likely can find out how what they need and implement it. Right?

Well I'm open for suggestions. Good, Bad.. Whatever... Let me know. I'm trying to do a good deed and if this turns out to do more harm than good then it needs to go.


« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 03:25:48 PM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole

Offline TraderGary

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2020, 03:22:04 PM »
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the only place I'm seeing updates from weatherlink.com is my WeatherLink browser app connection.

I think AWEKAS and all the other weather sites being updated in my signature below are following this path...

Davis VP2+ ISS >>> Davis WeatherLink Live 6100 >>> Meteobridge Pro >>> Multiple Weather Sites

I don't think any of my sites below are pulling from weatherlink.com. If they were, I couldn't be updating WU using rapid-fire 5 second updates like I'm currently doing. Just click on my WU link to see.
Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus 6163 (Wireless) | Davis WeatherLink Live 6100 | Meteobridge Pro
WeatherLink | WundergroundCWOPAWEKASWindy

Online johnd

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2020, 03:35:31 PM »
I'd say just leave the thread as is - it's useful information but does also illustrate how difficult it is to devise some system of classification or scoring for all the various hardware and software that make up the hobbyist weather station ecosystem.

But my one other concern is that it does tend to over-emphasise the importance of the range of upload targets. So, MB is a powerful tool for a whole range of reasons but I'm not sure that being able to upload to a long list of relatively obscure web platforms should be a major factor in choosing a logging/upload device. Most people are happy with one or two out of WU/wl.com/CWOP/AWEKAS/WOW/Windy/Weathercloud and several devices/programs provide support for those.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 03:42:38 PM by johnd »
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: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2020, 03:53:26 PM »
Thank you johnd. Maybe these follow up posts add the clarity that can't be conveyed in a simple table.
 
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole

Offline galfert

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Re: Weather Software Comparison - Supported Uploads to Online Services
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2020, 03:57:08 PM »
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the only place I'm seeing updates from weatherlink.com is my WeatherLink browser app connection.

I think AWEKAS and all the other weather sites being updated in my signature below are following this path...

Davis VP2+ ISS >>> Davis WeatherLink Live 6100 >>> Meteobridge Pro >>> Multiple Weather Sites

I don't think any of my sites below are pulling from weatherlink.com. If they were, I couldn't be updating WU using rapid-fire 5 second updates like I'm currently doing. Just click on my WU link to see.

Gary,
In your case, for your station, yes you are correct. Because your AWEKAS station configuration looks like this:

AWEKAS station config with Meteobridge:
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But for those with only a WLL, if you select that as the mode of upload, then the AWEKAS station configuration page prompts your for your weatherlink.com API key. As Mark pointed out it isn't the WLL that is doing the upload to AWEKAS but it becomes an API pull from Weatherlink.com. Nothing is going to pull from your Weatherlink.com unless you sanction it.

AWEKAS station config with WLL (using wl.com API):
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« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 04:01:12 PM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole