Topic: Considering Davis Vantage Vue, questions about PC s/w and embed code

[GaryGo]

I am interested in Davis Vantage Vue with WeatherLink Console, to be pole-mounted in back yard of a suburban residential property in upstate NY, USA. I plan to view current conditions on the console and phone. I also wish to use "embed" code in an iframe on my web site. I plan to use the weatherlink.com Basic (free) plan. A few things are not clear to me, thanks for any help.

1 - Does the PC software run all the time on the PC, or is the s/w just for station setup and data viewing on the PC? I mean, once my station is set up, and if I am using the WeatherLink console and/or web page embed code, does my home PC need to be running at all as long as the wi-fi is up?

2 - Does the WeatherLink console use wi-fi?

3 - Does embed code on a web page work with the Basic (free) plan on weatherlink.com?

4 - Does the embed code on a web page query the station in real-time, or does the station have to upload data for the embed code to access? I don't require true real time on the web page; if it's within a minute, that's ok.

5 - Does the embed code on a web page display any browser ads or Davis branding, or just the weather station data?

6 - Is a Pro/Pro+ plan required to use the software API (for current conditions)?

GaryGo

[Mattk]

WeatherLink Console? You mean #6313?

1. Which PC software are you referring to?
2. Yes

[GaryGo]

Mattk:

I don't know what PC software. The PC software that is required for #6242. If there is no such PC software, then the question is irrelevant, thanks.

#6242, "Vantage Vue with WeatherLink Console".

[vinceskahan]

1. Seems to be no PC or logger required if you use the new Console.  The console reads the RF from the sensors and you can choose to feed the Davis servers if you want.  Manual is at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0515/5992/3873/files/7395.402_F_WeatherLink_Console_Guide.pdf?v=1701478010 (linked from Davis's site).  Console details at https://www.scientificsales.com/6313-Davis-WeatherLink-Console-p/6313.htm

2. yes 2.4GHz only if I remember correctly

(wow - it's 200 bucks cheaper at scientificsales than at Davis. $478 for Vue+Console, $686 for VP2+Console.  Same at scaledinstruments)

[GaryGo]

1. Seems to be no PC or logger required if you use the new Console.  The console reads the RF from the sensors and you can choose to feed the Davis servers if you want.  Manual is at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0515/5992/3873/files/7395.402_F_WeatherLink_Console_Guide.pdf?v=1701478010 (linked from Davis's site).  Console details at https://www.scientificsales.com/6313-Davis-WeatherLink-Console-p/6313.htm

2. yes 2.4GHz only if I remember correctly

(wow - it's 200 bucks cheaper at scientificsales than at Davis. $478 for Vue+Console, $686 for VP2+Console.  Same at scaledinstruments)

I used Scaled Instruments, $479.
Thanks!

[GaryGo]

I purchased a Vantage Vue with console, and this note is to clarify my experience.

1 - No PC software is necessary. The station sends data to the console via some sort of radio link, and the console sends data to weatherlink via wifi. Wifi is necessary to talk to weatherlink, but not a PC. I think there is PC software that allows saving data on the hard drive, but I am not using my PC with the station.

2 - See #1.

3 - Does embed code on a web page work with the Basic (free) plan on weatherlink.com?
Yes, the embed displays current conditions when subscribed to the basic plan.

4 - The embed code updates the web page about once per minute. The browser user does not have to hit refresh.

5 - There are four embed display options, and there is some Davis branding (not much). There is nothing compact, so if you really want to control the display, see #6.

6 - Is a Pro/Pro+ plan required to use the software API (for current conditions)?
No, basic plan is ok for current conditions. I am now using the API to grab a few data points (temp, humidity, etc.). My guess is that the station uploads to the console periodically, and then the API hits the console, but this is good enough for backyard enthusiasts. The API documentation is good enough to get started with the JSON response, but then the programmer has to find the desired items in the large chunk of data. There is a VantagePro.Interop NuGet package for .NET, but I have not yet installed this. The last version is from 2014, maybe there is something on GitHub. The tedious part would be to write a class so that the JSON can be easily deserialized. A pure XML response is apparently not available.

Thanks, all!