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Weather Station Hardware => Ambient Weather and Ecowitt and other Fine Offset clones => Topic started by: galfert on April 28, 2019, 08:20:09 PM
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If you have a Fine Offset clone weather station like: Ambient Weather, Ecowitt, Froggit, Misol, Maplin, Tycon...etc. There is now a new solution to do more with your weather data. You could before connect a Meteobridge but that required the use of an ObserverIP. There now is a newer method instead of using an ObserverIP. The Meteobridge now can get weather data from an Ecowitt GW1000. This is a device that Fine Offset has released and it is possible that soon other Fine Offset reseller brands will also carry it. The good news is that it seems that the GW1000 from Ecowitt is capable of receiving data from other sensors that are not Ecowitt branded. This seems to follow what was previously known regarding the ObserverIP as long as the frequency matched.
Meteobridge now supports the GW1000, which works with all Fine Offset stations
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The GW1000 is a new console available for your Fine Offset station. It is configured via a mobile app called WS View (Android and iOS). You can see live data on the WS View app. You can continue to use your existing display console. By connecting the GW1000 to the Meteobridge (or WeatherBridge) you'll be able to send your data to just about any online weather service including CWOP and many others, also to your own website, and to your own SQL server.
Of course there are other solutions to get your station data into other weather software. I' not trying to take away from those other solutions that often are less expensive. But this method is very simple and powerful and requires little if any advanced technical expertise. It is as turn key as it comes if you get a pre-built Meteobridge that may go by different names like WeatherBridge. Of course you can still build your own Meteobridge if you prefer.
For now the only place to get a GW1000 seems to be from Ecowitt. They are a great company and will sell you a GW1000 with a frequency to match your existing station for your country. If you don't have a station then you can also get a complete station from Ecowitt.
* If you have a WS-2000 or similar console like the HP2551 or some other Fine Offset similar device like the HP2550 you may notice that the Meteobridge detects your console as if it were a GW1000. This is not a working solution. These display consoles as of now do not support this data API that only the GW1000 has right now. The reason the Meteobridge detects them as a GW1000 is because they are running the same chipset it seems. So for now only the GW1000 has this capability. If you have one of these display consoles all you need to do is add a GW1000 and you'll then be able to use the Meteobridge. This is the same reason why the WS-2000 also shows up on the WS View mobile app but you can't see its live data as you can the GW1000 live data.
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GW1000 vs ObserverIP
You may already have an ObserverIP and you have it connected to your Meteobridge, so you may be asking yourself why you need a GW1000.
Here are some differences between the GW1000 and the ObserverIP:
- The GW1000 has a built in API to get data from the network. The ObserverIP never had an elegant solution for the Meteobridge to get data as it needed to do screen scraping. This was a lot of overhead on the ObserverIP. Sometimes the ObserverIP would lock up.
- The GW1000 is like a newer ObserverIP that is more powerful.
- The GW1000 can see extra sensors for Temperature, Humidity, Soil, and PM2.5. The ObserverIP doesn't have all these sensors. The ObserverIP only has extra temp/hum but they don't show up in Meteobridge because they aren't in the ObserverIP Live Data page.
- The GW1000 has built in indoor tempterature, humidity and barometric pressure. The temperature and humidity sensor are at the end of tethered cord so that the GW1000 doesn't affect the temperature and humidity reading. You don't need the external indoor sensor anymore that you use with the ObserverIP. One less device to put batteries in and worry about.
- The GW1000 doesn't have a webpage but it has the ability to see the live data and to configure it via a mobile app.
- The GW1000 is a WiFi device so you may more easily place it where it is convenient.
- The GW1000 if you get it from Ecowitt can then report to Ecowit.net which is turning out to look like a great online service
- The GW1000 nicely plugs into the Meteobridge's USB port for power. No other cables required. Very nice indeed.
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* If you have a WS-2000 display console you still will need the Indoor Sensor to keep using your display (yes it looks different than the one I show in this picture).
Just so that everyone understands the significance of this. If you own a Fine Offset clone station. That is you have a station brand that is Ambient Weather, Ecowitt, Tycon, Aercus, Watson, Misol, Froggit, Maplin, Conrad...etc. Then you can use this GW1000 WiFi console. You can keep using your existing console too.
If your station looks like any of these, then the GW1000 (with the matching frequency) will work:
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All you need to do is get a GW1000 with the matching frequency for your station. Your frequency will be 433 MHz, 915 MHz, or 868 MHz. After you know your frequency then you can order the correct version of the GW1000 now from Ecowitt. They will send you a GW1000 with whichever frequency you need.
This is truly a worthy upgrade.
The GW1000 will not work with this older generation sensors:
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These look similar but notice wind vane and anemometer placement is opposite
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Old stuff also not compatible with GW1000
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Galfert: One review on Amazon suggests the GW1000 “does not work” with the WS-2000. Another states the opposite.
https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/product-reviews/B07JLRFG24/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews
I’m not sure what the reviewer means by “does not work” because you state the GW1000 can receive data from the sensors of Fine Offset clones not actually branded Ecowitt, then pass the data on to the Weatherbridge. Any further clarification would be appreciated. I have a WS-2000 weather station in operation. I am intrigued at the possibilities the GW1000/Weatherbridge configuration offers without, as you mentioned, having to have extensive technical knowledge.
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Galfert: One review on Amazon suggests the GW1000 “does not work” with the WS-2000. Another states the opposite.
https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/product-reviews/B07JLRFG24/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews
I’m not sure what the reviewer means by “does not work” because you state the GW1000 can receive data from the sensors of Fine Offset clones not actually branded Ecowitt, then pass the data on to the Weatherbridge. Any further clarification would be appreciated. I have a WS-2000 weather station in operation. I am intrigued at the possibilities the GW1000/Weatherbridge configuration offers without, as you mentioned, having to have extensive technical knowledge.
When you read Amazon reviews you need to be careful of what exact product the reviewer is talking about. If you look at the details of that review you will notice that the person is reviewing not the GW1000 but they are reviewing the WH31. This is because Amazon allows grouping of models or colors or parts to be listed together. So yes Ecowitt branded sensors like the WH31 are not picked up by the WS-2000. I have an Ecowitt PM2.5 sensor and my WS-2000 and ObserverIP do not pick it up. This is even though both the WS-2000 and ObserverIP have the latest firmware from Ambient that claims to support PM2.5 in preparation for its release. So yes Ambient hasn't yet released the PM2.5... we'll see what happens.
What I can tell you is that the opposite, which is an Ambient sensor to be picked up by the Ecowitt GW1000 does work. I have not just the Ambient outdoor Osprey sensor array (WS-2902-ARRAY) but I also have the WH31 extra sensor also from Ambient, and both of them are picked up by the GW1000.
I will say though that you never know what could happen down the line. Ambient might decide to push out an update that breaks this compatibility, or the other way around and Ecowitt may decide and they push out an update and then you can only use their GW1000 with their brand sensors EDIT: Not likely. See follow-up post. But these updates are not forced...not yet anyway. In the case of the GW1000 though you can't go backwards on firmware release version, and only the latest version is ever available and it is updated via the app.
Either way the GW1000 is a small investment. If it stops working in the future because of some unlikely future update then you could probably then get the GW1000 from Ambient as I'm sure they will eventually carry it. But will the Ambient version if/when it comes out support this API? Worst case is you get an ObserverIP as those are are small investment also and then the Meteobridge (WeatherBridge) keeps working. But Ambient sells the WeatherBridge so I can't see them not supporting it when they come out with their GW1000. Here is the thing the GW1000 has to be configured via the mobile app. This means that it has to support this API or else there would be no way for the app to see the live data. This device has no display. So the API has to be there is what I'm saying. So I'd gamble on the future Ambient GW1000 to work with the Meteobridge.
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Galfert - thanks for the additional information. I’m going to continue looking at this.
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Well actually I misspoke. Ambient firmware updates (and any other Fine Offset clone updates) are for the console not the sensors. So I don't think there is anything Ambient can do to thwart their sensors to continue to be picked up by Ecowitt consoles.
And Ecowitt is not likely to disable their consoles to continue to pick up other brand sensors because they are knowingly selling GW1000 and other consoles like HP2551 and HP3500 to people looking to do just this. I know this because at one point I almost bought an HP3500B console and I point blank asked Ecowitt if it would work with my Ambient branded WS-2902-ARRAY and they said yes.
Bottom line: I see no risk in the investment of an Ecowitt GW1000.
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Thanks again for your help.
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Realize too that another option is to get a complete system from Ecowitt, not just the GW1000. The only thing you have to lose then is that there is no AmbeintWeather.com upload. Which means you don't get any of the neat features that AmbientWeather.net offers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integrations. But Ecowitt has stated that they are considering maybe at implementing this too as some point with Ecowitt.net.
However if you have a WeatherBridge (from Ambient) then you gain AmbientWeather.net upload capability. The WeatherBridge may seem expensive compared to a DIY Meteobridge but realize a DIY Meteobridge doesn't have the AmbientWeather.net license. But if you have a DIY Meteobridge (or some other branded Meteobridge as they do exist in other countries) you can add the AmbientWeather.net license for $150. When you consider this added license it is actually cheaper to have gotten the WeatherBridge from Ambient to begin with...which is why I have a WeatherBridge instead of DIY Meteobridge. For those that are still confused...a WeatherBridge is a Meteobridge that is sold by Ambient already built and ready to just be plugged in and used.
So in my case with an Ecowitt GW1000 and an Ambient Weatherbridge my data ends up at both Ecowitt.net and AmbientWeather.net. I'm even sending my PM2.5 to my SQL server now. No online weather service, other than Ecowitt.net, yet takes PM2.5 (that I know of) but I've got it all in SQL because of the Meteobridge.
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Here is how popular the Ecowitt GW1000 is today. Pretty soon this map will also show other Ecowitt consoles that will be upgraded to enable Ecowitt.net data uploads. So perhaps this won't be the best gauge to see as for GW1000 adoption. But who knows...maybe other Ecowitt console will also have this API and enable the Meteobridge to work with them. As you can see not too many. My thinking is that this new Meteobridge integration should hopefully drive a lot of new GW1000 sales. I think they are a great combination.
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* These maps also only show those stations choosing to allow their data to be public. It is the default choice when registering. Hopefully most people will grant their weather data to be public. Apologies for only showing the contiguous 48 states and Canada and part of Europe. There are no stations now in Alaska and Hawaii and other parts of Europe don't have stations.
Maybe we can look a this in a few months and see how far the GW1000 goes. And there are a few in Australia, China and other countries. Anyone can see this map without an Ecowitt device. Just create a free Ecowitt.net account. Not any different than signing up to see public Davis Weatherlink.com accounts.
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Okay my head hurts again #-o.. figured I would just ask...
I have the WS-2000 pws. I would need to purchase https://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weather-WEATHERBRIDGE-Universal-Compatible/dp/B00FPPYM7M/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=WEATHERBRIDGE&qid=1556675826&s=gateway&sr=8-3
And this.
https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/dp/B07JLRFG24
Correct?
Then connect the GW1000 to the Weather bridge and to my network.
Omit the indoor sensor that came with the ws-2000. (would re-calibration be needed with the gw1000?)
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Platokidd,
Yes you have it all correct. Since you are in the US the Ecowitt GW1000 that you buy on Amazon.com (US Amazon) will be the correct one for the US using 915 MHz, and that matches your Ambient WS-2000.
Then yes to save technical setup know how (like flashing custom firmware and possibly needing to know how to use a TFTP server..etc) you can get the Ambient WeatherBridge. If you feel up to the DIY task then you can get a TP-Link TL-MR3020 ($25+shipping), and then add the Meteobridge software and license (65 Euros), and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature. Total price for Do-it-Yourself is $98 plus shipping with no AmbientWeather.net license or $248 plus shipping with optional AmbientWeather.net license. Which is why depending on if you do want the AmbientWeather.net license it is just cheaper to just get the Ambient WeatherBridge ($204) as it is all in there and preloaded and fully licensed for both Meteobridge software and AmbientWeather.net and it is has less technical know how required because you don't have to build it.
I've plugged in the GW1000 into my Meteobridge (Weatherbridge) USB port because it was convenient. All that does is give the GW1000 power. There is no data connection happening there. You could plug in the GW1000 to any other USB power source if that is more convenient for outdoor sensor array reception and if you wanted the Meteobridge at a different location for some reason. The Meteobridge by the way can connect to your network via WiFi or via Ethernet. You start off with an Ethernet connection just to first configure it and then you can switch to WiFi if you prefer that.
The GW1000 is essentially a second console for your weather station. Just like adding a second display console. You can have as many consoles as you want. The consoles don't know nor talk to each other, as they only see the sensors. The sensors don't really talk to the consoles either...they just send a radio broadcast signal that any console can pick up, so they too don't know if the console is listening. It isn't a two way communication. The GW1000 has its own built in barometric pressure sensor. Therefore yes, you would need to calibrate it. But it is really easy. Just enter into the configuration settings the same Absolute and Relative pressure numbers that are currently showing on your existing display console (provided you already calibrated your display console)
I still suggest you read the following regarding getting the Meteobridge and GW1000 to be properly calibrated.
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=36787.0
By the way you do keep using your indoor barometric sensor that came with the WS-2000 so that you can continue to use that display.
* FYI - The Meteobridge (Weatherbridge) requires a 19 Euro update license every 2 years to continue to get the latest version of the software. But this is optional. After 2 years if you want to keep that last version you got, then that is your choice.
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Just finished setting this up, bought all from Amazon. The Ecowitt seems pretty nice. I only bought GW1000, WH32,
WH40 & WS68, along with the TP Link bridge. I am now trial version and will see how it compares to the WS-2000 from Ambient.
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I set up a GW1000 today — a small device with lots of features, as has been discussed on this thread. It is receiving sensor data from my WS-2000 and the hookups to ecowitt.net and MET WOW were quick and easy. I plan to add a Weatherbridge device later on. The ecowitt.net dark theme dashboards on the Ipad and Android phone are attractive.
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My GW100 arrives tomorrow, I've already looked over the manual
Hey galfert.... Have you figured out how to set up a static IP?
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and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature.
Why would anyone consider paying $150 when you could buy an ObserverIP for $35 and dedicate it for ambientweather.net.
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My GW100 arrives tomorrow, I've already looked over the manual
Hey galfert.... Have you figured out how to set up a static IP?
Easiest way is to do it is via your router. Your router should have some DHCP functions and you normally have the ability to set defined devices (via their MAC address) a set or fixed IP address.
I am not aware of any capability on the actual device to set a fixed address so via your DHCP and router is the only option here.
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and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature.
Why would anyone consider paying $150 when you could buy an ObserverIP for $35 and dedicate it for ambientweather.net.
You might go down that route if your are not using Ambient Weather kit (rest of the world) as the weatherbridge then allows you that licence to use their data server and is not tied to any frequency limitations. Of course if you have bought into the Ambient weather system or have 915Mhz based Fine Offset clones then the option to just buy a ObserverIP would work fine.
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What Mhz speed did you choose for your Ecowitt station in the UK Mandrake? Are there any UK laws about it? If it's wrong it might interfere with Mi6 communication and the MIB might be visiting! 8-) :lol:
Is the GW1000 compatible with 5g does anyone know? I don't much about it and I have a feeling that the 5g rollout might get put back anyway after the Huawei thing. My new security ip camera says that it 'won't work with 5g'.
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What Mhz speed did you choose for your Ecowitt station in the UK Mandrake? Are there any UK laws about it? If it's wrong it might interfere with Mi6 communication and the MIB might be visiting! 8-) :lol:
Is the GW1000 compatible with 5g does anyone know? I don't much about it and I have a feeling that the 5g rollout might get put back anyway after the Huawei thing. My new security ip camera says that it 'won't work with 5g'.
I chose 868Mhz. My old FO (Maplin) Station was 433Mhz and latterly had some interference which was why I went 868Mhz. However both are fine in the UK.
You want to avoid the 915Mhz range (US default) in Europe as that's used by Mobile phones. That said I do know some folks have risked this and procured US spec kit and have not had any problems. Technically though you would be in breach of regulations and could get a knock on the door by OFCOM. I hold a Radio Amateur Licence so I would be unable to claim ignorance if I got caught!
You should be fine with any of the frequencies used by the weather stations once 5G is deployed. 5G has 3 frequency bands in Europe (Low band 700Mhz, Mid band 3.5Mhz (likely to be the most used) and a high band 26Ghz. There will probably be more frequency ranges released though I believe these to be all above the 26Ghz ranges.
I think you might be getting slightly wrapped around the axle on compatibility of 5G etc
The reason your IP camera say not compatible with 5G is that in the future (very nearly here) you will be able to buy home network kit that transmit/receive on 5G frequencies as well as the current crop of wifi (a/b/g/N/ac).
I don't believe that weather stations will change their transmit frequencies but future gadgets that replace our consoles and loggers like the Gw-1000 may well use 5G to hook into your home infrastructure.
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Yes as Mandrake has said there is no way currently to set a static IP on the GW1000. Setting an IP reservation based on MAC address on your DHCP server (router) is my preferred method anyway.
Besides stations not on 915 MHz that can't use an ObserverIP there is also stations from other manufacturers that are compatible with the Meteobridge. Having the option to upload to Ambientweather.net could be appealing to them. Regardless having the ObserverIP is yet another old slow and flaky console that then need to also be calibrated. And maybe you want less clutter and you only want one console. And maybe you want the exact same data on Ambientweather.net as on other online services and the ObserverIP does some pretty bad data averaging that I've noticed. So yes paying the $150 license still makes sense over an ObserverIP. But even better is to just buy the WeatherBridge if this is your intention to upload to Ambientweather.net.
The GW1000 has nothing to do with 5G nor 4G nor any other cellular technology. The GW1000 receives one way radio transmission (RF) over 433 MHz, 868 MHz, or 915 MHz depending on version. Then it connects to your WiFi for making its data acquisition available. None of this has anything to do with cellular communications.
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I've just set up my GW1000 and I'm pleased. I'll be testing with Meteobridge next.
I have a somewhat unusual situation in that I'm building a small network of weather stations, as guests on other people's computer networks; my choice would be a static IP. I prefer to intrude as little as possible so modifying their routers is not my favorite choice.
At first I thought the WS View app saved me, as it shows the IP. But it only works on WiFi not over the internet. So I need to find a solution if a remote site changes it's IP address.
I've added Tennessee to the Ecowitt map.
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On an additional note:
It appears that the 2902-GW1000 has 1.5-2.0 greater RF range than the 2902-ObserverIP.
I'll be doing more testing.
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I'd say adding a DHCP reservation is hardly intruding on someone's network. It's not like you are reconfiguring other aspects that affect the network as a whole.
But I agree being able to set a static IP could be advantageous but only if you knew the DHCP scope was limited to allow for statics to be assigned. Then on other people's network you might need to worry if they decide to set a static that conflicted. Which goes back to setting a DHCP reservation as a better network management policy. Whenever I set a static IP I still like to put in a DHCP reservation regardless for documentation purposes.
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OK, I converted my home station to GW1000. I'll check and see if I need to recalibrate the barometer.
I'm going on a three week vacation soon, I trust the GW1000 more than the ObserverIP.
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Here's my setup. Meteobridge on the DIR-505, adjacent is the GW1000. Both are atop a dual WiFi switched outlet.
I like how compact it is.
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Here's my revised setup. My previous setup introduced cross polarization loss to the orientation of the GW1000's internal antenna.
I added a 90 degree USB adapter and my data is uninterrupted now.
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You know the thought crossed my mind that your original setup might be a problem with the antenna but I didn't say anything because you were getting data. It seems that Fine Offset designed this with this orientation for a reason. Good to know. Though I hear the GW1000 definitely has better reception than the ObserverIP....so that is good.
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Where is that power strip located? Is that the edge of desk or the floor? If that is the floor or a desk you should keep the location of the GW1000 in mind when calibrating for your total elevation when entering in Absolute pressure (station pressure). Your total elevation is ground elevation plus final elevation of your sensor on a desk or 2nd story...etc.
See here:
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=36912.0
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Where is that power strip located? Is that the edge of desk or the floor?
It's on the edge of the desk. I didn't add the 28" yet, I want to get a better GPS ground level altitude reading first. If I recall, I can have my GPS app average over a longer time period for additional accuracy.
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Here is how popular the Ecowitt GW1000 is today. Pretty soon this map will also show other Ecowitt consoles that will be upgraded to enable Ecowitt.net data uploads. So perhaps this won't be the best gauge to see as for GW1000 adoption. But who knows...maybe other Ecowitt console will also have this API and enable the Meteobridge to work with them. As you can see not too many. My thinking is that this new Meteobridge integration should hopefully drive a lot of new GW1000 sales. I think they are a great combination.
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* These maps also only show those stations choosing to allow their data to be public. It is the default choice when registering. Hopefully most people will grant their weather data to be public. Apologies for only showing the contiguous 48 states and Canada and part of Europe. There are no stations now in Alaska and Hawaii and other parts of Europe don't have stations.
Maybe we can look a this in a few months and see how far the GW1000 goes. And there are a few in Australia, China and other countries. Anyone can see this map without an Ecowitt device. Just create a free Ecowitt.net account. Not any different than signing up to see public Davis Weatherlink.com accounts.
At ecowitt.net, there are more and more of us.
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It used to be that the map only showed the adoption of the new GW1000. But since the latest firmware revision for other Ecowitt console(s) the map has grown to include those other than the GW1000.
Still great to see. But these other Ecowitt consoles do not have the GW1000 API. If they ever get this capability you'll know because they should then show live data in the WS View app.
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I have been happy with the Ecowitt System and Meteobridge, I will be adding more sensors, once they arrive.
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I am two weeks into a three week vacation and my WU and CWOP feeds have died.
I can still see my station the ecowitt site. I am fairly sure my GW1000 has changed it's IP address and the meteobridge cannot find it.
I will let you know the outcome when I arrive home next week.
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The Meteobridge has a remote access feature that is truly useful. It is very easy to set up as you don't need to open firewall ports. It uses meteobridge.com.
I also recommend setting a DHCP reservation on your router so the GW1000 IP address doesn't change.
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I purposely didn't set the IP with the router so that this trip would be a test. I got results.
And I use the remote access feature extensively, but somehow I deleted the shortcut icon a couple of days ago. ](*,)
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I purposely didn't set the IP with the router so that this trip would be a test. I got results.
And I use the remote access feature extensively, but somehow I deleted the shortcut icon a couple of days ago. ](*,)
Search your browser history. You might find your Meteobridge remote link. I use Chrome and I can see the history that I did on my computer from my mobile devices (phone, tablet).
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I purposely didn't set the IP with the router so that this trip would be a test. I got results.
And I use the remote access feature extensively, but somehow I deleted the shortcut icon a couple of days ago. ](*,)
Search your browser history. You might find your Meteobridge remote link. I use Chrome and I can see the history that I did on my computer from my mobile devices (phone, tablet).
The URL to search in your history for remote Meteobridge access is:
https://admin.meteobridge.com/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So just search for admin.meteobridge.com
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TIP - Meteobridge newly released version fixes a problem with Wind Averages and Gusts on WU (when using a GW1000). Reboot your Meteobridge to get the newest version.
Before fix:
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After fix:
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This update doesn't fix old data on WU. I'm able to show before and after screenshots because I have multiple consoles and different WU IDs reporting from same sensor array.
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I returned from vacation and, as I suspected, DHCP had given the GW1000 a new address.
So reserving the address in the router config is the only solution.
Now that I'm back I'm going to add a couple of new remote stations to my network.
I'll be buying more GW1000s and selling my ObserverIPs
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I have set up succesfully a GW1000 with a meteobride as described by galfert and everything is working fine, except, that the solar radiation sensor is always read as 0 by the meteobridge. UV index is read fine, but solar is always read as 0 in the meteobridge live data (and therfore of course also transmitted as 0 to weatherlink services by meteobridge). The GW1000 is reporting a correct solar value > 0 in the WSview app live data and GW1000 is also sending the correct solar value into the ecowitt.net cloud (bypassing meteobridge).
Is this a known restriction? Does anybody else have the same problem? Or is something wrong with my meteobridge setup?
Live Data (from meteobridge)
Sensor Signal Metric Data Imperial Data
Solar 25 sec 0W/m˛ 0W/m˛
UV 25 sec 3.0uvindex 3.0uvindex
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The same to my GW1000 and Metobridge
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This is a newly introduced bug. Solar Radiation was working fine at least through the June 22 update. Now with the July 12 update it isn't working. Interestingly the release notes say that this latest version is supposed to fix this newly introduced bug, but it does not really fix it.
I've contacted Boris to take a look at this issues. Keep a look at the release notes web page for the update. When you see it published then restart your Meteobridge and you'll be all set.
Link for Meteobridge release notes:
https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Forum
Obviously ignore the notes for the July 12th update which erroneously says it fixes this issue.
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Latest update from Meteobridge finally fixes GW1000 Solar Radiation. I still have daylight and it's working. Not sure why the release notes has a date of July 16th when today is the 14th. Maybe it won't be released until the 16th? My Meteobridge is actually showing July 15th version with build number 13030. I do know that Boris was using my GW1000 to test so perhaps I got it before it is officially available? Reboot and see if you get it.
I get that it is already tomorrow (the 15th) in Germany. Big Thank you to Boris for burning the midnight oil. =D>
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I rebooted my meteobridge, got the 13030 build from July 15th and can confirm that solar radiation sensor from GW1000 is now read/computed correctly.
Thx for the very fast remedy. I am new to this forum but I really appreciate the dedication and responsiveness of its members.
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and then optionally also buy the AmbientWeather.net license ($150) if you want that extra optional feature.
Why would anyone consider paying $150 when you could buy an ObserverIP for $35 and dedicate it for ambientweather.net.
Looking over this old thread I found this question not answered but it was really more of an assertion than a question. It was a good idea but in practice it would only work for some people and even then it may not be the best idea to just get an ObserverIP for the sake of gaining Ambientweather.net upload access. So there is more to this and I'll get into explaining it. It was a good idea to use an ObserverIP instead of buying an Ambientweather.net license ($150). But there are a few drawbacks to the ObserverIP over an Ambientweather.net license.
* UPDATE - March 2020 - Ambientweather.net license for Meteobridge has new lower price, now just $100
- The Ambient branded ObserverIP is the only one of these type models that can upload to Ambientweather.net. So a different branded ObserverIP won't work.
- since a different branded ObserverIP won't work for Ambientweather.net then that means using an Ambient ObserverIP is something that is difficult to obtain outside of the USA.
- Even if you could get your hand on an Ambient branded ObserverIP outside of the USA it might not work if the frequency of your station is not 915 MHz...and as luck would have it the rest of the world Fine Offset brands don't often use 915 MHz.
- If you could use and aquire an Ambient ObserverIP then chances are high that you already have another Ambient display console that already uploads to AmbientWeather.net...making an ObserverIP redundant
- Getting an ObserverIP for the sake of Ambientweather.net is yet another console to need calibration and to have around. Simpler to just have it all built into the Meteobridge. Yeah it saves a ton of money and that was the point of the initial recommendation, so I get it, but still it's a negative.
Also if you think you don't need Ambientweather.net because the GW1000 gives you Ecowitt.net then you're in for a surprise. There are things you can do with Ambientweather.net that you can't [yet] with Ecowitt.net. There is Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration, but Ecowitt says that's coming...much later though. Also there are some 3rd party integrations (scripts) that have been written to use Ambientweather.net API that does not yet exist with Ecowitt. Don't confuse the Ambientweather.net website API and the GW1000 API...two different things for different purposes.
Bottom line is that the Ambientweather.net license ($150) on a Meteobridge has purpose that can't always be solved via an ObserverIP. Also I know all this has been in regards to Fine Offset clones but Meteobridge can be used by many other brands. Having this Ambientweather.net license may be useful if you ever change to say a Davis station.
* UPDATE - March 2020 - Ambientweather.net license for Meteobridge has new lower price, now just $100
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Buying now with Soil moisture sensor, but first asking them the details first
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When ordering a GW1000 you must specify the frequency that you need to match your other station hardware. There are 3 frequencies to pick from; 433, 868, and 915 MHz.
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yes im using 433 MHZ frequency
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Bottom line is that the Ambientweather.net license ($150) on a Meteobridge has purpose that can't always be solved via an ObserverIP.
What I've been trying to say (not totally successfully) is that I think the $150 license is overpriced for a whitelisted MAC.
I won't try to defend a $35 ObserverIP, but for a person in the US I feel it would be smarter to invest in hardware, like a WS-2902A for $129.99. It gives access to AmbientWeather.net and, if nothing else, a lot of spare array parts.
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Bad News,
I cancelled right away my order from AMAZON for GW1000, because according to ECOWITT, they only SOLD GW1000 in US at 915 MHZ, my requirement is 433 MHZ so that I can still use my current array Fine Offset sensors.
Can you give me a source other than Ecowitt that HAS 433MHZ frequency of GW1000? ](*,)
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Only places I know to get a GW1000 is Amazon (US website) or directly from Ecowitt. And yes the Amazon version is only for US use with 915 MHz. I didn't think you would have been able to order from Amazon as I thought it was locked down. They should lock that down just as many other things on Amazon are locked down from other countries to prevent this mistake. Why not just order from Ecowitt? Lucy can even take an order over email I believe. When you order from Ecowitt directly then you can specify the frequency you need.
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Hi galfert,
Well actually I did, but they prefer me to oder on AMAZON on US or in AU so thats the first I did, but to surprised they tell me thet in AMAZON only 915 MHZ is available. After some questioning,
but yes Ms. Lucy responded on my E-mail and they accept through bank payments.
I will process that right away tomorrow, will just get first the details of their bank account they gave me.
regards
-mike-
Only places I know to get a GW1000 is Amazon (US website) or directly from Ecowitt. And yes the Amazon version is only for US use with 915 MHz. I didn't think you would have been able to order from Amazon as I thought it was locked down. They should lock that down just as many other things on Amazon are locked down from other countries to prevent this mistake. Why not just order from Ecowitt? Lucy can even take an order over email I believe. When you order from Ecowitt directly then you can specify the frequency you need.
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Just ordered my AmbientWeatherBridge to go along with my GW1000 and ws-2000. Finally 8-).
Looking forward to setting this up and sending my data to other sites.. Think / hope I can figure this one out!
Any last minute pointers are welcome.
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If you have a Fine Offset clone weather station like: Ambient Weather, Ecowitt, Froggit, Misol, Maplin, Tycon...etc. There is now a new solution to do more with your weather data. You could before connect a Meteobridge but that required the use of an ObserverIP. There now is a newer method instead of using an ObserverIP. The Meteobridge now can get weather data from an Ecowitt GW1000. This is a device that Fine Offset has released and it is possible that soon other Fine Offset reseller brands will also carry it. The good news is that it seems that the GW1000 from Ecowitt is capable of receiving data from other sensors that are not Ecowitt branded. This seems to follow what was previously known regarding the ObserverIP as long as the frequency matched.
...
The GW1000 is a new console available for your Fine Offset station. It is configured via a mobile app called WS View (Android and iOS). You can see live data on the WS View app. You can continue to use your existing display console. By connecting the GW1000 to the Meteobridge (or WeatherBridge) you'll be able to send your data to just about any online weather service including CWOP and many others, also to your own website, and to your own SQL server.
Hello there, I'm new here.
I was inspired by this post to purchase a GW1000 433MHz model to read from my PanTech PT-WA3081 (3081 clone) in Australia. I was hoping to work around the USB lockup issue which is quite frequent with my unit. The GW1000 is working and visible in the WS View app, with readings from it's own sensors, however it is not picking up the 3081 sensors in the app.
I am now not sure whether there is a fault with the GW1000, or whether there is a limitation on the models that can be seen by the GW1000. The 3081 is working with its console (433MHz) and via USB to a RPi4 running weewx. I've spent today searching for evidence of compatibility and other posts suggest the GW1000 only works with a limited selection of PWSs, i.e. WH2900/2950 and HP2550, etc. I'm hoping that someone out there may know!
Cheers - Andrew
PS, my outdoor sensor array is the same as the Ecowitt HP2551, also identified as WH65 (WS-2902A-ARRAY Osprey Sensor) in this post: https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=38491.0
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PS, my outdoor sensor array is the same as the Ecowitt HP2551, also identified as WH65 (WS-2902A-ARRAY Osprey Sensor) in this post: https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=38491.0
No, it isn't the same. Take a closer look at your anemometer. Your wind vane is on top and on the WH65 it is on the bottom. They look similar but not the same. The 3081 is of a prior generation... like 2 generations prior.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The unit to the left is not compatible with the GW1000
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On the face of it if the sensor array is the same as the WH65 then we would expect the GW1000 to be picking up the data as long as the frequency of the GW1000 and the external sensor array matches.
If you are sure that you have the correct frequency match I would drop Lucy an e-mail on support@ecowitt.com for advice.
Unfortunately Pantech is not a common brand outside of Australia so I don't know if there are any folks with similar setups who can advise.
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PS, my outdoor sensor array is the same as the Ecowitt HP2551, also identified as WH65 (WS-2902A-ARRAY Osprey Sensor) in this post: https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=38491.0
No, it isn't the same. Take a closer look at your anemometer. Your wind vane is on top and on the WH65 it is on the bottom. They look similar but not the same. The 3081 is of a prior generation... like 2 generations prior.
Yes, that is my mistake. Do you know what the difference would be? Is it the protocol?
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PS, my outdoor sensor array is the same as the Ecowitt HP2551, also identified as WH65 (WS-2902A-ARRAY Osprey Sensor) in this post: https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=38491.0
No, it isn't the same. Take a closer look at your anemometer. Your wind vane is on top and on the WH65 it is on the bottom. They look similar but not the same. The 3081 is of a prior generation... like 2 generations prior.
Yes, that is my mistake. Do you know what the difference would be? Is it the protocol?
Yes the protocol is different. It may use the same frequency but the protocol is totally different and matches an earlier Fine Offset generation that looked like this:
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This is also not compatible with the GW1000.
I've updated this earlier post on this thread with these new images of incompatible sensor arrays.
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=36772.msg378044#msg378044
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Hi galfert,
Well actually I did, but they prefer me to oder on AMAZON on US or in AU so thats the first I did, but to surprised they tell me thet in AMAZON only 915 MHZ is available. After some questioning,
but yes Ms. Lucy responded on my E-mail and they accept through bank payments.
I will process that right away tomorrow, will just get first the details of their bank account they gave me.
regards
-mike-
Only places I know to get a GW1000 is Amazon (US website) or directly from Ecowitt. And yes the Amazon version is only for US use with 915 MHz. I didn't think you would have been able to order from Amazon as I thought it was locked down. They should lock that down just as many other things on Amazon are locked down from other countries to prevent this mistake. Why not just order from Ecowitt? Lucy can even take an order over email I believe. When you order from Ecowitt directly then you can specify the frequency you need.
I Forgot to mentioned that I already have my GW1000 and its so good its easy to integrate in Meteobridge and weather display, now my webpage is now updating evry 10 seconds, I still using my weewx for NOAA records and as my additional source page on my main
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Realize too that another option is to get a complete system from Ecowitt, not just the GW1000. The only thing you have to lose then is that there is no AmbeintWeather.com upload. Which means you don't get any of the neat features that AmbientWeather.net offers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integrations. But Ecowitt has stated that they are considering maybe at implementing this too as some point with Ecowitt.net.
However if you have a WeatherBridge (from Ambient) then you gain AmbientWeather.net upload capability. The WeatherBridge may seem expensive compared to a DIY Meteobridge but realize a DIY Meteobridge doesn't have the AmbientWeather.net license. But if you have a DIY Meteobridge (or some other branded Meteobridge as they do exist in other countries) you can add the AmbientWeather.net license for $150. When you consider this added license it is actually cheaper to have gotten the WeatherBridge from Ambient to begin with...which is why I have a WeatherBridge instead of DIY Meteobridge. For those that are still confused...a WeatherBridge is a Meteobridge that is sold by Ambient already built and ready to just be plugged in and used.
So in my case with an Ecowitt GW1000 and an Ambient Weatherbridge my data ends up at both Ecowitt.net and AmbientWeather.net. I'm even sending my PM2.5 to my SQL server now. No online weather service, other than Ecowitt.net, yet takes PM2.5 (that I know of) but I've got it all in SQL because of the Meteobridge.
Hi Galfert, thanks for your information, I have all the the Ecowitt devices and GW1000 and I will get my Ambient Weather Eeatherbridge tomorrow, my aim is use the Ecowitt sensors data through ambient weatherbridge to smartthings and IFTTT, my question is, is it possible?
can you see all the ecowitt sensors on Ambient apps?
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Yes IFTTT is supported by Ambientweather.net. And SmartThings integrates with IFTTT. I played around with this a while back. I don't remember it off hand to specifically give you any guidance. Since then Samsung is trying to shed SmartThings Classic and I don't know what limitations exist with the new SmartThings.
Ambientweather.net supports only the sensors that they have.
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Hi , anyone here uses Froggit hp1000se , gw1000 and Metobridge (tp-link) together with Virtual Weather Station ?
i moved from Davis Pro2 to Froggit (gw1000) but i cant use WVS now... VWS just cant connect to MeteobridgeIP...
I cant use Weather Display as there is no data logging any more (like it was with Davis) , so the graphs will not look so good...
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Hi , anyone here uses Froggit hp1000se , gw1000 and Metobridge (tp-link) together with Virtual Weather Station ?
i moved from Davis Pro2 to Froggit (gw1000) but i cant use WVS now... VWS just cant connect to MeteobridgeIP...
I cant use Weather Display as there is no data logging any more (like it was with Davis) , so the graphs will not look so good...
If you mean by Weather Display Brian's (from NZ) software (www.weather-display.com), it can connect to the GW1000, for about one year now.
In the Control Panel you have to choose station type Ecowitt GW1000 and enter the IP address of your GW1000 in your local network.
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Ambient VWS is discontinued software and thus does not support newer station hardware such as the GW1000.
The GW1000 does work with Weather-Display as Gyvate pointed out. But with the GW1000 you have to keep the system running because the GW1000 is not a logger. For this reason I recommend a dedicated computer or better yet a Raspberry Pi to run your weather software. You've essentially then built a low power logger. The Raspberry Pi can run Cumulus MX, Meteobridge, Weather-Display, or WeeWX. Add a decent battery backup and you are good to go.
By the way Meteobridge on a TP-Link is not a logger. It saves no data (other than max/min records). But Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi is a logger and stores all your data and has graphs and charts. You can export and import data.
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By the way Meteobridge on a TP-Link is not a logger. It saves no data. But Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi is a logger and stores all your data and has graphs and charts.
How about Meteobridge Pro? Would it be considered a logger?
My Meteobridge Pro Red wiki says it has enough storage for 10 years of data.
The Meteobridge Pro also has graphs and charts.
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By the way Meteobridge on a TP-Link is not a logger. It saves no data. But Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi is a logger and stores all your data and has graphs and charts.
How about Meteobridge Pro? Would it be considered a logger?
My Meteobridge Pro Red wiki says it has enough storage for 10 years of data.
The Meteobridge Pro also has graphs and charts.
Yes the Meteobridge PRO is a logger as it has an internal USB flash drive to hold several years of data. The Meteobridge NANO if it has an appropriate SD card becomes the NANO SD and that too has logging capabilities. The PRO, NANO SD, and the new RPI have almost the same advanced features. You can see the differences here:
https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Comparison
But this being the Fine Offset clone section of the forum is why I didn't mention the PRO nor the NANO SD as those are for Davis stations. Well technically speaking the PRO would work for a Fine Offset station but I would say few people with this type of station have gone through that expense. The new Meteobridge installation image for the Raspberry Pi is a big game changer for bringing these PRO features to Fine Offset stations at a much more reasonable price. The PRO still has its differentiating merits for those that need that.
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Thanks, George.
I'm still new to this and I'm still in full learn mode.
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Thanks, George.
I'm still new to this and I'm still in full learn mode.
Hi Gary
I am one of these "unusual" FineOffset / Meteobridge PRO users George mentioned (as you can tell from my signature) - and if you own a PRO and are interested in some information exchange, feel free to PM me. 8-)
Nowadays the MB Pro is quite weather station hardware independent regarding it's data logging, storage and depiction capacities.
But, true too, the RPi could become a game changer here.
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Thanks, George.
I'm still new to this and I'm still in full learn mode.
Hi Gary
I am one of these "unusual" FineOffset / Meteobridge PRO users George mentioned (as you can tell from my signature) - and if you own a PRO and are interested in some information exchange, feel free to PM me. 8-)
Nowadays the MB Pro is quite weather station hardware independent regarding it's data logging, storage and depiction capacities.
But, true too, the RPi could become a game changer here.
Danke
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Do we need a Meteobridge device to send data to CWOP? I have Weewx running on a Pi 4 with an Ecowitt GW1000, which reports to underground and a few others, but when I research CWOP, sound like I have to have the Meteobridge and I don't feel like buying one for $200 to send data to one network.
Thanks!
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Do we need a Meteobridge device to send data to CWOP? I have Weewx running on a Pi 4 with an Ecowitt GW1000, which reports to underground and a few others, but when I research CWOP, sound like I have to have the Meteobridge and I don't feel like buying one for $200 to send data to one network.
Thanks!
1. weewx can also send data to CWOP - there is a corresponding section in weewx.conf
# This section is for uploading data to Internet sites
[StdRESTful]
[[StationRegistry]]
# To register this weather station with weewx, set this to true
register_this_station = false
[[AWEKAS]]
# This section is for configuring posts to AWEKAS.
# If you wish to do this, set the option 'enable' to true,
# and specify a username and password.
# To guard against parsing errors, put the password in quotes.
enable = false
username = replace_me
password = replace_me
[[CWOP]]
# This section is for configuring posts to CWOP.
# If you wish to do this, set the option 'enable' to true,
# and specify the station ID (e.g., CW1234).
enable = false
station = replace_me
2. Meteobridge runs on a dedicated RPi with special SLC storage
minimum investment = 70 USD license, 30 USD for a 16 GB SLC SD card (SLC is mandatory for SD card survival), plus a RPi3 or 4 - the smallest RPi4 (2 GB) is more than good enough.
MB can do many things like having multiple stations in one database instance.
Only for sending data to CWOP a MB is surely overkill.
But it can do many more things (if you want and need them)
I'm running MB on a RPi4-2GB/16GB SLC - and weewx on another one. MB on RPi (or a MB Pro device) comes with a complete operating system and you cannot run other applications on it.
It's a dedicated weather server - with many features weewx doesn't have. It's simpler to handle, you have live data at any second ....
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Awesome, I didn't see that section! Thank you, lot of good information there.
Thanks!
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It's simpler to handle, you have live data at any second
But if my weather station isn't analog, it doesn't matter if it product-XYZ claims to be 'live' data because it isn't. The readings are only updated periodically when the station emits data (or is queried).
A weewx system with the Belchertown skin and websockets enabled gets you as realtime as the sensor emits. You can sit there and watch the wind change every few seconds (for me a VP2, but I have ecowitt T+H+soil sensors too on a second weewx instance).
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It's simpler to handle, you have live data at any second
But if my weather station isn't analog, it doesn't matter if it product-XYZ claims to be 'live' data because it isn't. The readings are only updated periodically when the station emits data (or is queried).
A weewx system with the Belchertown skin and websockets enabled gets you as realtime as the sensor emits. You can sit there and watch the wind change every few seconds (for me a VP2, but I have ecowitt T+H+soil sensors too on a second weewx instance).
I have nothing against weewx - using it myself
but still MB is imho easier to handle
If I look at all the issues arising around the belchertown skin and the deep system knowledge you need to have to sort them out ...
That's for the experts ...
With MB you normally don't need that - that doesn't make weewx worse, only less user friendly in setting up for non-IT adepts.
Not everybody is a bit and byte "nerd" as you are - no offense meant - on the contrary
But I can't offer the belchertown skin to someone who just wants to launch a program and see the effects - just a "simple" user.
And for whom the data displayed when coming from the sensors are live in their understanding.
It's a matter of target group.
And not everybody visiting this forum is an IT expert.
"The readings are only updated periodically when the station emits data (or is queried)." - Really .... #-o - thanks for telling me 8-)
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It's simpler to handle, you have live data at any second
But if my weather station isn't analog, it doesn't matter if it product-XYZ claims to be 'live' data because it isn't. The readings are only updated periodically when the station emits data (or is queried).
A weewx system with the Belchertown skin and websockets enabled gets you as realtime as the sensor emits. You can sit there and watch the wind change every few seconds (for me a VP2, but I have ecowitt T+H+soil sensors too on a second weewx instance).
You can, if you have the skills, take whatever you need from building your own "custom server" . That is what I do , I don't use WeeWx or anything else. But depends on your ability. You are still somewhat constrained to the output from the custom server output frequency for updates. Your other option is to run a SDR (Software defined radio) and parse the data from the actual sensors, and then do what you want. This requires equipment and knowledge, I do run a SDR and look at my data for diagnostic purposes. However, for actual data use I just run my own custom server.
The sensors themselves have their own reporting frequency , which varies , the sensors themselves are "dumb" and only transmit, you cannot query a sensor, you can wait for a sensor to send data. Some sensors , like the PM2.5 only report once every 10 minutes, others are much more frequent , I think around 1 report every 15 seconds (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
So a second by second update , is really not feasible, also would create a battery drain on the sensor (if they had to send out out more frequently), which is why some have longer reporting periods (Usually those that are battery powered only without an external source like solar , etc..)
For a low cost weather system, it's actually quite extraordinary what you can do with it
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Sensors report with the time interval that makes sense for that given sensor. A temperature sensor really doesn't need to be wired and updating every millisecond. It a temperature sensor broadcasts its temperature every minute that is more than adequate for temperature reporting. I see zero advantage to an analog wired sensor for this regard. Then sensors like rain are just counting, and if they report every 16 seconds that too is more than adequate as no rain tips are missed, because the sensor does the counting and then broadcasts it rain count tips at the broadcast interval and if that happens to every 16 seconds you can hardly say that it isn't live. I don't see how for rain an analog tipper would fair any different. Then there is wind and for wind you have reporting every 16 seconds or every 2 to 3 seconds for ultrasonic. Even in the case of 16 second broadcasts the peak wind is not lost...you still get the peak for the reporting interval. I see zero argument for the analog wired weather station. Being wireless allows for ease of installation and best sensor placement which is a much much more important factor. Then there is the aesthetics of wireless. Lastly there is the feasibility to have countless extra sensors of may types in many places.
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Like Gyvate I use both weewx and meteobridge. Both have strengths that are not duplicated. For example, I have meteobridge sending Tweets according to changing conditions, there is nothing else that can compare.
The best comparison is this: weewx is extremely powerful, but as you ask it to do more it requires a better knowledge of the operating system. You'll learn to master command line linux.
On the other hand, I could walk my mother through setting up Meteobridge over the telephone.
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weewx is extremely powerful, but as you ask it to do more it requires a better knowledge of the operating system. You'll learn to master command line linux.
On the other hand, I could walk my mother through setting up Meteobridge over the telephone.
That's funny. I can't even figure out what a Meteobridge 'is' other than a super-expensive way to feed Internet-based sites.
But yes, weewx and even rudimentary Linux on a raspi is a bridge too far for a lot of folks....but I guess I'm not the Meteobridge target audience. Unix user for 34 years now. Linux for almost 29 from back when it came on four 5.25" floppies and you had to compile everything yourself.
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weewx is extremely powerful, but as you ask it to do more it requires a better knowledge of the operating system. You'll learn to master command line linux.
On the other hand, I could walk my mother through setting up Meteobridge over the telephone.
That's funny. I can't even figure out what a Meteobridge 'is' other than a super-expensive way to feed Internet-based sites.
But yes, weewx and even rudimentary Linux on a raspi is a bridge too far for a lot of folks....but I guess I'm not the Meteobridge target audience. Unix user for 34 years now. Linux for almost 29 from back when it came on four 5.25" floppies and you had to compile everything yourself.
If 65 EUR/70USD license fee for a Meteobridge on RPi is "super-expensive" in your perspective, fine, that's an opinion, and then a VP2 is a cheap piece of hardware, isn't it so ? - Just want to set the proportions right.
And if you think that MB is only a means "to feed Internet-based sites", you just don't know the product.
"I can't even figure out..." - maybe time and opportunity to expand the horizon of your universe .... ;)
No offense meant - I learnt one has to make that clear quite often when dealing and discussing with our friends across the Atlantic ...
However, entering the which is better a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW discussion is imho not of big use.
Weewx has great features - for the experts who can work well on UNIX, Linux OS level, and Meteobridge has great features too and is easier to handle - you don't need to be much of an expert.
And those, quite many, who are not and stumble with from your point of view surely trivial problems into the weewx forum (Google group), they are your audience and they can and do benefit from your expertise as I can see. [tup]
But on their own they are lost with weewx.
(I'm not talking of the "bit-level" issues which are also discussed there - that's a different league.)
If you know how to do, if you are a mechanic with 34 years experience (and have the proper facilities), you can service and repair your car yourself - otherwise you have to give it to a service location,
and that's not for free (as if it were really for free if you do/did it yourself - it costs at least your time and the material - in the bigger picture nothing is/comes for free 8-)).
As I mentioned earlier in a post - it's a matter of target group. Both are great and useful products with many features (and not only feeding internet websites, that's maybe how MB started long ago ["apt-get update" helps 8-)]).
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If 65 EUR/70USD license fee for a Meteobridge on RPi is "super-expensive" in your perspective, fine, that's an opinion, and then a VP2 is a cheap piece of hardware, isn't it so ? - Just want to set the proportions right.
I have no idea what you are saying.
And if you think that MB is only a means "to feed Internet-based sites", you just don't know the product.
As I said, I do 'not' know the product, and I cannot figure out 'what' it is from the websites I can find.
"I can't even figure out..." - maybe time and opportunity to expand the horizon of your universe .... ;)
Nothing remotely funny about that comment. I find it quite objectionable.
I knew I would be attacked for asking the question but I thought I'd ask for a clear description of what the Meteobridge is and what it can provide.
No offense meant - I learnt one has to make that clear quite often when dealing and discussing with our friends across the Atlantic ...
Offense taken. You attacked rather than answered.
I would appreciate somebody else actually answering the question if you have time and inclination. If Meteobridge is $70 USD then that plus the price of a raspi gets you to about $120 USD total. That, to me, is a lot of money. What value does that incremental $70 'get' the user ?
Perhaps it would help if I explain what I have currently, just as examples:
- VP2 with a serial datalogger, attached to a small ARM box via serial2usb adaptor
- Ecowitt GW1000 gateway with a few sensors
- previously I had a couple WeatherFlow stations (now gone)
The VP2 of course requires physical attachment to the computer running some software (for me, weewx). The other stations' data is accessed by some computer on the LAN over wifi.
[...oops - update - hit post too soon...]
Weewx posts to CWOP/WU/PWS for me. It also integrates extra sensors I have scattered about on little home-grown arduino breadboards. It recalculates a nice user-designed website and rsyncs it up to the web for me. That's what *I* do with it.
What I can't figure out from the MB docs I can find is what exactly it would add for my use case. Really. All I can find is how to configure one. What I can't find is why I'd want to think about having one.
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If 65 EUR/70USD license fee for a Meteobridge on RPi is "super-expensive" in your perspective, fine, that's an opinion, and then a VP2 is a cheap piece of hardware, isn't it so ? - Just want to set the proportions right.
I have no idea what you are saying.
And if you think that MB is only a means "to feed Internet-based sites", you just don't know the product.
As I said, I do 'not' know the product, and I cannot figure out 'what' it is from the websites I can find.
"I can't even figure out..." - maybe time and opportunity to expand the horizon of your universe .... ;)
Nothing remotely funny about that comment. I find it quite objectionable.
I knew I would be attacked for asking the question but I thought I'd ask for a clear description of what the Meteobridge is and what it can provide.
No offense meant - I learnt one has to make that clear quite often when dealing and discussing with our friends across the Atlantic ...
Offense taken. You attacked rather than answered.
I would appreciate somebody else actually answering the question if you have time and inclination. If Meteobridge is $70 USD then that plus the price of a raspi gets you to about $120 USD total. That, to me, is a lot of money. What value does that incremental $70 'get' the user ?
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. :-) - I didn't know your level of humor was that low, but I had some such feeling - that's why I already cautiously wrote "no offense meant".
My apologies !
When I explicitly say "no offense meant" and you reply with "offense taken", what can I do ? You insist on taking something what was explicitly not given....
a) I don't want to convince (no pun intended) either you or anybody else of Meteobridge (I find it useful - that's why I use it)
b) as you don't want to "hear"/read an answer from me, read what galfert has written or maybe some others of the MB users of our community will provide an answer which suits you
I'm signing out of the portion of this thread as far as your questions are concerned.
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Language meaning and inuendo between languages can certainly be dangerous.
I'm sure neither one of you wanted this to be the result of the exchange.
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If 65 EUR/70USD license fee for a Meteobridge on RPi is "super-expensive" in your perspective, fine, that's an opinion, and then a VP2 is a cheap piece of hardware, isn't it so ? - Just want to set the proportions right.
I have no idea what you are saying.
He is saying that the Meteobridge software is $70 and that is not a considerable expense. Sure free is better and there are other software options if you want free like you are using such as WeeWX. But another free option is Cumulus MX.
And if you think that MB is only a means "to feed Internet-based sites", you just don't know the product.
As I said, I do 'not' know the product, and I cannot figure out 'what' it is from the websites I can find.
Here is some useful links to see what the Meteobridge can do. Besides uploading to the most online services than any other software it can internally save all your weather data for decades including 1 minute data. It can show you the data in predefined graphs or you can easily define your own custom graphs. Since it has been designed as software that runs on a dedicated piece of hardware it runs more like an appliance rather than a piece of software which means you have zero maintenance and total easy of configuration and use with a web interface with zero command line work required. The running like an appliance also means that reliability is increased because it doesn't run anything else. Upgrades are as simple as a reboot and the latest version automatically downloads and runs.
Some of the useful links:
Features:
https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Features
Comparison table also shows features:
https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Comparison
Release history shows tons of new features consistently being added:
https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Forum
Live simulator gives you a feel for the interface. But this is a basic version that doesn't include the data logging and graphing capabilities.
http://config.meteobridge.com/
Just one of many posts where you can see graphing capabilities:
https://forum.meteohub.de/viewtopic.php?p=35960#p35960
I also recommend browsing the Meteobridge forum and seeing all that users of the platform are doing to learn even more.
"I can't even figure out..." - maybe time and opportunity to expand the horizon of your universe .... ;)
Nothing remotely funny about that comment. I find it quite objectionable.
I knew I would be attacked for asking the question but I thought I'd ask for a clear description of what the Meteobridge is and what it can provide.
You kind of attacked the Meteobridge platform in saying that it was overpriced and pretty much worthless without really knowing what it was capable of. I see Gyvate's response as an attempt to defend something that he and many care about. You attacked first. I don't see that your initial comment was actually phrased as a question. It reads as more of a statement, and you referred judgement on it while at the same time admitting you were uninformed, in saying that it seems to you that it doesn't do anything but upload to sites. I'm not attacking you for this. I'm just saying that you stepped on some toes....just a little bit.
No offense meant - I learnt one has to make that clear quite often when dealing and discussing with our friends across the Atlantic ...
Offense taken. You attacked rather than answered.
And as I just mentioned in previous paragraph....you didn't really ask a question.
I would appreciate somebody else actually answering the question if you have time and inclination. If Meteobridge is $70 USD then that plus the price of a raspi gets you to about $120 USD total. That, to me, is a lot of money. What value does that incremental $70 'get' the user ?
I'd be glad to answer your questions and I have already linked some useful information above. But If you want to compare apples to apples then you can't in one respect say that WeeWX is free and then say that Meteobridge is $120. Because that WeeWX also needs hardware to run. Therefore I think we can remove the hardware requirement out of the equation. The difference between Meteobridge and WeeX in terms of cost is just $70...as that is software to software, apples to apples. The Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi does require a special SLC SD card that is a bit more expensive than what you could normally use for other software therefore I'll grant you an additional $20 or $30 more for that. So lets call the Meteobridge a $90 to $100 premium as a solution. I think that is fair.
What you get for that is an incredible piece of software that runs extremely reliably like an appliance (like your router) and it also allows for expert expandability if you want to write scripts or customize graphs or populate your own weather website with various templates (easy) or do your own thing (expert level).
Perhaps it would help if I explain what I have currently, just as examples:
- VP2 with a serial datalogger, attached to a small ARM box via serial2usb adaptor
- Ecowitt GW1000 gateway with a few sensors
- previously I had a couple WeatherFlow stations (now gone)
The Meteobridge will not connect to a serial logger. You'll need a different logger like a WeatherLink Live, or a USB Logger, but the WeatherLink Live would be better. Though I think the Serial logger might be able to be used if you used a serial to USB adapter ...but I'm not certain.
Another great benefit of the Meteobridge is that is will allow for multiple station hardware. Meaning that it will receive live data from your Davis station and from the Ecowitt GW1000 and let you combine the data and even upload it as a single station to various location with simple customized sensor mapping.
The VP2 of course requires physical attachment to the computer running some software (for me, weewx). The other stations' data is accessed by some computer on the LAN over wifi.
The VP2 does not require physical attachment if you use a different logger. As I'm recommending the WeatherLink Live as a solution. This will allow you to experiment with Meteobridge while keeping your existing serial logger connected to your WeeWX system. The WeatherLink Live will not only allow you to connect the Meteobrige but you'll also be able to run another instance of WeeWX to experiment with. It will give you a test WeeWX system with live data. You can then also test out some of the other software options like Cumulux MX or Weather-Display. You'll also be able to run some of the other software that has been written to take advantage of the WeatherLink Live API like the tablet display app and others.
The WeatherLink Live (WLL) has benefits even if you don't want to consider the Meteobridge. For your use with WeeWX the WLL will let you expand your Davis station to more sensors and transmitters.
[...oops - update - hit post too soon...]
Weewx posts to CWOP/WU/PWS for me. It also integrates extra sensors I have scattered about on little home-grown arduino breadboards. It recalculates a nice user-designed website and rsyncs it up to the web for me. That's what *I* do with it.
What I can't figure out from the MB docs I can find is what exactly it would add for my use case. Really. All I can find is how to configure one. What I can't find is why I'd want to think about having one.
Meteobridge also has these capabilities.
I wouldn't necessarily pit Meteobridge against WeeWX. In many cases the benefit could be to run both and then gain the benefits of filling in the blanks leaning on the strengths of both. Meteobridge will let you easily upload to more places. Meteobridge has graphing, data storage, and nicely built in Weather34 and WDLive...and much more.
But most importantly do realize that you are not the necessarily the target audience for the Meteobridge. What you've been able to accomplish with WeeWX requires expertise. One of the biggest strengths of the Meteobridge is that it is equally powerful with complexity removed, yet it is still highly customizable for those that care to take it further. But it is not nice to relay that as far as you can see that the Meteobridge is nothing but a costly way to upload data...because that isn't the case. The Meteobridge offers a powerful, reliable platform that will appeal to many users that are both technically inclined and not.
Lastly I'd like to express my view that I don't think any particular solution is the best. I see strengths in all software solutions. I see the same when uploading to the various online services. You upload to WU, CWOP, and PWSweather for a reason...which is you gain a little something different from each. I view software the same way. Which is why I run all four; Cumulus MX, Meteobridge, Weather-Display, and WeeWX.
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You kind of attacked the Meteobridge platform in saying that it was overpriced and pretty much worthless without really knowing what it was capable of.
Last response by me. I didn't attack. I didn't use the words 'pretty much worthless'. I said right off that I did not see from the published docs what it could do other than upload to other sites and posited that the price was pretty high for just that functionality.
But it's not just that of course. My intent was to ask what 'else' it can do.
I had found the features link, but it focusses on what gear it talks to and what it can upload to. The other pages and screenshots and simulator pages are very 'about our hardware linux-based appliance' centric but don't seem to talk much about the 'what you get if you spend $70 to add software to your raspi' too much.
This is where I got lost. Many pages describing the hardware appliance or the flash-a-router methods. Not any I could find describing the 'add software to your pi' scenario.
The very big comparison spreadsheet is a bit TL;DR; as written for answering that question, but waaaay down at the bottom the Sensor Data Handling section has the info that I couldn't find previously, which explains nicely what the software can do. That's exactly what I was looking to find. Thanks for the link.
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Fair enough, you didn't say worthless.
The reason you don't see much mention in most of Meteobridge.com about the Raspberry Pi is because running Meteobridge on the Raspberry Pi is a relatively new thing that has barely been out 2 months. Previously Meteobridge only ran on TP-Link type portable routers, and two purpose built appliances, the NANO and the PRO. I'm sure that the site will evolve and mention the Raspberry Pi more prevalently in more places as time passes and edits are made.