Topic: ECOWITT vs Ambient Weather WS-2000

[jhoff]

So are they made by the same company?  The sure look very similar but not exactly the same.  And according to their websites, the Ambient sensors transmit over 915mhz but the ECOWITT ones over 433mhz?

Anyone compare the WS-2000 vs HP2551?

[Mandrake]

OK, lets clarify this.

Fine Offset manufactures these devices in China and is based in Hong Kong.
Ecowitt is affiliated to Fine Offset and does the development work and does global sales as a brand in its own right and can be seen as the master brand.

Other brands such as Misol, Aercus, Maplin, Froggit and Ambient are resellers. The devices are branded and sometimes have customised firmware but are all still Fine Offset manufactured.

In the US the FCC legislation requires these devices to use 915Mhz
In Europe the devices can use either 433 or 866Mhz
In Auz I believe they use 433Mhz

You cannot obviously mix frequencies, they must be all using the same frequency.
Ecowitt can provide their kit in any of the three frequency combinations and local power supplies etc.

So the HP2550/1 Console is the same device as the Ambient WS-2000 (though the Ambient uses a custom firmware that allows it only to see other Ambient branded sensors). If you buy a Ecowitt HP2551 console it uses a unlocked firmware and can see all sensors made by Fine offset including Ambient branded ones.

Hope this helps.

[jhoff]

Yes, this helps.  Thanks.  Seems like there's an advantage to buying the Ecowitt panel but it's more expensive and I will have a credit with Ambient.

Interesting that in the US they are required to use the 915mhz band.  Pretty sure my OS WMR200 uses 433mhz which I bought for use here in the US several years ago.

[jhoff]

How do you like the PM2.5?

[galfert]

Frequency isn't the only restriction imposed by the FCC. Each frequency also has a power restriction. And I'm sure that their are other complexities possibly. So it is possible that the Oregon 433 MHz is doing something different than the Fine Offset 433 MHz.

The WMR200 is not very good station. It has a very poor barometric sensor that goes up and down by a full 1 millibar at a time, that is 0.03 inHg, while most other current stations adjust every 0.01 inHg or even better 0.1 hPa. And elevation with the WMR200 is only able to be adjusted in 10 meter (33 ft) increments at a time!!    I'm not certain on the types of sensors used on the WMR200 but that which I've showed is bad enough to want to replace that quick. I mean just look at that tiny rain gauge. No need to look further to see what that station represents.

Just take a look at this graph with my station along with some of my neighbor stations. Look who sticks out like a sore thumb that is running a WMR200. Just terrible.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

[jhoff]

Thanks   Ok, I'm "sold".

[galfert]

By the way I wouldn't return the WeatherBridge to Ambient. Keep it and order a GW1000 along with your WS-2000 or HP2551. Then you'll be able to use the WeatherBridge.

Ecowitt is not better. They are different. There are some advantages of an Ambient branded console over the Ecowitt and vise versa. (but in your case with a WeatherBridge you can have both Ecowitt.net and Ambientweather.net if you add the GW1000).

See here for more details.
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=37760.0

[jhoff]

Also interesting, thank you.  I have some reading / research to do before I decide.  I'm an EE and work in the software industry...  I'll have to think about if I want to get back the $150 or the WeatherBridge or not.  Also, if I return the WeatherBridge, I will be offline until I get the WS-2000 and get it setup.

[Mandrake]

How do you like the PM2.5?

I think if you take it as it is a indicator of air quality and not a scientific instrument its fine.
It suffers from false readings due to mist/fine rain spray/very heavy humidity etc but outside of those conditions it really does see the crap in the air.
If you or a neighbour has a BBQ you can immediately see the air quality plummet and so on.
I am happy to accept the slightly wonky reading sometimes as its fairly obvious but when its operating normally I find it cool to see what particulate matter is floating about invisibly and I might be breathing in.

[Edit: I should mention that all PM2.5 sensors suffer these moisture issues unless they employ heaters to dry the air sample which is what expensive commercial unit do]

The unit is pretty well designed and lasts for ages on solar between needing a top up charge for its batteries via a USB connector. Its a good addition in my mind.

[jhoff]

How does the GW1000 talk to the WeatherBridge?  Wifi?

[jhoff]

NVM after looking at the WeatherBridge UI it's pretty obvious.  So with the GW1000 do I get sensor signal strength?  That would be helpful as finding the right place to put it so it will be reliable can be difficult otherwise.

Seems a bit extravagant to keep the WeatherBridge as I don't really need it but will be fun to play with it.

[Mandrake]

I believe that the weatherbridge connects to your local LAN by Ethernet and then connects to the GW-1000 via Wifi.
I am guessing here because I don't have a Weatherbridge to play with (yet)!

The GW-1000 and other Fine Offset console all report signal quality (not strength) for sensors with is normal for digital systems and often misunderstood.
With Digital transmissions the signal either works or it does not. The signal quality shows how many packets are successfully received over a period of time. Any interference or poor signal and you get a dropped packets which shows in the signal bar. It does not mean any loss of data however so people should not get overly hung up about signal quality displayed!

[jhoff]

My weatherbridge is connected to my router via WiFi.

Digital signals are carried over an rf signal that still has a received strength.

[Mandrake]

OK, so if the weatherbridge is on the same Wifi network and or connected via a LAN then the two will talk via Wifi.

Yes, of course you are correct that the signal is carried on a radio carrier, but the point I am making is that with a digital signal success is binary. It either works or it does not. That's what the signal quality bars are showing. If you get no data drops and the signal data flow is constant then you get 5 bars on the meter. However if you are down to 1 bar or less then clearly the signal is having trouble but overall the data is still being received.