I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. Does something like this exist? Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart recorder? Thanks for any leads. TMT
Inexpensive Digital Strip Chart Recorder
Started by ●January 10, 2006
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
Too_Many_Tools wrote:> I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > > Does something like this exist? > > Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to > record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart > recorder? > > Thanks for any leads. > > TMT >Inexpensive and "strip chart recorder" are mutually exclusive. Yes, there are lots of addons, google gets tons of hits "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=analog+data+recorders" The next question is: "how much do you want to spend ?? " Portable, USB, serial, .... lots of questions. What are you trying to measure will determine what kind of analog data recorder to buy. donald
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
I would agree...I am surprised that in today's world of electronics that an inexpensive turnkey appliance is not available. The uses for something like this is many....and I am not trying to be specific since this will be used to measure a number of physical parameters. Let's say one wants a digital solution to what a old HP 680 Strip Chart Recorder would work for...is there anything out there today that works the same? TMT
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
>I would agree...I am surprised that in today's world of electronics > that an inexpensive turnkey appliance is not available. > > The uses for something like this is many....and I am not trying to be > specific since this will be used to measure a number of physical > parameters. > > Let's say one wants a digital solution to what a old HP 680 Strip Chart > Recorder would work for...is there anything out there today that works > the same? > > TMTRadio Shack used to sell a Metex VOM (Metex ME-11) that had a serial port output and software that made essentially a data logger which you could then pop into an excel or Quattro spreadsheet and massage the data anyway you liked. I bought two of them from their on-line catalog when they were on sale maybe 3 years ago, suspect you can still find them, maybe with an USB port these days. I use one of mine for metering the transmitted signal from NAA to detect SIDS. Lots more practical than my old Rustrak strip chart recorder, I can just throw away the "uninteresting" data and not use any paper at all. The other one is just a backup for my Fluke 77. W4ZCB
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
Too_Many_Tools wrote:> I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > > Does something like this exist? > > Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to > record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart > recorder? > > Thanks for any leads. > > TMT >I don't know if the software is available, separately, but for $25 you can buy a 4 channel analog digitizer that comes with such software. http://www.dataq.com/194.htm
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
On 10 Jan 2006 17:47:31 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_tools@yahoo.com> wrote:>I would agree...I am surprised that in today's world of electronics >that an inexpensive turnkey appliance is not available. > >The uses for something like this is many....and I am not trying to be >specific since this will be used to measure a number of physical >parameters. > >Let's say one wants a digital solution to what a old HP 680 Strip Chart >Recorder would work for...is there anything out there today that works >the same?Something like the USB-1208LS from Measurement Computing (I'd post a link but their referral/tag/cookie system seems to want two or three lines for the URL) plus an old laptop PC might do the trick. It's a relatively inexpensive USB gadget that comes with basic "strip chart" software as a demo app. They have other, faster, and more expensive models and more software, of course. IIRC, they still include their Universal Library w/ the device, so you can write your own apps with your own look & feel. Higher end stuff is available from places like http://www.astro-med.com/ ... and priced accordingly. Good gear, though. -- Rich Webb Norfolk, VA
Reply by ●January 10, 20062006-01-10
Too_Many_Tools wrote:> I would agree...I am surprised that in today's world of electronics > that an inexpensive turnkey appliance is not available. > > The uses for something like this is many....and I am not trying to be > specific since this will be used to measure a number of physical > parameters. > > Let's say one wants a digital solution to what a old HP 680 Strip Chart > Recorder would work for...is there anything out there today that works > the same? > > TMT >OK, So the spec's are: not battery operated and must weight in at about 15 pounds. ;-) I have used some of the smaller devices at : http://www.dataq.com/c_cr/index.htm There will be trade offs on "chart speed" = sample rate and resolution (step size) and max input voltage. good luck donald
Reply by ●January 11, 20062006-01-11
Too_Many_Tools wrote:> I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > > Does something like this exist? > > Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to > record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart > recorder? > > Thanks for any leads. > > TMTSure Look For Data loggers. DataQ makes some cheap ones www.DataQ.com
Reply by ●January 11, 20062006-01-11
"Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_tools@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1136941627.419160.149340@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...> I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > > Does something like this exist? > > Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to > record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart > recorder?"Round Robin Database Tool" - RRDTool - can possibly be hacked into submission: http://people.ee.ethz.ch/~oetiker/webtools/rrdtool/>
Reply by ●January 11, 20062006-01-11
On 10 Jan 2006 17:07:07 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_tools@yahoo.com> wrote:>I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > >Does something like this exist? > >Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to >record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart >recorder? > >Thanks for any leads. > >TMThttp://www.picotech.com/ do a number of devices that may be suitable.