Trixology
WeatherCat => WeatherCat Integration => Topic started by: Denver on October 26, 2013, 07:26:48 PM
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Hello. I just installed a Davis Vantage Vue weather station. This question has to do with uploading data to a Mac, and forwarding the data to CWOP or wunderground. It appears the only way to get the Davis data logger is to buy the WeatherLink software with data logger included. The reviews on Weatherlink software are not good. So the question is, if I buy the WeatherLink (with data logger), can I plug the data logger into the Vantage Vue console and upload the data using WeatherCat (and just ignore or not install WeatherLink). Thanks again. Denver
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Dear Denver and WeatherCat fans,
Hello. I just installed a Davis Vantage Vue weather station. This question has to do with uploading data to a Mac, and forwarding the data to CWOP or wunderground. It appears the only way to get the Davis data logger is to buy the WeatherLink software with data logger included. The reviews on Weatherlink software are not good. So the question is, if I buy the WeatherLink (with data logger), can I plug the data logger into the Vantage Vue console and upload the data using WeatherCat (and just ignore or not install WeatherLink). Thanks again. Denver
Unfortunately, Davis doesn't sell the data logger separately. So the only way to get that piece of hardware is to end up with the almost useless software. However, as it turns out, there are few settings on your Vantage Vue that you can only make using WeatherLink. So do yourself a favor and go ahead and buy the Mac version of WeatherLink. You may never need the disk, but hang on to it just in case. Also, there have been differences between the PC and Mac versions of the data logger. So to avoid potential headaches make sure you get the Mac version of WeatherLink.
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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Shop around. Several places sell it cheaper than Davis.
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Hi Denver, and welcome to the WeatherCat forum!
Edouard, answered your question about needing to purchase the WeatherLink for Mac package in order to get the data logger. Yes, it seems like a wasted expense, but think of it as paying too much for the data logger and they throw in the software for free! ;)
It has been a couple of years, but I don't think you need to use the WeatherLink software at all. You can enter any longitude, latitude, elevation and barometric changes on the console. I think Edouard was using the Envoy instead of the Console, and with the Envoy you do need to use WeatherLink for initial setup. I may or may not be remembering correctly.
As for the main question, yes, WeatherCat works great with the Davis Vantage Vue. It is very flexible, and has fantastic user and developer support. There are several templates available for setting up web pages. Just click on the banner in users' signatures to see their web sites.
I don't think you'll be disappointed in WeatherCat at all!
Steve
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That is just what I needed to know. Thank you all. The weather station is up and working, and I will order the Weatherlink with Data logger to get connected online as well. Cheers, Denver
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Just to follow up: There are specific Mac OS drivers on the WeatherLink CD that have to be installed on the Mac before it can communicate with the Davis Vantage Vue console. After installing the drivers, WeatherCat is able to discover the weather station and works good. The WeatherLink software is absolutely useless, as it would not even run on my Mac version 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard).
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Glad to hear you are up and running. It's just as well that WeatherLink won't run on your Mini. Even if it did, you wouldn't like it after testing the water (or in your case, the weather) with WeatherCat. Enjoy!
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Dear Denver and WeatherCat Davis fans,
Just to follow up: There are specific Mac OS drivers on the WeatherLink CD that have to be installed on the Mac before it can communicate with the Davis Vantage Vue console.
Actually Davis hasn't been very good about keeping the latest drivers on their CD. It is recommended that you download the latest drivers from Silicon Labs who are the folks making the interface hardware used by Davis. There is an article on the WeatherCat Wiki about it:
http://wiki.trixology.com/index.php/Obtaining_the_latest_drivers_for_use_with_Davis_data_loggers (http://wiki.trixology.com/index.php/Obtaining_the_latest_drivers_for_use_with_Davis_data_loggers)
You'll need to reboot your Mac if you update your drivers as they are kernel drivers.
Hope this helps!
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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Denver,
Weather link will run on your computer! but it is several years old now, and isn't compatible with the latest OS out of the box. Find the WeatherLink application, and "Get Info" on it. Now tick the checkbox that says "Run in 32-bit Mode". Now it will run. (Although unless you ever decide to use a Davis Envoy, there' son reason to ever need to run it.)
Steve
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Is it possible to send data from one Davis Data logger connected to a Vantage Pro 2 station to two Mac computers running Weather cat? Weather link requires an additional license to operate another computer running it's Weatherlink software, but I assume the license is for the software. How do I connect the data logger to two different Macs an feed data to two different Weathercat applications. I have a mac usb Davis data logger .
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Not sure if this would work for you, but in my case I run VirtualVP on an EEE PC.
VirtualVP is a software application that lets you connect up to 4 weather programs to a single Davis Vantage Pro 1 or 2 weather station. Right now I have WeatherCat and Weatherlink (which I still use for the NOAA reports) pointing to it and it works fine.
I am not familiar with USB data logger and obviously you would need a Windows PC so don't know if this would work for you - but thought I mention this.
See http://www.softwx.com/weather/virtualvp.html for more details.
Jos
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Is it possible to send data from one Davis Data logger connected to a Vantage Pro 2 station to two Mac computers running Weather cat? Weather link requires an additional license to operate another computer running it's Weatherlink software, but I assume the license is for the software. How do I connect the data logger to two different Macs an feed data to two different Weathercat applications. I have a mac usb Davis data logger .
I assume you do not want to use an extra windows machine, correct?
There are two alternatives.
The first one: Buy a Davis Envoy plus a logger and connect that to one Mac and use the current console plus logger to connect the other Mac. You can have as many consoles/envoys as you want listening to the same Davis weatherstation.
The second solution gives you the possibillity to run up to 8 weather-programs with one console/logger.
You should run on one of your mac's a windows emulator like VMWare fusion with windows 7. And install VirtualVP (VVP) in the Windows envirionment. This gives you 4 "serial ports" for local windows programs and 4 IP ports to be used by your Macs via your local network. I do the same with an "old" mac mini so I can use WeatherSnoop (IP - same Mac) and WeatherCat (IP other Mac). And let the emulator run a set of windows programs: WXSIM - WeatherDisplay(IP) - WeatherLink(serial) - Cumulus(serial). And the last IP is used for an external device called Meteobridge.
There is a price difference between:
1. Extra Envoy + logger
2. Licences for Fusion + Windows + VVP
which in my area for two weatherprograms is in favor for solution 1.
And important also, solution 2 "needs" the Mac to run 24/24.
Succes, Wim
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Another way to get the signal from the console to a Mac is to use a non Davis data logger. I have a wireless datalogger that performs flawlessly plugged into my Vantage Pro 2. It was supplied for ?125 by a UK member of the wxforum. Here is a link http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=15739.0 (http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=15739.0) It connected with Weathercat in a few seconds.
Geoff