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Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: Dave92F1 on March 04, 2019, 11:58:22 pm

Title: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: Dave92F1 on March 04, 2019, 11:58:22 pm

I'm looking for an inexpensive device for data acquisition.

I know I could build a gadget that does this out of a microcontroller and 4 ADC channels, but I'd rather buy it off the shelf.

All it needs to do plug into a PC (USB), and sample 4 (or more) channels once every ~10 seconds (for a week) and report the DC voltage on each (0 to 5 volts). 10 bits of precision is enough. Doesn't need to be super accurate.

And produce a spreadsheet with the results - time, voltage on each of the 4 channels.

Any suggestions? I don't mind writing a little Python code to drive it.

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: thm_w on March 05, 2019, 12:14:04 am

https://www.mccdaq.com/data-acquisition/low-cost-daq (https://www.mccdaq.com/data-acquisition/low-cost-daq)
https://www.dataq.com/products/di-1100/ (https://www.dataq.com/products/di-1100/)
https://labjack.com/products/t4 (https://labjack.com/products/t4)
http://www.ni.com/en-ca/shop/select/multifunction-io-device?modelId=124893 (http://www.ni.com/en-ca/shop/select/multifunction-io-device?modelId=124893)

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: Dave92F1 on March 05, 2019, 12:37:33 am

Quote from: thm_w on March 05, 2019, 12:14:04 am

https://www.mccdaq.com/data-acquisition/low-cost-daq (https://www.mccdaq.com/data-acquisition/low-cost-daq)
https://www.dataq.com/products/di-1100/ (https://www.dataq.com/products/di-1100/)
https://labjack.com/products/t4 (https://labjack.com/products/t4)
http://www.ni.com/en-ca/shop/select/multifunction-io-device?modelId=124893 (http://www.ni.com/en-ca/shop/select/multifunction-io-device?modelId=124893)

Thanks, Google found those for me, too.

I was hoping to hear from somebody with personal experience with these things. (And I was thinking it shouldn't cost more than US$50 or so.)

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: beanflying on March 05, 2019, 01:02:12 am

The Phidget is well worth a look too https://www.phidgets.com/? (https://www.phidgets.com/?) reasonable accuracy and modular.

The really cheap and dirty way out is Arduino based with even a datalogging shield (SD Card) on top to run it as a standalone logger. Adding some sort of Vref to it will improve measurement accuracy.

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: Romain on March 05, 2019, 07:28:00 am

Sensything?
https://www.crowdsupply.com/protocentral/sensything

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: joeqsmith on March 05, 2019, 12:05:27 pm

I have the Labjack U3 HV.  More than double your price and at the time, it was the lowest cost product they offered.   It has some basic peripherals( Digital I/O, timers, DACs and ADCs).  I have not had any problems with the software or hardware.   

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: ebclr on March 05, 2019, 09:17:03 pm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/iCP12-usbStick-6-Ch-USB-PC-Oscilloscope-Data-Logger-IO-ADC-DAQ-PWM-PIC18F2550/392082189572?hash=item5b49eb6d04:g:mfUAAOSwys5WUMMB (https://www.ebay.com/itm/iCP12-usbStick-6-Ch-USB-PC-Oscilloscope-Data-Logger-IO-ADC-DAQ-PWM-PIC18F2550/392082189572?hash=item5b49eb6d04:g:mfUAAOSwys5WUMMB)

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: NiHaoMike on March 06, 2019, 01:36:29 am

There's simply not much of a market for what you're describing. Hobbyists generally just use an Arduino while businesses generally go for something that's quite expensive by hobbyist standards but well supported and with room for expansion.

I wouldn't recommend any random cheap board since I have come across many where the software used with them is hopelessly out of date. Even some not so cheap niche devices have that problem.

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: Dave92F1 on March 06, 2019, 04:50:54 pm

Thanks, all.

I ordered a DATAQ DI-1100 per thm_w's suggestion.

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: orenthalcaleb on March 09, 2019, 12:05:10 am

LabJack.com offers student discounts and also great volume discounts. Although our devices aren't the cheapest on the market, our legendary lifetime support and free software are something to consider when evaluating DAQ hardware devices

Title: Re: Cheap data acquisition device?
Post by: orenthalcaleb on May 17, 2019, 10:21:07 pm

Dave, how did your evaluation of both the DATAQ and LabJack devices go?