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Forum Index : Electronics : Data logging storage question
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Downwind Guru  Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
I have been looking into using SD cards or usb sticks for storing logged data to. Has anyone here tried going this path and is there an interest or drawbacks with this. A 2 gig card or stick is around $10.00 and would hold a lot of data and would allow a simple card/stick change and the data could be downloaded at leisure. Most of the systems i looked at run FAT16 format and would this be a problem with downloading. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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GWatPE Senior Member  Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2127 |
Hi Pete, The memory card is not actually the problem. The controlling computer/micro chip/etc has to at least logically store the data. I think that an E-PC, Netbook etc would be the ideal platform. A hardware interface USB and an external micro controlled unit etc that converted the analogue to digital would still be required. The cost of these computers is dropping, and they even have UPS built in. Remote access is available without mods, even wireless, as I use a WiFi LAN. I have really consolidated 5 laptop loggers into the one unit now. My Atom board has a compact flash port built in, and this could be used, but I just log to the 2.5" hard drive instead. I backup just through file copy, through the normal network tools. The loggers just keep running while I look at the data, or back up etc. I can also modify the logging applications. This may result in 20-30 seconds of data loss. I would look into the cheapest/smallest units, as individual loggers. Gordon. become more energy aware |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5016 |
I think a SD chips would be easier. USB needs a lot more smarts to make it work correctly. Silicon Chip magazine have published a few articles lately using a SD chip for storage. As Gordon says, a laptop is the easiest option, but a SD chip is much cheaper, uses less power and you wont care as much if it gets wet or stolen. Data transfer is still a problem, but you can swap SD chips from the logger and get a SD chip reader for your PC very cheap. Glenn Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Thanks guys for the response. After looking at a lot of ways for interface i came across these boards. SD & USB Boards They will except serial data, i2c, spi, and for around the $50.00 i would think they could be worth it. That way it could be written to direct from a pic or picaxe. There is a lot of data under downloads and then user manual. Worth a look and be interested in what you guys think. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| GWatPE Senior Member Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2127 |
Hi Pete, the direct logging to SD card I will put into the wish I had time pile. The surf is more appealing at the moment, even with the wind and rain. Gordon. become more energy aware |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Hi guys, I also have good news. Matt (one of the members of jallib team developers) is working at a fat32 file system. Once is ready I will be able to come up with a Windmill controller/logger with SD card. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| honeycrippen12 Newbie  Joined: 01/11/2010 Location: United StatesPosts: 1 |
Hmm.......that's great.....! Well in addition to that u may also take help of many online sites which are provides that kind of services with the help of net. Thanks Laptop backup |
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powerednut Senior Member Joined: 09/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221 |
There are a couple of options around for using a small microcontroller: AVRs: (fat32) http://www.dharmanitech.com/2009/01/sd-card-interfacing-with -atmega8-fat32.html PIC: http://mondo-technology.com/sdcard.htm Arduino: (many, many options here) http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPa th=17_21&products_id=243 that one is actually a Data logging shield, and includes a RTC (real time clock) - pretty much a must if you want to store when an event happened, as well as the event. Handles fat32 or fat16. I couldn't seem to find an implementation for picaxes, though I didn't look hard. I had a look at doing a standalone unit a couple of months ago but never got around to finishing the circuit design. My plan was to have it act as a serial port and just log each line of data it received to the sd card, along with a date-time stamp. The adafruit mob have kindly provided schematics and libraries for their shield, so you could use that as a starting point for your own design. |
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| Janne Senior Member Joined: 20/06/2008 Location: FinlandPosts: 121 |
µALFAT module I just placed an order for this little sucker. The laptop I used for logging died just recently (with 2 weeks worth of logged data in the HD  ), so I needed to start looking for alternatives.
It looks like it should not be too hard interface this to the picaxe, or any microcontroller that you like. One other drawback with this is, that It's going to need a separate clock, as timestamps can no longer be generated from the logging computer, but that's not so big deal, with modules like this available; Serial LCD with RTC If at first you don't succeed, try again. My projects |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Hi Janne, I saw your projects (I like very much your Green House) and I have a question: how you do underside images with Eagle3D (I want to do it for this one.)? Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| Janne Senior Member Joined: 20/06/2008 Location: FinlandPosts: 121 |
Hi vasi, Not 100% sure, since it's been a while after I made those images, but I think I just fiddled with the "pcb rotate" (or something like that) parameters in the file generated by eagle3d. If at first you don't succeed, try again. My projects |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Janne, I have always been tempted to have a play with one of those cards but its still on the ...to do...list. Can you keep me posted on how you get on with it as im very interested to know. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| Janne Senior Member Joined: 20/06/2008 Location: FinlandPosts: 121 |
It's getting a bit OT, but just for the fun of it, I made 2 renderings of my latest windmill controller project. And yes, the bottom layer is easiest displayed by rotating the board with 180degrees in Z-plane. TOP BOTTOM If at first you don't succeed, try again. My projects |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Yes, I found it, thank you! Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Regarding to storage solutions, this board from Mikroelektronika can be a good alternative to a Netbook. It can communicate on Serial port, USB and is also an USB host (that mean you can connect your USB based logger). It can display data on a color LCD and can store on a MMC-SD card. It use a PIC32 microcontroller and expose all pins on extension connectors. Can be programmed with the free edition of C compiler from Microchip: [quote]Examples are written in Microchip MPLAB development environment and compiled with C32 compiler.[/quote] You can have a lot of fun with this board but at $150 US. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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