Data Logger & Software combo needed

It's interesting that you say the Pico software is buggy and doesn't work as you need it to.

I've found that the Pico software is generally pretty good and is powerful enough to match most users expectations.

In addittion they have an excellent user-forum where you can report bugs and ask for advice. Finally if the data logger is what you need but the software doesn't match - then they make available development kits for most of their products (for free!) which allow you to collect and process your own data from the device. Each development kit normally includes examples in many languaes and often even includes samples that run inside Microsoft Excel and need very few programming skills to manipulate.

Have you seen these folks: http://labjack.com/

I have one of their U3-HV models and found it and its distributed software to be quite easy to work with. The PC side supports fairly arbitrary scripting and calculations on the raw input values to produce values for display and plotting. They also document their protocols and APIs with the stated goal of supporting use of their products in novel ways from third-party software.

Hi,

I have used LabVIEW software and modules, I feel this software is good . It is Graphical Programming.

Regards,

Chethan R.S.

Kenny,

I am set up with the PicoLog as it sits right now. It works ok for me, but I feel using it in a final project might be too confusing for my potential clients. I suppose I can train them.

With Picolog, I wish I have one button that could start and stop recording for everything and print the results for the graphs and spreadsheets. Right now it's several steps to accomplish that task. And the spreadsheets are only in .txt format, which needs to be imported and sorted by someone.

Looks like I might have to do some coding after all.

Cabe

Chethan,

Will Labview work with any module, or just certain loggers?

Cabe

Hi Cabe,

It might help if you were able to define your requirements a little more

e.g.

• Number of Channels
• Readings per channel per second
• Input type and range (volts, current etc)
• Resolution (8,12,16bits etc)
• Desired I/O interface (LAN, USB, RS232, GPIB)
• Budget

I liked Paul's suggestion of the 34970A.34970A., it's easy to use and has a very accurate 6.5 digit DMM as the measurement engine. It's also very flexible in terms of the cards you can add to the slots to create your solution, but it might be over kill, depending on what your doing. It also comes with some really nice intuitive software, Benchlink datalogger which needs no programming. You can also use Agilent VEE, which is a bit like Labview, to create a fully automated solution for an end user customer with a simple Start button which will then go off and run the tests, check pass fail and save the data. Admittedly this does take some programming, but it's graphical and pretty easy to use. I've also found Agilent to be really good in the past at sending me units for free for a week or two to play with and evaluate.

Sticking with Agilent there's also their USB Range of products http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=GB&lc=eng&ckey=1486862&nid=-34321.0.00&id=1486862&pselect=SR.General. Which are really quite nice because you can use them individually or in a chassis if you need to scale your system up.

There are a range of others of course, National Instruments are big in this area and then there are the lower cost PC based solution. The question is though, what exactly do you need?

Ok I admit it I am a fan of Agilent equipment and shamelessly so!

Hi Cabe,

Even I am not clear, whether all the Data Logger's are supported by LabVIEW .

Since you asked for a user friendly software,so I suggested NI-LabVIEW .

Regards,

Chethan

Technocrat,

I looked over the Agilent products, and they look like a definite option for me. The Benchlink datalogger software looks great too.

All data logger programs, frontends, etc, always look like it was made in the Windows 3.11 days.

Hardware selection is pretty flexible for me, I just need at least 12 bit sampling, and it has to interface via usb.

Cabe

If you want USB connection you'll want to look at the  34972A34972A

Looks like basically the same unit as the faithfull 34970A.34970A. but with USB Alternatively you could use the  82357B82357B USB to GPIB converter on a 34970A.34970A..

Very handy the USB to GPIB converter, if ever you need to control HPIB / GPIB instruments with a modern computer, I seriously recommend investing.

Technocrat,

I forgot to mention the data logger must be small The  34972A34972A is a bit large and the lcd screens will never get used Any thoughts

Cabe