Re: USB module for monitoring multiple on/off switches

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0700, "Christopher Glaeser" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in message  <q76dnXyb3JEGC33XnZ2dnUVZ_i2dnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>I need to monitor devices that have simple NO/NC alarms.  Can you recommend
>a USB module that can monitor multiple on/off switches?

Do you need/want to absolutely restrict access to a single computer? If not,
my preference would be for TCP/IP-based ( not usb, not RS-xxx, not bus).

WebControl is a $35 TCP/IP-based (web) device that I use and can recommend
that would give you 8 TTL in, 8 TTL out, 3 analog in, multiple 1-wire
temperature input, HIH-xxx humidity sensor input,  etc:

  Input
      Digital Inputs 	8
      Analog Inputs 	3
      Maximum Digital Input Level 	TTL 5V
      Maximum Analog Input Level 	3V
      Mnimum Input Level 	0V
  Output
      Number of Output 	8
      Output Level 	TTL 5V
      Output Current 	MAX 30 mA
  Programmable Timer
      Number of programmable timer events 	20
  Sensors
      DS1822 Temperature Sensor 	8
      Honeywell Humidity Sensor 	1
  Power Consumtion
      Without Load 	5MA
      With Full Load 	240MA
  Power Supply
      DC (recommend) 	6V to 7.5V
      AC (when DC not avaliable) 	12V

$35.00 + shipping -- A steal IMO.

http://www.cainetworks.com/products/webcontrol/webcontrol_matrix.htm

Interface is either with browser or command-line.

http://www.cainetworks.com/products/webcontrol/webcontrol-faq.html
http://www.cainetworks.com/manuals/webcontrol/WebControlUserGuide2-03-00.pdf

or you can write your own GUI

http://www.cainetworks.com/manuals/webcontrol/HowtoWriteGUICodeforWebControl.pdf

Available/find suppliers through Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Webcontrol-Universal-Temperature-Humidity-Controller/dp/B001H4JXLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1256497812&sr=1-1


$35.00 + shipping -- A steal IMO.

I have two boards of an earlier version (hardware 2.02) than what is now
shipping that was fussy about the exact 1-wire temperature sensor used. The
contact tech team was very responsive and had the firmware re-written by the
team in Britain.

HTH ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org