Chris_S Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 88 Location: South Dakota Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: rancilio silvia, moka,... Grinder: rocky Vac Pot: no Drip: aeropress and press pot Roaster: hottop & poppery II
Posted Sat Dec 10, 2011, 11:32am Subject: Data Logging
I just pulled up an old topic on data logging where the Tenma 72-77XX was the main one that everyone seemed to like for the price. The only search that came up on data logging was back in 2010. Has there been some better ones out there for logging data. I'm willing to spend a little more money on a better one if its not ridiculously priced, but I'd like to know if there are any new options out there. So far I've jotted down these specific data loggers: DMM, Omega, and Tenma. I need to look at each a little closer. I'd like to know if anyone has done anything recently though with newer improved loggers.
One thing that I think would be great is if someone made something for the new tablets that are out, and be compatible for PC's as well. I don't know if we will get the compatibility as much until windows 8 comes out. The tablets are advancing and changing quickly.
Chris_S Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 88 Location: South Dakota Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: rancilio silvia, moka,... Grinder: rocky Vac Pot: no Drip: aeropress and press pot Roaster: hottop & poppery II
Posted Sat Dec 10, 2011, 7:59pm Subject: Re: Data Logging
the apple app doesn't look like the temp goes high enough for roasting.
I'm looking for something that has a K thermocoupler or similar to mount in the roaster to produce time and temp readings throughout the roast. I want to be able to record the data live either hooked up to a computer or have it store data points to imput into the computer. It would be nice to have 2 readings: One for bean temp and one for ambiant air temp.
The TC4 looks looks interesting.I don't have time right now, but I will have to read up on it more. Farmroast have you used the TC4 and can you give me your thoughts on it, and how it works? How come its just the board and circuts? isn't there a shell for it?
Chris_S Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 88 Location: South Dakota Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: rancilio silvia, moka,... Grinder: rocky Vac Pot: no Drip: aeropress and press pot Roaster: hottop & poppery II
Posted Tue Dec 13, 2011, 8:20pm Subject: Re: Data Logging
The roast thing looks pretty cool. I need to sit down and try and understand it a little more. One thing that i noticed was the graph for the roast was a funny looking sideways bar graph. I was trying to see if I could make it a line graph, but couldn't figure it out.
I feel like I am still trying to figure out the TC4. I think it also looks like something I would be interested in. I'm just wondering if I can download the software first and learn how it operates before getting the hardware. I'm not quite sure which software that I need or that would suit me best. I'm also wondering where to get the LCD screen for the TC4C. After looking at this I really wish i knew more about electronics. I feel like this is a basic gadget that I really have no idea how it works, but would be more interested on the technical side of it. I really wish they had more youtube videos on this piece for the coffee roasting.
Can a person use both of these (the TC4 and roasterthing) together. would they interlink so that I could save data from the TC4 to the coffeething. I like some features of the roasterthing that I'm not sure the TC4 software has.
I'm probably not asking the most intelligent questions and I am really having a hard time mustering through all the information. I hate the time and frustration to learn new software. Any help is appreciated.
Posted Wed Dec 14, 2011, 1:00am Subject: Re: Data Logging
RoasterThing is free, just download it and have a play. Once you turn off Behmor mode the graphs will make a bit more sense. In Behmor mode it displays the Behmor roast profiles which will look quite odd if you expect something that looks like reasonable profiles.
JGG Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 1,343 Location: Kentucky, US Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: PID Silvia; PID Alexia Grinder: Mazzer Mini E (A), SJ; Rocky... Roaster: Hottop D w/PID; Thermometric...
Posted Wed Dec 14, 2011, 6:45am Subject: Re: Data Logging
Chris_S Said:
I feel like I am still trying to figure out the TC4. I think it also looks like something I would be interested in. I'm just wondering if I can download the software first and learn how it operates before getting the hardware. I'm not quite sure which software that I need or that would suit me best. I'm also wondering where to get the LCD screen for the TC4C. After looking at this I really wish i knew more about electronics. I feel like this is a basic gadget that I really have no idea how it works, but would be more interested on the technical side of it. I really wish they had more youtube videos on this piece for the coffee roasting.
Can a person use both of these (the TC4 and roasterthing) together. would they interlink so that I could save data from the TC4 to the coffeething. I like some features of the roasterthing that I'm not sure the TC4 software has.
For logging using the TC4, there are two main applications to consider. Probably the most complete and full-featured option is Artisan. Both the TC4 shield and TC4C standalone board are compatible with Artisan.
The second application to consider is the Bourbon package, written by contributors to the TC4 project. Bourbon requires that you also download and install the Processing IDE (I recommend using release 1.2.1).
There is an incredibly long thread on Homeroasters.org that documents Bill Welch's development of the TC4 design. That thread, and several other spinoff threads, are probably the best source of technical information on the TC4.
The TC4 can be used with any one of a number of different brand LCD panels. Most of the output is formatted specifically for a 16x2 character LCD, but 20x4 displays could be used, too, for instance. Just one example of a display that will work is this one from Gravitech. The easiest way to connect the display is by using the LCDapter board that is available with the TC4.
I'm not aware of anyone having used the TC4's with roasterthing. But for logging with roasterthing, you should also consider using the board that was designed specifically for it.
Chris_S Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2007 Posts: 88 Location: South Dakota Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: rancilio silvia, moka,... Grinder: rocky Vac Pot: no Drip: aeropress and press pot Roaster: hottop & poppery II
Posted Wed Dec 14, 2011, 8:18am Subject: Re: Data Logging
Thanks for the posts.
I'm little confused as to which piece of hardware (TC4 or TC4C) to use or which would be more suitable. The feature I like about the TC4C was the USB connectability. Looking between the two they seem like completely different boards. I was wondering if one was ment as a PID rather than a data logger. It would be nice to have the PID and data recording features in case I would be able to use the PID capabilities in the future. I really like the capability to use 2 thermocouplers to record the BT and ET at the same time. I found 1 youtube video on the LCD with a roast profile, and thought it was really nice.
Can I download Artisan or Bourbon and play around with it to understand the features they have, or are they required to have epuipment along side them?
I'm currently using the Hottop roaster. I really don't like the temp readout that's displayed. Depending on the ambiant temature I really don't get an accurate reading. I'm hoping if I can graph some profiles out that I can understand what it's doing and hopfully come out with more consistant roasts. Hopfully some better roasts too.
JGG Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 1,343 Location: Kentucky, US Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: PID Silvia; PID Alexia Grinder: Mazzer Mini E (A), SJ; Rocky... Roaster: Hottop D w/PID; Thermometric...
Posted Wed Dec 14, 2011, 1:54pm Subject: Re: Data Logging
Chris_S Said:
I'm little confused as to which piece of hardware (TC4 or TC4C) to use or which would be more suitable. The feature I like about the TC4C was the USB connectability. Looking between the two they seem like completely different boards. I was wondering if one was ment as a PID rather than a data logger. It would be nice to have the PID and data recording features in case I would be able to use the PID capabilities in the future. I really like the capability to use 2 thermocouplers to record the BT and ET at the same time. I found 1 youtube video on the LCD with a roast profile, and thought it was really nice.
The TC4 is a shield that must be connected to an Arduino board to work. The TC4C can stand alone since it has an Arduino-compatible system included on the board. There is almost no functional difference between a TC4C and a TC4+Arduino. The TC4C, which can be pre-progammed "at the factory", was developed for folks who didn't care to fool around with buying the Arduino and programming it. Just like an Arduino, though, the TC4C can be reprogrammed many times if desired.
Chris_S Said:
Can I download Artisan or Bourbon and play around with it to understand the features they have, or are they required to have epuipment along side them?
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