Environmental Monitoring

[Ben Scott]

On 5/10/05, mike ledoux <mwl+gnhlug at alumni.unh.edu> wrote:
> Have any of you done anything like this?

  If you have any APC Smart-UPS units with open expansion slots, APC
sells a gadget that provides ambient environmental monitoring.  I
think it's called "Measure-UPS".  I've seen them for a few hundred
dollars.  While that is more then the "non-existent budget" you
mentioned allows, it is cheaper then multiple thousands.

  If you're really after the "bargin basement" stuff, I've seen hacks
that attach a thermocouple to the parallel port using a simple
analog/digital converter IC.  I'm told such projects require nothing
more then some really cheap parts and some skill with a soldering
iron.  I don't know about humidity sensors, but it's possible the same
idea applies.

  Keep in mind that polling the parallel port to acquire data like
this tends to be rather CPU intensive, due to the ancient and
brain-damaged design of the parallel port, so if you go this route, I
would put it on a spare junkbox PC, not a busy server.

  This message originated in theory, where everything works.  Reality
may have other ideas.