Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Oak Grove, Kentucky
Posts: 211

Hi All,
Let's discuss making a Multi-Meter (AC/DC Voltage, Ohms measurement) module for the Visor. Some folks have even mention a desire for an O-Scope interface as well. How about it All? -ByronC

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

Cool, actually I was thinking of posting the same idea...

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Oak Grove, Kentucky
Posts: 211

Hi All,
If a Digital Multi-Meter springboard is developed, I only wish for a discount from the maker(s) of the product.
Regards, Byron Collins

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: East Lansing, MI, USA
Posts: 126

Yeah i like that idea.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 32

I like this idea also. I can't wait for these type of springboards to appear.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

I have actually submitted this as a proposal for my senior thesis project so I can graduate from college. I'm planning on building one of these along with the acompanying software and possibly marketing it. It'd be great if I could get all of your input/insight into this. What you'd like to see on it, how difficult you think it might be, etc. Thanks!

Chris

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 40

Hey LuckyChuck,

I posted a reply to your Engineering helper springboard a while earlier.

Basically, I think for you to build a multimeter springboard you'd have to address the following concerns:

A: Making sure the thing is fused. And try to make sure that the $200.00 visor won't blow to protect a 2 cent fuse.

B: (Optically) isolating all the pins to the visor. I'm in my 5th week for my Blueberry Visor Dlx and I'd hate to blow the thing when I do something stupid like connect the ammeter in parallel to the voltage source I'm measuring. (It seems kinda a intuitive thing to do as a kid - Oops).

I'm no EE major, but those are the two safeguards I can think off (off the top of my head). I'm sure others can think of more.

Then there's the marketing factor. You need to convince me to buy your device; and it should offer me advantage over traditional equipment in ONE aspect:

* Price - not going to happen. An analog multimeter is going to be cheaper.

* Response time - maybe. I still prefer to see the twitch of an analog meter; but that could just be me. Of course, you actually have an advantage here, because you can program how the visor's going to output the information. You have a one up on DMMs, they are horribly slow as far as response goes.

* Functions. Offer an oscilloscope, higher smplin' frequency, the capability to hotsync the data file to a computer? Now we're talkin'.

Of course, fitting all that gear into the springboard module won't be easy, and you've got to be a good hardware hacker to do all the fancy soldering work. But if you can pull it off, more power to ya. 8-)

-=- SiKnight

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 9

What you could do with this that would be amazing is create a histogram on the visor.

For example, I would like one to measure current in my saltwater reef tanks. As various filtration and circulation equipment cycles on and off, there could be voltage fluctuations. It would be very hand to be able to leave the thing on for a day to see what they are.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 40

Hrm. You may want to also check out
http://www.datastick.com/

They make a "Data acquisition system" which could be used with a Visor as a glorified chart recorder 8-)

No idea on pricing, but I doubt it'd be cheap. A semi-decent ADC board for a PC runs a couple hundred into thousands of dollars. It's a small niche market, and it's not marketed for the home user.

-=- SiKnight

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Oak Grove, Kentucky
Posts: 211

Hi All,
I could imagine Radio Shack marketing the Visor next year with a Tandy Multi-Meter springboard by it side on their shelfs :-).
Radio Shack sold the Tandy Zoomer (GEOS PDA)awhile back I know.

Byron