Hooking up sensors

**reece146** · 12-18-2007, 01:47 PM

What is the easiest (cheapest?) way to get an external temperature sensor hooked up to my Linux Intel based PC?

I'm assuming I need some kind of external mount thermocouple that can interface with Linux. Is USB an option? I'm out of serial ports and would rather not muck about with a converter if possible.

Did some casual searching but having difficulties separating the jingo from the reality.

Any help, even just pointers, appreciated.

**greenjeans** · 01-26-2008, 02:45 PM

check out, it is currently for windows but a linux version shouldnt be hard to do
http://www.sixca.com/eng/articles/usbdaq/

also check out
http://www.chipsinfo.com/National/LM34DZ.htm
be sure to check the datasheet too

hope this helps

**fiXXXerMet** · 02-07-2008, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by reece146

What is the easiest (cheapest?) way to get an external temperature sensor hooked up to my Linux Intel based PC?

I'm assuming I need some kind of external mount thermocouple that can interface with Linux. Is USB an option? I'm out of serial ports and would rather not muck about with a converter if possible.

Did some casual searching but having difficulties separating the jingo from the reality.

Any help, even just pointers, appreciated.

Check out 1wire, the 1wire file system (owfs), and digitemp (http://www.digitemp.com/). Haven't researched in a while, but apparently you can buy certain digital thermometers and hydrometers that connect via ethernet, usb or firewire which are compatible with digitemp (which is a linux graphing program for these types of devices).

I actually forget most of the details, but I think it is what you are looking for.

--Kyle