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PC compatible thermomoter?

Jorge

somebody shut me the fark up.

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Wondering if anyone has any experience with a dependable and accurate probe thermometer that works with a PC?

I decided to run some Cat-5 cable out by the Bandera. Got the cable in the conduit and buried and had an idea. I love the Nu-temp that has been so highly recomended, but would like to come up with an option for those times when I have to leave the house for a bit. I was thinking that I could write a short script to send a text message to my cell if the chamber or meat temp exceeded user defined limits.

Words of wisdom?
 
Me thinks you should just have several "Spicey Bloody Caesors".

Buy my basket and you wouldn't have to wory about it as much. :wink:
 
And just think of the impact on the business world if your message was picked by hackers and broadcasted in emails "meat is ready, it is time to pull your pork"! :lol:
 
Jorge
That is a several thousand dollar mod. Do it at work it's not cheap, requires card for pc that's just the beginning. Software itself is a grand.
 
Words of wisdom?

Take a deep breath. Now, do you feel better.

You are taking this way too seriously :D

If you're that far away odds are your 'que would be toast by the time you got back to the house, anyway!!

Otherwise, yes there are more than likely thermometers out there that would meet your requirements. Lots of businesses use remote sensors for freezers, etc.

However, I have no idea who those companies might be and I'm not real sure I want to know. I cook to relieve some stress not add more by having my farking cell phone or PDA go off while I'm away from the pit! If I'm that far away from the pit I deserve anything that happens! :mrgreen:

Check and see if Fluke has a computer interface on any of their mulimeters and then get the temp probe to go with it -- Brian was talking about this stuff a few months ago.
 
Jorge said:
I decided to run some Cat-5 cable out by the Bandera.

Words of wisdom?

Geek Mod

Buy Al's basket, it's cheaper. I have one but must finish the Pit Mod before I get
to check it out.

With Al's basket, you should be able to do lots of other cool stuff without having
to worry about the temps, unless you just feel the need to worry about the temps.
 
Sorry, I was typing the above when Brian responded!! :D
 
This idea also need the good neighbor mod.

Your in line at Costco on a Saturday morning, 10 people ahead of you, 8 miles up the road and you get a text message that your pit just went down to 180 and falling fast (I guess not that fast in TX, but here it would), then what you gonna do?

If you don't have a neighor or whatever to call (recalling wife lives in Euliss?) or no one home, then the only thing your message will buy is an accident while you high tail it home.
 
The difference in a man and a boy is the price of the toy (for 1k I'll write the software myself, or apply it to the Klose mod though). Appreciate all the input! This all started with the take it easy approach. The reason for running the Cat-5 out the back of the house was to take advantage of the hammock by the Bandera so that I could work, and enjoy the relaxing aroma of Q. It's 63 degrees right now, sunny, a pork loin smoking, with a couple of chops, some sausage, and turds. Unfortunately I neglected to stock the fridge with beer! Thus the trip to the store, and the inspiration to take advantage of the new network connection.
 
Jorge, just teasing on the Geek Mod thing.

I have CAT 5 (CAT 5 Retrofit Mod), wireless (Wireless Mod)
and RG6U Quad Shield (HDTV DirecTV Retrofit Mod) running
through my house. That's geeky I'd say.

So....the software you write will be freeware.....right?
 
I've had some experience monitoring temperature with analog-to-digital PC cards. I't does not have to be a big bucks undertaking. Here's a very technical how to including some scripts:
http://www.boondog.com/\tutorials\max158\max158.htm

And here is a source for off-the-shelf a2d cards. (note they are RS232 not Cat 5)
http://www.eeci.com/

Here's one on ebay for $10:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2596020467&category=50915


All this said. I still have one question: why?

Personally, the main thing for me about smoking is unpluging and uncomplicating life. taking it easy and simple as possible to get the desired results; perfect Q. About as complicated as I get is the use of analog meat thermometers.
 
We use Lab View if you want to be paged or emailed etc. Another source is www.omega.com
PM me for details if interested, Jorge you have seen our dog and pony show area but it's not $hit compared to what we have back in engineering.
 
Mark said:
All this said. I still have one question: why?

Personally, the main thing for me about smoking is unpluging and uncomplicating life. taking it easy and simple as possible to get the desired results; perfect Q. About as complicated as I get is the use of analog meat thermometers.

Thanks for the links. They really helped :D

Why? One is the toy factor. It's the same reason I helped a friend put a lift kit on an old Audi Quatro to tool around the boonies. Find out if it can be done, AND IF it is worthwhile. If it isn't then I've had fun exploring it.

Second is an added convenience factor when it's needed. On a couple of occasions I've needed to leave for one reason or another but didn't want to because of the Q. If this is feasible and actually works then I'm looking at added flexibility.

First choice will always be stretching out in the hammock with the cooler close by. I'm thinking about adding some cooking days when I have a lot of short errands to run close to the house. This isn't about fundamentaly changing the way I cook, but an addition to it and making it possible to cook more often.
 
After reading this thread it has gotten close to the GeekSpeak line. If an admin feels the need to move this elsewhere please feel free to do so. My intent was not to start a philosophical discussion. :shock: I really do appreciate all of the input given so far.
 
This is totally Q related. Some of you guys are just more so-fist-ty-edgy-cated then the rest of us POOPIE kickers.

Babble on Brothers, we'll see you in the pit (or we'll text message you from the pit)

LOL
 
brdbbq said:
We use Lab View if you want to be paged or emailed etc. Another source is www.omega.com
PM me for details if interested, Jorge you have seen our dog and pony show area but it's not $hit compared to what we have back in engineering.

Brd,
Don't take this wrong, but I cain't help asking since you post all day long, when do you have time to go "back in engineering"? :roll:
 
This takes me back to my programming Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) days. After you get the A/D convertor to work you need a temperature sensor (probe) that provides the right signal input for the A/D. I seem to remember that getting real temperature values requires some sort of weird non-linear conversion from the raw A/D values.

There was a recent post about a device that controls the temperature on a country cooker - note that this is a sensor - A/D conversion - temperature derivation - AND a DAC and an acuator(opens and closes the values based on the DAC output) - all put in a 4X2 box.

And lastly for being useful as a cooking tool - it would be easy to generate history of temps to see if different woods, techniques etc work better than others.

R
 
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