Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!molbio.cbs.umn.edu!horton
From: horton@molbio.cbs.umn.edu (Robert Horton)
Subject: HELP: Simple A/D converter?
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Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1993 22:39:39 GMT
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[ Article crossposted from alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt ]
[ Author was Robert Horton ]
[ Posted on Tue, 7 Sep 1993 21:52:51 GMT ]



Dear Hardware Hackin' Gurus of Netland;

I need to build/buy/get a board or (preferably) serial or (maybe even) parallel
device that will allow me to monitor a thermocouple with my PC. The only
things my computer-savvy associates here have been able to find in catalogs
cost about $300 (for the d/a converter - I'd still need the thermocouple
on top of that). This seems *way* expensive to me, and it's also overkill, since
these boards will monitor multiple signals, and I only need one. Some day I'll
have my very own government grant, and I'll be able to buy these kinds of 
things with YOUR tax dollars, but for now I wanna make this thing with
MY OWN MONEY, so I'm very sensitive to cost :)  The good part is that if I
find a cheap and easy way to do this, I'll tell all of my scientist buddies,
and these guys DO spend A LOT of your tax dollars. 

The temperatures I need to monitor are in the range of 25 to 100oC, and the
measurement must be to within 0.5oC (more precise is probably better). I'd
like to be able to record the temperature every half second or so. The main
requirements beyond this are that the device be simple enough that your
average biochemist can build it him/herself, and cheap enough that he/she
would be willing to risk a few (?) dollars of precious Reagent Money
(which is much more valuable than Equipment Money) on parts for a gizmo
they have to make themselves.

Any suggestions, hints, comments, clues, tips, or ideas would be most welcome.

Sincerely, 
Robert M. Horton, Ph.D.

Bob Horton            /\ "Crash programs fail because of the theory that
U. of Minnesota, CBS  || with nine women pregnant you get a baby a month" 
1479 Gortner Ave.    /||\   -Werner von Braun.  Disclaimer:"Bob who?"
St. Paul, MN 55108    ^^   horton@molbio.cbs.umn.edu/(612) 624-3790
