Hello,
I am interested in putting up a wireless thermometer in my house and is wondering what is needed for this. Lets start with what i need for one room. I need to be able to read the information on a computer.
Tnx
/Toby
I am sure this information is some where in this forum, but i have not been able to find it. :-[
I suggest you start with wired and then think about wireless…
How do you want to read from PC? Over USB, over serial or over network? Which FEZ do you own? I think network will be the best and coolest! Where FEZ can be connected to your switch and then you can read the temperature from any PC, even from your phone (if it has a web browser)
Well there are many ways of doing this…
You could get a Fez (Mini should do the job just fine), with a Thermometer [url]http://www.tinyclr.com/hardware/1/fez-domino/#/list/4/[/url] along with the hardware which represents the mode you want to communicate with like… Bluetooth, Wifi … there are many choices.
The above three should start get you what u need.
Buy a wireless weather station and the base(These usually use) [url]http://www.bestbuy.com/site/La+Crosse+Technology+-+Wireless+Temperature+Station+with+Wireless+Temperature+Sensor/9248307.p?id=1218067603555&skuId=9248307&cmp=RMX&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9248307[/url]. And then you can hack the base using a Fez to transmit data to you computer.
Both ways have its advantages and disadvantages. For #1 you may have to dedicate a mini for each wireless device but at the same time it gives you the flexibility of doing more things like measuring humidity, remotely switching stuff on or off. For #2 you will need to look into how the weather station base collects data and tap into that stream.
One thing is for sure either way u r going to have a lot of fun.
Happy Fezzing 
Walk the XBee route with analog temperature sensors, easy to expand and portable.
I do agree with EriSan500, go the Xbee route.
The Xbee is an amazing little device and for temperature monitoring you could have the device transmitting data without any microcontroller whatsoever. On the PC side you only need something like the Xbee explorer from Sparkfun http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8687
For more information on xbee have a look at this http://stream.tellart.com/2009/03/07/xbee-configuration-tutorial/ also have a look at this http://www.digi.com/support/kbase/kbaseresultdetl.jsp?kb=180 As you can see there are 6 ADC lines so you could monitor lots more than just temperatures.
what sensors are good to use with xbees?
Analog ones like the LM series.
I would not mind changing my path and go the xbee route, but before i do that i need to know more about the possibilities with the XBee.
Is the XBee more flexible then Fez? What type of things can i connect to a XBee system? Humidity sensor, movement sensor, microphone what is possible?
To install a wireless thermometer with XBee what do i need? Could anyone help me with a base setup?
My guess i that i need a XBee at the sending and the receiving end. In sweden we can not use the 900MHz version so 2.4GHz will have to do. Will the 2.4GHz work good both indoors and outdoors?
What programing language can i use to retrieve data on the receiving end?
A lot of questions, but i hope someone can straighten me out.
The XBee can not be compared to a Fez. A XBee is an advanced transceiver device, that has some IO’s and mesh network capabilities. You can connect allot of different sensors as long as they don’t need a library to read them. For example, you can use a analog LM35 temperature sensor that varies it’s output voltage in relation to the temperature, but you can not use a digital DS18B20 temp sensor.
You need 2 XBees at least. One for the remote sensor, and one at the “base” station being a pc, fez, arduino, whatever. For the remote sensor also a breakout-board will come in handy.
Yes they will, though it will depend on the internal structure of your home.
Anything you like. XBee is in fact nothing more then a wireless serial connection.
Greetings,
Eric
tnx Eric for straighten my path. Now i have a general idea of how these parts are connected. If you haven’t already figured it out I’m not a hardware person, but my interest i great.
Now, i have been reading up on the arduino and i feel that i have to take a decision if i should go with Fez or Arduino. What is your take on this.
When it comes to the programing part. In the case of measuring temperature do i need to program both the sending(fez or arduino board hooked to the temperature sensor) and the receiving(Fes or arduino hooked via usb to a computer)? Can i have more the one temperature sensor hooked to the same fez or ardurino?
Are there any issues with the number of XBee in a system? My initial thought is to have on XBee hooked to a computer and the have N XBee’s around the house talking the master xbee.
Can you recommend suitable a breakout-board type for around the house use?
You’re welcome 
I come from an Arduino myself, and moved over to Fez a couple months ago thanks to the great GHI support. So if you ask me, go for the Fez boards.
You don’t need a Fez/Arduino for every sensor. The remote sensors are made with just an XBee module and a sensor (evt a breakout board) and power supply. Only the remote end (XBee connected to Fez) needs to be programmed.
So the remote sensor will be constructed with an XBee module, temp sensor and power supply. The receiving part can be done Various ways:
[ol]
[li]XBee module, XBee adapter, temp sensor → Fez, XBee expansion → pc (Fez and pc needs programming)[/li]
[li]XBee module, XBee adapter, temp sensor → pc, XBee explorer (pc needs programming)[/li]
[li]XBee module, XBee adapter, temp sensor → Fez, XBee expansion → Network → pc (Fez and pc needs programming)[/li]
[/ol]
(see attached image)
In all cases you have to set some settings on the sending XBee modules like how often does it need to report the temperature.
No, just limited by space ;D
on fez side you need: http://www.tinyclr.com/hardware/12/fez-cobra/#/grid/item/21/
Remote sensors: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8276 or http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9132
If you go XBee → pc then you need: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8687
Greetings,
Eric