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Watson - W1080/ WH8680 Review: Watson - W1080/ WH8680
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<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Watson - W1080/ WH8680<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Watson - W1080/ WH8680
Published by harrym1byt
06-Jul-2008
Author review
Instructions
40%40%40%
4
Build Quality
80%80%80%
8
Value For Money
100%100%100%
10
Recommended
90%90%90%
9
Average 78%
Watson - W1080/ WH8680

There has been lots of discussion taking place about this unit and as I have had it a couple of weeks I thought I would add a review. It comes under several rebadged names/models.

The unit is a cheap and cheerful one, but not so basic as it would seem for the price.

I will not bother repeating its feature list, because the manufacturer list the detail here http://www.foshk.com/en/products/show.asp?id=41

It is a complete kit, all you need included even down to a small mounting pole and tiewraps to tidy the cables - batteries are the exception, 5x AA cells needed. There are no optional extras, or extra sensors - it is not designed to accept any, so make sure it does all you need. Sensors are in plus outdoor temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, plus pressure. From these basics, much more data is derived.

Basic build quality seems variable, mine was 100% but others have reported various problems with the unit as it came of of the box - from touch screens being lose, to bits of wire cuttings left inside the display.

The display unit, even when not connected to the PC (USB) can store a little over two weeks worth of full data, even when set at the maximum of 5 minute data intervals. No data or settings will be lost, even if the batteries are changed, apart from the period with no batteries - though the DCF clock will need to resync. When you connect your PC, it downloads all the latest data, adding it to its existing record seamlessly. This file is a comma delimited file (CSV), so fairly easy to import into various other software.

There is a known problem with the latest version of the software (V2)corrupting the data sometimes as it is read in from the LCD display unit. Finding a copy of the V1 of the software seems to resolve it, other than that the two version appear identical apart from the icon. The outdoor sensor are linked together by wires of adequate length to allow a variety of mounting locations. The outdoor sensors are then linked to the display wirelessly. The later has an extremely good reliable range.

The outdoor bits and pieces seem fairly robust, with all metal fitting and screws made from stainless steel.

Due I think to the touchscreen over the display, the contrast of the display is poor, making it difficult to read - made worse by the digits not being driven hard enough for being used face on or below 90deg. It improves by looking at it from slightly above. Trying to find your way around the display can be a nightmare, due in part to the lack of contrast plus the sheer complexity of the sequences. The user instructions are also needlessly complex to follow and a printed flow chart would help a lot.

Certain of the display units settings can be carried out from the PC, but I am still working out which.

Another possible problem reported is the none existant sealing of the outdoor units battery compartment. I added some duct tape over the compartment to prevent water entry and have since added a DIY 'Stevenson screen' which will help even more. The later to make the temperature sensor even less susceptible to solar heating.

I have found the manufacturers help email address very helpful and quick to reply to any help requests about the unit.

I paid about £63 delivered from an ebay seller and for this price I really cannot fault it.
The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to harrym1byt For This Useful Post:
beteljuice (07-Jul-2008), delboy (25-Sep-2008), DoctorD (28-Sep-2008), Graham (11-Aug-2008), lancer (30-Oct-2008), luke anthony (06-Jul-2008), scotweather (06-Jul-2008), Twister (20-Jul-2008)
 
By harrym1byt on 25-Sep-2008, 22:51
Re: Watson - W1080/ WH8680

I can now add some information to the above...

None of the versions of EasyWeather software seems to be immune to what seems to have become known as the 'EW monsoon problem' - the problem where the EW software records rain that simply has not in fact occured or even been recorded by the hardware. The false rain seems to happen somewhere in the USB link to the PC, where the data becomes corrupted. The manufacturer seems to be aware of the problem, but has so far done nothing to resolve it - very frustrating.

Steve otherwise known has Sandaysoft Sandaysoft has written some alternative software (Cumulus) which has now most of the EW features, but without any (so far at least) of the monsoon rainfall problems. It also supports the easy creation of a web site to which your weather can be uploaded, amongst its many additional features. His latest version is now able to read the historical data stored in the LCD display's memeory, so there is now no need to have your PC on all the time.

It is not yet perfect, but it is getting there rapidly and now is much better than EW.
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By lancer on 08-Nov-2008, 20:23
Re: Watson - W1080/ WH8680

hear, hear for steve's 'cumulus' software. nice one steve.
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