Help getting started with a IT temperature module

tomb18

Hello. This is my first post and I was hoping that someone could help me get started in the right direction.

I am interested in interfacing the MLX90614 Infrared Thermometer Module to a PC. According to the documentation I should use a Basic Stamp 2. However, I cannot see reference to this in the store. I only see the Stamp. Is the Stamp 2 called something else?

I will need to connect this to a pc via a serial port. What will I need?

Is there a way to simplify this? Can the sensor module connect directly to a PC somehow, bypassing the Basic Stamp?

It's been years since I designed and programmed something, but that never stopped me in the past. I would appreciate any help you could give.

Mike Green

There's a BS1 (Basic Stamp 1) and a series of BS2s (Basic Stamp 2) with increasing memory, features, etc. These are the BS2, BS2sx, BS2p, BS2pe, and BS2px models. There are some other models no longer sold (BS2e). Generally when people talk about a Stamp or Basic Stamp, they're referring to the BS2 model.

All of the BS2 models can connect to a PC serial port. It's easiest to use a development board like the "Board of Education" or BOE which includes a serial (DB-9) connector or alternatively a USB serial interface, a +5V voltage regulator, power socket and switch, and a small breadboard area for experimentation or mounting of a few components.

You can't directly connect an MLX90614 to a PC. At the very least, you need a source of regulated +5V and some kind of logic level to RS232 translation. Something as simple as a +5V regulated "wall wart" power supply and a MAX232 RS232 to +5V logic converter will work. If you want to use USB, you can buy a USB to serial adapter from FTDI that provides +5V logic levels and a limited amount of regulated +5V from the USB port, enough for the MLX90614.

tomb18

Thanks Mike. The BOE board sounds like the way to go, since I will also need a temperature sensor as well.
So from what I have seen so far, the windows pbasic is used to program the stamp, which then resides in the eeprom. The serial port is used to program the stamp right? What if one wnats to write a windows app, that connects to the serial port to collect data from the sensors? Do you go through the stamp ?
Thanks

Mike Green

Yes, for data a Windows app would go through the Stamp. There are even some existing Windows apps that will do a lot of the work for you. Stamp Plot Pro is one. PLX-DAQ is an Excel add-in that will put data into an Excel spreadsheet. Both are available in the Downloads page on Parallax's website (under Stamp Software).