Datasheet

5 Implications and complications

Davis created a number of problems by introducing ﬁrmware version 3.xx — not only

to those utilizing non-Davis equipment, but also to their own support organization.

Also, answers received from Davis technical support don’t really add to the company’s

credibility. Section 5.4 contains some relevant email excerpts.

5.1 Product names/versions

• Davis has released no ofﬁcial information on the ”original data logger” require-

ment introduced in ﬁrmware version 3.00.

• Davis will replace non-green dot data loggers with green dot data loggers for free —

for customers within the US. Customers elsewhere are left on their own.

• Davis keeps receiving negative customer feedback from users being forced to re-

place their original Davis data loggers after warranty replacements, station refur-

bishing, etc.

• There is no change in the product number to distinguish a green dot console from

a non-green dot console. Ditto for the original data loggers. Although there is a

change in the console manufacturing code, that’s not what users look for when or-

dering replacement units. A Vantage Pro2 should forever remain a Vantage Pro2. A

product carrying the same name is expected to share the same speciﬁcations and

functionality between individual units of the same kind unless the manufacturer

clearly announces the existence of different versions of the same product.

5.2 Design considerations

• It’s indeed tempting to ask ... why wasn’t a level converter included in the Vantage

Pro2 console design? It would only add some $2 to the overall unit cost and users

would love to be able to extract their very own weather data without spending

another $165 on a data logger.

• Why such a poor thermal design of the original data loggers, which greatly inﬂu-

ence indoor temperature readings?

5.3 A need for greed

• After an informal lunch near Hayward, CA in May 2013 the author learned that

the ”original data logger” requirement isn’t too popular within the Davis organi-

zation. Oh, dear. There is more than one example that when a technology com-

pany listens more to the beancounters than to the engineering staff, the beginning

of the end is near.

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