You know, those touch screen dials just ain’t right! I use them with music guitar apps and they are horrible. Sliders work better on ipad.
I use one of these if the need arises (which is not often):
https://www.digikey.be/en/product-highlight/s/sparkfun/mooshimeter-the-smartphone-multimeter
Jan
https://www.digikey.be/en/product-highlight/s/sparkfun/mooshimeter-the-smartphone-multimeter
Jan
My question was not, do you know how to use a multimeter.
My question was - "Do you understand How a resistor (etc) is measured ?"
Do you understand the basics of electronic theory ?
If you did, I suspect you would realise your comment on cpu / graphics processing power is worthless.
Most techs will have an analogue meter for when a digital one (that don't use processors by the way) can't show the detail needed.
Just as a thought, can you tell me how you would measure current ?
Before you can answer the question, you need to know just what the question is.
I can see you are confused.
+1000
No it can´t.
Software and hardware are wholly different Worlds.
I´d love to read the code needed to measure voltage, current, resistance, etc. , all by itself.
https://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/accessories/power-cables
What you call "interface" is the actual Multimeter and needs the proper hardware for that.
The IPhone is just a clumsy external "screen", I need to carry TWO devices just to make basic measurements as much as I need an extra hole in my head.
What advantage woud it have over a regular handheld multimeter escapes me.
Sticking to your problem,what you are asking for is a Multimeter which can be connected to an IPhone using Lightning cable.
Yes, somebody might make one, why not?
Chinese have such a massive Industrial capacity, constantly growing, that some young entrepreneur might very well make one and offer it on the Market (Alibaba anybody?) and see whether it sells or not.
I think that’s what I’m looking for. Thanks for the link! I’ll look into it.
This is cool:
“The Mooshimeter can measure any two of its three inputs, and the high-speed synchronized measurements allow for very fine measurement of power, including:
- Actual power usage: Measuring volts and amps on separate meters and then multiplying gives volt amps, which is watts only when the power factor is perfect.
- Power factor: How effectively is the power provided being used?
- Harmonic distortion: What sort of noise is being pushed back on to the lines?:
Dude, I’ve been doing this for 50 years. I know Ohms law. I was taught that in elementary school. Valid question though, because my kids weren’t taught anything about basic circuitry.
Why some of you think multimeter functions are beyond the cell phone computing power astounds me. Phones are super powerful and, when not spying on your every move, are loafing most of the time.
Also, crack open your DMM, hey! There’s a computer in there!
Arthur, how do you plan to get the actual measurement values (R, V, I) into your phone so it can work its magic?
Jan
Jan
By wireless.....
A computer is only a computer and it process only the data that you fill in. All the modern test equipments have processors, computing power, BUT these computing power do not do the measurements, it only present it in a nice way easy to interpret. The interfaces, most of them with a lot of analog procesing, prepare the data to be acquired in a digital forme and to be ready to be processed by the processors. The digital procesing is cheap but the analog front end preparing of the input signals is were you can see the big differences between cheap equipments and the high-end equipments.
A phone is only a phone.
A computer is only a computer and it process only the data that you fill in. All the modern test equipments have processors, computing power, BUT these computing power do not do the measurements, it only present it in a nice way easy to interpret. The interfaces, most of them with a lot of analog procesing, prepare the data to be acquired in a digital forme and to be ready to be processed by the processors. The digital procesing is cheap but the analog front end preparing of the input signals is were you can see the big differences between cheap equipments and the high-end equipments.
A phone is only a phone.
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I could be wrong, but I suspect Mr Jackson may not grasp the core concept.
Knowing the formula for Ohms law is one thing.
Understanding how to put it into practice is another.
Interpreting and understanding the results is the end goal.
Doing this for 50 years, well, great, but, doing what ?
What processor did they use in the meters when you where taught Ohms law ?
Time and time again I come up against people that are licenced in their respective fields, yet they have no clue about what causes the things they work with to do the things the devices do.
I tried to help.
Not all are able or willing to accept or understand the help offered.
Good luck in your search for your unicorn rainbows.
Knowing the formula for Ohms law is one thing.
Understanding how to put it into practice is another.
Interpreting and understanding the results is the end goal.
Doing this for 50 years, well, great, but, doing what ?
What processor did they use in the meters when you where taught Ohms law ?
Time and time again I come up against people that are licenced in their respective fields, yet they have no clue about what causes the things they work with to do the things the devices do.
I tried to help.
Not all are able or willing to accept or understand the help offered.
Good luck in your search for your unicorn rainbows.
I have no opinion on this, but if 20 years ago someone would have told me you could take a picture, send it almost anywhere in the world, while listening to music, tracking my heart rate and global position with a device that also makes phone calls and fits in my pocket…
With some sort of a dongle or wireless interface. The people criticizing the idea thinking you will have a wired connection are missing the utility of the phone. You could put it on the shelf and measure anywhere in the room.
The dongle is the important bit, you could use different ones for different purposes. For example temperature, RPM, SPL, … all kinds of fun stuff.
I agree the interface is key, and a crappy interface delivers crappy data.
A phone is not only a phone! Mine is a portable DAW, an audio recorder and analyzer, a guitar effects board, a camera with photo and movie processors, a music server, a gaming device, an electronic newspaper, a rocket flight simulator, and so much more. A modern smartphone is an amazingly powerful computer in a small package.
Don’t go away mad, just go away.
You have been no help whatsoever and your arrogant condescending tone is simply uncalled for.
If you are such a genius and know everything about electricity and measuring it, why don’t you share your knowledge instead of patronizing the curious by implying they are stupid.
I don’t need your kind of help. Go annoy someone else.
Well after all of your naysaying Jan Didden went and found one. I don’t know if it’s useful or not, that was kind of the genesis of my question, has anyone found one and actually used it for anything. Call me crazy but I think it could be useful.
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You are so hung up on your phone you completely misjudge the crucial bit. Everybody and his aunt can write an app for the phone. The Moosi meter is basically a multimeter with a bluetooth link instead of a display. You spend so much time talking about a project you will never finish, while you could have been measuring for weeks. If you would have done any actual measurements you would have realized that the ability to remote the display/phone is of no value whatsoever. You want to measure your amp on a bench and get up all the time to read the voltage on the phone in the kitching? It will give you great physical fitness, I give you that 😎
What do you think would be a use case for that Mooshi meter?
Jan
That was uncalled for. Nobody called you stupid. But there are obvious lacks in your knowledge (as is the case for all of us) and you might benefit form reviewing the comments.
Jan
I asked,”Does anyone have a recommendation for a multimeter app for an ipad?”
So, these type of multimeters exist, there is software for the iPhone, someone is buying it and using it. it’s not my project, someone has already brought it to market.
I was asking if anyone has used it and if they have a recommendation for one. I’m not asking if it’s possible, it clearly is. I’m asking if anyone has tried it and found it useful. The impression I get from most of the comments is absolutely no one wants to try and use it because it’s a ‘stupid idea in the first place.‘ Which it may be, but the only way to find out is to actually use one.
Use case is explained on the website; you can make two simultaneous measurements, it uses a 24 bit ADC for higher precision measurements. Personally, I have no use for it. But, like many in these threads I’m a techno-geek and interested in new technologies.
Sorry, but he wasn’t helpful in any way. I didn’t expect a Spanish Inquisition. I asked a simple question and he chose to interrogate me about how multimeters work, which is irrelevant to my original question. All I want to know is if anyone found phone multimeters useful, and if so, can they recommend one. I don’t need a primer on multimeters, USAF gave me that in ‘84.
Sometimes it is important to understand where people come from, what their expertise is, before you can give a sensible recommendation.
If you don't understand how resistance measurements work, it will be hard to judge the merits of a specific reommendation.
I know you know that to measure an R you use two probes on the R and read off the resistance, but that is not the question.
Anyway, I'll bow out now. Good luck.
Jan
If you don't understand how resistance measurements work, it will be hard to judge the merits of a specific reommendation.
I know you know that to measure an R you use two probes on the R and read off the resistance, but that is not the question.
Anyway, I'll bow out now. Good luck.
Jan
That´s a quintessential example of the sillyness involved with the original concept.
Let me give you a perfect analogy: next time your home catches fire, let Firemen run a "Fire extinguishing App" on their IPhones, instead of messing with antiquated water and hoses.
Some people don´t grasp the essential difference between the Virtual and the Real World.
Or between Software and Hardware.