La Crosse Technology S88907
- Value
- Design
- Functionality
- Durability
- Usability
Summary
Pros
- Full-color display
- Accurate timekeeper
- Alarm clock setting
- Easy installation
- Very affordable
Cons
- Batteries not included
- No USB port
- Short transmission distance
The La Crosse Technology S88907 is an affordable and durable weather station that allows the user to stay updated with weather conditions. It offers animated color forecast and is equipped with real-time weather information.
It is ideal for keeping in the home to know about the indoor dryness or humidity so that the user can keep the home environment at a comfortable level. You can easily measure the humidity and indoor/outdoor temperature and keep the min/max records. It is an excellent weather station with easy-to-read displays and a user-friendly interface.
Types of Instruments and Sensors
The La Crosse Technology weather station is equipped with a barometer and thermometers to record the indoor and outdoor measurements. These instruments use various animated weather icons to display the weather condition and forecast the upcoming weather.
According to the manufacturer, the forecast is around 70-75% accurate and that is enough to get a good weather forecast. The device needs a few weeks to learn about the weather condition. When it reaches the stable state, it starts predicting accurately.
The S88907 uses a remote sensor to measure the temperature and pressure. There is a barometric sensor for collecting the pressure information and temperature sensor to record the temperature. When the information is collected, it is transferred to the display unit which can be observed by the user.
The device doesn’t include any anemometer, rain gauge, or other measuring tools and its functioning depends only on the sensors mentioned before. These sensors have the following range of prediction or forecasting:
- Indoor temperature range: 0°Celsius to 50°Celsius
- Outdoor temperature range: 40°Celsius to 60°Celsius
- Humidity range: 1% to -99% (RH)
Mode of Transmission
The La Crosse Technology S88907 uses a wireless mode of transmission for weather prediction and forecast. The transmission is done at 433 MHz, and the remote can be used to control the unit at a distance of up to 91 meters (300 ft). Sometimes, the distance of the remote from the display unit effects the mode of transmission of the device.
As the device is wireless, the good thing is that you don’t need to connect a cable which could create clutter. The sensor, thus, transmits the data wirelessly to the display unit which can be viewed in the form of readings on the all-in-one display unit.
It is recommended to install the remote sensor in the backyard so that it easily transmits real-time weather data. It depends on how your house is constructed, but the best idea is to install the remote sensor at a location where it can easily read the weather data. Also, make sure that the remote sensor is not directly exposed to the sunlight and is installed in a shaded area.
Display Properties
The display of the S88907 is a colored one and looks very prominent. The atomic clock on the display features 7 different time zones, which are AST, EST, CST, MST, PST, AKST, and HAST. Other than these time zones, there is no guarantee of the proper functioning of this device.
The time on the display can be chosen as either a 24-hour format or a 12-hour one with am and pm settings. The atomic clock is a WWVB one and is set to the atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado. To the right of the atomic clock is a calendar display that allows the user to learn about the day and month.
If you have set the alarm too, it will show up as a small alarm icon on the display. At the bottom of the display, there is a forecast tendency icon which is present in an animated form. There is a remote temperature setting below this icon and an option for indoor temperature setting too. The display consists of six animated weather forecast icons, which are sunny, partly sunny, cloudy, rainy, stormy, and snowy.
The weather station shows the barometric pressure every 12 minutes, and the temperature humidity icons are updated every half hour. The bottom of the front-facing plate has the temperature alerts which you have set for yourself. You can easily set the low or high-temperature alert if you want to.
Power Source
This weather station uses 3 AAA batteries and comes with a 5.0V AC power adapter. You can easily plug the adapter into the electrical outlets to charge it. For indoor purposes, most of the users prefer using the AC supply at all times instead of using it wirelessly. This is because wireless use can cause the battery to drain and it can shut down anytime. The adapter can be used with a 120V socket only. The power cable is around 3 feet long and the brick of the adapter is about the size of a smartphone.
The remote of the weather station is powered by 2 AA batteries. AA batteries don’t work as efficiently in lower temperatures as lithium batteries, so care should be taken if you live in a region with very low temperatures.
Software
The La Crosse Technology S88907 has no software connected to it and thus, it cannot allow the data to be transferred to other platforms. The data is, however, stored in a non-volatile memory that refreshes frequently to keep more data coming. Hence, even if your battery dies, you don’t have to worry about the data as it is saved in the non-volatile memory. This type of memory can be refreshed even if the power is out.
The weather station has no USB port and thus, it can’t be connected to any other weather collector or platform. Thus, you cannot connect the device to any other platform either wirelessly or through cable as there is no software available.
Pros
- The weather station has a quick and easy installation process as it uses a wireless method of the weather forecast
- It is very affordable
- The weather forecast feature is not available on all devices, and La Crosse Technology uses this feature at a reasonable price
- The temperature settings can either be shown in Celsius or Fahrenheit units
- The automatic daylight saving time updates save the power, and the WWVB self-setting date and time feature are also very handy
- There is a perpetual calendar available on the display that shows the day, month, and date
- To judge the sensor transmission, there is a signal strength icon present on the display that allows the user to check the transmission level
- The temperature alerts can be customized
- Based on the humidity level, you can easily set an indoor comfort level
- You can get data for min/max temperature and humidity
- There are battery low icon and heat index and dew point too
Cons
- There are no batteries included with the weather station
- The moving weather tendency icons are a bit distracting as they are constantly moving
- There is no USB port and thus, the device can’t be connected to any other platform
- No software available for the device
- It is very hard to view in the day and when looked at from different angles
- The brightness level starts fading from the display fast
- The remote sensor can lose transmission when the distance is long
- There are some reports of lag time when the device is providing accurate readings
Customer Reviews
According to some customers, the display light of the device lights up for a few seconds and then the brightness diminishes. Also, the display is easy to view when you look at it straight but difficult to read when viewed from an angle.
Most of the customers have stated that the unit is very easy to mount and install, and they find it very convenient if placed on a desk or the top of a cupboard or shelf. However, if the display unit is placed too high, it gets difficult to read.
According to some customers, if the display unit is mounted somewhere, it gets difficult to access the hi/low temp, dew point, and brightness buttons because they are present on the right side. Hence, If it’s possible, connect the device to a power supply using the cord so that you can enjoy an uninterrupted weather forecast.
FINAL THOUGH
Overall, the La Crosse Technology S88907 weather station is perfect as it comes with a very affordable price tag and is equipped with lots of handy features. Most of the customer reviews for this device are positive as it is easy to install and use.
Though it doesn’t include the instruments and software support, it has sensors to report accurate weather readings to the user. Whether you are planning to have a weather station for indoor purposes or going to have on for a short family trip, this device is a good one to go for.