The Powenetics Control/Monitoring Software
Designing and developing an application for the Powenetics system was especially easy because Tinkerforge makes APIs available for all popular programming languages. The software is mostly intended for advanced users, so it has to provide plenty of information. And all of that data has to be presented in an intuitive way.
The Basic Version Of The Powenetics Application
The Powenetics app's first tab is devoted to GPU monitoring...
There are several options on this page, along with lots of information about what's happening on every rail feeding the graphics card with power. The averaged values are stored for 15 minutes, after which the cache is flushed to keep the application running smoothly. Great attention was paid to optimizing the program's functions and routines, allowing it to run as quickly as possible for fast data collection. In fact, once you start logging, the corresponding tab remains empty to prioritize measurement performance. The charting function is also enabled on demand to minimize system utilization.
Since GPU-Z is one of the best monitoring tools for graphics cards nowadays, it's no surprise that the utility's sensor read-outs are integrated, as well. GPU-Z features a shared memory layout, meaning that other programs can use its measurements. As a result, the logging function is able to pull from the Tinkerforge sensors and GPU-Z's vital information simultaneously.
Basic Vs. Enhanced Version Of The Powenetics Application
Differences between the basic and enhanced versions of the Powenetics app are summarized in the table below:
| Features | Basic Version | Enhanced Version |
|---|---|---|
| GPU Power Measurements | Yes | Yes |
| CPU Power Measurements | No | Yes |
| SSD/HDD Power Measurements | Yes | Yes |
| Number Of Supported Sensors (Max) | 8 | 10 |
As you can see, the enhanced version's major addition is support for CPU power measurements with logging and charting capabilities. Because this involves reading from up to two EPS cables, the enhanced version needs 10 Tinkerforge Voltage/Current Bricklets, along with three Master Bricks, to be fully functional.
The following footage shows the Powenetics system in action.
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