Why Organizations Choose ATEK Over Onset HOBO
When Dr. Dave L. MacFarlane founded Onset Computer Corporation in 1981 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, he created something the research world had never seen: affordable, deployable data loggers that academic budgets could actually afford. The HOBO brand became synonymous with field data collection, cited in thousands of published studies and deployed in universities worldwide. After LI-COR Biosciences acquired Onset in December 2022, the company gained environmental science credibility but maintained its research-first DNA. For organizations that have outgrown research-grade logging and need continuous, compliant monitoring, the question is whether a platform built for field scientists can deliver what regulated facilities require — or whether the InTemp pharma pivot bridges that gap.
Understanding Onset HOBO
Onset Computer Corporation has operated from Bourne, Massachusetts (Cape Cod) since its founding in 1981. For over four decades, the HOBO brand defined the affordable data logger market. HOBO loggers became the default tool in university labs, ecological research stations, and building energy audits — anywhere researchers needed temperature, humidity, or light data without enterprise budgets.
The product portfolio has grown into distinct lines: HOBO MX-series (Bluetooth wireless loggers for research), HOBO UX-series (USB-download loggers), RX3000 weather stations, and the separately branded InTemp CX-series designed specifically for pharmaceutical cold chain monitoring. Critically, these product lines operate on separate platforms — HOBOlink for HOBO loggers and InTempConnect for InTemp devices — with different cloud interfaces, different capabilities, and different compliance postures.
LI-COR Biosciences, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based environmental instrumentation company, acquired Onset in December 2022. The acquisition brought LI-COR’s reputation in gas analysis and environmental science but did not fundamentally change Onset’s dual-platform architecture or the InTemp line’s compliance limitations.
Onset HOBO’s recognized strengths include:
- Research Community Standard — The HOBO brand carries exceptional recognition in academic and research communities worldwide. Cited in thousands of peer-reviewed publications, HOBO loggers are the default choice for field researchers, ecology studies, and building performance monitoring where brand familiarity and institutional knowledge simplify procurement
- Affordable Entry Pricing — Starting around $60 for basic models and ranging to $250 for advanced Bluetooth MX-series units, HOBO loggers fit within grant-funded academic budgets. For organizations that need dozens of temporary monitoring points without capital expenditure approvals, Onset’s pricing is difficult to match
- Bluetooth Simplicity — The MX-series allows smartphone-based deployment and data readout over Bluetooth without IT infrastructure, software installation, or network configuration. A researcher can unbox a logger, pair it to a phone, and start collecting data in minutes
Common Challenges with Onset HOBO
Organizations evaluating or currently using Onset HOBO frequently encounter these considerations:
- Two platforms, two product lines, one company: Onset requires HOBOlink for HOBO research loggers and InTempConnect for InTemp pharma loggers. Organizations monitoring both research freezers and GMP storage areas must maintain two separate cloud platforms, two sets of credentials, two alert configurations, and two reporting workflows — from the same vendor
- USB download dependency on most loggers: Outside the Bluetooth MX series, HOBO UX-series and U-series loggers require physical connection to a computer running HOBOware desktop software to retrieve data. This creates hours or days of data latency, gaps in monitoring continuity, and manual workflows that are difficult to defend in a regulated audit
- InTemp is not full 21 CFR Part 11: While Onset markets the InTemp line as “designed for FDA compliance,” InTempConnect does not provide electronic signatures and offers only partial audit trail functionality. For facilities subject to FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, the InTemp line falls short of what auditors expect for electronic records and signatures
- NIST-traceable calibration only: Onset offers NIST-traceable calibration as an extra-cost service, but this is not the same as A2LA-accredited or ISO 17025-accredited calibration. Quality teams at regulated facilities increasingly require accredited calibration certificates, not just traceability statements
- Limited alerting capabilities: HOBO MX-series loggers provide basic Bluetooth-range notifications through the HOBOnet app, but phone call alerts, multi-channel escalation rules, and configurable alarm acknowledgment workflows are not available across the HOBO product line. InTemp provides some alert functionality through InTempConnect, but again as a separate system
How ATEK Addresses These Needs
Full 21 CFR Part 11 From the Core, Not a Side Brand: Where Onset created InTemp as a separate product line to address pharma requirements — with its own loggers, its own cloud platform, and its own limitations — ATEK’s compliance capabilities are native to the core platform. Electronic signatures, complete audit trails, ALCOA+ data integrity, and automated compliance reporting are built in, not bolted on. For organizations managing both research environments and GxP areas, one platform covers both without splitting across HOBOlink and InTempConnect.
One Platform Replacing Two: The operational burden of managing HOBOlink and InTempConnect as parallel systems — duplicate alert configurations, separate user accounts, two different reporting interfaces — disappears with ATEK’s unified cloud platform. Every monitoring point, whether in a research lab or a validated cold storage room, reports to a single dashboard with consistent alerting, reporting, and compliance documentation.
A2LA-Accredited Calibration With Documentation: Onset’s NIST-traceable calibration service is adequate for research applications but raises questions in regulated audits where accredited calibration is expected. ATEK’s in-house A2LA-accredited calibration lab provides accredited certificates, included in pricing, with full NIST-traceable documentation. For Canadian facilities, the local lab eliminates the cross-border shipping that US-based calibration services require.
Continuous Monitoring Replacing Manual Downloads: Organizations using HOBO UX or U-series loggers know the routine: walk to each logger, connect via USB, launch HOBOware, download data, repeat. ATEK’s 30-second wireless data intervals replace this manual workflow with continuous cloud-synced monitoring. Six months of local data storage ensures zero data loss during network outages, and multi-channel alerting (phone calls, SMS, email) with escalation rules means excursions are detected in seconds, not discovered hours later during a manual download round.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Onset HOBO | ATEK | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research community recognition | Industry standard since 1981 | Growing | Onset HOBO |
| Per-unit hardware cost | $60-$250 per logger | Per-point pricing (all-inclusive) | Onset HOBO |
| Field research / weather stations | RX3000, U30 weather stations | Not offered | Onset HOBO |
| FDA 21 CFR Part 11 | Not available (InTemp: partial) | Full compliance | ATEK |
| Electronic signatures | Not available | Native | ATEK |
| Cloud platform unity | Two platforms (HOBOlink + InTempConnect) | Single platform | ATEK |
| Support availability | Business hours (M-F, 8-5 ET) | 24/7/365, 5-minute guarantee | ATEK |
| Calibration accreditation | NIST-traceable | A2LA-accredited in-house | ATEK |
| Bilingual support (EN/FR) | Not available | Montreal-based, native French | ATEK |
Who Benefits Most from Switching
- HOBOlink or InTempConnect customers tired of managing two platforms who want a single cloud-native system for both research and regulated monitoring environments rather than maintaining parallel Onset ecosystems
- Facilities using HOBO UX/U-series USB loggers ready to eliminate manual download workflows and move to continuous real-time monitoring with automated alerting, especially those where data gaps from USB-dependent loggers have created audit findings or near-misses
- Organizations that adopted InTemp for pharma but discovered its compliance limitations — missing electronic signatures, incomplete audit trails, and no IQ/OQ/PQ documentation — and need a platform that delivers full 21 CFR Part 11 compliance without workarounds
Making the Transition
Switching from Onset HOBO to ATEK accounts for the reality that many organizations have a mix of HOBO loggers, InTemp devices, and potentially both HOBOlink and InTempConnect subscriptions:
- Inventory and mapping — We catalog your current Onset deployment: HOBO logger models and locations, InTemp CX-series positions, HOBOlink configurations, InTempConnect alert rules, and any HOBOware desktop software installations still in use for USB-download loggers
- Parallel deployment — ATEK wireless sensors install alongside existing HOBO and InTemp hardware. Both systems run simultaneously during the validation period. For USB-dependent loggers being replaced, ATEK sensors begin capturing continuous data immediately, demonstrating the improvement from periodic manual downloads to 30-second intervals
- Compliance bridge — For InTemp positions that lacked full 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, ATEK’s validation team provides IQ/OQ/PQ documentation demonstrating that the new monitoring meets regulatory requirements the InTemp line could not fully satisfy. This documentation is included, not billed separately
- Platform consolidation — Once validated, HOBOlink subscriptions, InTempConnect subscriptions, and HOBOware licenses are retired. A single ATEK platform replaces what was previously two (or three) separate Onset systems, with 24/7 support during the first 30 days post-migration
When Onset HOBO May Be the Right Fit
Onset HOBO is the stronger choice for organizations whose primary need is affordable, accessible data logging for research and academic applications. University labs, ecological field studies, building energy audits, and grant-funded research projects benefit from HOBO’s low per-unit cost, Bluetooth simplicity, and decades of institutional familiarity. The HOBO brand’s recognition in peer-reviewed publications and the research community is genuine and well-earned. Organizations with no regulatory compliance requirements and no need for real-time continuous monitoring may find HOBO loggers deliver exactly what they need at a price point that is hard to beat.
When ATEK Is the Better Choice
Choose ATEK when you need:
- Full FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance that InTemp’s partial implementation cannot deliver — electronic signatures, complete audit trails, and ALCOA+ data integrity
- A single unified platform replacing the HOBOlink/InTempConnect split, with consistent alerting and reporting across all monitoring points
- Continuous 30-second monitoring replacing manual USB download workflows from HOBO UX and U-series loggers
- A2LA-accredited calibration included in pricing, rather than Onset’s extra-cost NIST-traceable-only calibration service
- Bilingual support from a Montreal-based team for Quebec and Canadian facilities, with Canadian data hosting and PIPEDA compliance
Start with a free assessment to see how ATEK’s unified platform compares against your current HOBO and InTemp deployment costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ATEK provide the same research-grade logging as HOBO?
ATEK’s platform provides continuous environmental monitoring with 30-second data intervals, which exceeds what most HOBO loggers capture in terms of data density and real-time availability. For standard research applications — temperature, humidity, differential pressure — ATEK provides equivalent or superior data collection. However, HOBO offers specialized weather station products (RX3000, U30) and field-specific form factors that ATEK does not replicate. For pure field research with no compliance requirements, HOBO’s affordable pricing and Bluetooth simplicity remain well-suited.
Is ATEK FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliant unlike Onset’s InTemp line?
Yes. ATEK provides native FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance including electronic signatures, complete audit trails, ALCOA+ data integrity, and automated compliance reporting. Onset’s InTemp line is marketed as “designed for FDA compliance” but does not include electronic signatures and offers only partial audit trail functionality through InTempConnect. For facilities subject to Part 11 requirements, ATEK satisfies what InTemp cannot.
How long does it take to migrate from HOBO loggers to ATEK?
Migration timeline depends on the complexity of your Onset deployment. Organizations with a few dozen HOBO MX or InTemp loggers typically complete the transition within 2-4 weeks including parallel operation and validation. Larger deployments with a mix of USB loggers, Bluetooth units, HOBOlink subscriptions, and InTempConnect accounts may take 4-8 weeks. The parallel operation period ensures continuous monitoring throughout the migration.
What happens to data stored in HOBOlink and InTempConnect?
Historical data in HOBOlink and InTempConnect can be exported before cancelling subscriptions. For USB-dependent loggers, data stored locally in HOBOware can be exported as CSV files. ATEK’s migration team assists with data retention planning to ensure compliance archive requirements are met. During parallel operation, both systems capture data simultaneously, maintaining continuous documentation through the transition.
Can ATEK replace both HOBO and InTemp with a single platform?
Yes. One of the primary reasons organizations switch from Onset to ATEK is to eliminate the dual-platform burden. ATEK’s single cloud platform handles both research-grade monitoring and GxP-compliant pharmaceutical monitoring from one dashboard, with one set of alert configurations, one reporting interface, and one user management system — replacing what required HOBOlink and InTempConnect as separate Onset systems.
Is ATEK more expensive than HOBO loggers?
HOBO loggers have a lower per-unit hardware cost ($60-$250) compared to ATEK’s all-inclusive per-monitoring-point pricing. However, the total cost comparison should include HOBOlink or InTempConnect subscription fees (~$70/year per logger), NIST-traceable calibration costs (billed separately), HOBOware Pro software licenses, validation documentation (not provided by Onset), and the operational labor of manual USB downloads for non-Bluetooth models. ATEK’s pricing bundles hardware, cloud platform, A2LA-accredited calibration, IQ/OQ/PQ documentation, training, and 24/7 support. Request a demo for a side-by-side cost comparison based on your specific deployment size.