Ethernet or USB interface

[AlfBaz]

I'm building a controller for a toaster oven and was wanting to get a general vibe off people as to what you think would be the preferred interface. Ethernet, USB or maybe neither, just a couple of buttons and an LCD.

So far I'm thinking Ethernet. Less pissing around on the PC or tablet and it would allow me to have the oven running in the garage and monitor it from inside without having to have the PC running, plus I've had more experience with embedded ethernet than I have with USB.

Having said that I still would like to hear what others think in case there are advantages or disadvantages that I havn't considered

Thanks

[nighthawke]

Have you thought about zigbee or BT instead? Something wireless instead of stringing cable.

[Precisiontools]

Just for yourself? Ethernet.

Marketable product? Keep it simple to set-up for the masses...USB

[AlfBaz]

Have you thought about zigbee or BT instead? Something wireless instead of stringing cable.

I hadn't considered those but I had considered wireless in that via ethernet I could plug it into a router with wireless capabilities and access it that way. I have made boards that are accessable over the internet which means there's no reason why I could access it via a smartphone in a browser.

At this point blue tooth and zigbee would only be benificial in adding another comms method to my arsenal of "stuff that I can do"...

[AlfBaz]

Just for yourself? Ethernet.

Marketable product? Keep it simple to set-up for the masses...USB

hmmm I did think that if it was successfull I could at least open source it (ie dump the design files somewhere public)
As for marketable the problem I have with USB is having to create an application with drivers to manage the data. At this stage I would have to consider the different OS's out there.

Further more with the massive take up of tablets and smartphones, the majority of which don't even have readily available OTG, is USB loosing its relevance?

[amyk]

RS-232

[firewalker]

RS-232

Over Wi-Fi! (about 30 USD) 

Alexander.

[westfw]

USB is a peripheral interface, and it connects your device to a computer.
Ethernet is a network interface, and it connects your device to a network, theoretically allowing any device on the network to talk to it.  (For better or worse.)

I would vote for ethernet.  Or some other network interface like the wireless (Bluetooth, WiFi) suggestions.  The cost of wireless interfaces keeps going down, and is (paradoxically?) somewhat independent of "technology" at the DIY level.  (That is, a BT module, a Zigbee module, and a WiFi module are all pretty similar in price.)

[peter.mitchell]

RS-232 over bluetooth. The modules are cheap, its easy to set up, offers easy isolation (its wireless, duh), very common (and if the desktop/laptop doenst have it, the usb bluetooth dongles are cheap as chips), it's pretty low power, RS-232 means it's easy to implement stuff for it.

[AlfBaz]

I wonder if the scr triggering will affect any of the comms (EMP?). I may have to opt for zero crossing switching as opposed to phase angle triggering