Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration data collection method and apparatus. The invention includes processes of receiving electrical vibration signals from at least one vibration sensor, digitizing the electrical vibration signals to obtain digitized vibration signals, calculating the average of the digitized vibration signals over a predetermined period, and storing the average in a storage device. The processes above are repeated to provide a history of averages. When vibration data recording is requested, the invention proceeds to check the history of averages to determine if the averages within a time period are substantially equal to one another within a tolerance. If the averages are within the tolerance, the digitized vibration signals are recorded.