Regarding accelerometers and am making an effort to put together a simple indoor like Pneumatic and electric  diaphragm pumps, single axis drop testing apparatus to do some tests. I think I have the hardware parts identified which will be compatible. I still need the data acquisition software to give me the readings of the Gs at impact. I don't think they'll be much higher than 200g. The only software I've found is at least several hundred $ and provides much more than I need now.
Sensors give analogical signals (ex: 0-5 Volts for 0-200g) that must be converted to digital  signal if you want to use it with your PC. You can use either an acquisition board/box that usually comes with software (found a nice one with multiple channels that was USB connected but $$$) or you can use the sound card on your PC and homemade soft for simple applications like yours.
Getting the signal could be done using C++ and you can then build a text simple file or even use it as a function in Excel I think. Nice project for a EIT.

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