Analog vs Digital control panels

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Just wondering what everyones take on this is?   The trend on most welders from various brands seems to be go digital..  I however, Prefer Analog.   Having Just got my Lincoln V205T which is Digital except for the main control knob, I definitely prefer Analog.   with all Analog I can see all my settings at the same time instead of having to scroll through a list, they are easier to adjust esp with gloves on,  those stupid little red lights are difficult to see on my lincoln.. Red is a very dark almost black color to those of us with partial color blindness...  A digital display for volts/amps/ wire speed is great but prefer everything else on old fashioned knobs and switches.   for example I think the Everlast control panel on say a 200/250 TIG machine is much more user friendly and a better layout than say my V205T.. or the Miller Dynasty 200 (just examples as they are all similar function/power machines) however seems Everlast is doing the same bandwagon thing moving to digital control panels...  Any Digital Lovers here???Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:i have mostly digital now.i dont mind it. in fact i dont see how it can be worse than analog.I can do something on my TB302 at say 85 amps and go do the same process/ position in the shop on my TA 300 and it works out the same for me.i remember using analog lincolns in the 80's that the number didnt mean anything on. You made your own marks on each machine.G
Reply:Hmmm, I think about this subject often and frankly I come down somewhere in the middle. I have 2 machines similar to yours- a Lincoln V-200T, which is totally analog and is the older version of your V205T, and a snazzy new Power Wave C300, a pulse-MIG machine which a Lincoln engineer told me is "basically a computer that welds".   I agree with you about the directness and simplicity of analog controls but: the V200-T has 8 knobs and 3 toggle switches and plenty of fine print labeling the functions of each! I know pretty much what each control does but to change a parameter I have to squint at the knob (which is too small to adjust with gloves on) and the legend around it to set it accurately.   The C300, like most modern machines, has a digital display and a menu system accessed by push buttons. It has 3 knobs (larger but still small if you're wearing heavy gloves), 2 of which adjust the parameters of whatever welding mode the machine is in. The menu system can, of course, be annoying and distracting but if all the settable parameters had their own knob it would probably have 50 of the damned things    Once you get use to it, the menus become second nature but if I didn't use the machine for some weeks or months I'm sure I would have to re-learn some of it. So count me as maybe not a digital lover but a digital acceptor. Your V205T can do a lot of things my old machine can't, and with more precision; the "fiddliness" of the interface is the price you pay. Digital technology is still relatively new, and they're obviously still figuring it out  . Hopefully one day a happy medium will be reached and these machines will be powerful, flexible, AND easy to use!A few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:If I could the indicator LED's and digital readout in blue or white it would help..I agree that if you are going to use analog controls then they need to be accurate.  so if the range is 20%  to 70% then half way between needs to be 45%  .  here is another idea.  when you move a setting on the analog control it temporarily displays the value on the digital readout.  Most Automotive stuff now uses AD counts that coverts an analog position to a digital value.   So in essence its digital control with analog knobs..Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Digital read out with analog control.     I like to set it with a nob but read it digitally and recall it.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Well I have to admit that I am a partial convert to digital.   My Lincoln SP250 now I have used it a while just rocks.    5 memory locations, a Full TEXT screen that is easy to read.   3 rows of up and down arrows under the word describing what they do is super simple and convenient.   Also being able to preselect wire type, gas type and wire thickness is nice.   The button on the torch let u change any one of the setting on the fly while welding...  Other option is to use button to quick change between 2 presaved settings.   Doing a bunch of 12 ga and 1/4 together u can select the setting from the gun...  No knobs at all and a very well laid out interface.   However as more and more machines are coming out digital I gotta bitch about the tiny print on the buttons.   Havi8ng only one or 2 buttons and always needing to scroll through everything .. NO Memory spots.. (as in my V205T).  Biggest grip the tiny red, orange, yellow LED's and number readouts that are near impossible to see in the sun and even worse for Color blind folks. 10% of population.  Can't see difference between yellow red orange etc...  With all the technology why don't the put a discriptive text screen on all these machines?     see example below of my SP250 Attached ImagesTiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Let me guess, your a huge 8 track fan.
Reply:Originally Posted by Showdog75Let me guess, your a huge 8 track fan.
Reply:Hello soutthpaw, please allow me to give you a slightly different take on your question. If you are a home welder or hobbyist the controls issue is likely more a matter of personal preference. If, on the other hand, you are a welder who is required to abide by codes and other restrictions/parameters, then the digital is in many cases, the predominant way to go.When a shop develops a WPQR(welding procedure qualification record), they rely upon the information that is used to develop this document from their test machine to be accurate and repeatable(calibration to national standards, NIST comes to mind). This can be accomplished very readily with most machines that are digitally equipped, analogue machines on the other hand can present more of a challenge. Machines that have neither a digital meter or an analogue type one are essentially void of the ability to be calibrated as their settings are very generic and often change considerably if the machine is capable of being used on different voltages or phases(single or three phase). When all of this really comes into play is when you are using one machine somewhere and have success with it and then you go elsewhere and expect to be able to achieve the same success with a different machine. Often you really have to "experiment" with the settings and rely on your own memory to come up with like welding results. Not always the best approach if the results are critical for any reason. Load banking and testing with equipment that has been calibrated to national standards would allow you to achieve much more accurated results in any situation that requires use of equipment other than the originals that were used to develop a particular procedure. I apologize if this seems to have gotten off topic, yet, informationally some folks might find this useful. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:I like having. Wire speed , volts, amps displays,  my point is that I don't like the way its all laid out on many machines.  Just wich they would do a better job on the interface.  Like I sad, I love my SP250 layout.  Plus there is a tachometer on the drive motor so I know the readout is accurate...   I am sure some of the folks that use magnifier lenses would have some similar issues with the trend to tiny displays , idiot lights.  Graphic repsentations esp on TIG machines..    Just saying there is a better way to do it..Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:I just got into this discussion with the guy in the miller booth at fabtech with there new passport replacement with  MIG, TIG, and Stick built in.It has a fancy LCD display on the front that will display the settings and what not but the first thing i can think is how long is that $400+ dollar screen going to last rattling around in the back of my service truck?   Not very would be my guess...  So completely ignore my above posts as im a solid analog man now.That was my major turn off to the unit or i would have bought one when i got back.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawI like having. Wire speed , volts, amps displays,  my point is that I don't like the way its all laid out on many machines.  Just wich they would do a better job on the interface.  Like I sad, I love my SP250 layout.  Plus there is a tachometer on the drive motor so I know the readout is accurate...   I am sure some of the folks that use magnifier lenses would have some similar issues with the trend to tiny displays , idiot lights.  Graphic repsentations esp on TIG machines..    Just saying there is a better way to do it..
Reply:Machines like the Powerwave C-300 are light years ahead on the older key pad setting. Nice to use too. Very easy to set in mild steel welding. Really fast to get up and welding then even a Migmaster 250 with taps. Just have to wait for machine to boot..I generally like a machine I can adjust voltage, and wire-feed, via digital meter using a knob to do so. Still digital, but a knob making the adjustments One feature that is nice would be volt and amp hold after. welding. Touch the knob, and it goes back to WFS,and voltage.Esab Caddy Mig 200 has that.I do like Digital Meters on a Plasma cutter for CNC use. Nice to set air, and voltage exactly the same each time. The Thermal machines are somewhat crude by guessing what you have.Last edited by Brand X; 11-17-2012 at 02:45 PM.Esab/Lorch ET-220iEsab 160i caddyThermal LM-200 Lincoln feedersThermal Pee-Wee 85sThermal 60i- 3phase /RPC powered (Beast)Thermal Drag-gun 35CINE 1500 Klutch 140i