The Problem With Analog Gauges | EMtron Driver Display [TECH TALK]

[@Alchemist37]

Just watching this video while sitting in a Nissan vanette doing a DPF regeneration at work. Great use of my time in my humble opinion 😎⌚👍🏻

[@RyTrapp0]

[ranty rant rant - apologies in advance LOL] There's no product market more frustrating for me than CAN-BUS digital dashes - all of these manufacturers are ignoring a SIGNIFICANT portion of the market. Is anyone aware of a CAN-BUS digital dash option that's actually large enough to be used as a dash/gauge pack(maybe 7"+? Not that pathetic little 3.5" thing Holley sells for $250), and doesn't cost LITERALLY as much as a standalone ECU kit? If I have a Haltech Elite 950 or Holley Terminator X, I shouldn't have to spend the same amount of money as the MSRP of these ECUs just to get a digital dash to pair with it, this stuff is getting absolutely ridiculous. When is a manufacturer going to choose to REMOVE unnecessary features like shift lights, physical buttons, included GPS, accelerometers, etc. to offer a stripped down budget model, instead of only ADDING more and more junk while raising the price with each 'feature'? There's the non-CAN digital dashes that are pretty cheap, but why would I want to wire all my sensors into the dash when I have a perfectly good ECU that obviously takes precedent over that information, and is capable of outputting it? These CAN digital dashes are EASILY the most overpriced products in the engine management market, there's nothing expensive about these - especially compared to an actual ECU. I struggle to buy the idea that we can make tablets and laptops that are larger, with higher quality screens, and are significantly more powerful than these digital dash products, for HALF the price and less, yet all of these digital dashes cost 4-digits(USD) or close to it. I mean, damn, it would be one thing if these digital dashes could be used for basic tuning adjustments with compatible ECUs, but of course they can't do something useful like that - nope, don't forget to buy a laptop/tablet to do that in addition to everything else you've bought up to this point. I mean, I get the difference in making mass produced laptops/tablets vs niche application digital dashes, but the raw materials in these simply aren't expensive. As far as I can tell, the only CAN-BUS digital dash that's vaguely affordable is Holley's older 7" for $650(as of today anyway), which is a pretty impressive price compared to most everything else on the market. But, how about one that loses crap like the accelerometer, data logging(why??? I already have an ECU that does that!!!) and it's SD card slot, aluminum housing(Holley ECUs have plastic housings, so...), USB support, etc. for, say, $400? After all, the screen only has 800x480 resolution, obviously that's one cheap part in this product. As it stands, I'm using a $200 Windows tablet-laptop thing(touch screen with removable keyboard, the lines are blurring) to both tune my Holley Terminator X, and use its generic on screen dash option as my digital dash(just need a basic mount to hold the tablet behind your steering wheel). For $200, I'm using a junk tier tablet-laptop to do more than I could do with one of these $1000+ digital dashes - in fact, I would still need the laptop to do all of the tuning even if I had a digital dash. Obviously Holley's on screen dash is basically not at all customizable, can't configure the gauges or warnings(easy solution - output of ECU to cheap LED light[s] mounted on dashboard, fully configurable in the ECU), obviously they want you to buy their overpriced digital dashes. But, they're going to have a hard time convincing me until either prices drop to sane levels(let's say $500 or less), or they allow me some legitimate level of tuning ability(no reason they can't have USB ports and mouse-keyboard support) through the dash.

[@gordowg1wg145]

Some good points raised there, but also missed a few that us old-school folks may be more familiar with. With guages it isn't uncommon to use the aircraft trick of orienting all gauges so all needles are straight up in normal use - even having the critical ones mounted directly in front of the driver with less important ones to the side. This means one will notice any variations immediately. These can be supplimented by using a warning light to bring attention to the gauge - pressure switches have been available for decades that are easily adjustable for their operating point, as have temperature switches. As one ages*, it can be more difficult to rapidly change focus and/or actually read a smaller display whereas a needle is easily registered by the eye. gauge needles are relatively stable compared to digital numbers which may be fluctuating and hard to read - some of you will have used DMMs and had this problem and got better results, in some applications, with an AVO. For older vehicles, gauges just look better. Several companies make gauges that can be operated from the CANBUS. HOWEVER, panels are lighter, easier to wire in if on a CANBUS with the ECU and/or PDU, can be configured to bring up specific issues, can be configured to bring up different screen configurations of information, can be colour coded for safe, warning, and critical conditions, etc. When considering how much GOOD gauges and senders cost, they can also be very good value for money. Some can also be used to alter the ECU maps, or swap between preset maps. As has been pointed out, for many their small size can be a problem, thought, as some manufactures limit their available displays' dimensions.

[@Tradeofjane]

The problem with digital gauges are that they consume more power and are difficulty to convert over to from analogue in an system with an ECU . For example, the OEM meter on my bike uses an analogue meter with a cable driven speedometer which also sends a speed signal pulse to the ECU. It's impossible to switch over to a digital sensor in my case and I could only use a digital gauge if I were to take apart the OEM gauge, take out the analogue speed sensor, custom make an enclosure for the sensor, and then add a second sensor so that the digital gauge can detect the speed.

[@hpa101]

The power draw is negeliable in the grand scheme. For setup, not impossible but depending on the application yes it can be more difficult on some than others. In your case if you find the complications of fitting one outweigh the benefits for you, that doesn't mean it's too hard for all, it's just not worth it for your requirements is all, and that's OK too - Taz.

[@zappy7393]

The problem with digital gauges... They cost more as much as the ECU itself.

[@Ashshaw54]

Buy a fueltech and you’ll get both lol

[@MattOstey]

But analogue is just so pretty

[@hpa101]

Can't argue with that - Taz.

[@mchristr]

The beauty of analog is that it gives perspective at a glance. You know instantly where you've been and where you're going.