chatillion 71M
2289 posts
3/16/2014 5:44 pm
Analog versus Digital...


More and more products on the market are becoming digital.
I bought a car a few months ago and many of the things that used to be mechanical (analog) have been replaced with electro-mechanical (digital) controls.
Very few controls are 100% mechanical.
On my old car, when I stepped on the accelerator, it moved a cable that went to the carburetor that moved a control to the fuel injector. 100% mechanical.
My new car is completely different. The accelerator, is a sensor that transmits a digital signal to a computer. The computer determines the speed (and other factors) then transmits control to the carburetor system. If I 'slam on the gas' there is a good chance the computer will pull back the control because it's programmed to be fuel efficient. The result is 'lunging' where you feel the short acceleration then the power drops making the car have a jerking motion. I don't like it and the service adviser at the dealer tells me there is no adjustment to change this.
I know why car manufacturers do it, but I don't like it.
Analog versus Digital... analog gets my vote!

beyondfantasy3 113M
4740 posts
3/19/2014 4:06 am

Maybe some things should not be digitized. Most of the cars now are built in a ways to be a deterrent to people working on their own cars.
I grew up as a kid and learned how to work on cars, I could rebuild any part that I wanted to work on. Today, I won't even attempt to change my Spark Plugs. I am taking my car to the shop today, they want $400 for what they call a Tune Up, which is nothing more than 'Changing the Spark Plugs".. Anything else is an extra service.. I think its almost crazy, but its very difficult to get to the plugs without the familiarity with the particular vehicle and what ever tools they use to get past certain things.

I have a cousin who builds custom cars and trucks, he does not like to do anything with new cars, but the older cars he strips them down to the frame and build it back up, he's been doing this for nearly 45-50 yrs.

Speaking of Analog:

I was reading about Vinyl Records, the articles was discussing how the sound is much smoother than the digital. although it will not handle as much Bass or Treble as Digital but, over-all they claim it is a much more rounded out sound.


chatillion 71M
1567 posts
3/21/2014 3:43 pm

I'm not saying that 'globally' I dislike digital.
We all know vinyl records have a warm sound to the ear that cannot be matched by CD or DVD format. Yes, the digital signals have a wider frequency response and you can easily edit digital music similar to the way you edit pictures in Photoshop.
Musical purists are actually keeping vinyl records alive... in small quantities.