Altimeter: digital or analog

[glgflyer 0]

I am about to buy a new altimeter. I wear glasses so I have to wear over-the-glass goggles. I have always used an altimaster II analog altimeter. I was wondering if a digital altimeter like the neptune or viso would possibly be easier to read in freefall or should I stay with what has worked for me for many years. Any pros and cons of going digital would be appreciated.

[idodsick 0]

cons-batteries(they can and will go dead)
pros-much more accurate plus a digital display, data logging
i love my viso and would recommend it.
i also have an analog but prefer digital.

the diamond can not be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

[councilman24 36]

You don't have to "read" the analog. Just know the needle position in relation to the altimeter and the color bands. I have mine chest mounted so that 3000 is straight out from my body instead of 0.

Digital more accurate? Maybe. A display with greater digits, yes. That doesn't necessarilty mean more accurate. Easier to read? Maybe. Like I said I don't necessarily always read my analog. I can and do read the numbers but don't have to to know I'm still high or low and the trees tell me when I'm real low.

But I'm an old fart. As a past collegue used to say often, "analog good, digital bad."

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Dan1 0]

I use both, analog for freefall and digital while I'm under canopy

I've seen a lot of people say the bad thing about digital is that "you have to read the display and process the numbers"....but it really isn't too complicated, I have a viso, and under 1,000 feet if it says "870", it doesn't take too much brain power to figure out what altitude that is, it would take me longer looking at the needle on an analog to figure out what altitude I'm at

[MakeItHappen 15]

Quote

I am about to buy a new altimeter. I wear glasses so I have to wear over-the-glass goggles. I have always used an altimaster II analog altimeter. I was wondering if a digital altimeter like the neptune or viso would possibly be easier to read in freefall or should I stay with what has worked for me for many years. Any pros and cons of going digital would be appreciated.

Both type of altimeters have approximately the same uncertainty in measuring altitude. It ranges from +-10 ft to +- 25 ft or so for most brands. The error depends on altitude. Usually there are larger errors at higher altitudes.

When reading the altimeter, digitals are easier to read accurately. Analogs really can't tell you the difference between 2000 ft and 2010 ft. That error adds to the error in the actual measurement.

The big disadvantage with digitals is the transposition of numbers that your mind might do. Some people are more prone to this than others. Many years ago I read a human factors paper that concluded that analog is better than digital, especially in high stress situations.

The big advantage of analog is the old adage that 'a picture is worth a thousand words'. A picture of your altitude is easier to comprehend than a number about your altitude. It takes longer to read a number and have your brain decide something than reading a picture (the needle is over here) and having your brain decide something. I read a study about an experiment where they flashed an altimeter to the obsever and then asked them to state the altitude. The analog readings were much more accurate. This was a study about aircraft altimeters. At one time there were thoughts of replacing AC analog altimeters with digital altimeters. Instead, they have added a second digital altimeter. The analog is still there.

Analogs also win out over digitals in ability to read under all lighting conditions and perspective. LCD displays have a very small range of viewing angles compared to analogs. If the sun hits the LCD at the right angle, it can render it unreadable.

For vision problems, the worse your eyesight is without corrective lenses, the more you should go with an analog altimeter.

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Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[aresye 0]

I can chime in on one definite advantage of digital over analog. If someone is wanting to get into high performance landings, then I'd say a digital would have to be a must.

For example, a person wanting to perform a 90 degree front onto final, they would first have to know how much altitude they will lose. Up high, when figuring out altitude loss, it's very hard to do with an analog, and in fact I believe it would be dangerous, because the error in reading an analog could be up to 100ft. This in addition to an analog's normal window of error, and you have somebody who could be off by 200ft. If performing a HP landing that needs to be entered at a certain altitude, that 200ft error could be the cause of a severe injury and/or death.

Just my 2 cents.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[FrancoR 0]

Quote

I am about to buy a new altimeter. I wear glasses so I have to wear over-the-glass goggles. I have always used an altimaster II analog altimeter. I was wondering if a digital altimeter like the neptune or viso would possibly be easier to read in freefall or should I stay with what has worked for me for many years. Any pros and cons of going digital would be appreciated.

My Neptune failed last weekend, set itself to the Serial Number screen while i was in the plane and all alarms sounded 500m to early. Would not have noticed if i wouldn't have pulled it out of the sleve to check the time in the plane. I knew it commonly skips the first Freefall and Swoop alarm if the batteries are empty but this was new to me.

Haven't had my Pro Track fail, but this weekend i forgott to close the pouch and i lost it on opening

My FT50 mechanical hasn't failed in the last 850 jumps.

If it does not cost anything you are the product.

[LloydDobbler 2]

Quote

I am about to buy a new altimeter. I wear glasses so I have to wear over-the-glass goggles. I have always used an altimaster II analog altimeter. I was wondering if a digital altimeter like the neptune or viso would possibly be easier to read in freefall or should I stay with what has worked for me for many years. Any pros and cons of going digital would be appreciated.

You can do a search on this topic - it's been discussed a number of times.

Someone upthread mentioned their Neptune resetting itself due to low batteries. Which can and does happen, esp. when the batteries are low.

I personally see this as an advantage. If my Neptune fails, I know it's failed. OTOH, if my analog altimeter gets stuck (which can and does happen - it's happened to me twice), I likely won't notice in freefall until at least 1000 feet have gone by.

And even then, it sometimes takes a moment to complete the thought process: 'Wait a second - it said 6000 feet the LAST time I checked.' Food for thought. (Of course, if you've been using one for years, you're likely aware of this).

In your case, as far as visibility goes, I haven't had any issues seeing my Neptune in freefall. But that doesn't mean it can't happen. Your best bet might be to find a friend who has a digital altimeter and trade with them for a jump. You'll see pretty quickly whether or not it's for you.

Signatures are the new black.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Very well said.

Quote

Altimeter: digital or analog

Its a bad question. Have right tool for the purpose.

Get a good old analog altimeter as you graduate!
That is your main instrument next to your eyes.

If you get involved with some discipline get the right tool for that.

My Sapphire never let me down, ever.

[JohnRich 4]

Batteries:
- Digital - they go dead.
- Analog - no batteries - it always works.

Readability:
- Digital - Can you read the LED in bright sunlight? Is that a "3" or an "8"?
- Analog - Always readable, just by needle position alone.

You've been looking at analog clocks all your life, and with a glance know what time it is. Put that same automatic intuition to work for you reading an analog altimeter.

[DSE 3]

I'm a fan of both. I have a couple of Altitracks, one on a mud-flap mount for wingsuiting and one on my wrist. I use the electronic side for data logging, and I prefer the analog face.
In freefall, I don't want to mistake the digital reading ie; is that 6 an 8? It's pretty hard to misread a needle.
Digital wasn't around when I learned to tell time; perhaps that's why I prefer the analog face.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Of course DEPENDING ON WHAT FEATURES YOU NEED... the Alti-Track is an interesting hybrid. It has an analog face and digital workings inside:

http://www.l-and-b.dk/altitrack.html

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[billvon 2,400]

>I've seen a lot of people say the bad thing about digital is that "you have to
>read the display and process the numbers"....but it really isn't too complicated. . .

Right. But if you're hypoxic, the ability to read is one of the things that goes first.

[dragon2 0]

Quote

>I've seen a lot of people say the bad thing about digital is that "you have to
>read the display and process the numbers"....but it really isn't too complicated. . .

Right. But if you're hypoxic, the ability to read is one of the things that goes first.

I remember that from one jump: first a loooooong holding at 8k then a call for a 20 minute holding at 13k. OK, rats, another 20 minutes. What time is it now? ok so in 20 minutes it's, eh, what time was it again now?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[skycat 0]

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You've been looking at analog clocks all your life, and with a glance know what time it is. Put that same automatic intuition to work for you reading an analog altimeter.

For some that is true, but my brain has never automatically known what time it is with an analog clock. While I wear an analog watch I have to think about what time it is, so I only wear it cause it is cute.

Since cute isn't always right in skydiving and my brain doesn't seem to do analog I prefer digital, I see the number on my digital altimeter and I know the altitude no thinking needed. 5.5 is 5.5, 4.8 is just that.

I have an old school digitude and while not the coolest toy on the DZ it is easy to read, and the low batt indicator has always worked. Plus once I'm under canopy I never look at it anyway. (no swooping here)

Fly it like you stole it!

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks to all who responded. I really appreciate all the opinions and information. It really enlightened me on some issues I never thought about.

[faulknerwn 36]

I agree with that. I grew up in the digital generation, and don't remember EVER having an analog clock in my house growing up. Even my watches were digital. So I always have to stare at an analog clock for a while to figure out what time it is. Digital is instinctive..

[bofh 0]

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I'm a fan of both. I have a couple of Altitracks, one on a mud-flap mount for wingsuiting and one on my wrist. I use the electronic side for data logging, and I prefer the analog face.

Me too. I flip it open as soon as I'm about to grab the toggles and then use the digital side during canopy flight. To me that's the best of both worlds.

[erdnarob 1]

Why not using advantages of both technologies. An analog altimeter on the wrist and an audible/digital/computer in the helmet. Or using the altitrack from L&B on the wrist which has the digital technology but displays the altitude like being analog, and being a computer/log book as well.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[mnskydiver688 0]

With wingsuit flying I use a mudflap mounted Neptune and a Pro-Dytter. When doing RW I throw a wrist mounted analog on as well. One thing to consider with the digital is if you wear polarized sunglasses, it will make the screen unreadable at certain angles in addition readability issues associated with sun position. I like the digital on the mudflap, because when under canopy I can quick glance down at it and keep an eye on the ground and area in front of me, instead of looking up at my hand holding the toggle. Also it is much lower profile than an analog mounted on the mudflap.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[377 21]

I am an altimter freak and have one of just about every one ever made for skydiving.

I you jump with only one, the Altimaster II is a great choice.

I think 2 altimeters is a great idea. Most of us who have been jumping long enough have had an altimeter stick or run out of battery power during a jump. Read this:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3327998#3327998

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[erdnarob 1]

I have always been (as dealing with physics) amazed by polarized glasses. But I was surprised many years ago when I was taking flying lessons to hear that polarized glasses were to be avoided when flying airplanes. The windshield of an airplane polarizes partially the ligth and if the pilot wear polarized glasses some spots can become dark and hide an approaching airplane. For the same reason I think a jumper should not jump with polarized glasses and having digital liquid crystal display on a device to read since it can appear partially or completely black at certain angles. People who want to know exactely what I mean can try this: use polarized glasses and look on an electronic calculator, Cypres or Vigil display and rotate your head and see the effect.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.