digital speedo - not engineering test mode.

[Fordever]

Digital and analog speedometers are not necessarily getting their data from the same source. This would only be true if the analog speedometer were actually digital behind the scene, converting to analog for display. Ultimately you have an analog source (turning wheel) which can either be driven entirely analog up to the dial, or converted to a digital signal to the instrument cluster and then converted back to an analog display.In either case the total path is different and the display is different, so there may be potential calibration errors on either.

In any case, Ford should really consider at least adding a digital cluster as an option in the 18 refresh....right?

You appear to have contradicted yourself (but please correct me if I am wrong, as there is no malice intended) by first saying "Digital and analog speedometers are not necessarily getting their data from the same source.
" And then saying "Ultimately you have an analog source (turning wheel)which can either be driven entirely analog up to the dial, or converted to a digital signal to the instrument cluster and then converted back to an analog display "

Either way the source for either would be the revolution of something (most likely the wheels, I would think) so either can be out of calibration. We see a digital meter and think it is more "true" than analog because we see a real number as opposed to a needle rising and falling.

I would also say parts of the total path are different but not the total path.

Many moons ago, when cassette tapes were popular, I wanted to modify my deck to have LED (digital) VU meters as well as analog needles. I bought a digital driver chip and installed the chip and LEDs. Its source was the same as the analog meters and with a little calibration it looked great. I had both digital and analog meters in one unit. My point is (as you have also correctly pointed out) there are potential calibration issues with either.

All ya gotta do is change tire size and it throws both off anyway.

I understand there is a wanting or a need (for some people) the see the digital speedo, but I am not one of them. But having said that, I really don't understand why Ford hasn't done it either :shrug:

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[TexasRebel]

No OEM uses a true analog speedometer anymore. Nobody wants that rotating cable between their legs.

The speedometer in the mustangs run Digital-to-Analog by picking up a rotational velocity from a Hall Effect sensor and converting it to a pulse width to send to a servo motor for simulated analog display.

 

[TomcatDriver]

You appear to have contradicted yourself (but please correct me if I am wrong, as there is no malice intended) by first saying "Digital and analog speedometers are not necessarily getting their data from the same source.
" And then saying "Ultimately you have an analog source (turning wheel)which can either be driven entirely analog up to the dial, or converted to a digital signal to the instrument cluster and then converted back to an analog display "

Either way the source for either would be the revolution of something (most likely the wheels, I would think) so either can be out of calibration. We see a digital meter and think it is more "true" than analog because we see a real number as opposed to a needle rising and falling.

I would also say parts of the total path are different but not the total path.

Many moons ago, when cassette tapes were popular, I wanted to modify my deck to have LED (digital) VU meters as well as analog needles. I bought a digital driver chip and installed the chip and LEDs. Its source was the same as the analog meters and with a little calibration it looked great. I had both digital and analog meters in one unit. My point is (as you have also correctly pointed out) there are potential calibration issues with either.

All ya gotta do is change tire size and it throws both off anyway.

I understand there is a wanting or a need (for some people) the see the digital speedo, but I am not one of them. But having said that, I really don't understand why Ford hasn't done it either :shrug:

I was speaking in generalities.

The language used by all can be confusing, since when you say "digital" and "analog" you could be either speaking of the display (digits vs a dial) or you could be talking about how the data is transmitted. You can have an analog presentation of digital data, or an digital presentation of analog data. Analog presentation could be purely digital (a digital cluster with analog sweeps) or could be a physical analog dial.

I don't know the entire path from the wheel to the speedo on a Mustang, but it certainly could be different for different displays. My point is that even if the signal is digital up to the instrument cluster (which is almost certainly is) there is still one more D-A conversion that must be done to drive a mechanical servo to turn the analog dial. That analog dial is calibrated, and may turn a different result than a purely digital display even if the source data is the same.

I'm with you in that I don't need one. Every speedometer I have ever seen is off by 1-3 MPH, which is good enough.

 

[Fordever]

No OEM uses a true analog speedometer anymore. Nobody wants that rotating cable between their legs.

The speedometer in the mustangs run Digital-to-Analog by picking up a rotational velocity from a Hall Effect sensor and converting it to a pulse width to send to a servo motor for simulated analog display.

I really wasn't thinking a cable driving the needle. But the signal is still derived for a rotational source. Whether the signal is being picked up from a cable of a sensor wasn't my point. The source is still common to either digital or analog.

 

[Fordever]

I was speaking in generalities.

The language used by all can be confusing, since when you say "digital" and "analog" you could be either speaking of the display (digits vs a dial) or you could be talking about how the data is transmitted. You can have an analog presentation of digital data, or an digital presentation of analog data. Analog presentation could be purely digital (a digital cluster with analog sweeps) or could be a physical analog dial.

I don't know the entire path from the wheel to the speedo on a Mustang, but it certainly could be different for different displays. My point is that even if the signal is digital up to the instrument cluster (which is almost certainly is) there is still one more D-A conversion that must be done to drive a mechanical servo to turn the analog dial. That analog dial is calibrated, and may turn a different result than a purely digital display even if the source data is the same.

I'm with you in that I don't need one. Every speedometer I have ever seen is off by 1-3 MPH, which is good enough.

Your very last statement sums it up ".........which is good enough"

 

[Abb0nz]

You have a smart phone? Download a GPS app which will tell which is the more accurate.

 

[EastTNMustang]

I'd certainly choose a digital speedometer over a mechanical one. It's especially annoying in my Mustang when I set my cruise control to 75mph (digitally) and the mechanical speedometer shows that I'm doing 77-78mph. WHICH ONE IS RIGHT? GT.

Interesting to read I'm not the only one to experience this speedo difference.

 

[jasonstang]

It's pretty common for the manufacturers to pad the speedometer because of either legal or mpg reasons.
When you have 1-3 mph higher than actual speed, you gain some mpg.
Also it's so that the actual speed wouldn't be higher than indicated speed if the owners have tires are just slightly bigger than OEM.
The cruise control seems to be pretty dead on on the S550.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Why does everyone harp on wanting a digital speedometer? Can no one read an analog speedometer anymore? Are the generations changing to such laziness and mindless simpletons where it's like asking a kid to tell time on an analog clock and getting a "whut"??

How many more ".....digital speedo....." threads are needed? LMFAO.

 

[ArmyHawk]

For me, being in Europe, it would be really nice to have it set to KPH. It is extremely hard to read the inside circle and be accurate over here. I'm close to ordering a kph background and get in and switch it out until I return to the states.

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