[Imbler]

I'm an ex aerospace engineer, and was thinking of replying. You eloquently and accurately saved me the typing of a reply. Great post!
Mike

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

If you got back to the Air Force studies on instrumentation you'll get some answers. They found that the two types of display actually convey two different types of information, both of which are valuable. Analog, "steamer" type displays convey "rate of change," "amount to go," and "amount so far," information quickly. Digital displays convey instantaneous values faster than analog.

For instance: When you are trying to precisely maintain one specific altitude, a digital altimeter conveys your precise altitude very quickly. However, the moment you begin either a climb or dive, the analog display conveys more information quicker. Same with fuel: if asked your fuel state, a digital display can give it to you in pounds rather quickly. If you are trying to estimate your fuel state relative to how long you've been flying and/or how long you have to fly, the analog display allows the brain to correlate between miles/time travels and fuel consumed and/or miles/time to go and fuel remaining much quicker. Aircraft displays often integrate BOTH.

How does that related to clocks? It you simply want to know the immediate time, digital is quicker. If you want to know how much of lunch break you have left, analog is quicker.

Most of my recording engineer friends use an analog display on their Apple watch. As a recording engineer I wear an analog Seiko chronograph. I've got a wind-up analog stopwatch in front of me to time broadcast-related recordings as they happen but set an in/out range on the DAW to get a time on an already-recorded material.

When I'm working on broadcast-related material on a deadline I use the analog clocks on my desktop to pace myself towards an air date. The task bars also have digital clocks displayed, as does my phone, if I need an immediate time number.

Does that help?

Bob