Advantages and disadvantages of regular multimeters and digital multimeters
A pointer multimeter is an average value instrument. It has intuitive and visual reading indicators
(Generally, the reading value is closely related to the pointer swing angle, so it is very intuitive)
A digital multimeter is an instantaneous sampling instrument. It uses a sample taken every 0.3 seconds to display measurement results. Sometimes, the results of each sample are only very similar and not exactly the same. This is not as convenient for reading results as pointer based instruments
A pointer multimeter generally does not have an amplifier inside, so the internal resistance is relatively small. For example, the MF-10 type has a DC voltage sensitivity of 100 kWh/V. This can be considered a beautiful one The DC voltage sensitivity of MF-500 model is 20 kiloohms per volt
Digital multimeters, due to the use of operational amplifier circuits internally, can have a large internal resistance, often around 1M ohms or more This allows for lower impact on the tested circuit and higher measurement accuracy
Due to its low internal resistance and the use of discrete components to form shunt and voltage divider circuits, pointer multimeters have uneven frequency characteristics (compared to digital ones). However, pointer multimeters have relatively better frequency characteristics
The pointer type multimeter has a simple internal structure, which makes it cost-effective. It has fewer functions, is easy to maintain, and has strong overcurrent and overvoltage capabilities
The digital multimeter uses various oscillation, amplification, frequency division, protection and other circuits internally, so it has many functions, such as measuring temperature, frequency (in a lower range), capacitance, inductance, or serving as a signal generator, etc
Due to the use of integrated circuits in the internal structure, the overload capacity is poor (However, some are now capable of automatic shifting, automatic protection, etc., but the use is more complex). Damaged ones are generally not easy to repair
The output voltage of a digital multimeter is relatively low (usually not exceeding 1 volt). It is inconvenient to test some components with special voltage characteristics (such as thyristors, light-emitting diodes, etc.)
The output voltage of the pointer multimeter is relatively high (including 10.5 volts, 12 volts, etc.)
The current is also high (such as MF-500 * 1 with a maximum of about 100mA in the European range), which makes it easy to test thyristors, light-emitting diodes, etc
