Black face indicator,a marketing gimmic?

edwin dirnbeck · Mar 19, 2021

Thirty or fifty years ago,black face indicators and rulers appeared on the market. I thought that they looked "cool" and bought both.After about 2 years of avoiding using them, I got rid of them.To me ,they were useless and hard to read unless I had perfect lighting.Common sense and real life experience says white face with black numbers and dial.Edwin Dirnbeck

eKretz · Mar 19, 2021

I like mine. It may have something to do with eyesight. Some folks see different colors better or worse than others. There are varying degrees of color blindness... And even selective color blindness.

I like my plain white face/black needle indicators just fine too though.

kustomizer · Mar 19, 2021

When I look at the white face I see a big bright spot and have trouble finding the numbers, I don't have that problem with the black face.
My wife has a set of calipers, Mitutoyo I think with a medium purple face and they are my favorite easy to read but she keeps them hidden from me, I have too many B&S calipers to even think about buying purple. I think it is a light sensativity thing that you don't have, I have 2 light switches in the shop so I can have less light when I am by myself or more when she is working in the shop too.

Bill D · Mar 19, 2021

Studies have been done on readability of normal printed literature. Black on white is the easiest to read for almost everyone. Any other color scheme is at best 80% as easy to read/deiscern the letters. Some are as bad as 50% readability.
Of course readability is not the same as just watching a nedlle wiggle around between a few hash marks.
Bill D.

Marty Feldman · Mar 19, 2021

edwin dirnbeck said:
....Common sense and real life experience says white face with black numbers and dial....

For me, neither common sense nor experience dictate a choice. White and black faces seem equally readable, with very little needed in the way of getting used to. Both are effective in allowing me to hit my cusomary 2 thous too much when turning down a dia.

-Marty-

kenh · Mar 19, 2021

I have seen many aircraft instrument faces with white numbers on a slack face

Mr Bridgeport · Mar 19, 2021

The same thing happened with audio components. remember all the beautifully finished silver face components from back in the 70's and into the 80's? Some of them were a work of art, knobs and switch levers finished to a very high degree like an expensive piece of lab equipment. Than there was a big switch to black faced models to mimic pro gear. Today most gear is only available in black but more and more is available in silver.
Most of the black face components are very difficult to read. I used to keep a flashlight on my audio rack! Not to much of a problem on say a power amp that only has an on/off switch but on a preamp that has a lot of controls it's maddening. Today most of my gear is silver faced and easy to read.
Audio Research has always made everything in both black or silver, your choice. My ARC SP8 silver faced preamp is very easy to read, I've dumped most of my black faced gear.

Mr Bridgeport

boslab · Mar 19, 2021

I had a study by the usaf regarding dials, they tried all sorts, round, rectangular, even square for instruments, the conclusion was left right, linear non logramithic (really messed things up) black with white numbers, seems logical but that’s a moving needle display, static I’ve found favourable results with white on black tape measures myself, yellow white much harder to see, suppose it an individual thing, I suffered computers with green and white, and black in work for years, I’m convinced my eyes deteriorated after them
Mark

Modelman · Mar 19, 2021

Bill D said:
Studies have been done on readability of normal printed literature. Black on white is the easiest to read for almost everyone. Any other color scheme is at best 80% as easy to read/deiscern the letters. Some are as bad as 50% readability.
Of course readability is not the same as just watching a nedlle wiggle around between a few hash marks.
Bill D.

But literature normally isn't read under the level of illumination some of us have on our machines. Then what kustomizer said above comes into play, the white patch causes a flare that makes it more difficult to see the marks. I have both, but prefer the black face with white marks.

Dennis

Mike1974 · Mar 19, 2021

I like white on black on a scale or solid rule. I have a TiN coated scale that has black numbers. I only bought it so it stands out if someone "forgets" they borrowed it, but it reads fine to my eyes. I really liked the old B&S scales that had a dot at the end of each 1/8" mark (I think), but can't seem to find them anymore.

Bill D · Mar 19, 2021

Modelman said:
But literature normally isn't read under the level of illumination some of us have on our machines. Then what kustomizer said above comes into play, the white patch causes a flare that makes it more difficult to see the marks. I have both, but prefer the black face with white marks.

Dennis

I certainly was not saying that study was the be all end all to readability. Of course individual eyes matter and it gets harder later int he day.
I will not get into times new roman is banned by the supreme court since they think it is tiring to read.

TeachMePlease · Mar 19, 2021

Mike1974 said:
I like white on black on a scale or solid rule. I have a TiN coated scale that has black numbers. I only bought it so it stands out if someone "forgets" they borrowed it, but it reads fine to my eyes. I really liked the old B&S scales that had a dot at the end of each 1/8" mark (I think), but can't seem to find them anymore.

Now I'm trying to find a TiN coated ruler and I can't see them anywhere but on Amazon...

rons · Mar 19, 2021

When are they going to make cockpit style faces, green numbers on black or red numbers on black?

Prefer white faces. To support the black lives matter cause, I decided to use my black face indicator more. Yes sir boss.

TeachMePlease · Mar 19, 2021

rons said:
When are they going to make cockpit style faces, green numbers on black or red numbers on black?

Prefer white faces. To support the black lives matter cause, I decided to use my black face indicator more. Yes sir boss.

My program editing software of choice uses green font on a black background. Easiest to read for me.

Mike1974 · Mar 19, 2021

TeachMePlease said:
Now I'm trying to find a TiN coated ruler and I can't see them anywhere but on Amazon...

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06771653

Conrad Hoffman · Mar 19, 2021

I much prefer white letters on black machinist's scales. Dials, not so much. I just bought some 2" Mitutoyo dials with white faces, and those are very readable. Same with the HLV- the dials would suck if they didn't use black numbers and lines.

Scruffy887 · Mar 19, 2021

I feel left out because I use all digital stuff. Well, batteries have black with copper color. Or all silver colored tiny cells. I only have problems reading them when batteries go dead. Not alone there.

winger · Mar 19, 2021

I prefer the black line on white face. My worst indicator was a BS with a black face, white lines and red pointer. That one is at home and seldom gets used.
When static I prefer digital, but analog if it is moving.

Dave

edwin dirnbeck · Mar 19, 2021

Thanks to all for the replies. I was certain that most people would scoff at black face indicators.I was wrong Maybe I worked too long in poorly lit shops. Edwin Dirnbeck

awander · Mar 19, 2021

Mr Bridgeport said:
The same thing happened with audio components. remember all the beautifully finished silver face components from back in the 70's and into the 80's? Some of them were a work of art, knobs and switch levers finished to a very high degree like an expensive piece of lab equipment. Than there was a big switch to black faced models to mimic pro gear. Today most gear is only available in black but more and more is available in silver.
Most of the black face components are very difficult to read. I used to keep a flashlight on my audio rack! Not to much of a problem on say a power amp that only has an on/off switch but on a preamp that has a lot of controls it's maddening. Today most of my gear is silver faced and easy to read.
Audio Research has always made everything in both black or silver, your choice. My ARC SP8 silver faced preamp is very easy to read, I've dumped most of my black faced gear.

Mr Bridgeport

The main reason it's hard to read the stuff on black hi-fi components, is hat they don't use white for the lettering! They use various shades of brown or grey, some of them so close to the black background that they are near impossible to read without a strong light.

Kind of like the remote controls that you can't read in a darkened room...

Black face indicator,a marketing gimmic?

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