Digital vs Analogue

Hitec analogue servos are the inexpensive choice when it comes to equipping models economically and you do not want to sacrifice quality. These servos do not offer the modeller any programming options and inexpensive DC brushed motors are used as drive motors for analogue servos. The housings and often the gearboxes are made of high-quality plastic, but metal housings are not used for cost reasons. Due to a low motor drive frequency, analogue servos develop only weak "running noises". Another advantage is the low power consumption, which protects the RC/drive batteries.

Digital servos offer rapid and precise responses with exceptional holding power, providing 3-5 times the stall torque and significantly better centering due to a 1μs deadband zone, which is 8 times more effective than traditional servos. They also ensure smooth controls through excellent resolution, offering 2048-4096 steps for finer movements. Depending on the model, very high-quality components are used, such as Hall sensors for position detection or brushless DC motors as drives. Digital servos also offer versatile programming and protection functions and, depending on the type, also allow two-way communication. However, these advantages come at a cost, as digital servos consume more power, and can produce a high-frequency audible noise.

• Reasonable price
• Pleasant running sound thanks to low motor frequency
• Low power consumption

• Fast response characteristics
• Fast corrective activity
• High holding power
• User-variable deadband
• Good accuracy
• Two-way communication
• Programmability
• Safety functions
• High resolution

• Low holding moment
• Slow response characteristics
• Low resolution due to low control frequency
• Wide deadband (20ms)
• Slow movements may not be smooth

• In most cases more expensive
• In some cases unpleasant running sound due to high motor frequency
• Higher power consumption