inductive vs optical

[Mark Boxsell]

At 11:43 AM 6/03/96 S, you wrote:

>Sensor problems give you the same problems regardless of sensor type
>(inductive, optical, ESP).
>If a sensor isn't working, you don't know what's happening. Period.

Inductive pickups are a bitch to work with. There is "nothing to go wrong"
but they are prone to
RFI big time. (Although the LM1815 seems to work quite well)

>
>Car engines run over a relatively wide rpm range, so time-based detection   
>
>is out.

I would have to severely disagree big time with this comment. How the hell
do you think 90% of the factory systems work
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>Generally, I'd say an inductive sensor is more reliable than an optical   
>sensor.

A coil of wire is pretty reliable !

>The sensor itself isn't affect by voltage spikes as much as a LED,   
>although the
>supporting analogue circuitry may be.

True.

>
>Unfortunately, it's not easy to design an inductive pickup which will   
>work from
>cranking speed through to red-line.

Why ? Everyone (OEM's) does it.

>Regards,
>Andrew Dalgleish
>Axon Research, Pty Ltd
>6 Wallace Ave,
>Toorak, VIC
>3142
>AUSTRALIA
>Tel +61-3-9826-5538
>Fax +61-3-9824-0083
>

Sorry Andrew but when I see stuff that is a bit strange I have to point it out.
                regards,
                                Mark Boxsell.