What is the definition of an analog detector or a digital detector ?

[Keith67]

I always thought (naively) that analog are the big old machines with lots of wires and boards, and digital are the modern small lighter machines we see more in use today.

Then Golden Mask confirmed to me that my GM1+UK is analog, but it's compact and modern.

Somebody told me that analog can use "surface mount technology" which is smaller than the old analog boxes on older machines.

So when is a detector analog, when is it digital, and can they be hybrids?

[Lodge Scent]

I think it is all a matter of how the signal is processed Keith. Analog machines don't manipulate the signals. The signals basically go from the coil to the meter or your ear. Where a digital machine will take the analog signal, convert it to code or numbers, filter it, do all sorts of magic, then turn it into a tone or image that says either "dig me up" or "leave me in the ground".   

I am hoping that someone that actually knows this stuff will step in and educate us 

[Keith67]

Your on the right track Lodge.  Apparently digital tech samples the signals and puts them through a binary code and in a simple explanation that leads to your 0-100 vdi.  The more detailed information can be found if you Google Analogue vs Digital.  It's pretty interesting stuff.