Since the 1980s, Dakota Digital has provided builders and car owners with digital instrumentation to add a new dimension to your dashboard. In recent years, the game has been changed when the VHX line of instruments hit the market. These were what Dakota Digital’s Greg Karpe had called, “Digital input with analog output.”

This year at SEMA, the game has been changed yet again with programmable gauges with the release of the HDX line of instrumentation. We spent some time in the Dakota Digital booth and talked with President/CEO Russ Ortman and Sales Manager Scott Johnson.

Noticeable differences in the HDX line includes a new, resized information display that proves multiple points of information from the various senders, as well as the spectacular array of backlighting available with the new gauges. Instead of the VHX line’s red, white, or blue backlighting, the HDX line offers multiple colors and custom combinations to match just about any vehicle on the road.

Now you can adjust your needles for one color, and the numerals a different color to suit your needs. Ortman explained that they have been experimenting with newer materials and using UV stable inks to keep the colors sharp and the indicators sharp and clear. For the information display, he told us, “The face of the display has a wide angle enhancement film to help with the visuals.” What this new film does is to keep the display bright and readable, regardless of the lighting situation – full sun, total darkness, or any combination thereof.

Johnson explained that some of the new features include user definable warning indicators, as well as Bluetooth capability with the new HDX line, allowing the owner to make changes and settings with a tablet or Smartphone.

He explained that the HDX does come in at a higher price point, however, with the added features and the new technology, the HDX allows far more options that are unavailable on the VHX line, even the control box is new, with more input points to add functionality to the HDX gauges.

Applications for the new HDX are growing, with more models expected to be added in the near future. To find out more, check out the Dakota Digital website and click the HDX link.