A welding system comprising: a welding power supply system which supplies a welding power to a welding torch for welding a work piece ; and a welding helmet to be worn by a welder during a welding operation with said welding power supply system, where said welding helmet is in communication with said welding power supply system, the welding helmet , comprising: a main body portion; a visual display portion which is coupled to the main body portion, where said display portion allows a welding operation to be viewed with said display portion; an information generating mechanism which generates an image to be displayed on said visual display portion said that said image is viewable during said welding operation; a communication device coupled to said information generating mechanism which receives information to be displayed in said image; a microphone coupled to said communication device, where said microphone is positioned such that said microphone receives audio instructions from a user of said helmet when wearing said helmet , wherein said communication device communicates said audio instructions received from said microphone to a welding power supply; characterized by a switch mounted on a welding torch or a torch trigger which activates said microphone to allow said communication device to receive signals from said microphone and where said image displays setting information from said welding power supply system. a welding power supply system which supplies a welding power to a welding torch for welding a work piece ; and a welding helmet to be worn by a welder during a welding operation with said welding power supply system, where said welding helmet is in communication with said welding power supply system, the welding helmet , comprising: a main body portion; a visual display portion which is coupled to the main body portion, where said display portion allows a welding operation to be viewed with said display portion; an information generating mechanism which generates an image to be displayed on said visual display portion said that said image is viewable during said welding operation; a communication device coupled to said information generating mechanism which receives information to be displayed in said image; a microphone coupled to said communication device, where said microphone is positioned such that said microphone receives audio instructions from a user of said helmet when wearing said helmet , wherein said communication device communicates said audio instructions received from said microphone to a welding power supply; characterized by a switch mounted on a welding torch or a torch trigger which activates said microphone to allow said communication device to receive signals from said microphone and where said image displays setting information from said welding power supply system. a main body portion; a visual display portion which is coupled to the main body portion, where said display portion allows a welding operation to be viewed with said display portion; an information generating mechanism which generates an image to be displayed on said visual display portion said that said image is viewable during said welding operation; a communication device coupled to said information generating mechanism which receives information to be displayed in said image; a microphone coupled to said communication device, where said microphone is positioned such that said microphone receives audio instructions from a user of said helmet when wearing said helmet , wherein said communication device communicates said audio instructions received from said microphone to a welding power supply; characterized by a switch mounted on a welding torch or a torch trigger which activates said microphone to allow said communication device to receive signals from said microphone and where said image displays setting information from said welding power supply system. <EOS>