The paper deals with two simple approaches applied to the real-time control of rewinding machine and their comparison. In brief, the comparison of results obtained by nonlinear real-time control with preidentification, and by adaptive real-time control with on-line identification was performed. The rewinding machine was controlled by PC from MATLAB's Real-Time Toolbox using technological card, terminal board and wires. Each of two used approaches has its advantages and its drawbacks, which was proven, and nonlinear control seemed to be more suitable for the rewinding machine, minimally because of the action signal history from the nonlinear control, the action is more consistent.