Actual Experience with Shearwater AI

[DMDavid]

Not a big deal for me as I have no reason to really turn AI off when I'm diving and I don't believe having AI on has any drain on battery while the computer is turned off.

You're absolutely correct that there is no extra battery drain while the computer is off but there is an additional battery drain if it's on and you don't have any need for it to be on if transmitter is not present.
This is not a very likely scenario but there are times when I do switch out regs and may not have a transmitter on my other set (just bought another transmitter off Ebay so that scenario will not play itself out anymore).

 

[stuartv]

You're absolutely correct that there is no extra battery drain while the computer is off but there is an additional battery drain if it's on and you don't have any need for it to be on if transmitter is not present.
This is not a very likely scenario but there are times when I do switch out regs and may not have a transmitter on my other set (just bought another transmitter off Ebay so that scenario will not play itself out anymore).

I just move my transmitter back and forth between whichever reg sets I'm using. Swap transmitter and port plug between the two. Seems easier, to me, than having 2 transmitters and reprogramming the computer every time. Especially since I have 2 computers that will read the transmitter, I'd have to reprogram them both.

 

[Compressor]

Nice Stuart. Smart.

 

[Texas Boy]

I just returned from a week of diving in Kona and really enjoyed the Perdix AI. I did not ever loose connection with the Oceanic transmitter. Since I have always been a Suunto owner, I found the Perdix incredibly easy to operate. It is so intuitive. What I also enjoyed was the long battery life. After 17 dives, I still show 1/2 of the battery life still remaining. I am simply using Duracel AA batteries. What was also very refreshing was the ability to read it at night while night diving with the Mantas. My wife admired my new computer so much, that I have bought her one for Christmas and I am sure she will be delighted.

In summary, it is reliable, easy to setup, easy to read, and has great battery life. To me, this is a big winner for Shearwater.

 

[Compressor]

So jealous that you were diving at one of my favorite diving destinations Kona. Then on top of that diving with the Shearwater and Kona.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

In summary, it is reliable, easy to setup, easy to read, and has great battery life. To me, this is a big winner for Shearwater.

Maybe a nit - what I don't like is the Shearwater Desktop software to look at and analyze my dive after I down load it. I am not yet a believer of Subsurface yet either - I just have not quite figured it out. Although it may take more time playing with the software.

I really liked my Oceanic Ocean Dive log so I have a preference that is not being matched right now.

 

[KenGordon]

Maybe a nit - what I don't like is the Shearwater Desktop software to look at and analyze my dive after I down load it. I am not yet a believer of Subsurface yet either - I just have not quite figured it out. Although it may take more time playing with the software.

I really liked my Oceanic Ocean Dive log so I have a preference that is not being matched right now.

There is an iOS app called 'Dive Log' which I use when out and about without my laptop. It is vaguely properly done although the details of the dive are not as extensive as the Shearwater one, however it looks quite nice and mostly works alright - importing is slightly non obvious.

I agree that shearwater ought to spend some effort on their logging program.

 

[Joneill]

There is an iOS app called 'Dive Log' which I use when out and about without my laptop. It is vaguely properly done although the details of the diver are not as extensive as the Shearwater one, however it looks quite nice and mostly works alright - importing is slightly non obvious.

I agree that shearwater ought to spend some effort on their logging program.

I use Diving Log 6.0. It works great and is a direct Bluetooth upload from the Petral 2/Perdix right to your iPhone - could not be easier. Here is a video I made for Shearwater on the Cloud Beta to show them how easy the Diving Log 6.0 Dive upload is:


Hopefully the Cloud app will end up being as easy and integrate all of the dive data. Still too early to tell - but seeing Shearwater's approach, I suspect they'll get it right!

 

[Texas Torpedo]

I just got back from my second dive with the Perdix AI setup for recreational single tank / transmitter diving, and after I downloaded the dive, I noticed that no start / end pressures or SAC are listed inside the Shearwater Desktop program or in my Perdix log. I thought maybe it wasn't listed or something so I transferred it over to my main logbook, Diving Log 6.0, and still nodda.. Have I missed a feature that needs to be selected or setup or are these parameters not being recorded?

 

[Joneill]

I just got back from my second dive with the Perdix AI setup for recreational single tank / transmitter diving, and after I downloaded the dive, I noticed that no start / end pressures or SAC are listed inside the Shearwater Desktop program or in my Perdix log. I thought maybe it wasn't listed or something so I transferred it over to my main logbook, Diving Log 6.0, and still nodda.. Have I missed a feature that needs to be selected or setup or are these parameters not being recorded?

Did you update Shearwater Desktop to version 3.0.8? You need that latest version to support the AI functions of the Perdix AI.