air integrated worth 2x the price

[Diver0001]

It's interesting that some people prefer to read a digital display. There are actually some studies (can't remember where) showing that analog information is more quickly and more accurately perceived, which is one of the reasons why speedometers almost all remain analog.

While I'm sure this is true, I'm not sure the conclusion that follows (namely analogue gauges are preferable) necessarily follows from the observation. When you're flying at Mach speed....ok....

For diving digital gauges give you information in much finer resolution than you generally perceive in analogue. I don't know if you can read your pressure in 1/2 bar increments on an analogue gauge but you can on a digital one....

I had an air-integrated computer, and I never paid any attention to the "air time remaining" part of the display.

I only looked at it once and thought....yeah, whatever.

I guess I dove for too long on tables to be bothered with a lot of the information the computer gives me. I generally look first at depth. I use bottom time to navigate with so I have a good feeling for my bottom time, profile and the NDL at any point on a typical dive. That's the benefit of diving without a computer for a long time. I know the PADI table by heart. Generally speaking by the time I look at the NDL it's just telling me what I already knew....

R..

 

[WarmGoingCold]

I think the spedometers in all the new honda civics are now digital with the tachometers being analog:

http://automobiles.honda.com/models/interior_overview.asp?ModelName=Civic+Coupe

 

[BarryNL]

is it really worth it to cough up the extra dough and get a computer that features air integration?

Probably not - it doesn't really tell you anything useful.

 

[RPanick]

I started with a Cobra, and am still using it, for me I really do prefer digital displays, particularly as my eyes get more far sighted. My watches are digital for the same reason.

As to AI, with a console on the end of a hose, the Cobra and most of those devices tend to be very reliable. I like looking at one device to get time, depth, max depth, and preasure. I rarely pay much attention to the time remaining any more, and then usually only when I'm bored and I play with my breathing to watch it change. My opinion on AI is get it only if you like having everything in one place or some other convience thing. The time remaining isn't a reason to me.

For most of my diving I couldn't get bent if I dug a hole, the water isn't deep enough. So I don't worry about it much at all. When I do a dive vacation with 5+ dives a day, I do pay attention to it and dive very conservatively with good hydration, long SIs and a nap when possible. I also wear a Mosquito as a backup, which is also good for figuring out how long my SI has to be at lunch time. I have an SPG to back up the Cobra in my bag, if the Cobra fails I abort, and use the SPG and Mosquito.

That is my preference for the way I dive. Everyone is different, you need to figure out how you plan to be diving, recreational, cave, tech, wreck, etc. Then buy equipment that is appropriate and fits your budget.