Announcing the SubGravity H3 - Powered by SeaBear

[Diving Dubai]

I think they would prefer to use Buhlmann ZHL-16C with GF rather than a proprietary RGBM decompression algorithm, and would like to be able to use commercially available dive planning software

I know, I was being tongue in cheek.

However the Eon uses the Fused RGBM, which is less conservative than the normal RGBM, and appears to be close to DSAT. The DM5 planner is okay, by that I mean for sub 40m dives into deco. Now I wouldn't use planning software for a dive to say 40m with a 50% deco gas for a total run of less than an hour As I know my consumption, my rock bottom etc and can figure out my gas requirements etc (and my paper calcs are always conservative) Using the data from a previous dive with my gas in and out, DM5 is damned close with the actual run time and the gas out. On the same dives my Buddy had his OSTC and only had maybe 2 mins less deco than I.

I know Suunto have an up hill struggle to be taken seriously in the market for a "soft technical" computer. By soft tech I mean perhaps one deco gas mix to depths less than 50m, which is still more than a lot of people will do. The fact is, although it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine. Bu tthe Eon works, and is reliable. It had some niggles, (tanks transmitters) but Suunto have been great sorting them out, and have been open with meaningful dialogue over improvements and additional features.

I was astounded with the number of people who jumped all over the H3 before it had been proven. 2 years on it's proven to be a big fail. I suspect Seabear was rolled into Scubapro to get rid of the name, rather than there being a new computer on the horizon (although who really knows?)

 

[scubadada]

...However the Eon uses the Fused RGBM, which is less conservative than the normal RGBM, and appears to be close to DSAT...

In the pdf, linked in my post, I noticed that the 1st dive air NDL at 30 meters for the Eon Steel, set at the most liberal setting of P-2, is 20 minutes. The DSAT NDL for this same dive is also 20 min. I would imagine that adjustment for repetitive dives, SIs, and multiday diving, would end up making the Eon somewhat more conservative for continued diving.

 

[Diving Dubai]

In the pdf, linked in my post, I noticed that the 1st dive air NDL at 30 meters for the Eon Steel, set at the most liberal setting of P-2, is 20 minutes. The DSAT NDL for this same dive is also 20 min. I would imagine that adjustment for repetitive dives, SIs, and multiday diving, would end up making the Eon somewhat more conservative for continued diving.

I can only answer based on my experience. The majority of my diving is multi day - generally 6 7 dives over 2 days. On diving holidays generally (looking at my log) the repetitive dive count is somewhere around the 30 - 40 dives. In this scenario I've never been constrained by NDL even at P- 0 (which I use as the default as I like more caution as I'm 50) Our comps always have more NDL than the guides (and generally we will have been a bit deeper) Of course Guides generally use conservative computers and the dives normally have good SI. But a reasonable dive day would be 2 dives to 30m - 40m max and the 3rd to say 20m. I don't do that much wreck diving on a square profile where possibly it would be more limiting

If you want to upset the Eon then give it an SI of 75 mins or less, then it really throws it's toys out of the pram NDL wise.

Again not a great comparison but when I moved to the Eon, I kept my Cressi Leonardo, by dive 5 the Eon was showing much more NDL remaining at depth.

 

[FindingMenno]

I would like to add something positive and constructive. But at this point I can just say the whole Seabear/Scubapro story sucks. Especially hearing all this about design flaws and fragility of the H3.

As a lowly paid recreational diving instructor the H3 represented a significant investment (roughly a months salary in a tropical dive location). I feel that investment is not going to last me long, or is money thrown down the drain.

My H3 is still functioning ok (knock on wood) and my hope is it will do so till Scubapro brings out an updated model and hopefully a trade-in program for current owners.

Now wishing I bought the OSTC when I made my choice!

 

[FindingMenno]

Ok, decided to have a closer look at the data by connecting the H3 to my MacBook and something strange is going on. There is something with the dive numbers counting and data.

*Up to dive number 246 everything is ok.
*Then I have 47 dives from January 22st 2016 to March 1st which are all shown as dive number 247. I assume that it is number 247 and 47 dives is probably a coincidence as that was just my last dive before my break. This multiple occurence of dive 247 can be seen both on the H3 itself as I scroll through the logbook and in the LOGBOOK.TXT file.
*All these 47 dives seem to have profile data if I look at the H3 (I randomly checked a few).
*However on attaching the H3 to my MacBook I can see only one .CSV file for dive 247, and that is for the first one with that number from January 22nd.
*The 4 dives I've done since July 4th are all numbered dive 292.
*These dives have no profile data when looking on the H3 itself, I get the 'NO DATA' warning.
*There are no .CSV files for dive 292 or later.

I wonder if this is some software glitch or something else. I've just done the 'FORMAT MEMORY' and will report back after I've done another dive to see if this solves the problem.

My H3 information.
H3 V145
HW02 DECO V124

The latest LOGBOOK.TXT file is attached.

I have reformatted the memory and all works again correctly. I would have suspected as the memory gets full the oldest dives would be deleted (as for instance with Suunto) or you would get a warning. The strange behaviour it shows now with full memory appears that nobody thought about this situation when writing the software.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Now wishing I bought the OSTC when I made my choice!

I am so glad that I picked up a Shearwater Perdix. I had considered the H3. I would have regretted it so mucg. Bought a second one even

 

[FindingMenno]

At the time I made a choice the Perdix wasn't out yet. I dismissed the Petrel as it was just too bulky for my mainly recreational use. So for me it was between OSTC and H3 (I was buying in Europe).

Now it would be between Perdix and OSTC, and I would probably pick up the Perdix. As I plan to do after my savings are looking a bit more rosy...

 

[BoltSnap]

At the time I made a choice the Perdix wasn't out yet. I dismissed the Petrel as it was just too bulky for my mainly recreational use. So for me it was between OSTC and H3 (I was buying in Europe).

Now it would be between Perdix and OSTC, and I would probably pick up the Perdix. As I plan to do after my savings are looking a bit more rosy...

Why didn't you look at ratio-computers? I wouldn't buy anything now until after DEMA since new models from most mfg. will be coming out then.

 

[FindingMenno]

They weren't out yet when I bought (July 2015).

 

[BoltSnap]

They weren't out yet when I bought (July 2015).

I meant now if you are looking for a replacement computer.