Dive computer POLL (August 2004) with POLL feature!

[Jason Ooi]

Delta P Vr3 C4 and Nitek HE

 

[Vie]

Recently sold my Oceanic Atom; too many features for me!. Approaching fifty dives on my new UWATEC Aladin Tec - very nice gauge mode.

Shouldn't Aeris and Oceanic be in the same option in the poll? Maybe the option should be changed to "Pelagic Pressure Systems" so that computers produced by them and sold as Sherwood, Seeman and Genesis (as well as Oceanic/Aeris) could all be under the same heading?

Another option should be Seiko as they produce computers sold as Dive Rite, Cressi-sub, Apeks and other brands...

 

[rigdiver]

VR3 for me. Just got my 2nd one with all the bells and whistles. Color screen and VPM. It's the cat's *****. You can custom cut tables with VPM(IANTD also has them on plastic that you can fold up and carry) and dive the computer with backup. I use a Nitek Plus in gauge mode in case I must bailout to tables.
YBOD Pilot;
Bill

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I've had a couple of computers. About a year ago I got rid of my Suunto Cobra mainly because of hte lousy software and switched over to the Uwatec SmartCom and loved that. Then recently I got the Uwatec Tec and that is just a fantastic computer.

 

[sponge_bob]

Vie....Im getting ready to use my tec this weekend for the first time. Is there anything I should know about?

 

[petsin]

I have recently bought an Aladin TEC to replace my old Aladin Sport. After 3 dives I am getting used to all the new information and features, and am pretty happy with it. However, there is one thing I didn't like: its ascent rate display (and alarm) is way too sensitive... compared to the Sport, the TEC gave ascent alarms all the time, short but anoying ones, while the Sport was telling I was within the accepted ascent rates. I believe the ascent speed calculator should do a bit more averaging, as the Sport, in order not to give alarms for fast ascents that last only a fraction of a second, like when moving your arm. Instead it should try to average the reading of a couple of seconds at least.

I like to keep my dive profiles in my PC using Smart Trak, but now, with the TEC the profiles are jaggy and half red, while the ones from my old Sport look smooth and only red where ascent rate was exceeded for a longer period... Not very nice to have an almost flat profile filled with red ascents of few centimeters...

I hope I can get used to this... but I hate to have to keep my arm almost motionless to avoid triggering the alarm.

 

[Vie]

Vie....Im getting ready to use my tec this weekend for the first time. Is there anything I should know about?

Definitely get the DSS "boot" (aka Elastomeric Mount for Uwatec Digital Bottom Timers) for it - the one designed for the UWATEC Bottom Timer will fit the Aladin Tec; make sure you request that they cut a window on the side for the IR. The DSS "boot" provides a better fit and lower profile mount.

http://www.deepseasupply.com/page19.html

I had no problems with my Tec but I have been using it exclusively in gauge mode. I like the fact that ALL alarms can be switched off and that the calibration can be switched between salt and fresh water. The average depth feature is not so good on longer/deeper dives (many people have complaint about this on SB...) as the averaging starts right away and you cannot set it to begin after you've reached the planned "dive" depth. Other than that, no problems so far...

I am a Mac user and although the JTrak program for UWATEC looks great, I can't use it to work as my PowerBook G4 does not support a IrDA/USB device!

 

[erdoc1]

Ditto - Sherwood Wisdom. Got one for me and one for the husband on sale at a dive shop in Buffalo, NY. It was worth the 90-mile trip.

 

[ffestpirate]

I dive with the pro-dive 2. I love it. It does everything I need and a few things I don't need or haven't figured out yet!