Failure of Wireless Air Integrated COmputer and SPG

[Double_D]

I use the Vytec. It drops the signal synch all the time. It also comes back up in a couple of minutes. There's a fast keystroke sequence to ditch the code and resynch if the Vytec won't do it by itself. I do not consider it a problem.

I always wear a watch and I calculate my gas plan. I also keep a RDP with my slates in my BC pocket "for close encounters." Loosebits is absolutely right about understanding the principle behind the technology; super advice. Before you get to use the calculator in school, you should have to learn to do basic calculations through long division by hand and show your work.

Looking at the time-remaining calculation is fun, but it's about as useful as trying to figure how long it takes you to drive to work by watching your fuel gauge.

Take care down there....

 

[pakman]

Looking at the time-remaining calculation is fun, but it's about as useful as trying to figure how long it takes you to drive to work by watching your fuel gauge.

:lol: good one cannon_guy! perfect analogy! I think Suunto and all the DC makers should put a little disclaimer on their DC faces "warning, your mileage may vary"...

Interesting that you're vytec drops the signal that often.

 

[dfester]

We should all be very comfortable with each and every one of these concepts. If we didn't have computers at all, everyone could answer any of these questions but now we put our brains to the side and let the computer do the diving for us.

I would agree that we should all be comfortable with these concepts, but isn't it going a little far to suggest that if we didn't have computers all would be well.

It's true that technology can push some to complacency, however, is that the fault of the technology or the diver? If you can't be an "aware" diver with a computer, what makes you think you can be one with gauges and a table? The technology is agnostic, it's the "awareness" of divers we need to focus on.

 

[cowjazz]

Looking at the time-remaining calculation is fun, but it's about as useful as trying to figure how long it takes you to drive to work by watching your fuel gauge.

Take care down there....

Huh? My VT Pro shows me either NDL or air time remaining, which ever is less. The figure is constantly recalculated based on depth and air consumption. This is just like looking at the computer in my car to show how far I can go with the fuel remaining in my gas tank based on my current mileage per gallon. Both seem like useful information to me. Telling me I have 15 gallons of fuel, 2500 psi or three green bars of NDL left does not tell me how much longer I have before I need to consider refueling or ending the dive. Letting a computer calculate when my activity will end based on fuel or air consumption is helpful.

 

[Matsya]

loosebits on the one hand you say we are better off without computers at all. On the other hand you say that we should paly around with the computerevery now and then to familiarise ourselves with what deco looks like.
Am I right in understanding your advise as follows?

Using only the Air Time Remaining readout of a wirless AI is fraught with risk and if you use it solely as an indication to end your dive you/your buddy are going to be introuble at some point of time.
I totally agree with you.
What is your opinion on using the pressur reading of an AI computer?

Using the computer for indicating deco stops is OK again as long as you are very clear about the theory behind it and are able to plan and carry out a dive even if you do not have a computer
I totally agree with you.

Again as I said it comes back to the point that most divers who dive computers are not sufficiently educated about the theory behind the numbers. The computer cannot be faulted for this.

 

[loosebits]

I would agree that we should all be comfortable with these concepts, but isn't it going a little far to suggest that if we didn't have computers all would be well.

It's true that technology can push some to complacency, however, is that the fault of the technology or the diver? If you can't be an "aware" diver with a computer, what makes you think you can be one with gauges and a table? The technology is agnostic, it's the "awareness" of divers we need to focus on.

I agree but I think the average diver would be more aware if it were not for the technology. Just as few of us know how to start a fire without matches (or even with matches), many of us don't know how to determine our N2 loading without our computers.

Having a computer takes discipline - more so than not having one. The more the computer does for you, the more discipline it requires to keep the necessary skills to function without it.

The diver who doesn't remember how to run tables (or doesn't even own any) or doesn't know how to do gas planning for different dive conditions doesn't have that discipline and should have stuck with tables and an SPG where those skills have to be used and are reinforced. Of course, many divers were never taught any gas planning beyond "get on the boat with 500 psi" (that's not a plan, that's a goal and we can all fault the training agencies for that) and if it never even occurred to them to reserve enough gas for them and their buddy to get back to the surface then they should ask themselves why that never entered their minds. They should also ask themselves if there is any other critical aspect to diving they've overlooked.

 

[DST]

Certainly not Wireless, but this may speak to brand quality.

:11: See other thread titled 'Suunto Cobra stuck in dive mode'

Computer was sent out to Suunto by the LDS, but haven't heard back yet.
By Stuck, I mean an absolutely frozen display. Likethe darned thing is at the center of a black hole and time has stopped. At the same time, my buddy has had no problem with his and they both have the same dives at the same times under the same conditions. Sometimes, you just get a bad apple; but the big thing is how is Suunto going to deal with it. So far, they have been less than satisfactory...

 

[gmcalea]

I am a novice, but here is my 2c.

I am an engineer so never trust a computer 100%. I dive with a VT3 and Atom 1.0 as well as single analog spg. That is safe, but still practice my tables.

On computers, VT3 is awesome, great novice feature is the ascent speedometer, i can see that saving many peoples asses

 

[scubadobadoo]

This is just like looking at the computer in my car to show how far I can go with the fuel remaining in my gas tank based on my current mileage per gallon. Both seem like useful information to me. Telling me I have 15 gallons of fuel, 2500 psi or three green bars of NDL left does not tell me how much longer I have before I need to consider refueling or ending the dive. Letting a computer calculate when my activity will end based on fuel or air consumption is helpful.

That's assuming those calculations in your car are correct. I have seen them in action and they are constantly changing and many times don't seem to be consistant or realistic. Moreover, they can't plan for what might and will happen like your brain can. They only plan based on something that just happened. Everytime my friend punches the gas pedal in his car that computer goes crazy. I find this useless IMHO. A great idea but not always realistic and useful.

 

[pakman]

anyways, back to the original topic... interesting to see the ratio of 10 spg failures vs 17 wireless AI failures. I would have suspected less spg failures vs wireless failures.

Ramsabi, I'd say get the wireless if you got the money to burn... It is nice having the pressure reading right at your wrist... use a backup spg if you're concern about failure. Personally for recreational dives I just use my wireless. I know myself to check my pressure frequently so if it every crapped out, I'd just thumb the dive.