Padi Erdp

[novicediver]

For fear of being flamed, it's another example of OW classes being further dumbed down in order to generate more divers/customers/income, and it seems that padi is the industry leader in perpetuating this.

 

[Web Monkey]

Now from what I hear from a reliable source, its not in the too distant future that PADI is going to STOP teaching the tables to OW Students and have them strictly rely on computers.... How do you like dem apples!?

It's not surprising at all for an organization that will certify a diver in 3 days on a cruise ship.

Too bad there's no direct cost to PADI for the divers who get injured or terrified on their first dives and never dive again.

Terry

 

[StSomewhere]

Try the online demo and punch in something like a 60' dive for 60 minutes. Oops, overlimit, sorry bub, we aren't going to give you any useful info. OK, now what?

And if its so easy, why to you have to convert to EAD for nitrox dives? Where's the altitude adjustment? PADI tables tried to be idiot proof but they failed. As long as you understand how tables work, any other tables are more straight forward and less cluttered.

Anyway, whether you have a dive computer or not, IMO you should either take your tables with you or have at least a subset of your tables for your current dive plan plus some contingency numbers (a little deeper and a little longer than your dive plan). Some people here say that relying on a dive computer is dangerous (and I don't necessarily disagree with them based on how I've seen them used). But relying on some non-depth-resistant mini-calculator back on the boat is absolute lunacy. My two cents....

 

[JustinW]

The ridiculous thing about this is that PADI says students still need to learn the tables. So for now, tables will still be used, with the Erdp being used as a crutch. The tables help new divers understand decompresion theory in a way that they otherwise could not with a calculator. The tables also allow you to quickly look at table 1 and determine what a given dive will do to your nitrogen levels. This can only be done by trial and error with the Erdp.

 

[crpntr133]

They aren't learing the tables at all if they can use Erdp on their test which I understand is allowed. This may work for one that dives once a year while on vacation but not for me.

 

[Rick Inman]

Don't need a computer to add to 120.

 

[KrisB]

I'm kind of wondering, since the programming must be quite simple (just an electronic copy of the tables tied into a calculator) why hasn't PADI made a JAVA enabled cell-phone version... or a PDA version... much more convenient for a lot of folks...and more likely to be bought by larger numbers of divers as a convenience... but a standalone device for it... that's what I find hard to swallow... even a calculator is a multi-function device... this seems like a limited calculator to me...

Interestingly enough, they have. PADI has a software package for PalmOS that does dive logs and (presumably) calculates your pressure group.

I haven't heard much of it lately, though -- I'm guessing it's not a hot ticket item despite its low price.

 

[SubMariner]

For fear of being flamed, it's another example of OW classes being further dumbed down in order to generate more divers/customers/income, and it seems that padi is the industry leader in perpetuating this.

And just to play devil's advocate (and momentarily hijack the thread) what about the agencies that take it one step further and don't teach any tables, but teach PC use instead?

Isn't that even more "dumbing down"?

Geez.. get off the agency-bashing horse already. It's a dead issue.

 

[616fun]

And just to play devil's advocate (and momentarily hijack the thread) what about the agencies that take it one step further and don't teach any tables, but teach PC use instead?

Isn't that even more "dumbing down"?

Geez.. get off the agency-bashing horse already. It's a dead issue.

AMEN!!!

 

[Debraw]

We use the PADI ERDP in our classes now. The students must learn the tables and then they can buy the ERDP for use after Module 4 and their final exam. They would have to had learned the tables before they could even operate the device. I think anything that makes it simpler for a diver to read and understand their tables is a good thing. It seems to me there would be a less chance of a mistake. Interestingly enough 99% of the people that have purchased them have NOT been students in Open Water classes. We stress learning the tables and most students have chosen to purchase after they have been certified in a class. We even had a father last night who had his 13 year old son in a class buy one but kept it for himself to use and insisted that his son do the tables on his own before using the device. The father said this will be great for him to use while he is sitting on a dive boat in Cozumel planning his dives. I don't know about the people you all have met in scuba diving but I found most people to be incredibly concerned about their own welfare. In the last 7 years of being involved in the professional side of the industry through shops, teaching, etc. I can say there have been only 2 times out of 800 or so divers where I thought the diver being certified was not all together right in the head and did not seem to be concerned with the seriousness of dieing while diving. The PADI ERDP is a choice, a computer is a choice, a training agency is a choice. People ARE really smart! REALLY!