Uwatec SmartPro comments? and/or comparision with Vyper?

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bpevans

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Looking for recent comments on the Uwatec SmartPro wrist computer. I'm shopping for a nitrox wrist computer with features consistent with the SmartPro and Suunto Vyper models. (gauge/pc.xfer/planning/backlight/deco/etc).

The Suunto Vyper and SmartPro are priced almost identically and I'm having trouble picking one. I'm leaning towards SmartPro since the display seems a bit more user friendly & informative. I also like that the SmartPro is less conservative than the Vyper.* Any comments from those who've own both would be especially appreciated. Any comments between SmartTrak and Suunto software also welcome.

The way i see the choice right now:

-- Uwatec SmartPro ------------
+ less sensitive ascent rate alarm at depth (by % depth vs static)
+ suggests and accounts for deep stops
+ bigger display
+ less conservative *
- non-user replaceable battery
- not as common in the market as suunto

-- Suunto Vyper ----------
+ Suunto software & support by other apps
+ Widely used. (although not updated for sometime now)
+ User replaceable battery
- Very Conservative, insists on a stop despite already making a deeper stops.*
- Some modes don't seem to make the best use of the screen space.

From the Uwatec website, it appears the SmartPro has already been discontinued in lieu of the pricier SmartTec. True/False?


* please don't post to tell me that conservatism in a computer is a good thing. I don't agree. I dive conservatively. I don't need a computer to tell me to do so.
 
I used the UWATEC Air for several years. I liked it well enough. But both of ours had to be replaced as the pressure transducer failed twice one computer and once on another. When it came to upgrade we choose Suunto as the one time we had to send a computer in for a battery change it was $40. I thought that was a bit much. If you want deep stops the Suunto Vytec DS does deep stops and you can very the "conservativeness" of the algorithm.
 
But the Vytec DS is far more expensive than the Uwatec Smart Pro, which is why he is looking at a Vyper as an alternative.

I have used a Smart Pro for the last five years, since they came out, and it has been well battered, with me doing on average 300 dives a year with it. It has never put a foot wrong, and you might not be able to change the battery yourself, but new batteries are fitted free of charge by the manufacturer if you are the original owner (or that is the case over here in the UK).

I have used a Vyper as well and that is a fine computer, I just prefer the layout on the Smart Pro.

The SmartTrak software is also far superior to Suunto's efforts.

JMHO

Mark
 
I am also trying to decide on a new computer and I have been considering the Suunto Cobra and the Uwatec SmartCom & SmartZ.

I honestly was ready to buy the Uwatec SmartCom or SmartZ but after reviewing the manual and asking questions here I don’t think I would like the way the information is displayed.

The Uwatec has what it calls a “Remaining Bottom Time” (RBT) and I would assume since Uwatec refers to this info as RBT not Air-Time Remaining that this would be the lowest of Air-Time, No-Stop Time, or O2 Time, but as far as I can tell it is simply Air-Time. Now the computer does have a separate no-stop time (NST) display BUT, if you turn on microbubble suppression (i.e. deep stops) as soon as the computer decides a deep stop is advised the NST is replaced with the deep stop info and there is no way to see your available NST!

Right now I am leaning towards the Suunto Cobra. As far as I can see the Vyper is basically the same as the Cobra except the Vyper is wrist mount & hoseless. I have simply see too many people on this board report problems with the remote transmitter so I am leaning more towards a console mount.
 
I didn't intend for this thread to discuss air integrated computers. That's a whole other can of worms I'm not interested in opening.
 
MarkUK:
The SmartTrak software is also far superior to Suunto's efforts.

How so? I installed both SmartTrak and the latest Suunto software and thought that the Suunto software was better written. The SmartTrak app doesn't appear to have been updated since 2001. The new version of the Suunto software is pretty useful. DiveLog and a few other apps also support the Suunto computers which is reassuring.
 
I know a lot of people who have encountered serious glitches and problems with the Suunto software, whereas they have had no issues with the Smartrak (other than on Macs, but don't even go there with that one!). It doesn't bother me one way or the other, as I don't log dives anymore and never download any info off my computers, which is why I have my trusty Smart Pro AND a Suunto D6 (replacing my battered Stinger).

Sounds like you've had no issues - which is good news for you.

Mark
 
With regard to smart track software not being updated since 2001. While the disc shipped with the computer may be the same as in 2001 (I'm not positive on that), there have been several updated versions made available as a free download on uwatec's website.
 
Any comments on this issue?
http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/gearreviews.php?s=441
The problem is that Uwatec has chosen to remove no-decompression time limit information from the display when bubble suppression is activated, using this location to show the "advisory" no-stop time and level stop information. When bubble suppression is activated, the computer still calculates the remaining no decompression stop time in the conventional way and it will impose a mandatory decompression stop if no-stop time limit is exceeded, but the no-stop time information is not available to the diver on the display. Once a level stop advisory appears, there is no way to find out how much no-decompression stop time actually remains until the limit is reached and a mandatory decompression stop indication appears in the display
 

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