Console & Wrist overkill?

Hi all, so I finally got my c-card after much postponement and being in New England I thought what better time to do so than end of season.(So come next season I will have most likely forgotten most of my skills due to lack of use:doh2 Hoping to get a few more dives in before Nov though.
Anyways i have been thinking about getting a computer and I am torn. Clearly there is a preference toward wrist comp's but being new to diving I do like the idea of an air integrated console with everything together like a wisdom II but I also like the idea of a wrist comp. Would purchasing both be overkill or more like having a backup and also getting a chance to get comfortable with myself to the point where I could possibly forgo a console if I wanted to be more streamlined? Thanks in advance for all replies.

Well, I guess my question would be what advantage you see in having "an air integrated console with everything together." You have several pieces of information you're hoping to get from your gauges. Generally, that's depth, dive time, remaining NDL time, and tank pressure. You can get them all in one place with an attached air-integrated console, or with a wrist computer and transmitter. The disadvantage of the console is that you have to pull it up from wherever it is riding to be able to check your depth or time; I found this to be a nuisance, as I want to monitor my depth at very frequent intervals during a dive. The disadvantages of the transmitter-based wrist unit are problems with syncing the transmitter (which are not rare) and expense.

For me, having the depth and time information (which I reference frequently) on my wrist, and the pressure information (which is referenced at greater intervals) on an analog SPG, worked out to be the most efficient and cost-effective solution.

My husband uses a console and a wrist unit with transmitter, but that's largely because he bought the console when we first got certified, and later upgraded to the wrist unit because the efficiency of having the information on his wrist become clear to him. (Why he spent the money for the transmitter remains a mystery to me, though!)

Starting out dual computers would be overkill. Even the computer itself should be entirely optional for a good while. Remember that the only real benefit of a computer is the managment of multilevel diving to maximize your NDL. As a new diver in New England that challenge is probably a ways off.

All of the integration you need should be between your ear.

Placement of instruments is an entirely personal choice. I'm partial to my 3 bay inline console with SPG, computer and compass. If you go that route get the longer (42'?) HP hose so the compass sights nicely. I keep mine on a 10 inch bungee clipped to a left shoulder D ring and viewing anything is easier than getting my wrist up into view. Generally I barely elongate the bunge but more freedom is there if I want it. I snag the bungee in the crook between my thumb and forefinger.

A simple SPG with a compass on one wrist and computer on the other is fine as well. My gripe is that it's more gadgets to manage, don, loos, drop etc and the console works darned well for me. You will undoubtedly read that I'm the oddball here on ScubaBoard but less so in the real world, at least the one I dive in.

Instrument selection has little to do with streamlining. Your posture, trim and poise while diving far outweigh any slight gear appendages.

Where are you in New England?

Pete

I'm still not entirely sold on the relaibility of the Air integrated stuff.
The more parts, the more that can go wrong.
I suppose you could go with a redundant setup with traditional SPG, depth, compass on a boot and air integrated with wrist mount.

I have a Suunto Cobra which I use on both my singles and my doubles (it has a quick release feature so changing from one to the other is trivial). It is a "console" style computer -- that is, it is physically connected to the high pressure hose. It even qualifies as an "SPG" per GUE regulations (much to the disgust of more than one GUE instructor).

I also use a Suunto Vytec wrist computer with a transmitter. I really like having the information on my wrist (time, depth, pressure). Because it is wireless, and thus more likely to have an issue than the Cobra, it is solely a backup SPG, but it is my primary bottom timer (time/depth).

I do NOT believe it is overkill.

I've been using a Cobra (console, air-integrated) since I certified.
I've now added a Vytec (wrist, air-integrated, wireless).

So, now I have two computers, a primary and a backup, and both are air-integrated. If they both crap out on me at the same time, I figure it's just my time to go.

mksmith713:

I'm still not entirely sold on the relaibility of the Air integrated stuff.
The more parts, the more that can go wrong.
I suppose you could go with a redundant setup with traditional SPG, depth, compass on a boot and air integrated with wrist mount.

Click to expand...

weather the high pressure hose is attached to a gauge or an air integrated console, wouldn't reliability be pretty much the same as far as just the SPG goes? I mean outside of the computer itself having more of a chance of crapping out, but I don't know about more parts. There's always the all your eggs in one basket thing but then again, if any of your stuff goes out, you're more than likely calling the dive at that point anyways!

Anyways, I don't think having redundancy is ever a problem as long as you don't look like an octopus of hoses!

I'm not crazy about air integrated computers. I got one free so I use it. But I carry as a spare an analog pressure gauge (in my bag, not on my reg). I also have a wrist computer for depth and time, which, like TS&M, I reference more frequently. I like it right there.

I don't think two computers is overkill because if something happens to one, you have a back-up. This is especially nice if you are doing mulitple dives.

Air integrated gives you a couple of nice stats when you download. But mine is quite old and doesn't download, so I don't have that advantage.

I am getting back into diving. Before my long absence from diving I had logged 12 dives. Anyways, I decided to go with a wrist computer none AI and than a console which has my depth, spg and compass. The console I got is very compact.(width is just alittle bigger than the spg(2inches) and length around 4 and a 1/4 inch).
Kurt