Bottom Timer/Wrist Computer Question

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Scott L

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In order to shorten my due dilligence process what are some opinions of the most thoughtfull products in the market place for DIR usage. I have reached the reading glasses stage in my life and the Tec2 was extremely difficult to read. Some Suunto units look interesting. Sorry if this is a well worn out topic. Scott
 
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The X1 is extremely easy to read ... if you don't mind a $1700 bottom timer ... :shocked2:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
I have an Aladdin Smart Pro that has pretty large numbers in gauge mode, but they aren't sold anymore. If you can find one used, it would probably be a pretty good deal.

Tom
 
I just bought a used vyper2 following Rainer's advice. Numbers are indeed really easy to read in gauge mode. You dont have the average depth like with the aladin tec2G. But I guess it's ok.
In rec mode, the dive time is somehow small in the corner, while the NDL is the one really large... But that's not the point here, isn't it.

I've used the Galileo Sol. Great, as you have everything big in front of you. But this is another >> 1000$ bottom timer :wink:and it is really large.

So far, the suuntos seems a fair and cheap compromise (Thanks Chris !) - also at least you can change the Gauge mode for both metric or imperial if you want, which is the main limitation of the original uwatec bottom timer :depressed:
 
My only issue with Suunto computers is that both of the ones I've owned (Favor and Vytec) have developed pressure sensor issues.

Makes my kinda nervous when I can't trust that the depth reading is accurate ... that's a pretty bad failure mode for a dive computer.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
My only issue with Suunto computers is that both of the ones I've owned (Favor and Vytec) have developed pressure sensor issues.

Makes my kinda nervous when I can't trust that the depth reading is accurate ... that's a pretty bad failure mode for a dive computer.... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yes, a depth pressure gauge which does not function properly would be a concern...:shocked2:
 
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My only issue with Suunto computers is that both of the ones I've owned (Favor and Vytec) have developed pressure sensor issues.


My Vytec did as well. The new Vyper Air has a five year warranty, though, as opposed to the 2 years for the older models like the Vytec.

The thing I love about my Vytec is that it has a resettable stopwatch that displays seconds. Come up to your 21m stop, reset to zero and then it's easy to do your 3m/min ascent from there. Love it.

Wish that the Vytec had an average depth display, though.

I've recently bought an OSTC as an experiment - not got it in the water yet (in fact my cruel, evil wife is holding the box ransom until Friday so I can't even play with it on land) but it does have an average depth display. It's also an uber-bright OLED display, large (6cm screen) like the Sol. What I don't think it has is a resettable stopwatch - but then the nice thing about the OSTC is that the model is entirely open source so potentially at some stage I will sit down and go through the source code and write that functionality for it.

An OSTC is probably not for everyone, but I can't wait to take mine for a spin and see how it goes.



Yes, a depth pressure gauge which does not function propertly would be a concern...:shocked2:

Mine was really obvious when it went wrong.... it was reading 9m on the surface before the dive.

If it went on the dive, you'd always have your team double checking the deco schedule and voting logic would apply. So for me it's more of "what is the service like to get this fixed" issue.
 
And didn't a TON of the initial X1s have depth sensor failures?

I own / have owned at least six Suuntos and have never experienced a depth sensor failure. I've heard the odd story or two about such failures on the original Vytecs, but not about the Vypers (or newer models). My Vytec DS has worked fine for the three years I've had it.

Yes, a depth pressure gauge which does not function propertly would be a concern...:shocked2:
 
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