Better OC Trimix Computer . . .

Which of these two choices is better?

Then please, comment on the pros and cons and why you like yours better.

What environments do you dive yours in? What extras do you like most?

What do you like least?

CCR doesn't come into my equation, but feel free to discuss if you wish.

My personal experience is with the Shearwater, which has buttons to operate it, a queer battery that isn't available on small islands, and a big bright screen that can be seen by your dive buddy from 20 feet away. My experience with Liquivisions is as a charter boat captain, so I've seen plenty of them, but never had one on my wrist. The Liquivision is quite a bit smaller. That's fine for warm no wetsuit diving, but I've had 3 lost on the boat when folks didn't realize they fell off their wrist. 2 were later recovered. The Shearwater is big, heavy, and you will know it as soon as it comes loose. Even with a drysuit. I've never seen a failure of a Shearwater, except a dead battery (mine). I have seen 5 or 6 OLED displays crap out during a charter on the Liquivision. I prefer the buttons on the Shearwater more than the accelerometer on the Liquivision, but the buttons are fragile and I've seen them damaged. Mechanical damage to the button renders them unusable, and they have to go back to get the button replaced. The Liquivision has a better charging system for the battery, you must carry a spare Shearwater battery when traveling to small islands in the Caribbean. The charge on the Liquivision lasts for a diving day. The battery in the Shearwater lasts 100 hours or so.

I think either is a reasonable choice. It comes down to preference. I haven't seen as many failures of the Liquivision in the recent past (2 years) as I did in the previous 2 or 3 years before that. I also don't see near as many Liquivisions as disgruntled users switch to Shearwaters.

I still use my SmartPro in gauge mode as my bottom timer.

Why only those 2? You should also add VR3/x.

I think there were display problems with some of the earliest Liquivisions. We've had none. There were also problems with the pressure sensors on the first ones; they changed sensors and doubled them, and that's no longer an issue. I love my X1. Putting it in one of Tobin's boots means no issues with losing it. The bright screen can really be read by your buddy, and the ability to change font size is really nice. The battery, if the gauge is not left in the wet tub, will actually last for several days of diving. The VPM software generates profiles that are reasonable and, although not identical to my RD profiles, are always satisfied by them.

I have an occasional problem with the tap interface in the water, most notably with gas switches, but it would be less of a problem if I weren't trying to gas switch my computer on the QT so my buddy won't notice me doing it

The only thing I don't like about the X1 is the logging software, which is very primitive. I solved that by buying Divinglog from the German fellow. You can export X1 files to this program, although you have to convert their format, and for whatever reason, Ross's program only allows you to do that ONE DIVE AT A TIME. So keep up on your dive logging, or you'll have a bunch of tedious work to do!

ajduplessis:

Why only those 2? You should also add VR3/x.

Click to expand...

Didn't like what I was reading on it, esp. the price -- but I'll listen!

I've been thinking about this very question. I foolishly bought a Luna thinking SP would have the trimix program for it by the time I needed it. Nope. Now I'm torn between the Shearwater and the X1, or just running the Luna in gauge mode and using a backup bottom timer. I hope this thread will help me decide.

My shearwater reads my Po2, and the display is great, but its is hardwired to my head so it goes back to ISC if anything happens. Liquivision just stopped making their Po2 monitor... whatever that means

TSandM:

I think there were display problems with some of the earliest Liquivisions. We've had none. There were also problems with the pressure sensors on the first ones; they changed sensors and doubled them, and that's no longer an issue. I love my X1. Putting it in one of Tobin's boots means no issues with losing it. The bright screen can really be read by your buddy, and the ability to change font size is really nice. The battery, if the gauge is not left in the wet tub, will actually last for several days of diving. The VPM software generates profiles that are reasonable and, although not identical to my RD profiles, are always satisfied by them.

I have an occasional problem with the tap interface in the water, most notably with gas switches, but it would be less of a problem if I weren't trying to gas switch my computer on the QT so my buddy won't notice me doing it

The only thing I don't like about the X1 is the logging software, which is very primitive. I solved that by buying Divinglog from the German fellow. You can export X1 files to this program, although you have to convert their format, and for whatever reason, Ross's program only allows you to do that ONE DIVE AT A TIME. So keep up on your dive logging, or you'll have a bunch of tedious work to do!

Click to expand...

So, reliability and capabilities are good, but the usability because of the dive log is not so good?

Jax:

So, reliability and capabilities are good, but the usability because of the dive log is not so good?

Click to expand...

After my gear is rinsed, something else will surely supersede the desire to view a dive log.

randy88k5:

I've been thinking about this very question. I foolishly bought a Luna thinking SP would have the trimix program for it by the time I needed it. Nope. Now I'm torn between the Shearwater and the X1, or just running the Luna in gauge mode and using a backup bottom timer. I hope this thread will help me decide.

Click to expand...

Let's hope so!!