What dive computer to get?

[poomero]

Hey everyone,

I am looking at getting a dive computer and I would like some feed back. I have been looking at the Galileo Luna and want to know what everyone thinks. What other computer would be better and why?


Thanks.

[UWRCN]

What's your price range and what level of diving are you doing or plan to do?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Scuba_Noob]

I checked out the Galileo Luna, and the prices are generally around $1000. And the reviews are generally quite good. But before you go spending that money, you need to ask yourself what are your goals in diving for now and the future. Do you want to stay recreational or do you want to go technical? Would you want to dive with different gases?

You could probably get a decent computer for 20% of that price that can do both nitrox and regular air and do bottom time/depth, as well as upload dive logs to your computer. However, you might prefer the integrated compass, gas integration, and all those other features that the Galileo Luna offers. Or you could just buy a compass and have a normal pressure gauge.

[j2s]

Computers like so many other pieces of dive gear are a matter of personal preference/budget...Hose/hoseless, 2-3 gases, watch/puck size, environment to be used in, bells/buzzers/whistles etc....There have been many posts/threads on computers...Two main points; User friendly & reliability...Read enough of the posts/threads and you'll get an idea of what suits your needs/budget best.......

[beaverdivers]

The Luna is an excellent choice!

[drrich2]

I'm not familiar with the Luna. For a range of representative types, I'd look at these for comparison:

1.) Atomic Aquatics Cobalt - console style, great interface, expensive.

2.) Oceanic ProPlus 2.1 - as above minus the great interface but cheaper. Doesn't have a digital compass, but I like analog compasses anyway, and so do a number of folks.

3.) Oceanic VT4 - wrist unit, larger than a watch, air integrated.

4.) Oceanic Atom 3 - wrist watch style, air integrated. For a cheaper, non air-integrated unit, look at the Geo 2.0.

5.) Shearwater Predator, I think it's called, is highly regarded by some, but may well be overkill. I'm not up on what all is special about it.

I'd want a computer I could download dives to a computer from. Each of the above has fans. I don't know what computer is right for you. Might just be a Luna.

Richard.

[poomero]

Well I am new to diving but plan on buying once and buying right. I want a watch that has integrated air. I want a watch because I dont like having to look at a gauge. I use a watch every day so I am use to that and find it a little more comforting having it on my wrist. I want something that is going to last a long time and is not overly complicated. I want something I will be able to take with me on any dive I go on no matter if its California or somewhere tropical.

Any other computers that anyone suggest?

[UWRCN]

I would give two thumbs up for the shearwater but its overkill for just no stop diving.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[CPH]

I have the LUNA and have found it sooooooo much better than my Suuntos I had previously.
The air intergration is very reliable. In two years I have not lost the signal.
The compass is very good also.
The choice of screen options is good and there are many ways to customise the computer to you.
Battery life is good. I am still on my first battery after two years.

BUt you need to see what is good for you.

[poomero]

I am going to try a few out I just wanted to get some opinions from people that have used them before.

[Hatul]

I have the Sol and also think the Luna is a great choice, both for a beginner and experienced recreational diver. The air integration works well and helps with air management. The thing even works well for night diving because of the push ON/OFF backlight. The infrared PC link is fast and works well.

Until the Liquivision Lynx comes out it's probably the best choice out there for recreational diving.

[Capt Doug]

Just bought a Luna and absolutely love it! Great screen with all the information handy w/o looking at other screens. No signal loss. Upgradable.

[Ouvea]

You'll be very pleased with the Galileo Luna. The display has all the relevant data that is nicely organize and, very importantly, easily readable. The compass works nicely even when the computer is not fully level. Haven't had any transmitter issues but I do keep a back-up SPG. There have been a few reports of wrist straps breaking, although I forget how old the units were. I refuse to lose a $1000 dive computer and have mine tethered to a wrist lanyard for additional security.

Do be careful with wrist units. They are easily misplaced and stolen. I never leave mine un-attended. If I need to take it off, when I'm a boat for any reason. I attach it to my BCD/Regulator with the wrist lanyard.

@ Hatul:

Do you find the heart rate monitor function of the Sol useful? Has it made you more aware of your physical expenditure underwater?

[poomero]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am going to try it out in 2 weeks and see how I like it. If all goes well it sounds like its a great choice.

[buddhasummer]

Well I am new to diving but plan on buying once and buying right. I want a watch that has integrated air. I want a watch because I dont like having to look at a gauge. I use a watch every day so I am use to that and find it a little more comforting having it on my wrist. I want something that is going to last a long time and is not overly complicated. I want something I will be able to take with me on any dive I go on no matter if its California or somewhere tropical.

Any other computers that anyone suggest?

Liquivision Lynx, although not out until fall, similar price to the Luna, much smaller and OLED.

(Sorry Hatul, posted before reading the whole thread)

[stano]

I have the liquivision Xeo. Excellent display and no buttons. It works by tapping the sides top and bottom which works very well. The computer can take right to trimix if desired and is a true technical computer. For no stop diving the biggest selling point is the screen. Amazing. Runs around 1000$ or under.

Stano

[poomero]

I like the look and how simple the Liquivision Lynx is but the price will be about $400 more for the whole set up. All I plan on doing is recreational diving for the next few years so I dont know if I will need that much computer right now.

---------- Post Merged at 10:46 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:39 AM ----------

How do you think the Luna stacks up next to the Liquivision XEN?

[skankpile]

I'm not familiar with the Luna. For a range of representative types, I'd look at these for comparison:

1.) Atomic Aquatics Cobalt - console style, great interface, expensive.

2.) Oceanic ProPlus 2.1 - as above minus the great interface but cheaper. Doesn't have a digital compass, but I like analog compasses anyway, and so do a number of folks.

3.) Oceanic VT4 - wrist unit, larger than a watch, air integrated.

4.) Oceanic Atom 3 - wrist watch style, air integrated. For a cheaper, non air-integrated unit, look at the Geo 2.0.

5.) Shearwater Predator, I think it's called, is highly regarded by some, but may well be overkill. I'm not up on what all is special about it.

I'd want a computer I could download dives to a computer from. Each of the above has fans. I don't know what computer is right for you. Might just be a Luna.

Richard.

Predator is a technical computer you will not outgrow and has outstanding service
-bluetooth to download dives and updates
-choice of algorithms
-oled display
-can swith oc>cc & cc>oc and lets you put in all your gas mixes
-can run in po2 mode, and monitor 1, or 3 cells
-can act as a po2 solenoid controller
-also is available with a hud for po2 monitoring

[buddhasummer]

I like the look and how simple the Liquivision Lynx is but the price will be about $400 more for the whole set up. All I plan on doing is recreational diving for the next few years so I dont know if I will need that much computer right now.

---------- Post Merged at 10:46 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:39 AM ----------

How do you think the Luna stacks up next to the Liquivision XEN?

The Xen is s bottom timer, the Luna a computer.

[stano]

Xeo is the one, not the Xen. As noted xen is a timer.

[Hatul]

You'll be very pleased with the Galileo Luna. The display has all the relevant data that is nicely organize and, very importantly, easily readable. The compass works nicely even when the computer is not fully level. Haven't had any transmitter issues but I do keep a back-up SPG. There have been a few reports of wrist straps breaking, although I forget how old the units were. I refuse to lose a $1000 dive computer and have mine tethered to a wrist lanyard for additional security.

Do be careful with wrist units. They are easily misplaced and stolen. I never leave mine un-attended. If I need to take it off, when I'm a boat for any reason. I attach it to my BCD/Regulator with the wrist lanyard.

@ Hatul:

Do you find the heart rate monitor function of the Sol useful? Has it made you more aware of your physical expenditure underwater?

About the HR monitor, it's surprising how well it works. When I remember I do put it on, I have mine set to link to the algorithm as a workload indicator, and also so I can see the plot superimposed on the depth profile in SmartTrak. I find my HR has much to do with anxiety level and it's highest at the end when I'm about to come out through the surf zone.

Under water it's not that useful. Occasionally I look at it and it's roughly in the range where I expect it. One advantage in linking the HR rather than breathing, is I don't get many increased workload alarms with the HR like I was getting with breathing.

It may not work as well in a drysuit and I read of one report of problems with HR monitoring in a drysuit diver.

[beaverdivers]

I use my Sol and HR monitor all the time with my drysuit. It works great. As far as the setting we recommend setting it for both breathing & HR - whichever is higher, that way you get the most conservative No Stop time.

If you are getting breathing worloads, doesn't it make sense to have those figured into the algorithm.

[Hatul]

I use my Sol and HR monitor all the time with my drysuit. It works great. As far as the setting we recommend setting it for both breathing & HR - whichever is higher, that way you get the most conservative No Stop time.

If you are getting breathing workloads, doesn't it make sense to have those figured into the algorithm.

That's an extra conservative approach. The default is to link the algorithm to the increased workload as per heart rate, which is a surrogate to the cardiac output.

I found when I used breathing as workload I would get lots of alarms and I did not feel I was working hard. Worst of all, during the alarm a lot of information in the display is overwritten by the alarm, which seems to last a long time. According the manual the workload by breathing is related to a breathing pattern, so perhaps there's something peculiar about my breathing pattern that triggers these alarms. In my case at least I feel the workload by HR is more understandable.