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I'm a new diver and want something easy to use and easy to read, but also something I can grow into. Other than the beautiful screen, what does the Cobalt offer in practical user advantages over the Oceanic ProPlus 2.1? Neither is cheap once you add QD, computer interface, compass, etc., but I also don't want to go too cheap and then be looking for an upgrade this time next year. I can read the manufacturer's websites but am looking for user experience with either/both.
Thanks.
You buy the Cobalt, you'll be happy. You won't outgrow it until you want Air Integration into multiple tanks or move into CCR or Trimix. As a new OW diver, those caliber dives are way in front of you - if ever.
I can't compare the two, but I'm crazy about my Cobalt. Definitely easy to use and easy to read. It's my third and almost certainly last computer as it's got everything I need in one helluva nice package.
I haven't read the manual for the Cobalt yet. I'm curious how you switch gases on a computer connected by hose to your reg.
Ron
Edit: After looking at the manual online, I discovered the Colbalt supports up to three gas mixes, but only provides estimated gas time remaining on one, the primary. The others will not have gas time remaining displayed.
I thought with multi gas support, one would have to move the computer to another reg set underwater, and I was wondering how you could do this with a computer attached by a hose. I thought that maybe they had a way to switch underwater.
Silly me.
When they come out with a wrist mounted computer with that display, I could be tempted to get one.
Last edited by reo; January 19th, 2011 at 05:45 PM.
Reason: Looked at the manual online
The Cobalt allows 3 different mixes during the dive, whereas the Oceanic only has a single gas.
Of course, by the time you're actually using multiple gases, you'll have moved past a computer on a hose....
The Cobalt is intended to be recreational computer, and will only monitor the pressure on a single tank. I expect that most divers using the multi-gas capability will be either 1) doing dives where they switch to a EAN mix at the end of a dive, just for deco, or 2) using the multi-gas capability mainly as a convenient way to switch to the mix they are using for the next dive. The interface provides a very quick and easy way to switch to another predefined mix- essentially a single button push. So if you commonly dive with a particular mix, or even just a different tank size, you can set those up in memory ahead of time and swap them out at will.
I don't anticipate that too many Cobalt users will be switching three mixes underwater. And as you say, most divers who are using multiple mixes are using wrist mount computers- or trimix computers. Some do like consoles, though.
The Cobalt is intended to be recreational computer, and will only monitor the pressure on a single tank. I expect that most divers using the multi-gas capability will be either 1) doing dives where they switch to a EAN mix at the end of a dive, just for deco, or 2) using the multi-gas capability mainly as a convenient way to switch to the mix they are using for the next dive. The interface provides a very quick and easy way to switch to another predefined mix- essentially a single button push. So if you commonly dive with a particular mix, or even just a different tank size, you can set those up in memory ahead of time and swap them out at will.
Hadn't thought of that - it certainly would be convenient.
Originally Posted by RonR
A wrist mount version is definitely in the works.
Very nice - I know of several divers that would have bought a Cobalt on the spot if it was a wrist mount!
Just to make sure that I understand the part about gas switching; a diver presses a button U/W to let the computer that the diver is switching to gas 2. The diver would press another button to indicated to the computer that he is switching to gas 3.
I presume that the gas mix was predefined on the surface for all 3 mixes. Can the mix gas percentages be changed U/W?
Just to make sure that I understand the part about gas switching; a diver presses a button U/W to let the computer that the diver is switching to gas 2. The diver would press another button to indicated to the computer that he is switching to gas 3.
I presume that the gas mix was predefined on the surface for all 3 mixes. Can the mix gas percentages be changed U/W?
Basically right, but it's handled through a dialog rather than different buttons.
If you have gas switching enabled (which you do by setting up a gas mix with a planned switch depth), pressing the UP button when you are diving will bring up a dialog box that shows any defined mixes for which you are above the MOD (based on whatever PO2 max you set for that mix). You can use the UP and DOWN buttons to select the mix you want. You then press the SELECT button to confirm the switch. This just follows the same interface conventions as the rest of the computer as far as button use, so it's pretty simple, and divers have "gotten" how to switch gasses without instruction. You can see how this works in an online demo: Cobalt Guide: Dive Screen: Multi-Gas Diving
Gas mixes can't be changed when diving, they have to be defined on the surface. One of the rules we had for the Cobalt going in is that during diving all dive data always remains visible. So there are no modes where you, say, go to completely different screens to change settings while you are in a dive. Viewing the compass, setting a bearing, or the gas switching dialog, etc. don't obscure dive data.
If you haven't set up gas switching (as we expect most users will not), then you will never see the dialog and pressing the UP button in a dive won't do anything.
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Originally Posted by fdog
