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Iam pretty old school, ive always gone of the tables to work out my dives anf now im considering a dive computer.
ive got a few questions.
do most models calculate repetitive dives?
say if ive done a 30m/100ft for 15mins and the next planned dive is for 20m/65ft will they tell me NDL for the next planned dive taking in account of the surface interval?
what are some recommendations of brands and models
mberry, yes, virtually all dive computers will track residual nitrogen, and adjust the deco limits for subsequent dives accordingly.
There is an amazing spectrum of dive computers available today. You need to make a few decisions to have parameters to narrow the search -- do you want air-integrated, or wrist-mount? Do you want Nitrox or multi-gas capability? Do you want the ability to download to your computer, and if so, by what method? Do you want an OLED display?
Once you can answer some of those questions, we can be much more helpful with suggestions.
I think this is a little confusing. Air integrated (AI) and wrist mount are independent of each other. Air integrated means that the dive computer reads the pressure from your tank either through wireless communication or through being connected physically like a typical SPG. It adds the advantage of figuring out how much longer your air will last. Wrist mount or console mount are other options, completely independent of whether the computer is AI or not. However, as I'm sure you can imagine, a wireless AI is not the cheapest option.
If it helps you at all, I'm a college kid in the financial position associated with my point in life , but dive computers are a big safety feature. They allow for longer/more dives as they calculate more accurately than a chart. I'm looking at getting a cheaper dive computer with none of the frills of a nicer one to see if I even use it. Then, if I decide I like it and want more....I'll gift it to the fiancee and buy a nicer one. It seems to me like the needs you mentioned are on most rather lower-end dive computers.....so which one you buy will be more determined by extra features (AI, nitrox/trimix, pc logging), reliability (name-brand over cheapie) and aesthetics/ergo. If you don't like how it looks and feels you won't wear it...and it won't help if you don't wear it.
I've never been diving with a computer before, but the benefit that I see of a computer is for longer/multiple dives like I said above. The first question you need to ask is do you need one? Well, I believe that if you're diving a lot you NEED one. However, if you're doing a few dives a month then you're fine with a chart. I've only been diving with a computer once and ignored it the whole time. Now, if you can afford a computer and want one for the added safety...or you want one for the bling and "coolness" of getting one....then get it and enjoy it!! They really are the best safety device one can have, other than common sense and a good dive buddy.
do most models calculate repetitive dives?
say if ive done a 30m/100ft for 15mins and the next planned dive is for 20m/65ft will they tell me NDL for the next planned dive taking in account of the surface interval?
what are some recommendations of brands and models
While all will calculate repetitive dives, I don't know of any that will allow you to parametrize a surface interval to calculate NDL for a future dive. I believe they all perform that calculation assuming the actual surface interval you have performed up to that point.
Many divers prefer conservative computers believing it makes them safer. I prefer the most liberal computer since it is easy to dive them in a more conservative manner. It is not possible to make a conservative computer more liberal although there are some that allow you to adjust the conservativeness of their algorithm.
Iam pretty old school, ive always gone of the tables to work out my dives anf now im considering a dive computer.
ive got a few questions.
do most models calculate repetitive dives?
say if ive done a 30m/100ft for 15mins and the next planned dive is for 20m/65ft will they tell me NDL for the next planned dive taking in account of the surface interval?
what are some recommendations of brands and models
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, mberry; welcome to ScubaBoard!!!
Absolutely dive computers will calculate surface interval and repetitive dives. It will also calculate time at actual depth, instead of "your deepest depth is the depth for the whole dive".
There are SO many selections -- aggressive vs conservative, air-integrated vs not (tracks your air usage), minimum info vs pages of info, the all-importent budget, etc. -- I'd like to recommend you "play" with the computers in an online environment like eDiving.
Then, after you find a few that you like, train on them.
Last, but not least, come back here and tell people what you considered and which way you are leaning. You will find an enormous amount of input from those that love'em, hate'em, and the little tips and traps you can get from only those that actually dive the computer.
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One is consistent with a free people and the other requires a police state. Pick one." ~Cool Hardware52
I, alone, am responsible for my health and safety, my actions and inactions.
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Hi mberry,
as far as I know (and I think I know something about this subject since we have created simulators for almost 50 dive computers so far) the vast majority of dive computers, while taking in consideration accumulated nitrogen during a multilevel dive, can only plan the next dive as if it will happen right away AND as if it were to be a square dive.
We cover this subject in more details in our Introduction to Dive Computers online class.
In addition to eDiving suggested by Jax, you can also use divePAL to see dive computers in action during simulated dives.
With divePAL Basic (that is free) you can Plan and Analyze a single multilevel dive. With the Full version ($2.99) you can plan and analyze a series of up to 3 multilevel dives and with the Nitrox version ($4.99) the series can have up to 6 dives.
Lastly, with the Tech version (to be released later today) you can plan and analyze any series of dives using Trimix and multiple tanks.
Scuba Diving Simulator, Dive Computer Training, Dive Planning and Dive Logging Software eDiving, DiveComputerTraining, divePAL, iDive Computer divenav.com, ediving.us, divecomputertraining.com Plan your Dive, Dive your Plan, Log your Dive Learn to use YOUR Dive Computer
While all will calculate repetitive dives, I don't know of any that will allow you to parametrize a surface interval to calculate NDL for a future dive. I believe they all perform that calculation assuming the actual surface interval you have performed up to that point.
Actually, all of the Scubapro dive computers allow you to add a surface interval and then give you No Stop ( NDL ) times.
While all will calculate repetitive dives, I don't know of any that will allow you to parametrize a surface interval to calculate NDL for a future dive.
Cobalt's dive planner allows you to see NDLs/ascent times for a future dive after hypothetical SIs, I would assume others do, too.
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Originally Posted by beaverdivers
, but dive computers are a big safety feature. They allow for longer/more dives as they calculate more accurately than a chart. I'm looking at getting a cheaper dive computer with none of the frills of a nicer one to see if I even use it. Then, if I decide I like it and want more....I'll gift it to the fiancee and buy a nicer one. It seems to me like the needs you mentioned are on most rather lower-end dive computers.....so which one you buy will be more determined by extra features (AI, nitrox/trimix, pc logging), reliability (name-brand over cheapie) and aesthetics/ergo. If you don't like how it looks and feels you won't wear it...and it won't help if you don't wear it.
