Spg, AI, both

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@Failed captcha. I appreciate your comments, and asking for my advice, but I don’t have the knowledge or expertise to give advice on the many computers on the market. You will get great advice on this thread and others concerning the same question. My needs for a computer are very basic, and my only must have is AI. Good luck in your search.

You consider AI a must-have despite having been diving since long before the SPG was common. That's the strongest argument for it I've seen yet. You are former military?

 

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Smart lady.

Not 100% certain what you mean by the tech still coming along. Some early transmitters have been problematic. Some brands of transmitters seem to still have some issues. The PPS transmitters that work with the Perdix seem to be rock solid. I've got 3 of them, and they've all been quite reliable. For the most part, the tech on these have been quite stable. Some have added colors to indicate tank pressure, some add battery saving features (solution in search of a problem, IMHO) the Swift added capability of varying broadcast interval, but apart from that no significant changes in a while.

Garmin now seems to be pushing the envelope a bit with being able to send text messages via the transceiver. Sending text messages is quite a bit different than sending music.

She shouldn't need to monitor you at all, but that's another discussion. If you are diligent about checking your gas levels, you should be able to communicate remaining gas info without the need for a nanny on your back. I regularly dive with my kids. They have transmitters as well, but I don't have theirs programmed into my computer. I simply signal them and have them let me know their gas level.

Her concerns about your old SPG failing may have more merit. It's a mechanical device. While failures are rare, they do happen. A failure of an SPG may go unnoticed. I've seen it happen before. Needle stuck at pretty close to full. I knew it couldn't be right, but if it stuck at a lower pressure, it may have gone unnoticed at first.

Depending on your dives, you will likely find that the computer and table do not agree. If you only do square dives, then they will. Otherwise, the computer will give you more time than the table. If you do charters, you'll probably start finding that they may require a computer.

I think she's hoping that she can get me into using the AI for myself. I'm highly resistant to new tech but I will admit I want a dive computer for more bottom time. I also want a new watch. I only ever used one for maybe 120 dives when I was doing some padi courses years ago but I hated it because it beeped a lot and I had to press a button to see more info. That was about a decade ago so I figured I'd give the tech time to mature before buying into it.

There are a lot of people telling me to buy a Shearwater and I have only two last stubborn points against it, I want something to last a long time, I'd be happy with it lasting 10 years but I don't like the way they look as an everyday watch. My wife has a Mares cheap budget computer that has lasted more than 10 years and it works fine for us but I am eager to travel again.

I have been diving for 20 years mostly without a diving computer. I'm not into tech or deco stuff, just single tank recreational. I have been on many liveaboard diveboats all over the world. I'm not really sorry to say that dive computers are absolutely still coming along. Something that has only been proven to work dependably for a few years is cutting edge. It wasn't that long ago that AI was widely considered a gimmick that you rarely saw. You still don't see it much in the Philippines. But if I'm the only person still holding out (I'm not by any means) and it's time to get with the times, let's do it.

So yeah, I'm thinking a rechargeable dive computer that I don't have to press a button on during a dive, that never beeps, and isn't so conservative and would actually be comfortable to wear all the time as a watch, that would be cool.

I don't need a nanny, I'm just just willing to admit I'm stubborn and I listen to my wife. A dive computer is a nanny. But if you need it, you should have it.

 

[tursiops]

I don't think anybody has mentioned it explicitly, but a Garmin cannot read a Shearwater transmitter, nor vise versa.
So get two Garmins or two Shearwaters. Since she wants a Perdix that makes it two Shearwaters. You want a wristwatch, so that's a Teric or a Tern, and if it is a Tern then get the Tern TX just in case you want to read your gas pressure (and hers) too.
You'll spend upwards of $2000 to do all this, so go ahead and spend another $50 for a new SPG (they DO fail, you know) and replace all those old hoses you have.

 

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Descent G1 base model is $550.

Tern TX is $775.

You'll already have a transmitter. So, for an extra $225, you could have a better dive computer, tank pressure on your wrist AND still use an SPG if you want.

But, it sounds like you want something that reminds you of your Casio, so that's that. Nothing wrong with it, either. The best reason for anybody having something is "because it is what I wanted".

Yeah that's mostly it, I like the way it looks and feels. I borrowed one for a day and I think I like the way it functions but even 30k pesos is still significant to me. I don't want to regret buying it. I'd like to hear of good reasons not to buy the Garmin Descent G1.

 

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I don't think anybody has mentioned it explicitly, but a Garmin cannot read a Shearwater transmitter, nor vise versa.
So get two Garmins or two Shearwaters. Since she wants a Perdix that makes it two Shearwaters. You want a wristwatch, so that's a Teric or a Tern, and if it is a Tern then get the Tern TX just in case you want to read your gas pressure (and hers) too.
You'll spend upwards of $2000 to do all this, so go ahead and spend another $50 for a new SPG (they DO fail, you know) and replace all those old hoses you have.

Do you also consider AI essential? Even for recreational diving? Would you expect any of the models you mentioned to last a decade? I maintain my gear meticulously and have a very high degree of confidence in my hoses, which aren't old, though my regulator is. I took it apart and replaced the diaphragm last year, I trust it.

I'd like for my wife and I to both have the same thing, but it's more important we each like what we have. I'd get my wife the two transmiters she asks for because she would use them even if one wasn't on my tank, so she says.

 

[tursiops]

Do you also consider AI essential? Even for recreational diving? Would you expect any of the models you mentioned to last a decade? I maintain my gear meticulously and have a very high degree of confidence in my hoses, which aren't old, though my regulator is. I took it apart and replaced the diaphragm last year, I trust it.

No, of course not, AI is not essential. But it is really nice to have because glancing at your wrist is faster and easier than finding your SPG and looking at it. I also think modern AI is at least -- if not more -- reliable than SPGs and hoses. Wireless AI also allows the remote checking of another diver's gas....which seems to be important in your situation.
Hoses fail. Do you carry any spares when you travel?
Diaphragms on regulators are pretty robust...why did you change yours? Did you also change the high-pressure seat, the inlet filter, and other soft parts? Do you keep an eye on your IP?
Confidence is good, but if it is due to lack of knowledge of what kinds of failures might occur it is not good, it's just scary.

 

[rhwestfall]

lasting a decade? Pretty low bar...

In our collection of misc. pdc products (family):

Mares Puck - over 10 years old and still running
Oceanic Veo 180Nx - over 10 years old and still running
Cochran EMC 20H - over 10 years old and still running
Shearwater Petrel1 - over 10 years old and still running

Perdix AI - nearing 10 years....

 

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No, of course not, AI is not essential. But it is really nice to have because glancing at your wrist is faster and easier than finding your SPG and looking at it. I also think modern AI is at least -- if not more -- reliable than SPGs and hoses. Wireless AI also allows the remote checking of another diver's gas....which seems to be important in your situation.
Hoses fail. Do you carry any spares when you travel?
Diaphragms on regulators are pretty robust...why did you change yours? Did you also change the high-pressure seat, the inlet filter, and other soft parts? Do you keep an eye on your IP?
Confidence is good, but if it is due to lack of knowledge of what kinds of failures might occur it is not good, it's just scary.

That sounds very good honestly. Glance at my watch and get all the info I need. I do want that, if it includes my gas and is MORE reliable than my SPG, that's very cool. I have had an SPG fail before. Remote checking of my gas isn't that important to me but after hundredds of dives with my wife where she is the only of us wearing a computer, she thinks it's improtant to her. It's important to me to humor her feelings.


Extra hoses are never far, even on remote islands or boats. I replaced all my hoses for miflex hoses a few years ago but my reg uses a half inch lp port for the primary second stage which at the time, I couldn't find a braided hose for. So I plugged that port and used a 3//8 inch miflex hose. However I did find one last year, so my hoses are in very good condition. I didn't replace the diaphragm in my 1st stage, I didn't even take it apart. I let a friend of mine do it and he used one of my service kits, of which I have a dozen, in case my regulator is discontinued by Mares, since it's over 20 years old.

The diaphragm that I replaced was in the 2nd stage, maybe it's not called a "diaphragm" but it is a diaphragm. I disassembled it just to see the inside, out of curiosity. I replaced it because it required a bit of a peel to remove from the metal and I didn't like the shape of it. The lever on the inside also appeared to be calcified so i consulted a friend of mine who owns a dive shop and is an expert in Mares regs. I also adjusted my octo with a screwdriver in a maneuver my wife didn't approve of.

I also don't let people touch my gear except for my wife, so my confidence is quite high in my gear.

 

[Failed captcha]

lasting a decade? Pretty low bar...

In our collection of misc. pdc products (family):

Mares Puck - over 10 years old and still running
Oceanic Veo 180Nx - over 10 years old and still running
Cochran EMC 20H - over 10 years old and still running
Shearwater Petrel1 - over 10 years old and still running

Perdix AI - nearing 10 years....

Thanks for that. My wife wants a Perdix AI and I'm inclined to get it for her. What do you think of Garmin dive computers?

 

[tursiops]

That sounds very good honestly. Glance at my watch and get all the info I need. I do want that, if it includes my gas and is MORE reliable than my SPG, that's very cool. I have had an SPG fail before. Remote checking of my gas isn't that important to me but after hundredds of dives with my wife where she is the only of us wearing a computer, she thinks it's improtant to her. It's important to me to humor her feelings.


Extra hoses are never far, even on remote islands or boats. I replaced all my hoses for miflex hoses a few years ago but my reg uses a half inch lp port for the primary second stage which at the time, I couldn't find a braided hose for. So I plugged that port and used a 3//8 inch miflex hose. However I did find one last year, so my hoses are in very good condition. I didn't replace the diaphragm in my 1st stage, I didn't even take it apart. I let a friend of mine do it and he used one of my service kits, of which I have a dozen, in case my regulator is discontinued by Mares, since it's 20 years old.

The diaphragm that I replaced was in the 2nd stage, maybe it's not called a "diaphragm" but it is a diaphragm. I disassembled it just to see the inside, out of curiosity. I replaced it because it required a bit of a peel to remove from the metal and I didn't like the shape of it. The lever on the inside also appeared to be calcified so i consulted a friend of mine who owns a dive shop and is an expert in Mares regs. I also adjusted my octo with a screwdriver in a maneuver my wife didn't approve of.

I also don't let people touch my gear except for my wife, so my confidence is quite high in my gear.

There are multiple reg-flags regarding equipment in your post, but I'll not comment further. Good luck.