Liquivison X1 - Any reason not to purchase?

[Bronson]

Ignoring the cost, can anyone share a reason not to purchase a Liquivision X-1. I will use it for technical training (open circuit) nothing too serious for now but i am sure that will change as this stuff is addictive. I will use the D9 as a back up in gauge mode.
- Is the product and its software stable?
- If you own one would you purchase it again?
- Does manufacturer promptly handle any problems?

Thanks.

 

[giles45shop]

I really like mine and would purchase again. Have not had any issues w/ mine, but from all that I have read, issues were handled promptly. They did have some issues with silicone potted depth sensors, but the newer models have a dual ceramic depth sensor which I believe eliminated that as a problem. I have the silicone potted one and have not had any issues. Admittedly, I only have about 30 dives on mine to date.

As far as the software, I've been really impressed with how it works. I use the VPLanner Live. The developer (Ross) has done an excellent job with the software and is very open to communication and implementing ideas from his customers for the "good" ideas.

The only other issue that people bring up is the rechargeable battery and potential life. It's ~ $400 to have the battery changed out (not user replaceable), but life is indicated as 4-5+ years. They haven't been out long enough to get much real-time life test data, but in another year or two their will be a larger aged population out there to get some meaningful data.

John

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

All of our customers have been extremely happy with them. What is not to like? Easy to read & use, small & compact, built in compass, great algorithm.

- Is the product and its software stable? YES & I find that most Tec divers are using V-Planner so why not have a computer that uses that EXACT Algorithm.

- If you own one would you purchase it again? YES

- Does manufacturer promptly handle any problems? Have had no issues there

 

[FIXXERVI6]

Ignoring the cost, can anyone share a reason not to purchase a Liquivision X-1. I will use it for technical training (open circuit) nothing too serious for now but i am sure that will change as this stuff is addictive. I will use the D9 as a back up in gauge mode.
- Is the product and its software stable?
- If you own one would you purchase it again?
- Does manufacturer promptly handle any problems?

Thanks.

- stable: yes
- puchase again: yes, plan to
- handle problems: haven't really had any problems but I've seen them address other peoples problems, one of the benefits to the computer is the people that make it, and v-planner (if you choose to use it) are on the boards, you can talk to them, not to some customer support rep thats overseas

 

[a22shady]

It's not Air Integrated. I know alot of others don't care or don't like it. Personally I do and for that much money I would want the option to have it.

 

[ianr33]

It's not Air Integrated. I know alot of others don't care or don't like it. Personally I do and for that much money I would want the option to have it.

Air integration becomes ridiculous if doing a dive with 5 different tanks and 4 different mixes, which is the type of thing the X-1 is designed for.

For NDL dives an X-1 would be total expensive overkill. Horses for courses.

 

[TSandM]

I've had mine for two years. My original one was a loaner, and then I bought my own about a year ago. I had one of the faulty potted sensors, and it failed at the beginning of January. The company requested I return it, and they promptly sent out a replacement unit. I have no complaints about the service.

I LOVE the computer. The display is unreal. It is bright enough, on medium, to serve as a third backup light in a cave exit -- I can say this with authority, because I did a 48 minute lights-out exit in my Full Cave class, and the gauge threw enough light so that I could see the rocks coming and didn't have to swim with my arm out in front of me. The screens and menu are extensively customizable. VPM seems to be a very rational decompression algorithm.

I've had a little trouble getting the device to gas switch for me, but tapping it with my lighthead has worked, and I'll admit I'm kind of overloaded at those points still, and probably not as effective as I could be. I also wear VERY thick glove liners, which probably diminishes the effectiveness of the tap.

I would like better logging software. I bought an outside vendor's software that is supposed to be compatible with the X1's output, but I've never figured out how to export the files to it. The existing software does not make it easy to sort your dives, to be able to pull out cave dives, or trimix dives.

My X1 is power-hungry to an annoying degree. My husband's doesn't seem to be nearly as much that way. I don't know what the difference is. The best way to live with an X1, in my experience, is to put it on the charger whenever it's not in use. Unlike other computers, you can't set it on a shelf for a week or more and expect to have it usable when you pick it up.

Overall, I very much like the computer, and I would buy another one.

 

[fdog]

- Is the product and its software stable?

Hardware has been very stable. Just wait until you pick one up - it has a "carved from solid metal" feeling that is kind of like picking up a hockey puck.

And I've nothing but good to say about the software. I have MultiDeco-X1 (from the same company as V-Planner) and been nothing but impressed: solid, easy to load, stable. Plus, if you don't like that, there's a couple other choices for software. Vive la difference!

- If you own one would you purchase it again?

Absolutely. I looked at the UEMIS and Predator, and picked the X1. Actually, the maturity of the X1 was a driving force for the decision; when you're doing obligated dives, mature and stable is a good thing.

- Does manufacturer promptly handle any problems?

Not having had problems, I can't address this - but I did have questions, and these were answered so fast they should have had a sonic boom! The same for both hardware (Liquivision) and software (HHS Software). Very nice.


Hope this helps.


All the best, James

 

[FIXXERVI6]

It's not Air Integrated. I know alot of others don't care or don't like it. Personally I do and for that much money I would want the option to have it.

OP didn't say anything about air itegrated.

The X1 isn't for everyone

When you pay the kind of money you lay out for an X1 your paying for a rock solid potted piece of hardware with awsome display, and the ability to run really nice software such as v-planner live, which is the same as v-planner desktop, this allows you to plan your dives including gases on the desktop and dive them on your wrist, and on top of that you can download your tissue data into v-planner desktop to plan additional dives based on your gas loading data from your wrist - if that isn't the cats meow I don't know what is.

The biggest reason I abondoned my VR3 is because I planned my dives on v-planner, when I jumped in the water my backup tables and gas planning didn't match what my wrist was doing to me - I don't have that problem with the X1.

If your concern is air integration for that kind of money, then obviously the X1 isn't the computer for you.

 

[a22shady]

Was not doubting the computer. It is very nice and is one of the top computers out there. So far only thing I have seen that rival it or better is the new predator which is very cool. I get that to have it AI would be difficult if using many differnt gases as you would need lots of transmitters. But Just thought it would be nice to have the ability to do so if you were doing a Dive that did not require to use differnt bottles maybe Doubles or even singles.