Atomic Aquatics Cobalt Dive Computer

[RonR]

My suggestions:
1. Improve the audio alarms ASAP and in such a way that it can be retrofitted for early owners.
2. Add options for 90degree and 120 degree bearings onto the compass menu [ this should be easy to do and was mentioned by another previous poster ].
3. Improve the quick connector system [ not as secure / solid as say, the Suunto example ]

Helgo, I'm curious what you mean re. the QD fitting- my impression is that Atomic's feels more secure than others, due to the threaded component that locks it in position- it's not so floppy when unpressurized. They originally built prototypes with brass QD's, the composite actually holds up better.

Your other suggestions are being worked on. A sound frequency change is coming with the next firmware update- I'm not sure when it will be posted, but it's shipping in new computers now. This improves the audibility somewhat, but it's still not loud. As I've said before, the basic problem is the mass and thickness of the case, and the Cobalt is not going to have a very loud alarm for that reason.

Ron

 

[Salem Scuba]

We have sold at least 5 of these computers, and I took/tested it myself in Fiji for about 20 dives.
It was REALLY easy to use, totally loved the lighting!, very user friendly (no manual needed).
1 of my DM's could read my Cobalt on our night dive from 15' away he said.

 

[kdsmithjr]

OK, folks, here is my summary of my experience with the Cobalt after a recent trip with 23 dives in 5 days on a liveaboard. Of note: this is my 2nd unit - the hose connector broke out of the case on the 1st one, and the down button was quite erratic. On the 2nd unit, the 'back button is slightly erratic.
PROS:
1. Very nice, backli; screen, easy to read.
2. Contains all important information, laid out very well.
3. Intuitive menu system.

CONS:
1. HP hose connector feels flimsy, I can post a video to explain if necessary.
2. Audio alarms are unreliable / not loud enough: they need to be louder / distinctive / customizable
3. Still got 2 minor scratches on the screen through the screen protector from coral.

My suggestions:
1. Improve the audio alarms ASAP and in such a way that it can be retrofitted for early owners.
2. Add options for 90degree and 120 degree bearings onto the compass menu [ this should be easy to do and was mentioned by another previous poster ].
3. Improve the quick connector system [ not as secure / solid as say, the Suunto example ]

Other than the above, I will need to find a reliable way to secure the Cobalt, perhaps on a retractable clip, to prevent it falling ouf my BCD where it was tucked in.

Hmmm. I've been following this thread for a while and I was about to buy this computer months ago. Although the company does seem dedicated to correcting what is wrong with the product, at this point, with this many complaints (at this price there should, essentially, be none or close to it), seems that the product is still in 'development' and that the company is using its customer base as 'testers' at more than one thousand dollars a pop. That's not right and, at this point, since I've decided to get an air integrated console, I'll be chosing something much less 'gee whiz' and much more reliable. As i said, the company does seem dedicated to making sure their customers are satisfied...eventually. But at these prices complete satisfaction should be the rule with just about everyone....and it isn't there quite yet.

 

[kdsmithjr]

Ok,folks, here's my story. Bought a brandnew Cobalt in May 2011 and went diving in the Bahamas. When I installed the HP hose onto my first stage, I then went to connect and screw on the Cobalt. The connector broke out of the housing and bare wires were visible, this before I had one dive with it. Even before this, I also noticed some erratic behavior of the "down" button, likely the magnet just needed to be replaced. Along with the connector coming out, the rubber strap of the cap also broke, likely in the same movement. Sent it in, after a month, Atomic sent me a new cobalt. Now going to Hawaii in 2 weeks, will try it again. My LDS says they also had anoher Cobalt come back that flooded.
With the new Cobalt, now the LEFT button is less sensitive than the others, but not as bad as the DOWN button on the 1st deceased unit.
Little worried about reliability....

A little worried about reliability? The unit does not appear well made when it seemed to crumble in your hands before one dive. Wonder how it would last with some rough handling by some dive boat helpers as they pull your bcd aboard.

 

[kdsmithjr]

hmmmm, well I will need mine back faster than a month, that is too slow
I have dive plans coming up this month. I am going to call Cobalt first thing Monday and get the ETA. My dive master mentioned to me that one of his divers used their Cobalt and after the 6th dive the O ring blew out. I know, things happen.

Yeah, I know things happen. Lots of things seem to happen to these Cobalt dive computers.

 

[kdsmithjr]

It sounds like the circlip that should hold the HP fitting in the case was not installed properly- otherwise it couldn't come out without destroying the case. I'm very surprised that it took a month to get it replaced, though. Were there shipping problems? All the repair/ replace incidents I have followed Atomic has resolved in days at most. Cobalt's have been in extremely short supply due to the demand exceeding projections, but replacements have top priority. Atomic has been bending over backwards to support the Cobalt early adopters.

re. reliability, I've just been through the records of every Cobalt retuned (of thousands sold) since sales began in late 2010, to see where things could be improved. This actually left me feeling quite confident that any early production problems have been dealt with effectively and quickly.
Ron

You said "...It sounds like the circlip that should hold the HP fitting in the case was not installed properly- otherwise it couldn't come out without destroying the case." [/I
Interesting...self installing circlips on the Cobalt. Is the circlip something the customer would install? Or is this something installed during manufacturing? If the latter is the case, you call that a quality control problem. If the former is the case, you call a spade a spade and say the customer abused the product.. In any case, you imply that the problem's cause was the circlip. it was either poor quality control or a customer damaged the product.

 

[reefman]

with nearly 600 replies on this one colbalt computer thread alone, how about ATOMIC being represented under the manufacturers forum? just for the record, i personally know and have dove with 7 owners of the colbalt; only 1 hasn't been returned to atomic for replacement and or service(1 for malfunctioning button, 5 for recharge/battery issues). having said that, i own an atomic mask, fins and regulators; there all terrific products!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


reefman
key largo

 

[RonR]

You said "...It sounds like the circlip that should hold the HP fitting in the case was not installed properly- otherwise it couldn't come out without destroying the case." [/I
Interesting...self installing circlips on the Cobalt. Is the circlip something the customer would install? Or is this something installed during manufacturing? If the latter is the case, you call that a quality control problem. If the former is the case, you call a spade a spade and say the customer abused the product.. In any case, you imply that the problem's cause was the circlip. it was either poor quality control or a customer damaged the product.

No, this was definitely an error in manufacturing assembly, the customer has nothing to do with the circlip, it's inside the case. The Cobalt, like every other AI console, has a retaining clip that holds the high pressure sensor in the case. In this instance, the clip was not engaged fully and this allowed the sensor assembly to pull out of the case when tension was applied to the hose- the only other thing retaining it would be the O-ring seal. As the customer said, it pulled out without even getting into the water. That said, of the thousands now in the field, this is the only one I'm aware of that had this problem- and I've looked at records of every unit returned for any reason. It's not a design flaw or a chronic issue, it has no bearing on how a properly assembled product would hold up in use, it was a single instance.

I'll stick up for Atomic here- as I've said I don't work for them, but I have been closely involved with them in developing this product, and I've been working at the manufacturing level in the dive industry for nearly 30 years (and diving over 40). I've been incredibly impressed with Atomic's design quality and attention to detail on all their products, not just this one. Atomic is not using customers as testers- in fact, first shipments on the Cobalt were delayed from Spring 2010 to late Fall to allow for much more field testing. Atomic wet tests every Cobalt individually- something not all computer manufacturers do. Atomic has also been very proactive in encouraging customers to return and in replacing computers where there was any hint of a possible problem or dissatisfaction- and one of the biggest categories for replacements has been user damage.

Nothing produced by humans is perfect. O-rings on QD fittings, just like tank O-rings, will sometimes fail, since they are being inserted and removed. As the poster you quote above said, "these things happen"- to all computers. There have been real problems. It took far too long to get the download software delivered- a third party problem, but one that was the single biggest source of complaints here. Atomic did not, to their everlasting shame, provide a nice Cobalt bag in the box- a huge flaw, no doubt, and the sounce of many bitter complaints in this forum. Some early production units had a problem in the battery compartment- this production issue was quickly identified and fixed, but since production is in batches some dealers saw this in multiple instances. Inconsistent button behavior in some units was an issue that has resulted in our changing some things in production to better accommodate sensitivity variations in the switches on the circuit board. Fortunately the Cobalt is entirely U.S. manufactured, so we can monitor and make these kind of changes in production.

All designs are compromises- the low sound volume is to a large extent the result of Atomic designing the case to be extremely strong- the material and mass dampens the sound. We can improve this a bit with firmware, but if loud alerts are a key feature for you, the Cobalt may not be your computer. Most people like the magnetic buttons, which eliminate penetrations of the case and will be more reliable long term than mechanical switches, but some don't like the feel- there is no "click".

This thread has become a sort of default email support forum, a place where people could come with problems or questions. People who are just happily diving tend not to post. I've felt that by being open and directly addressing any issues, we would provide the best customer service. The risk to a manufacturer is that by doing so- very publicly- and by moving aggressively to replace units even where there might not be a real flaw (and Atomic has done plenty of this) you can make problems seem more numerous than they really are. In the long run, I believe the policy of putting customers first wins out.

Ron

 

[lonebrave]

This thread has become a sort of default email support forum, a place where people could come with problems or questions. People who are just happily diving tend not to post. I've felt that by being open and directly addressing any issues, we would provide the best customer service. The risk to a manufacturer is that by doing so- very publicly- and by moving aggressively to replace units even where there might not be a real flaw (and Atomic has done plenty of this) you can make problems seem more numerous than they really are. In the long run, I believe the policy of putting customers first wins out.

Ron

Ron,

Thanks again for being so open in this thread. You have provided much better and open customer relations than I ever expected when purchasing my computer. Having a case/bag for the Cobalt would have been nice, but I'm happy now that the firmware has been available and I can use MacDive to download my data. Us 'happy divers' haven't posted enough here. (When the bags are available, do you know if Atomic will be providing them to current owners?)

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Posts:35, Dives:0 - 24

Kinda tells me all I need to know about kdsmithjr's long and loud opinions.

RonR, thanks much for your consistent, well-written, and detailed responses. They played a major role in my decision as to whether to spend the $1200 for a Colbalt or the ~$700 for a more run of the mill air integrated console.