Another new computer thread - choices for LED type screens with AI

[Diving Dubai]

Check out OSTC if you get a chance. They are German company and I know few posters here cannot say enough good things about them.

The OSTC is a thing of beauty, quite a few of my friends have the OSTC 2 and are very happy with it. Indeed the OSTC 4 is on my radar for a backup DC

But none of the the range as yet run AI

Fully understand @Neilwood reasoning behind an LED screen, I'm a big fan.

On all the DC he listed you have alter the conservatism so you can get close to your buddies NDL

On the Eon you can set a number of different profiles. Pre sets if you like, which remember your screen layout and other settings. I have one specifically for guiding which I switch to. This has my conservatism taken down so that it matches the shop computers. So I know what their NDL times are

For fun dive I go to my normal setting. Again to the OP well done for suggesting that you might be better off using a more conservative setting, rather than seems to be the fashion of wanting the least conservative setting.

 

[KenGordon]

My "need" is for something that can be easily read in typical UK waters ie normally fairly low visibility and often quite dark. Hence I am looking at LED screens. Price is less of an issue ( i have some laid aside for it) than getting something that is effective, easy to use and easy to view. Not keen on the current situation of having to hold a button (while I might be needing to do other things such as smb etc) or shine a torch on it.

My dive buddies generally are using Cressi or similar so would be NDL limited by their computers even with the most liberal computer.


I will not rule out the Ratio but would need to see the price.

Surprised that a computer thread on SB has gone by without someone saying I will die if I just use AI.

Some of the simple mono LCD computers have a feature that the backlight will stay on for a while after a button press. Of course that is no use to you if your current one doesn't and by the time you bought one that does you might as well spend double the money for the full colour toy experience.

The Ratio computers are available in the UK and are similar to slightly more money that the Shearwaters. They have more buttons though so might be easier to use, however the button grouping looks like it might be a bit of a pig with gloves and cold hands. Like OSTC they baffle with a wide choice of machine with slightly different names so it is hard to figure out the one you would want. The biggest risk I see with Ratio is that they turn out to be a one hit wonder. With Shearwater and OSTC you can see a good track record of delivering product over a good few years and expect that to continue.

I think your choice comes down to the Perdix AI and the Eon. The Eon dives like any other Suunto but does have the more aggressive P-2 and P-1 settings so if your world depends on being able to tell a DM that you had NDL time left at the end of the dive but just like to do a 10min safety stop then you are good. The Perdix uses buhlmann ZHL16C with Gradient Factors. This the the SB officially adored deco scheme which involves picking a couple of numbers which are applied to some vague witchcraft to determine how to modify the original decompression model that day. The computer has two modes, one with a choice of three sets of numbers and one where you get to pick your own set. I strongly suggest you read up on this before buying the computer. Deco For Divers is a good read and available as an e-book now.

I have a Petrel and an LCD Suunto (or two) that i use for proper dives, I have several buddies with the Eon Steel, it has the odd weirdness that makes me read the manual and ask 'but surely?' regarding time to surface and which gases are available.

One guy in our club bought a Perdix recently and his first question was how to choose the GF numbers.

 

[CuzzA]

After owning a DC that needs to go to a shop for battery replace, I am done with DC that needs special battery.

There's nothing special about the battery. There's nothing special about replacing a battery.

It's a ploy to collect more money for a shop. There's no reason you can't change the battery yourself.

Take my Icon for example. It's a typical 3.7v wired 18650 rechargeable battery. It has a cap with an o ring. Take a Shearwater for example. It's a typical AA non rechargeable battery. It has a cap with an o ring. The only difference is Shearwater says go ahead and replace the battery yourself and Mares says have it replaced by the college kid at the dive shop.

I can buy the battery for $40 (cheaper somewhere else). It will last me around 5 years. I like the fact I don't have to continuously open the battery compartment up to replace a battery and increase the risk of a potential flood.
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-mrsihrb/mares-rechargeable-lithium-battery-for-icon-hd-computer?gclid=CODJvtCqt9ACFU4dgQodWnMMZg&kwid=productads-adid^88200967873-device^t-plaid^183058618153-sku^MRSIHRB@ADL4LP-adType^PLA

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

There's nothing special about the battery. There's nothing special about replacing a battery.

It's a ploy to collect more money for a shop. There's no reason you can't change the battery yourself.

Take my Icon for example. It's a typical 3.7v wired 18650 rechargeable battery. It has a cap with an o ring. Take a Shearwater for example. It's a typical AA non rechargeable battery. It has a cap with an o ring. The only difference is Shearwater says go ahead and replace the battery yourself and Mares says have it replaced by the college kid at the dive shop.

I can buy the battery for $40 (cheaper somewhere else). It will last me around 5 years. I like the fact I don't have to continuously open the battery compartment up to replace a battery and increase the risk of a potential flood.
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-mrsihrb/mares-rechargeable-lithium-battery-for-icon-hd-computer?gclid=CODJvtCqt9ACFU4dgQodWnMMZg&kwid=productads-adid^88200967873-device^t-plaid^183058618153-sku^MRSIHRB@ADL4LP-adType^PLA

I have an OCi and this is the kit that I have to get.

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-ocnbkoc/oceanic-battery-kit-for-oci-ocs-dive-computer

Not to mention that I would need use a pressure chamber to make sure that it is not flooded.

The price for a battery change works out to about $42 USD at LDS where I am at. To be honest, since it does not cost that much more to have a LDS do it compare to DYI, not to mention I don't have a pressurized chamber at home, I don't mind letting the LDS making the few extra bucks.

My point is SW and OSTC use regular AA battery. OP does not have to worry about getting a special battery like your Mares or my Oceanic. OP can just go to a local 7/11 and pick up a couple of AA and he is good to go. Unscrew the cap with o-ring, swap out the battery, and voile, he is done. I don't know about you but I don't have that luxury that is for sure. And this will be the route that I am going to follow for my next DC.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I know a lot of people aren't a fan of of rechargable batteries. And that's fine.

I must give Suunto Kudos for theirs on the Eon. You know all electronic devices have temperature max and mins. Generally the upper is 40C (104F) Now we dive all through summer with air temps in the shade above this. Occasionally I've left mine in a place that when the boat turns means it's in full sun - over 50C (122F) for a couple of hours.

If that were my phone I'd get a temp warning - but the Eon just fires up no issues. In 2 years I still get the same life out of my battery (between 30 - 40 hrs depending on my screen brightness)

I can't say I've been gentle with it either (sorry Suunto) but it's never had an issue. Only once when plugged into the computer did it reset. All that happens is that you need to reset the dat and time, all other settings and data are untouched. The same if you discharge it fully. This doesn't happen often because we use it most weeks. Not sure how long it takes to discharge on the shelf.

Our temperature extremes (for heat at least) are pretty unique so you don't expect manufacturers to have fully taken them into account. But I have to say, both my computer, my wife's and our two friends who dive them have performed flawlessly

While a bit OT. My iPod classic lives in the armrest between the seats. The plastic screen has heat cracks, and the battery isn't that great, but it still works despite being 9 years old and been in the desert heat since 2010 (no idea how hot the arm rest box gets, but it's high. Remarkable really

 

[stuartv]

I have an OCi and this is the kit that I have to get.

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-ocnbkoc/oceanic-battery-kit-for-oci-ocs-dive-computer

Not to mention that I would need use a pressure chamber to make sure that it is not flooded.

The price for a battery change works out to about $42 USD at LDS where I am at. To be honest, since it does not cost that much more to have a LDS do it compare to DYI, not to mention I don't have a pressurized chamber at home, I don't mind letting the LDS making the few extra bucks.

My Oceanic Atom uses the same battery. I buy one at pretty much any nearby grocery or drug store and swap it myself. I have silicone grease anyway for flashlight O-rings, etc., so I use a little of that on the O-ring that's already in there. They don't need to be replaced unless they are damaged or deteriorated.

Costs me about $5 to change the battery in my computer. Takes about 5 minutes. I've had the computer for 2 years now and changed the battery twice (so, on its third battery now). No floods or any other problems.

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

My Oceanic Atom uses the same battery. I buy one at pretty much any nearby grocery or drug store and swap it myself. I have silicone grease anyway for flashlight O-rings, etc., so I use a little of that on the O-ring that's already in there. They don't need to be replaced unless they are damaged or deteriorated.

Costs me about $5 to change the battery in my computer. Takes about 5 minutes. I've had the computer for 2 years now and changed the battery twice (so, on its third battery now). No floods or any other problems.

Thanks for the heads up Stuart. I will give that a go next time.

But still, I will remain that twisting a cap and swap out a AA battery is still a much more convenient and easier option. Compare to the labor involved for our Oceanic.

 

[stuartv]

Thanks for the heads up Stuart. I will give that a go next time.

But still, I will remain that twisting a cap and swap out a AA battery is still a much more convenient and easier option. Compare to the labor involved for our Oceanic.

No doubt. But, it doesn't have to be done nearly as often...

 

[Doby45]

My "need" is for something that can be easily read in typical UK waters ie normally fairly low visibility and often quite dark. Hence I am looking at LED screens. Price is less of an issue ( i have some laid aside for it) than getting something that is effective, easy to use and easy to view. Not keen on the current situation of having to hold a button (while I might be needing to do other things such as smb etc) or shine a torch on it.

My dive buddies generally are using Cressi or similar so would be NDL limited by their computers even with the most liberal computer.


I will not rule out the Ratio but would need to see the price.

Surprised that a computer thread on SB has gone by without someone saying I will die if I just use AI.

No one will ride your ass about AI because you are talking about rec diving. You have already said money is not a "huge" factor so go ahead and get the Perdix AI, you know you want to and you will never buy another computer. There I said it.

 

[stuartv]

No one will ride your ass about AI because you are talking about rec diving. You have already said money is not a "huge" factor so go ahead and get the Perdix AI, you know you want to and you will never buy another computer. There I said it.

... until SW comes out with their wristwatch-sized Peregrine model next year....