Atomic Aquatics Cobalt Dive Computer

[Oldbear]

I am neutral on the help feature...however I do not use it.

Kudos on the Hard Protective Case...I saw one at DEMA and liked it.

 

[nelsonrl]

I do not think the loss of the help text would be an issue for me.

 

[marku8a]

The question is: How important or useful are those help descriptions? Would the Cobalt be as useable without them? Are they useful in come contexts, like Gas Settings, but not in others? When we discuss adding features, screen real estate always is an issue, and the help text takes quite a bit. Is it worth it?

Ron

Text help? What text help?

I only have 26 dives on mine and haven't used the text help at all since taking it out of the box. I think the real estate would more useful for something else.

Mark

 

[ogroeten]

We have included, in all our Cobalt firmware versions, help text at the bottom of the screen for most Settings functions- text telling users what the particular button or menu item does, within the possibilities of a few of lines of text. The question is: How important or useful are those help descriptions? Would the Cobalt be as useable without them? Are they useful in come contexts, like Gas Settings, but not in others? When we discuss adding features, screen real estate always is an issue, and the help text takes quite a bit. Is it worth it?
Ron

Hi Ron,

It is different for me. Some Help Menues are not necessary, some are useful:

Within Settings:

These informations are helpful for Dive Settings and Preferences as a summery, what can be changed within this Item. All other entries are mostly self explaining. (perhaps change 'Calibrate' to 'Calibrate Compass') and perhaps I should think about some other German translation for 'Gaseinstellungen'


Within Dive Settings I think the help text is not really helpful, since all Menu-Entries are self explaining.
Within Personal Info it is useful, since it describes the Limitations.
Within Screen Brightness it is neutral. But I think it does not disturb here.
Within Gas Settings: Hm, I'm not shure within the first Menu, but Within Edit mode, I found it useful for 'Specify Tank Size as' and 'Tank Size' as it describes the possibilities and the reason, for what is it used. You don't need it, if you have done it some times. But I like the Atomic Cobalt because of its intuitive User Interface. So i believe within GAS settings the Help Text should remain.

All in all: For experianced Useres these Help texts are not necessary. But for new users I believe they are helpful, esp. for the first Setup.

Regards,
Orl

 

[terrylowe]

With the current version, I never used the help texts.

 

[Dan Dickey]

We just finished 12 dives in Cayman yesterday. My Cobalt computer was down to about 60% charge so I put it on the wall charger before packing up to go home. Now the computer will not start at all. It seemed to work ok during the week. I charged my buddy's computer at the same time and it seems to be ok. Is there a secret incantation besides pushing the EAST button to get it started again?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[RonR]

We just finished 12 dives in Cayman yesterday. My Cobalt computer was down to about 60% charge so I put it on the wall charger before packing up to go home. Now the computer will not start at all. It seemed to work ok during the week. I charged my buddy's computer at the same time and it seems to be ok. Is there a secret incantation besides pushing the EAST button to get it started again?

Thanks,
Dan

No, the SELECT button should always wake it unless the battery is dead. If you dunk the nose of the Cobalt in water does it wake up to the dive screen? If so, there is the possibility you have one of the button keypads that has rusted. Here are some instructions for removing the cover to check. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/71299384/Cover removal.pdf
If you see rust, Atomic or your dealer can get you a new keypad, it's very simple to replace.

If it doesn't wake with water contact, we will want to rule out any leakage, particularly in the battery compartment. PM me and I will send you instructions on how to check the battery (it's easy), or you can of course go directly to Atomic.

Ron

 

[bractime]

As for the Help Text. I would not miss it. I don't ever use it. To me it is just a repeat of the menu discription with a little more detail.

 

[Michael Anthony]

I wonder if Ron (or anyone) has an answer for this one. I am in Utila for diving (ironically I am with an Atomic employee, also using a Cobalt). I can no longer turn on my Cobalt using the buttons. The metal part in the up button has corroded and the metal part in the button on the right button has also corroded (sea water will do that to pieces of iron). And so as of now those buttons cannot be used. I was able to verify the charge level by pulling out the buttons and using different buttons, here in the hotel. Not really feasible while diving. And so I can forget the compass and stuff like that.

Is there any quick fix or work around that can get me through this dive trip?

How long are the buttons supposed to last and how often do users need to replace them?

I no longer live in the US and so I need to plan ahead with the consumables.

Also I remember (correctly but that may be wrong) that each button was individually calibrated and so if that is correct, I need a collection of individual buttons in order to continue using this computer for diving in salt water (most of my dives are this way). And then it would follow I need to know how to replace each button with the correct sized iron part.

Should users be disassembling this dive computer in order to rinse the iron parts of the buttons in order to prevent corrosion? If not, how do I prevent corrosion of the buttons (or are they simply considered wear items?).

Like all of my gear this computer has been rinsed (by immersion in fresh water for a significant time, 30 minutes or so) after every dive.

 

[RonR]

I wonder if Ron (or anyone) has an answer for this one. ...

Michael, I have a few answers, maybe. It's crummy that you have two failed buttons at once.

A workaround for the trip might be to replace the SELECT button with one of the others- the UP or DOWN, for instance- that still work. During diving the UP button is only used for initiating a gas switch, so if you aren't switching mixes it would be the easiest to live without. DOWN adjusts display brightness. Maybe you could talk the Atomic employee into sacrificing their UP magnet? It's possible to do everything necessary except manually initiating gas switches without it, though it is less convenient to only be able to go one direction. If you have SELECT and BACK you have compass function and can turn on the computer, and if you have either UP or DOWN you can change values in fields. In a pinch, SELECT and BACK alone will get you through diving, though you won't be able to adjust screen brightness. If you could put the magnets in with a bit of silicone glue (or Aquaseal or some such) that will help keep the water away. The reed switches in the Cobalt will be actuated by any magnet, so one brought into the right proximity to the Cobalt will operate the buttons. If settings don't need to be changed- using only air, say, the Cobalt will turn on whenever the contacts are wet, and will start a dive when it sees pressure, so could be dived without any buttons at all.

The neodymium magnets are very susceptible to corrosion if they get wet, they should have been sealed and glued into the keypad in a way that prevents water entry. They should not be rusting and are not consumables, but there were some keypads that were assembled with a less than adequate sealant coating on the magnets. Well sealed ones have held up. Atomic is now using an opaque sealant to make assembly errors less likely, the old sealant was clear. Any break in the sealant will likely lead to corrosion eventually, even in fresh water. I'd caution people against pulling the little magnet holders out of the keypad unnecessarily, but if you want to check a malfunctioning button the instructions for removing the top cover are here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/71299384/Cover removal.pdf If you see rust stains on the backside of the keypad, it's best to contact Atomic for an entire replacement keypad. Typical rinsing of gear should be fine for maintenance, removing the top cover too often is probably not a good idea.

The keypads, at least on early Cobalts, were checked for function at the factory, and if a magnet strength needed to be changed it was. It isn't quite the case that every button was individually set up, but some needed a stronger or weaker grade, mostly on the DOWN button. The DOWN switch was moved slightly at one point in production, so if you need a replacement (as you obviously do) it will be important for Atomic to have your serial # so they know what keypad to send. Without knowing how long you will be there I don't know if a new keypad could get to you in time.

So, to summarize:
This should not be happening, you have a defective keypad.
There are possible kludgey workarounds to allow you to still use the Cobalt on your trip.
I recognize this is not such a great solution, but I hope it helps until you get a replacement keypad.

Ron