Air integrated or not

[wader]

Hi all,
I am looking for a new computer. My previous, an Aeris XR-1, was not air integrated. I am a little nervous about buying a digital device to tell me how much life-giving air I have left. Other than the obvious dead battery, are my nerves unjustified? I like the idea of being more stream line.

I am considering either the Sub Gear XP-h ($280 from LP) or the SubGear XP10-2 ($380 from LP). Any thoughts on either of these two computers?

Thanks in advance for your opinions and Thank you to all of our Vets on this Memorial Day weekend!

 

[tbone1004]

two thoughts.

Dive with an analog SPG, which just negated the benefits of going wireless AI and certainly hoseless *the digital pressure sensors are more accurate than the bourdon tubes and suffer the same damage from water ingress, only limiting factor is battery life*.

Dive without an analog spg and if you have a signal error, just terminate the dive. Remember, not too many years ago SPG's didn't exist and the use of J-valves with a spring telling you there was a few hundred PSI left was the only way you knew you were low on gas, assuming it worked properly and the lever hadn't been moved inadvertently during the dive.

 

[JerseyJames]

I prefer not. It's just another thing to go wrong (transmitter issues, battery life) but I'm 'old school'. If I buy an air integrated computer then I sell the transmitters on eBay, clawing back some of the cost of the computer. Happy days!

 

[TSandM]

I cordially loathe consoles, and vastly prefer to have my computer on my wrist. Having that same computer give me my pressure lets me be a lazy diver, because then I don't have to pull up my gauge (or console) to look at my remaining gas. However, transmitters do fail (the ones we've used don't have any warning to let you know when the battery is low, and sometimes fail to sync) so if you don't have a backup, you may lose or shorten some dives.

My personal decision is that a connected pressure measuring device is a requirement, and a wireless connection is an expensive luxury which permits me to be lazy. Your decision may be different.

 

[JerseyJames]

My personal decision is that a connected pressure measuring device is a requirement, and a wireless connection is an expensive luxury which permits me to be lazy. Your decision may be different.

Agreed. Always have a connected device!

 

[PatW]

I dive with an analog SPG and an integrated computer. It gives redundancy.

It depends on your situation. I dive with a DSLR camera. Given that I have to keep track of my buddy, other divers, my camera and its settings and potential subjects being able to check at a glance is nice but not really vital. If I were diving normally, checking the computer and gauge would be easy.

But it depends on just how important the feature is to you and only you can tell.

 

[dmoore19]

A lot of people here advocate an analog SPG. Their reasoning is that they have had problems with syncing and loss of signal so they keep an SPG attached too.

My experience has been different. I have not had problems with a sync and have had no problems with loss of signal. The battery in the transmitter I have is quite simple to change and I do it myself prior to any trips I might be fortunate enough to go on. I do not leave the SPG attached but I do keep one in my bag just in case there is a failure or low battery. I haven't had a computer failure nor have I had a transmitter failure. I only know of 1 computer failure on the boat dives I have been on. It was a total failure and it happened between dives. I also have a backup computer that goes with me on every dive.

As others have pointed out it is a personal preference. I don't think not having an SPG is a bad thing but it is also good to have a backup just in case. The worst that could happen is I would be out part of a dive due to a transmitter or a computer failure. I am okay with that.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I just don't see any real benefit. One less hose? If it's properly routed a hose is not a problem. The transmitter. Since I dive sidemount and often carry a stage or deco bottle one transmitter does me no good. I'd need at least two. Not worth the cost. A second transmitter is another reg, tank, weekend of diving. And now I have to worry about 3 or 4 batteries instead of one. No thanks.

 

[wader]

I may have misspoke my intentions. I am not considering a transmitting device, sorry for the confusion. I am looking at a computer, connected by the air hose, without an analog pressure gauge. I currently have a computer and an analog gauge mounted into the console. Again, sorry.

 

[TSandM]

If you are using a console already, there is really no downside to using an air-integrated computer instead of a computer and a pressure gauge. If you are downloading your dives to a logging program, it may make it very easy to follow your gas consumption, too.