Advice on first dive computer (Suunto Zoop?)

[dmaziuk]

Then you have no choice but the OSTC.

Yes. If only they had AI. (Also I live in leftpondia but that's not a major obstacle to getting one.)

 

[Divetech99]

The Aqualung i300 is cheaper than a Zoop, and I think with better algorithm and more features. Not sure about Air Integration.

Why not the i300 for less money?

 

[KenGordon]

Yes. If only they had AI. (Also I live in leftpondia but that's not a major obstacle to getting one.)

So, get the OSTC as your main computer and an Eon Steel or HelO2 as a backup that logs your gas use. Sorted

I did take a look at the OSTC source code and it made me not want one. Not so much because of the code itself but turns out to have a ludicrously underpowered processor so hacking with it would be like going back in time 30 years.

 

[outofofficebrb]

am returning after a period away.
My wife is getting certified and I am doing a new certification.
We are buying all new equipment and live in South Florida.
We will be doing Florida and Caribbean dives.

We are looking at Scuba Pro and Aqualung gear BC's, regulators,fins computers....everything.

Aqualung has far cheaper pricing due to discounting but we are still leaning to top of the line Scuba Pro.
Seems strange the deep discounts on Aqualung but not Scuba Pro.???!!
Opinions???

And a really key question about dive op of line computers
Which
Scuba Pro Mantis 2
Oceanic
Aqualung

We plan to use only the wrist computer and have heard some loose the pairing more than others

We appreciate any help

Hi, @Ronbo01.

I would go with the BC, masks and wetsuits that fits you the best, regardless of whether it is from Scubapro or Aqua Lung, or someone else. These are things that can make or break a dive if it doesn't fit right.

I am a little biased towards not getting an Oceanic because I seriously considered getting an Oceanic dive computer and had some questions. I e-mailed customer service and other contact information they had on their website, including trying to call, and no one ever responded to my inquiries. If they couldn't bother to help me as a prospective customer, I didn't think that they would be any good if I were already a customer so I didn't pursue the Oceanic dive computer. Quite frankly, it has left a bad taste in my mouth for the brand BUT I do have their dive mask (Shadow Mini) and it fits me so amazingly well.

 

[Scubagolf]

I dove an Aeris Atmos II for 12 years and almost 300 dives. I just bought an Aeris A300 for $200. Multiple gas, dual algorithm, and large digits. Just finished 12 dives in Cozumel and I like it. (Aeris merged into Oceanic in 2014.) I found the online class very useful.
Amazon.com: Aeris A300 Wrist Computer ~Includes now FREE the Digital online class to get the most out of your dive computer.: Sports & Outdoors

 

[Tbar]

Hi, @Ronbo01.

I would go with the BC, masks and wetsuits that fits you the best, regardless of whether it is from Scubapro or Aqua Lung, or someone else. These are things that can make or break a dive if it doesn't fit right.

I am a little biased towards not getting an Oceanic because I seriously considered getting an Oceanic dive computer and had some questions. I e-mailed customer service and other contact information they had on their website, including trying to call, and no one ever responded to my inquiries. If they couldn't bother to help me as a prospective customer, I didn't think that they would be any good if I were already a customer so I didn't pursue the Oceanic dive computer. Quite frankly, it has left a bad taste in my mouth for the brand BUT I do have their dive mask (Shadow Mini) and it fits me so amazingly well.

This is being discussed in the alternate thread
New diver: gear

 

[dmaziuk]

So, get the OSTC as your main computer and an Eon Steel or HelO2 as a backup that logs your gas use. Sorted

I did take a look at the OSTC source code and it made me not want one. Not so much because of the code itself but turns out to have a ludicrously underpowered processor so hacking with it would be like going back in time 30 years.

Meh. If your model's fastest compartment is 4 minutes and you track tissue down to under 1%, that's still once in only ~3 seconds. In CPU-seconds that's forever, you could probably run it on an HP-16 calculator. And besides OSTC4 claims they can run both VPM-B and ZH-L16C at the same time already so I imagine it's got enough oomph.

 

[KenGordon]

Meh. If your model's fastest compartment is 4 minutes and you track tissue down to under 1%, that's still once in only ~3 seconds. In CPU-seconds that's forever, you could probably run it on an HP-16 calculator. And besides OSTC4 claims they can run both VPM-B and ZH-L16C at the same time already so I imagine it's got enough oomph.

It is some nasty little thing, MHz might make it fast enough but there was a lot of excessively hand crafted code to my eye. I am too old to piss about with stupidly pathetic processors.

Ok, I checked it is a PIC, PIC18F87K22 - 8-bit PIC Microcontrollers lots of the code, in bitbucket, is assembler. I think they may have changed processor recently though. Technical debt, with bells on.

 

[dmaziuk]

I expect next gen's going to be ARM 7-or-better and it's going to run linux. Whether that's a good thing is another question.

 

[KenGordon]

I expect next gen's going to be ARM 7-or-better and it's going to run linux. Whether that's a good thing is another question.

Arm would be OK, even a little one so Lang as it could be coded in c. Linux would be OK for an application like this so long as there was a hardware watchdog timer. Unnecessary though.