Do I really need an expensive dive computer??

[KeithG]

i300 costs less than that and I might go for it if my 18yrs old Uwatec Aladin Pro Nitrox dies. And I might even go for Mares Puck because it is even cheaper and 5 dives per day is history.

If your Aladin dies why not just buy another? You know you are cheap!

We have only used Aladin's since 1995. Our average price is trending down to below $50. Unfortunately replacement batteries have rocketed up to around $10.

 

[Centrals]

If your Aladin dies why not just buy another? You know you are cheap!

We have only used Aladin's since 1995. Our average price is trending down to below $50. Unfortunately replacement batteries have rocketed up to around $10.

I know I am cheap but getting a used Aladin locally is challenging and probably next to impossible. As for the replacement batteries, I still can't find anyone willing to ship them to HK and not even from commie china!!!!!!

 

[JamesBon92007]

I know I am cheap but getting a used Aladin locally is challenging and probably next to impossible. As for the replacement batteries, I still can't find anyone willing to ship them to HK and not even from commie china!!!!!!

I just bid on a UWATEC (not the Aladin) only to find out it had been recalled Heck, I might be out 99 cents. At least I didn't buy the $10 battery yet.

Edit: Good News! I got outbid!

 

[Celt]

Mac64, We put our safety in danger every day when we go to sleep at night and leave appliances and TV's and things plugged in. Most parts of most things have been outsourced and are from china. Remember the coffee maker that burned houses down? just sayin....

We don't take the toaster into the bath with us.

 

[Efka76]

When i started diving i also considered what diving computer to buy. I like newest technology, however, after few discussions and considerations i bought cheap Cressi Newton for USD 275 (i bought it before Christmas and got 10% discount). My considerations were the following:

1) I am going to be involved in recreational diving only.
2) I will not need trimix, multiple gas switching
3) Air integration is good to have but this feature makes your dive computer more expensive
4) I will be diving during vacations only (it means 3-4 weeks a year)
5) Computer has to have Nitrox function as i intend to go for liveaboards.
6) I will be diving with wife (who is my buddy and has the same certification level). So, we will need 2 diving computers which double the costs.
7) I wanted diving computer to be big watch size
8) Diving computer should have ability to download data to PC.
9) I should be able to change battery myself in order not to be dependent on authirised dealers (in rder to avid situations when you are on vacation, need to change battery and nobody is able to help me as there is no AD in that country).
10) GPS, color screen and all other gimmicks are ok, however, they definitely not worth to pay additional money.

As a summery: if you are recreational diver you need only simplest diving computer, if you are involved in technical diving then there is another story.

 

[CT-Rich]

I am yet to buy a DC that downloads data. I would love the feature, but the cheapest I have seen the cable for sale for is $88. That seems like gouging to me, a cable costing almost a quarter of the cost of the computer.

I have seen enough instances of transmitters having spotty function ( one guy actually hung his PDC from the yoke of hi tank to make sure it recorded the dat).

 

[bladder]

I am yet to buy a DC that downloads data. I would love the feature, but the cheapest I have seen the cable for sale for is $88. That seems like gouging to me, a cable costing almost a quarter of the cost of the computer.

I have seen enough instances of transmitters having spotty function ( one guy actually hung his PDC from the yoke of hi tank to make sure it recorded the dat).

I always thought the same thing. Then I finally bought the Oceanic USB cable and it's made it so much easier to log my dives on Subsurface digital logbook (enters a lot of the data so I don't have to do it manually), and it's really neat to see the dive profile and because it's air integrated it gives me my SAC rate for every dive.

Here's 2 things to consider besides the savings in time and the convenience and the cool factor.

1- Yes the cable is very expensive but the company isn't putting all that cash in their pocket. They're paying salaries and benefits for their employees including health insurance and retirement benefits. The money has to come from somewhere.

2- If you think about some of the other stuff you buy, there's a LOT of overpriced expensive stuff out there. Think about a pair of glasses for example. Probably costs $5 for the frame and lenses yet sells for over $500. That steak dinner you paid $120 for in that fine restaurant? Less than $10 worth of food at grocery store prices.

 

[CT-Rich]

I always thought the same thing. Then I finally bought the Oceanic USB cable and it's made it so much easier to log my dives on Subsurface digital logbook (enters a lot of the data so I don't have to do it manually), and it's really neat to see the dive profile and because it's air integrated it gives me my SAC rate for every dive.

Here's 2 things to consider besides the savings in time and the convenience and the cool factor.

1- Yes the cable is very expensive but the company isn't putting all that cash in their pocket. They're paying salaries and benefits for their employees including health insurance and retirement benefits. The money has to come from somewhere.

2- If you think about some of the other stuff you buy, there's a LOT of overpriced expensive stuff out there. Think about a pair of glasses for example. Probably costs $5 for the frame and lenses yet sells for over $500. That steak dinner you paid $120 for in that fine restaurant? Less than $10 worth of food at grocery store prices.

LOL, you don’t know me very well.... my entire dinner/bar tab for a week in Grand Cayman was under $200. I Know about pricing paying wages, etc.... and $3-400 for the computer is fine. The cost of $90 for a piece of wire with connectors on the end seems very steep when compared to the sophistication and complexity of the computer itself.

 

[AdivingBel]

@CT-Rich Yeah it's a bit crazy what they charge for a cable. I guess it's 'cause so many of them are one-offs. Hopefully/fortunately some of the newer models are wireless or getting more standardized with computer accessories. I saw a DC cable the other day for $8 (sorry I don't remember the brand...saw it in an ad but it was a major brand). I have one of the expensive cables, but I've mitigated (or rationalized ) the cost by having the same DC as my wife and a spare between us all using the same data cable. LOL, guess it's how bad do you want the data.

 

[Neilwood]

Do I need an expensive computer? Hell no.

When I started diving I bought a Cressi Giotto - which has served me pretty well. It is still a great diving computer.

On one of the dives I did with it, my buddy was using an LED type computer (EON Steel IIRC) and I could read it better at 5m away than my own computer (even with the water being pretty green at the time and vis being about 8m max). Also did a couple of night dives in the Red Sea where I realised that trying to check my depth and ascent/descent rate on the Giotto (which only backlights when you hold a button down for IIRC 5 secs and only stays on for 30 secs) while trying to use the inflator hose (so left hand on the inflator buttons) - which hand was I supposed to use to hold the button on the Giotto with?

Had a look at the LED types and decided on the Perdix AI. Now have all my info on my wrist at a glance (my buddies can also read it at distance). Can easily monitor my ascent rates etc while doing other tasks.

As I say, I don't need it but when my task loading goes down my dive enjoyment goes up. I know which I will take every day of the week!