Atomic Aquatics Cobalt Dive Computer

[Pacific Taco]

Can anyone explain this bit of odd behavior? These three dives at La Jolla Shores (my most recent 3) all show a very deep and quick dip into depths I didn't actually dive. At the times pointed out I was swimming down the gradual slope of LJS towards the wall. Ideas?

 

[RonR]

Can anyone explain this bit of odd behavior? These three dives at La Jolla Shores (my most recent 3) all show a very deep and quick dip into depths I didn't actually dive. At the times pointed out I was swimming down the gradual slope of LJS towards the wall. Ideas?

First question would be if the same depth profile shows in the Cobalt's internal log, or just in the dive log software. If you step through the dive in the internal dive profile, do you see that sort of sudden jump? If not, I'm guessing it's some kind of data transfer issue with the desktop.

Depending on what data storage interval you have set the Cobalt to (default is every 30 seconds), the Cobalt records the average of all the depth readings taken during the previous interval. That is what is stored in the internal log. If you see sudden jumps there, we would want to check the computer. This is something I have not seen. Let me know what you see.

Ron

 

[Pacific Taco]

Ok, good call! The dive log on the computer does not have these anomalies. It is set for 30 second intervals (1.17/2). What's that about?

Another thing I noticed this weekend and just confirmed is that my compass is waay off. Like 30-40 degrees. I just did a calibration out in the parking lot far from anything other than a cardboard box and it's still off. Is there a way to fix the compass manually?

I appreciate the quick answers!

 

[RonR]

Ok, good call! The dive log on the computer does not have these anomalies. It is set for 30 second intervals (1.17/2). What's that about?

Another thing I noticed this weekend and just confirmed is that my compass is waay off. Like 30-40 degrees. I just did a calibration out in the parking lot far from anything other than a cardboard box and it's still off. Is there a way to fix the compass manually?

I appreciate the quick answers!

Well, glad it's not the Cobalt- it's still strange, but looks as if one or two samples didn't get read in properly- maybe try downloading the dives again and see if the results for those segments are different? The segments in the desktop dive log software and the Cobalt should match exactly at the same times. Is that from MacDive?

re. the compass, PM me with an email and I will send you some more detailed calibration instructions- for if it gets totally out of whack. It's a bit more hassle, but should get it back to reading correctly. Is there any possibility your Cobalt was exposed to a strong magnetic field? Motors, or a big speaker? We're trying to understand why a few seem to get knocked out of calibration.

Ron

 

[Michael Anthony]

Well, glad it's not the Cobalt- it's still strange, but looks as if one or two samples didn't get read in properly- maybe try downloading the dives again and see if the results for those segments are different? The segments in the desktop dive log software and the Cobalt should match exactly at the same times. Is that from MacDive?

I have seen a similar problem. After a bit of effort I was able to download the dives again without the errors. My conclusion, if the profile on the Cobalt does not match what I see on my PC then I probably have some kind of data transfer anomaly and need to repeat the transfer. My erroneous profiles also had sudden descents that did not happen.

 

[diverrex]

I tried to update my Cobalt with Windows software this weekend and ended up crashing the whole thing with a bad update process. Ron was very helpful to me over the weekend answering several emails on both Saturday and Sunday and sending me various update files to download. I eventually fixed it using 10.6 which Ron had warned me was the only reliable update software. I find it very frustrating that Atomic doesn't have a viable Windows update option and that one for Lion 10.7 doesn't work well either. But it was amazing how much personal attention Ron gave an individual user and over a weekend. It's great to know that there is someone at the manufacturer that cares so much that the consumer is satisfied. Great computer and even greater service from Ron!

 

[Lotusdive]

... but it was amazing how much personal attention Ron gave an individual user and over a weekend. It's great to know that there is someone at the manufacturer that cares so much that the consumer is satisfied. Great computer and even greater service from Ron!

I absolutely agree with you. Ron helped us in our situation twice over the weekends, sending/assisting with right information. 100% true - "Great computer and even greater service from Ron!"

 

[Greg G]

I am new to this board and thread, so please bare with me if I missed something.

Atomic website shows 1.13 as the most current, but everyone is talking about 1.17. Where does this come from?

As far as Mac Lion, when can I expect to be able to update using this OS?

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[RonR]

I am new to this board and thread, so please bare with me if I missed something.

Atomic website shows 1.13 as the most current, but everyone is talking about 1.17. Where does this come from?

As far as Mac Lion, when can I expect to be able to update using this OS?

Thanks everyone!!!

I can answer this. 1.13 is the most widely distributed version, and is almost, but not quite identical to 1.17, which was posted for a short while until the problems with the Windows drivers became too apparent. Differences between 1.13 and 1.17 are that 1) the leap year date (Feb 29) displays properly (not an issue for another four years), 2) in 1.17 the time of day display alternates with the temperature in the dive screen, and 3) there is enhanced scaling in the dive log profile screen. There was an obscure bug that turned up in 1.17 concerning the display of total gas consumption for simulated dives in the planner SIM dive summary screen, and some users reported more problems downloading dives to the Atomic software (the driver issue again). So when Atomic reposted the current version, they posted 1.13 to avoid these problems. A newer version with the changes will post when the Windows software is revised. The issue there is not the software, but the need to manually remove the old drivers from Win 7 and Vista systems- the uninstaller can't do it, apparently.

As to Lion, we have had some Mac experts working on it, and it turns out to be a more difficult problem than anticipated. It's not that we can't make it work, it's that we can't make one version work on all Lion systems, probably due to subtle timing differences and Lion's aggressiveness about quitting processes that are interrupted. So the fix may be moving to another method of updating firmware controlled more from the Cobalt. We are testing this now, but it will require updating the Cobalt once on a non-Lion system before it will work on Lion.

Fell free to ask if any of this is not clear.

Ron

 

[Greg G]

Yes, that all makes sense. Hopefully there will be fixes soon. Thanks for the great response!