O2BBubbleFree
Contributor
I use a comp., but not AI. I'm cheap and didn't want to fork over the extra $$. Reading the stories of wireless AI comps loosing communications, I think I'd avoid wireless.
As far as back-ups, before a dive I write the max bottom times for my planned depth and the next two depths on my slate, and start my stop watch when I descend. That way if my comp does go out, I can effectively 'fall back to the tables' w/o having to figure the dive at depth. I don't carry my tables because even at fairly shallow depths your brain operates slower and is less reliable. So I figure it before the dive and write it down.
If I did any dives that were not abortable at all stages, I might consider redundancy.
WRT to the above comment about the 'blue screen of death' on PCs, just avoid any dive computer that uses a Windows operating system ;^)
Dive computers are designed much better and are much more reliable than your PC. I work for a company that's been designing underwater electronic systems since the '40s. We just pulled up a system that had been operating unattended for six years. No problems.
As far as back-ups, before a dive I write the max bottom times for my planned depth and the next two depths on my slate, and start my stop watch when I descend. That way if my comp does go out, I can effectively 'fall back to the tables' w/o having to figure the dive at depth. I don't carry my tables because even at fairly shallow depths your brain operates slower and is less reliable. So I figure it before the dive and write it down.
If I did any dives that were not abortable at all stages, I might consider redundancy.
WRT to the above comment about the 'blue screen of death' on PCs, just avoid any dive computer that uses a Windows operating system ;^)
Dive computers are designed much better and are much more reliable than your PC. I work for a company that's been designing underwater electronic systems since the '40s. We just pulled up a system that had been operating unattended for six years. No problems.