Computer saved profile glitches, anyone else seeing this?

[Fish in a Barrel]

I've had three different computers over the past couple of years: a Mares Nemo Air, an Aeris T3 Elite, and an Oceanic VTX. The Nemo and the T3 both have the same annoying bug: they will randomly log a few depth points that are plainly wrong. Here's an example:

Profile Glitch

• Fish in a Barrel
• Dec 1, 2016

This dive was not nearly as... acrobatic as the profile would imply, and I have to imagine the computer would have been screaming bloody murder if this were anything more than a logging glitch. I see this bug pop up with whatever software and hardware I use to download the profile, so the data is definitely bad at the source.

I haven't seen this with the VTX, but I have a host of usability issues with the VTX, so I won't be using it.

I'm wondering if this is a known issue, and how I can avoid computers with this defect in the future.

 

[kelemvor]

Odd that you see it with 3 different computers.

I've downloaded logs for a combined total of about 200 dives with a shearwater Petrel 1, and a scubapro Galileo Luna. I haven't seen this type of anomaly on any of my downloads so far.

Were you using the same third party software with all three? Seems like there must be something they have in common to all manifest the same bug.

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

I've used at least three different programs to download the logs, and they would all import identical, glitched, profiles.

I've always assumed that most of the dive computers out there are extending the same basic firmware. I'm a talking about all those computers with the four-letter setting menus that you scroll through: SETT > SETG > SETU > ect. They're all too similar (down to the layout of the manuals) for me to believe they were all coded separately.

The VTX hasn't shown this bug, and it's the only computer I've used whose firmware doesn't seem to be derived from that base. The two computers you mention also don't seem to be based on it. My best guess is that the bug is in that base firmware.

 

[Tbar]

Raised it with the computer manufacturer?

I have several Mares Puck computers for my family and must have uploaded over 1000 dives not an issue like that, but it does not have the same menus. I have had an issue where the download software could 'see' one of the dives. Had to download from my back-up computer. Mares was not overly supportive in trying to find the issue.

 

[rhwestfall]

Mares was not overly supportive in trying to find the issue.

Complete truth regarding their dive computers or the software they provide(d). A reason I have dropped any support of them, and advise others to avoid them like the plague....

I've never seen in on a Puck, but I'd tend to believe it's some how hitting the limits of a writing/saving/logging buffer. Interesting......

 

[scubadada]

I've been diving an Oceanic VT3 for more than the last 6 years, more than 800 dives. I use the OceanLog software, I have never seen the abnormalities you describe.

 

[rmssetc]

I've been diving an Oceanic VT3 for more than the last 6 years, more than 800 dives. I use the OceanLog software, I have never seen the abnormalities you describe.

I've seen very similar things with my Aeris VT3... I've got 2 dives where my computer recorded bad data -- there's no way that I had a tank that began a dive w. ~3000 PSI and finished with ~11995PSI, that the water temperature was 135F, or that I dove to 178' in a cavern that's got a floor at ~50'.

I contacted Oceanic and they advised sending the computer to them for 'repair' (ie., they send back a refurb'ed model and refurb the old one for the next customer). It's been fine since.

If you're seeing this on multiple computers, I immediately wonder about the thing they have in common ... the transmitter (but I don't know if the Mares is AI or uses the same transmitter as the Oceanic PDCs). Even if they use different transmitters, is there anything common to your equipment (a scooter, strobes) that could cause electrical interference that the PDC records as bad data?

 

[Tbar]

Complete truth regarding their dive computers or the software they provide(d). A reason I have dropped any support of them, and advise others to avoid them like the plague....

I've never seen in on a Puck, but I'd tend to believe it's some buy hitting the limits of a writing/saving/logging buffer. Interesting......

Your post is confusing what the "complete truth regarding their dive computers or the software"

1 upload issue in 1000+dives, never an issue on a dive. 7 divers who all find the computer intuitive and easy to use.

The have never been any 'gliches' in the log on any dives with the Mares Puck. One dive did not upload, this is most likely due to the software assessing that the dive is already uploaded given the dive characteristics.

I had several emails with Mares, they reviewed log files but did not find an issue.

I would strongly recommend the Puck computer, as a basic simple dive computer.

 

[scubadada]

I've seen very similar things with my Aeris VT3... I've got 2 dives where my computer recorded bad data -- there's no way that I had a tank that began a dive w. ~3000 PSI and finished with ~11995PSI, that the water temperature was 135F, or that I dove to 178' in a cavern that's got a floor at ~50'.

I contacted Oceanic and they advised sending the computer to them for 'repair' (ie., they send back a refurb'ed model and refurb the old one for the next customer). It's been fine since.

If you're seeing this on multiple computers, I immediately wonder about the thing they have in common ... the transmitter (but I don't know if the Mares is AI or uses the same transmitter as the Oceanic PDCs). Even if they use different transmitters, is there anything common to your equipment (a scooter, strobes) that could cause electrical interference that the PDC records as bad data?

That was the Aeris Elite T3, right? Were you using the OceanLog software?

 

[rmssetc]

That was the Aeris Elite T3, right? Were you using the OceanLog software?

Yes, and no.

I was using Subsurface (Linux desktop) & DiveMate (Android tablet). The false readings appeared in both applications -- the error was in the data, not the transfer (ok, there's the possibility that both apps are hitting a bug in libdivecomputer.so which wouldn't be present in OceanLog).

Oh, I'd also guess that the c1981 serial-protocol-over-USB stuff going on inside the cable, and the connection between the cable & PDC are also potential sources of data corruption. In other words...if the downloaded log looks weird, try downloading it again...if it's still bad, then it's in the data not the communication.