Decisions on a Dive Computer

[FloridaMan]

wetb4igetinthewater, what is it that you do not like and try to avoid about Suunto?

I'd avoid Suunto like the plague.

 

[Belzelbub]

Also I am only recently open water certified and I am not doing any kind of advanced diving currently. Advanced open water maybe in my future at some point, but that maybe a while. The main things I am looking to do is spear fishing and lobstering where I live in FL. I think AI would be nice to help me track my air consumption and overall improve my diving. However, the AI feature is a decent chunk of change. I am set up with all the essentials for diving (wetsuit included), but still would like to get the spear fishing essentials (need to do more research on what all that is, I know a spear gun is one lol). I have the funds to get a speargun, but for the cost of the AI and nicer computer, I could do my advanced open water or get a nice light and other items for spear fishing. So my other option is to just keep the Puck Pro+ and maybe see if I grow into a fancier computer. I think the Puck Pro+ would be sufficient, yet the AI would be nice. What do you all think? I appreciate any input.

AI is definitely nice, but it does come at a price. My first computer was an AI console, and my computers since have also been AI, but I moved to wrist mount. I love having all the info I need right on my wrist.

If you want wireless AI, I’d recommend looking at any of the brands that use the PPS transmitter (Oceanic, Aqualung, Shearwater, etc.) as the transmitter is interchangeable. ScubaPro, Mares, Suunto, and Garmin all use proprietary transmitters.

I’d recommend getting some dives in before you pick up the speargun. You want to be very comfortable in the water before adding something like a speargun which will take a lot of your focus. As a new diver there is enough to worry about.

Florida Spearfishing is often done a little differently, around me most are freeshafing unless hunting pelagics up in the water column. I’d recommend a speargun that you can setup as freeshaft and convert to lineshaft if necessary. Ocean Rhino and Koah are two that spring to mind, but others can work as well. JBL, AB Biller also can work. Some models of Riffe will not. AB Biller and Ocean Rhino were based on the tried and true Sea Hornet. Ocean Rhino is definitely a step up from AB Biller regarding the improvements made.

I have a Spearfishing Specialties (now Ocean Rhino) made Sea Hornet and an Ocean Rhino, and they are very different guns.

 

[mmerriman]

wetb4igetinthewater, what is it that you do not like and try to avoid about Suunto?

do a little research on the suunto class action suit.......

 

[rongoodman]

wetb4igetinthewater, what is it that you do not like and try to avoid about Suunto?

Proprietary algorithm.

 

[tursiops]

Proprietary algorithm.

Proprietary and weird algorithm.

 

[Wibble]

So after reading around on the board, trying out some different gear, and setting aside a decent amount of money, I settled on getting the HOG Total BCD Scuba Gear system.

HOG Total BCD Scuba Gear System Package

The package comes with the Mares Puck Pro+ dive computer. I am debating selling this computer for around $200 and putting that money toward an air integrated computer. However, I do not know if an AI computer is needed at my skill level and any AI computer I get would probably need to be around $600-$700 w/ transmitter (before adding in the $200 sale of the Puck Pro+). At that price point w/ transmitter it is looking like the Mares Smart Air or the Suunto Vyper Novo ($600 and $700 w/ military discount). Do you think that computer's such as these in this price point are worth it? (I do not need a color screen or anything, I would just want mainly the AI. I do know that the algorithms used probably need to be factored in)

Also I am only recently open water certified and I am not doing any kind of advanced diving currently. Advanced open water maybe in my future at some point, but that maybe a while. The main things I am looking to do is spear fishing and lobstering where I live in FL. I think AI would be nice to help me track my air consumption and overall improve my diving. However, the AI feature is a decent chunk of change. I am set up with all the essentials for diving (wetsuit included), but still would like to get the spear fishing essentials (need to do more research on what all that is, I know a spear gun is one lol). I have the funds to get a speargun, but for the cost of the AI and nicer computer, I could do my advanced open water or get a nice light and other items for spear fishing. So my other option is to just keep the Puck Pro+ and maybe see if I grow into a fancier computer. I think the Puck Pro+ would be sufficient, yet the AI would be nice. What do you all think? I appreciate any input.

You don't need air integration. It's a marketing ploy to part you from yet more money. A lot more money.

The ONLY benefit of air integration is logging your gas consumption. Unless you have a Nerd2, the display is on your dive computer on your wrist which is just as easily accessible as a bog-standard SPG.


In all seriousness, AI really doesn't help you on a normal recreational dive. You MUST still check your gas regularly and be able to estimate how much you've consumed during a dive. By having an SPG, others will see that you're checking your available gas and it's a very good habit to get into. The problem with having it on a computer on your wrist is you become blind to the information as there's so much: depth, NDL/TTS, time, and available gas. By having gas in one place - SPG - and depth + NDL in another you separate the concerns; makes you a better diver.

Another issue is the transmitters are big. They're ideally suited as handles (sticking out of your first stage) - not a good thing. They need new (specialist) batteries which are definitely not ubiquitous. They can also have problems syncing.

AI's also a pain when you just need to check what the gas content of your cylinder is; you have to have your computer turned on and wait for it to receive the transmitter's info. An SPG just works and anyone else can easily see your gas pressure.


Fight back -- don't let the marketeers win!


Oh, and friends don't let friends buy Suunto high-end computers. They're a waste of money and have some horrible habits (locking you out; ridiculous "conservatism"; proprietary algorithms; one application available; excessive deco....). Friends let friends buy Shearwater or other comparable computers as they're very reliable, standard and use simple AA batteries (Teric excepted).

 

[tursiops]

You don't need air integration. It's a marketing ploy to part you from yet more money. A lot more money.

The ONLY benefit of air integration is logging your gas consumption. Unless you have a Nerd2, the display is on your dive computer on your wrist which is just as easily accessible as a bog-standard SPG.


In all seriousness, AI really doesn't help you on a normal recreational dive. You MUST still check your gas regularly and be able to estimate how much you've consumed during a dive. By having an SPG, others will see that you're checking your available gas and it's a very good habit to get into. The problem with having it on a computer on your wrist is you become blind to the information as there's so much: depth, NDL/TTS, time, and available gas. By having gas in one place - SPG - and depth + NDL in another you separate the concerns; makes you a better diver.

Another issue is the transmitters are big. They're ideally suited as handles (sticking out of your first stage) - not a good thing. They need new (specialist) batteries which are definitely not ubiquitous. They can also have problems syncing.

AI's also a pain when you just need to check what the gas content of your cylinder is; you have to have your computer turned on and wait for it to receive the transmitter's info. An SPG just works and anyone else can easily see your gas pressure.


Fight back -- don't let the marketeers win!


Oh, and friends don't let friends buy Suunto high-end computers. They're a waste of money and have some horrible habits (locking you out; ridiculous "conservatism"; proprietary algorithms; one application available; excessive deco....). Friends let friends buy Shearwater or other comparable computers as they're very reliable, standard and use simple AA batteries (Teric excepted).

There's a lot of misinformation, personal opinion presented as fact, and silliness in this post.
Except for the part about Suunto. But even there, the issue is really Suunto, not just "high-end" Suuntos.

 

[formernuke]

I would avoid those packages. You haven't even gotten it already you have found one part that you don't like.

Have you tried each of the three BC types? If not Try each see what you like better. Then pick that style out.

As for computers friends don't let friends buy suunto.

 

[Belzelbub]

You don't need air integration. It's a marketing ploy to part you from yet more money. A lot more money.

The ONLY benefit of air integration is logging your gas consumption. Unless you have a Nerd2, the display is on your dive computer on your wrist which is just as easily accessible as a bog-standard SPG.

Totally disagree. With a non AI wrist mounted computer, my information would be in two different places. Without looking, I know exactly where my wrist is at all times. An SPG may shift a bit, so it takes marginally longer.

An AI computer is helpful for a new diver, as they probably haven’t worked out their consumption yet. Most will give the diver a gas time remaining calculation, so it’s less to try and figure out.

Post dive, the AI computer can also give detailed information about gas consumption at every moment of the dive. That can be useful for understanding a higher than normal gas consumption.

Yes, I’m sure that some have broken transmitters, but I think in most areas now, dive crews know what transmitters look like.

Is AI required to dive safely? Of course not, but it’s a nice feature, IMO.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Apart from a dive computer I use this Cressi Digital Console which lets me know how much time I have left to 50 bar or 750 psi from any point of the dive. I also own a Shearwater Perdix AI

In top right where it shows range it time to 50 bar when diving