Hey I was looking into getting a good dive computer, what are your thoughts on different dive computers such as VR3s, diverite computers, etc. What do you have, how do you like it, and why? Thanks for your help.
Dive computers for technical diving
- Thread starter kuster500
- Start date
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kuster500:
I personally think that the VR2/VR3 have the most intuitive displays. For technical nitrox the Nitek-3 (I think) or Vytec would also suffice for backup. IN terms of implementation they're all Bhulman or bubble-wrapped Bhulman. The VR2/3 and Vytec are flash upgradable if I'm not mistaken. I don't konw about the Nitec.
A friend of mine has a VR3 that had a lot of problems. I don't know if that's common but you sure don't want to have doubts. He said the customer service at delta-p was outstanding.
R..
I do all my mixed gas diving with the Vytec. Very nice computer. 3 gas mixes, up to 99%, easy to read display. Option of hoseless air integration. The only thing I've noticed is that it seems pretty conserative as compared to other computers I've seen. However, I haven't played with the conservativism settings yet, which I plan to do. I believe it uses RGBM as the basis for its calculations... Overall I really like it and plan on buying another one to use as a backup.
I have the diverite He, still havent used it with trimix yet, but I have done accellerated deco on it and I found it VERY easy to use, a little big perhaps, and if you accidentally put it in gauge mode it stays there for 48 hours to let you desaturate, so dont put it in Guage mode by accident!
kramynot2000
Guest
I have a vytec and you are right, it is very conservative, even on the 50% setting. On the few deco dives I've done, everyone else's computer cleared deco before my vytec. Not a big deal since we dive tables.
I like it mainly for data collection. Its nice to have for the three gasses and you can get a cheap interface to download the data to your PC for analysis later on to look at your profile, the changes after a gas switch, etc.
I like it mainly for data collection. Its nice to have for the three gasses and you can get a cheap interface to download the data to your PC for analysis later on to look at your profile, the changes after a gas switch, etc.
kuster500:
I have the DiveRite He and it is very simple to program and use. Right out of the box, I had no trouble seting up everything. I did read the manual before diving it though, just to be sure I hadn't missed anything.
I know 2 people who have VR3s and both of them had problems with them when they first got them. One couldn't select gasses properly and was taken care of by customer support (I don't know the details on this as I wasn't there). The other persons arrived with the wrong code numbers to enable any feature beyond basic 1 gas nitrox. We had to use a satelite phone to call customer support from a livaboard to get the correct codes to enable everything properly. Customer support was VERY good and once the proper codes were entered, the VR3 worked just fine.
The He has 7 gasses (any air/nitrox/trimix for all gasses)
The VR3 has 10 gasses (any air/nitrox/trimix depending on what features are enabled by the unlock codes you purchase with the unit or at a later date)
Both require manualy selecting the new gas at switches (I have a Cochran Comander 2 gas nirox that you preset the switch depth and it 'assumes' you switched gasses wether you did or not...).
If you 'bend' the He, it will lock out for 48 hours (my budy forgot to switch gases on it on one of his first dives with it). The VR3 will continue to work in guage mode but will NOT display any deco information. It will instead display "use tables" untill the 'bend' issue is cleared up to its satisfaction.
The VR3 will do deeper stops a bit longer than the He.
The He seems to give a profile very similar to the V-Planner PC software we use to generate tables. For most of the ascent, the He is +/- a minute or less from the V-Planner tables we cut but then the He generaly wants a few extra minutes at the 10/15 foot stop once the V-Planner table is clear.
Both can download dive data to a PC:
HE uses a cable while the VR3 requires an Infrared port.
The VR3 has several features the He does not have:
It can display a graph of the dive profile onscreen (the He can "replay" the most recent dive - 'replays' all the dive info at about 5x speed)
it can (if purchased with the sensor connector on it) be used with a closed circuit rebreather or be used to analize tank gas directly with the proper (expensive) adapter.
it can play a game during long deco stops...
it can get firmware updates through the IR port (I'm not 100% sure about the He for this but I don't think it can update firmware like that)
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The He is quite a bit less expensive than the VR3.
The VR3 only has support from the UK where it's made so it can be inconvenient if any issues arise that requires more than a phone call to fix.
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The third option I know of is the Abyss trimix computer. Again, 10 gasses but I don't know much about it beyond that.
I only know one person (aquaintence, not regular friend) who has one and he doesn't like it... As he said "I have never used it that I didn't bend it". I can't vouch for his diving skills as I have never actualy dove with him (other than being on the same boat on occation) but I'm prety sure he really doesn't understand how to use the computer properly.
I'll give you a trip report on the HS Explorer in a couple weeks (I leave Saturday).
Roak
http://www.hs-eng.com/
Roak
http://www.hs-eng.com/
J1M1
Guest
kuster500:
i've done trimix on the dive rite he and like it alot. The deco schedule it read out to me on a 200 ft dive was about right on with my tables which are conservative to say the least. It will allow 7 different mixes to switch to in water if programmed before the dive. The VR3 has more options than the he but the he comes with a lower price tag.The He will also lock up if say you need to go to another mix not programed during the dive which would allow you to ascend to a shallower depth. The VR3 will not lock up. I do like te diverite though. A solid comp..
J.D.
in_cavediver
Contributor
The VR3 will indeed continue to calculate best guess deco information. It will display the use tables indicator though.dc4bs:
(This may be due to a different release of the software/firmware though)
This is one of the best features of the computer. To see exactly what your profile really looked like when you do your deco. Sure helps to know when you want to make adjustments to the model.
Whatever you get, remeber this is just another tool. You should understand what and why the computer is telling what it is.
Mike
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