rwkosh
Contributor
I hesitate to comment on the Icon HD, since I've only recently been using it. I only have 4 dives on it, but so far, it's a great replacement for the unnamed computer that it replaces. I've had zero issues with it so far. Yes . . . the USB connection is finicky and could have been better designed, but it works and there is a battery icon that pops up to show when you have a positive connection.
Pairing has NOT been a problem and I have not lost a connection during a dive. Could it happen in the future? Sure, but it hasn't yet.
The new screen layout with ver. 4.1 is less cluttered and I like it. Let's not exaggerate, the tank/gas remaining part of the screen really only takes up about the right most 25% of the screen, but the screen is big enough that that hardly seems to be an issue--at least with me.
I charged it up the night before diving and by the end of the day, after 2 hours of diving, it was still at 84 % battery. As long as you have access to a computer or power outlet, even a live-aboard should not be an issue. Let's face it, a big, bright, color screen is a battery hog. You either need to re-charge or invest in a computer that uses replaceable batteries.
Version 4.1 does project deep stops. They are not mandatory, but they are still there. The first dive I did with it gave a deep stop of 47 feet for two minutes, so I know it's there.
I'm not overly fond of the RGBM algorithm, but if you set it to a P0 personal factor, it is very close to the more widely used Buhlmann Z algorithms. I can live with that.
It's not perfect, but for those of us with old eyes that like a big color screen and AI, it works--at least for me. I may fall out of love with it as time goes by and I get more dives on it. I still like the Uemis that I used for the last 5 years better, but I'm thinking that the Icon is going to work out great for me.
Pairing has NOT been a problem and I have not lost a connection during a dive. Could it happen in the future? Sure, but it hasn't yet.
The new screen layout with ver. 4.1 is less cluttered and I like it. Let's not exaggerate, the tank/gas remaining part of the screen really only takes up about the right most 25% of the screen, but the screen is big enough that that hardly seems to be an issue--at least with me.
I charged it up the night before diving and by the end of the day, after 2 hours of diving, it was still at 84 % battery. As long as you have access to a computer or power outlet, even a live-aboard should not be an issue. Let's face it, a big, bright, color screen is a battery hog. You either need to re-charge or invest in a computer that uses replaceable batteries.
Version 4.1 does project deep stops. They are not mandatory, but they are still there. The first dive I did with it gave a deep stop of 47 feet for two minutes, so I know it's there.
I'm not overly fond of the RGBM algorithm, but if you set it to a P0 personal factor, it is very close to the more widely used Buhlmann Z algorithms. I can live with that.
It's not perfect, but for those of us with old eyes that like a big color screen and AI, it works--at least for me. I may fall out of love with it as time goes by and I get more dives on it. I still like the Uemis that I used for the last 5 years better, but I'm thinking that the Icon is going to work out great for me.