OCi or D4i or i450t

[tbone1004]

What are these big issues you speak of?

search suunto transmitter recall

@ian hanna I have a strategy on buying. Goes like this.
There are three products that I want to look at
The cheapest that will get the job done
The best value weighing price, features, benefits
The absolute best.

You want the cheapest computer that has AI and you can wear as a watch it's the Oceanic whatever that I can't remember that I think @stuartv has. Downsides, doesn't connect to your phone, can't download dive logs without an expensive usb cable, and it's ugly. Buy a used one of whatever from someone who upgraded to a Descent or Teric and happy days.
You want the best value, that's the Teric. It's $200 or so more than the other options on the market but you can upload dive logs straight to your phone to look at them as soon as you're done, it has a pretty screen, and you have full control of your decompression. It is highly probably that Shearwater will come out with some sort of smart watch integration with it, even if it is very basic. Not Garmin level integration, but we shall see. The tech is built in, it's up to their software developers.
You want the absolute best, it's still the Teric.

Note that the three computers you asked about are not on that list because from a value perspective they are just too close in price to the Teric and are missing WAY too many features. Just because it can do CCR mode and umpteen gas trimix decompression doesn't mean that you won't benefit from the features that it has over the other options. The vast majority of Shearwater owners didn't purchase them because they needed constant ppO2 CCR support, or the ability to program all the gases for trimix. They bought them because they are the best value for the money out there with the features they offer.

 

[Centrals]

If I have $1,200.00 for a computer, I will buy TWO Aqualung i300. Save the $800.00+ for rainy day or a diving trip.

 

[Diving Dubai]

search suunto transmitter recall

Oh that, with your hyperbole I thought there was some huge problem.

For the casual reader. The "Huge" issue tbone was referring to was a recall to replace all the external covers (Shells). The shell is/was designed as a one use only item, and is supplied with the battery change kit along with new o-rings. ONE user re-used the shell obviously over tightened the screws and it failed (went pop loudly) when subjected to gas pressure. Suunto recalled all teh transmitters world wide, fitted a modded shell and new batteries free.

I still have un modded TX because I haven't been bothered to send mine it, they get used hard in the heat of the middle east and are fine. (they are being sent to to Finland in Nov).

Now that's corrected:

Suunto D4- Is a basic no frills computer designed to be worn 24/7. It's probably the biggest selling dive computer in the world. It as the older B&W dot matrix display and although uses the RGBM hated by many here in this little community is perfectly acceptable for vacation diving on AL 80. If your were divign deep square profiles (wrecks etc) maybe not so much.

AL - No personal experience, however a friend brought one as it was cheaper than the D6 she was looking at. She's recently had a month in South Africa DM'ing and carrying Manta and Whale shark surveys - multiple dives a day on steel 12l. She reports no issues and did not limit her repetitive diving with the algorithm.

Teric- Certainly a fine computer. I've had one in my hands but not dived it. The screen display is fantastic without a doubt. While I'm happy with a re-chargable battery, the one on the Teric only lasts a day. I've seen reports of battery draining faster than advertised but in each case Shearwater have requested the unit back for investigation. If you use an apple watch etc then you'll be okay with having to re-charge each night. personally I think that's too much on a dive computer.

The screen display is small for older eyes (just like other watch size computers) It slams the door firmly shut on the Suunto DX with features and technology but the Suunto DX,D6 and D4 can all be worn 24/7 needing only an annual battery change

If you're mainly divign on vacation you can be sure of a Suunto service centre anywhere in the world.

Personally (ad for clarity) I don't use any of the above. I use and Eon Steel and recently added a Perdix AI to my gear. I'm underwhelmed with the Perdix so far, given the hype on here I was almost expecting it to make me a coffee and give my a BJ each morning But as I've only put 30 dives on it and a bit of Deco I'll reserved judgement. After all while the Eon is a good computer it's not without it's own minor faults.

Just my opinion

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

@Magnus Lundstedt not in this country you don't.... the D4i is $825, the Teric is $1095.
With transmitter, $1274 vs $1445
It's truly not even worth the discussion. Suunto uses an inferior algorithm, has a junk looking screen, horrifically expensive strap replacements *Teric uses standard 22mm straps from anything*, and Suunto has had bad history with their transmitters. It's just over 13% more, that's a no-brainer

We live in a global market, why bye anything for a much higher price just to "buy in this contry"?

You can get the D4i for about 700€ including transmitter. You do not need to buy it in the most expensive place.

I only argue about the price, not the quality of the products.

 

[tbone1004]

@Magnus Lundstedt because most brands restrict the sale of products outside of their region, plus you have to add import duties to this country which gets the price around the same as what you'd pay here anyway.
Aqualung and Scubapro have both pulled dealerships from European dealers for selling to the US and if you go to many online shops in the EU for scuba gear that won't will have disclaimers about not being able to sell to the US

 

[ian hanna]

Oh that, with your hyperbole I thought there was some huge problem.

For the casual reader. The "Huge" issue tbone was referring to was a recall to replace all the external covers (Shells). The shell is/was designed as a one use only item, and is supplied with the battery change kit along with new o-rings. ONE user re-used the shell obviously over tightened the screws and it failed (went pop loudly) when subjected to gas pressure. Suunto recalled all teh transmitters world wide, fitted a modded shell and new batteries free.

I still have un modded TX because I haven't been bothered to send mine it, they get used hard in the heat of the middle east and are fine. (they are being sent to to Finland in Nov).

Now that's corrected:

Suunto D4- Is a basic no frills computer designed to be worn 24/7. It's probably the biggest selling dive computer in the world. It as the older B&W dot matrix display and although uses the RGBM hated by many here in this little community is perfectly acceptable for vacation diving on AL 80. If your were divign deep square profiles (wrecks etc) maybe not so much.

AL - No personal experience, however a friend brought one as it was cheaper than the D6 she was looking at. She's recently had a month in South Africa DM'ing and carrying Manta and Whale shark surveys - multiple dives a day on steel 12l. She reports no issues and did not limit her repetitive diving with the algorithm.

Teric- Certainly a fine computer. I've had one in my hands but not dived it. The screen display is fantastic without a doubt. While I'm happy with a re-chargable battery, the one on the Teric only lasts a day. I've seen reports of battery draining faster than advertised but in each case Shearwater have requested the unit back for investigation. If you use an apple watch etc then you'll be okay with having to re-charge each night. personally I think that's too much on a dive computer.

The screen display is small for older eyes (just like other watch size computers) It slams the door firmly shut on the Suunto DX with features and technology but the Suunto DX,D6 and D4 can all be worn 24/7 needing only an annual battery change

If you're mainly divign on vacation you can be sure of a Suunto service centre anywhere in the world.

Personally (ad for clarity) I don't use any of the above. I use and Eon Steel and recently added a Perdix AI to my gear. I'm underwhelmed with the Perdix so far, given the hype on here I was almost expecting it to make me a coffee and give my a BJ each morning But as I've only put 30 dives on it and a bit of Deco I'll reserved judgement. After all while the Eon is a good computer it's not without it's own minor faults.

Just my opinion

thanks a bunch for your input Diving Dubai!

 

[tbone1004]

@Diving Dubai the transmitters also have spotty history with connectivity reported by many users on here. Whether that was a function of the computer or the transmitter is not known to me, but it still has different technology to transmit the information.
Combine that with a decompression algorithm that is directly against the state of the art in decompression science, and I'm not using one for any real diving that I do.

 

[Diving Dubai]

@tbone1004. Yes I cannot disagree that early ALL of all brands was hit and miss, and suffered from poor connectivity and signal drop outs. But technology has moved on things have improved significantly in the last 5 years

It's like saying because Ford made a bad car, all their cars are bad.

I remember until recently AI was the cause of heated threads on SB between the for and against. Suddenly Shearwater launched the Perdix AI and suddenly it became acceptable from the fanclub.

No-one is expecting you to use a Suunto on your technical dives, but the OP has specifically asked about 1-2 Rec dives on vacation

Something a Suunto is okay for. Your (new) favourite computer, a Teric is overkill for such diving and you know it. It's still "unproven" with it's battery life whether people will accept that it needs to be charged daily over the cheaper watch computers which can be worn 24/7 as a watch and PDC.

I always respect yoru point of view but you should consider the context of the original post.

 

[tbone1004]

@Diving Dubai Suunto has not changed their transmitter technology, it has been the same technology for at least 5 years. The computers have gotten better, but you using an Eon vs. the D4i that was released in 2011 means that you have near decade old technology in the Suunto.

The AI issue was that the only computers that had WAI were ones that we wouldn't dive anyway. Shearwater released a computer that everyone was already diving, then gave it WAI functionality for not a lot more money.

So here's the question for you. What makes the D4i at $200 cheaper, a better value than the Shearwater? It lacks the ability to easily sync dive logs, it has a casio style screen, it is not "fashionable" to wear as a daily watch *something specifically mentioned by the OP*, and it uses proprietary technology vs. an accepted transmitter technology by multiple brands. $1200 for the Suunto vs $1400 for the Shearwater.

 

[dmaziuk]

If I have $1,200.00 for a computer, I will buy TWO Aqualung i300. Save the $800.00+ for rainy day or a diving trip.

I'd buy two Aqualung "last year" Mikrons w/ octos and SPGs. (I could buy only one, but then I would not have a regulator set.