Shearwater Predator OLED versus UEMIS SDA OLED

[rongoodman]

The Shearwater at this point is probably the top of the lest for Tech and Cave diving crowd.

I don't know the exact sales figures, but I imagine it's sharing that top spot with the Liquivsion X1.

 

[BB1]

I have checked them out quite close when they were first released, but subsequently delayed my purchase due to the issues I mentioned earlier. I guess there were some teething problems there which is to be expected, especially from a startup company. But the unit still looks attractive to me and maybe the time has come to relegate my Vytec to the backup... Thanks for your input, it is good news.

Check out the companies background!

The UEMIS name may be new but the people behind it certainly aren't!

 

[BB1]

For some lucky person there is a brand new one on EBAY right now - Uemis Zurich SCUBA Diving Computer - NEW - No Reserve - eBay Dive Computers, SCUBA Snorkeling, Water Sports, Sporting Goods. (end time 29-Jul-10 07:31:00 AEST)

 

[leabre]

I had email contact with Ernst Voellm in the past asking about the logbook function as well.

He thinks that a) over time ppl will appreciate the web based visualisation and web apps are the way forward.... and b) the Zurich itself is a full blown logbook... hence export/imprt wasn't a priority.

Regarding (b), that's just absurd. It ignores the group of people (however small that group is, they still vote with their wallet) that prefer to have a single dive log software to unify their experience across many dive computers and either a) do statistical analysis across all dives, or b) would like a single place to keep all their dives to view/print.

To many people (and the vendor) that may not be important but I'm sure there are many people to whom it is.

If the vendor does not want to create a local PC based applet to handle import/export or an online exporter, perhaps they can provide a simple secured REST API that othe dive log software vendors can hook into to download dive log data of a particular user.

 

[ScubaGypsy]

Nice thread, wish I had seen it earlier. I have (had) a Suunto D9 where the logic board cracked after entering 41 F water from a 95 F air temperature environment. Though I've had my D9 since July 2005 with over 450 dives, it was a disappointment. Suunto appears to be doing me right with an equitable logic board replacement, I have been looking at the newer computers. My wife uses a VR3 and a Suunto Vyper and has not had problems with either. However she has recently placed orders with Wayne at Amigos for two UEMIS SDAs which we are waiting on. My D9 is being repaired and I expect it back in the next two weeks which I will use as a back-up for the UEMIS. I particularly insisted on an air integrated as I want to record my gas usage vs my dive profile as well as directly read the gas pressure on my wrist (though I have a brass SPG attached). The UEMIS appears that it will offer the same functions as my D9 as well as much more without the issues of lock-ups

The charging ratio is 2:1, which means that for 2 Minutes charging time by solar, you get 1 Minute operating time.

The UEMIS has many desirable attributes which I'm looking forward to using. However how is this type of charging possible when the highest efficiency solar panels are rated around 40 % while commercial solar panels are in the 12-20% range?? Please don't exaggerate, the attributes that the UEMIS offers are desirable as is. I have issues when more is promised than delivered and there is no reason here to over promise.

 

[Michael Gerhartz]

The UEMIS has many desirable attributes which I'm looking forward to using. However how is this type of charging possible when the highest efficiency solar panels are rated around 40 % while commercial solar panels are in the 12-20% range?? Please don't exaggerate, the attributes that the UEMIS offers are desirable as is. I have issues when more is promised than delivered and there is no reason here to over promise.[/QUOTE]

Hello,
I am relying on the information forwarded to me by Uemis Switzerland. I did neither assemble nor develop the unit and can therefore not answer this particular question. You should get a quick reply if you send your questions at info@uemis.com.

Michael

 

[Vipa]

Nice thread, wish I had seen it earlier. I have (had) a Suunto D9 where the logic board cracked after entering 41 F water from a 95 F air temperature environment. Though I've had my D9 since July 2005 with over 450 dives, it was a disappointment. Suunto appears to be doing me right with an equitable logic board replacement, I have been looking at the newer computers. My wife uses a VR3 and a Suunto Vyper and has not had problems with either. However she has recently placed orders with Wayne at Amigos for two UEMIS SDAs which we are waiting on. My D9 is being repaired and I expect it back in the next two weeks which I will use as a back-up for the UEMIS. I particularly insisted on an air integrated as I want to record my gas usage vs my dive profile as well as directly read the gas pressure on my wrist (though I have a brass SPG attached). The UEMIS appears that it will offer the same functions as my D9 as well as much more without the issues of lock-ups



The UEMIS has many desirable attributes which I'm looking forward to using. However how is this type of charging possible when the highest efficiency solar panels are rated around 40 % while commercial solar panels are in the 12-20% range?? Please don't exaggerate, the attributes that the UEMIS offers are desirable as is. I have issues when more is promised than delivered and there is no reason here to over promise.

I feel you are comparing apples with oranges here (any electronics engineers please feel free to berrate me if I'm wrong!) The efficiency of the solar panel is not what would lead Michael or Uemis for that matter to quote a ratio of 2:1 for exposure:charge. What is important is how much current the solar panel can deliver at the required voltage and, if this is sufficient to give a 2:1 input/output ratio then the panel efficiency is completely irrelevant! As long as the panel can deliver the current required by the charging circuit it doesn't matter whether that charge comes from 10% or 90% of the light energy hitting the panels!

To give a real world example, imagine you are in a dark room and want to read a magazine.... you turn on a 60w incandescent light which is less than 10% efficient and read away, you then swap that light out for an almost 100% efficient LED and carry on reading... from your perspective, nothing has changed, the light source has enabled you to perform the task at hand, reading your magazine.

The fact that one light source was 2% efficient and the other 98% efficient had absolutely no impact because a sufficient amount of light reached you and enabled you to read.

Now apply that to the Uemis.... let's say (made up numbers) the charging circuit needs to have 1w delivered to it for 2 minutes to put enough charge into the battery so that the unit will run for 1 minute. As long as the solar panel is delivering that 1w the charging circuit doesn't care if the panel itself is incredibly efficient or horribly inefficient, as long as it's getting it's 1w it will be perfectly happy.

Hope that helps

Paul

 

[kydaka]

I can tell you straight up. If service is to be considered don't even think about the Uemis I have been promised resolution to a problem with mine where it continues to register a dive after it has ended, last dive was 45 minutes with the dive on the computer being 275 minutes. As you can imagine this is causing a great deal of problems with me. I've been extremely frustrated having the Uemis people respond to me with promises of rectifying the problem only to the hear nothing for over a month then of course apologizes and again nothing for a couple weeks and counting. Get the Shearwater I have one as well and they are awesome to deat with.

 

[DiveNav]

dove with both last Saturday

 

[ianr33]

Get the Shearwater I have one as well and they are awesome to deat with.

X2.

Shearwater service is as good as it gets.

(How many manufacturers return Emails after a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon??)