Spg, AI, both

[Failed captcha]

When you want to have a dive computer, with AI or not, is your choice. You can still dive on tables. I’ve over 45 years in this fantastic sport/hobby/addiction with buying my first computer in 1993. Initially I continued to dive tables as my dive buddies were computerless. What I soon discovered was the computer was calculating my N take up in real time giving me better none deco time. Even when doing mandatory deco stops my second and third dives were much longer bottom time than staying on tables. Often the third dive could not be done on tables.
I bought an AI 4 years ago and have found to reliable, but I still have a SPG attached. Not because I don’t trust the AI, but on the few occasions I’ve forgotten the computer I can still dive - I have my old computer attached to my jacket so I can’t forget it.
Over the years I’ve had to replace more SPGs from inaccurate readings than computers.
This will not go down well on SB, but I use have always bought Suunto, currently an EON Steel Black.

To be vigorously honest, I haven't really done any dives computerless in years. I know they're essential, I just haven't found one I want to wear. So I am normallly in the water, with other divers, some of whom have computers and I therefore don't need to be wearing one.

About a decade ago, I got one I hated and immediately got rid of it, got another right away because I was taking courses because I wanted training so I finished PADI IDC. My wife uses it and we dive together.

I was that guy that kept using tapes until I could connect an iphone to my car. I completely skipped the use of CDs. I just wanted to do something similar with my diving gear. I'm glad I didn't get AI when it first started showing up on the market. I'm thinking I can skip AI for a few more years at least, maybe 10 and then when I do get it, there will be some more features. Maybe by then I'll need a new regulator too. All my wife's stuff is fairly new so I don't mind getting her what she wants. I do carry a table and I have just about memorized it and in general, around home, I know my way around the dive sites so well, that I rarely even think about depth or my SPG.

Probably next year, I'll get my own compressor and fill tanks at my house. I'm still not conviced that a dive computer is a higher priority for me than a compressor and I am certain that won't go down well on SB.

 

[stuartv]

Yeah that's mostly it, I like the way it looks and feels. I borrowed one for a day and I think I like the way it functions but even 30k pesos is still significant to me. I don't want to regret buying it. I'd like to hear of good reasons not to buy the Garmin Descent G1.

I'm going to guess that if your wife's new computer were to die for some reason, you might want to be able to give her yours to use, while you go back to your Casio (or nothing). In that case, do you want to give her a computer she already knows how to use? Or a Descent?

You don't have to waste your time getting to know my reg or disparaging miflex hoses.

Well, allow me... LOL!

The biggest problem with braided hoses (like MiFlex) are that they commonly fail (WHEN they fail) in a way that you cannot foresee by visual inspection. In other words, you can thoroughly examine one and have it appear to be totally fine, and it still fail catastrophically in the water.

In contrast, rubber hoses ALMOST always will show signs of impending failure. You will see cracks, or a bulge, or a fine shower of bubbles coming out in the water. All warning signs that the hose is going to go soon, allowing you to replace it before it actually blows during a dive.

MiFlex hoses used to offer the advantage of being more flexible than rubber hoses. No more. You can now get rubber hoses that are just as flexible as braided hoses. And they are smooth, so they don't rub anything like braided hoses can.

Thanks for that bit of info especially about customer service.

As for track record, Garmin has an extremely good track record overall with regard to performance of their devices, does this not hold true with their dive computers? On that note, Shearwater hasn't been making dive computers much longer, only a few years, and I have read about a battery drain issue along with slow and expensive servicing.

It is definitely time to replace the old Casio but I wish Casio made a DC.

The battery drain issue is specific to the Teric. I have 2 Terics. I've had them serviced (battery or complete board replacement) a combined total of about 7 times now. But, they are still my preferred dive computer. Despite the battery discharging more quickly than the factory spec says they should, they still last plenty long enough on a full charge for several days of diving. Their battery drain issue has never been remotely severe enough that I have missed a dive or had a dive cut short because of it.

Slow and expensive servicing has been reported by some Shearwater users in Europe. Not an issue here in the U.S..

Is this generally accepted by a plurality of people at least as smart as me? I guess I'm seeking an opinion about peer attitudes for whatever it might be worth. Is that notion controversial, that the batteries are a common problem that they refuse to acknowledge?

No. Everyone recognizes that the Teric batteries have some kind of issue that may still be unresolved. I think Shearwater knows about it, too. But, they have not publicly acknowledged the issue. And that may be as simple as them not having a solid fix identified. I don't know.

 

[Altamira]

You consider AI a must-have despite having been diving since long before the SPG was common. That's the strongest argument for it I've seen yet. You are former military?

Yes, 20 years in Air Force. While I love the information provided by my AI computers, I understand newer computers provide a lot more useful information, which I would be happy to pay for. However, they also provide a lot of capabilities I would never use in my remaining diving years, and do not want to spend the money for the overkill. Best wishes in your search for the computer that best fits your current and future needs.

 

[Failed captcha]

I'm going to guess that if your wife's new computer were to die for some reason, you might want to be able to give her yours to use, while you go back to your Casio (or nothing). In that case, do you want to give her a computer she already knows how to use? Or a Descent?



Well, allow me... LOL!

The biggest problem with braided hoses (like MiFlex) are that they commonly fail (WHEN they fail) in a way that you cannot foresee by visual inspection. In other words, you can thoroughly examine one and have it appear to be totally fine, and it still fail catastrophically in the water.

In contrast, rubber hoses ALMOST always will show signs of impending failure. You will see cracks, or a bulge, or a fine shower of bubbles coming out in the water. All warning signs that the hose is going to go soon, allowing you to replace it before it actually blows during a dive.

MiFlex hoses used to offer the advantage of being more flexible than rubber hoses. No more. You can now get rubber hoses that are just as flexible as braided hoses. And they are smooth, so they don't rub anything like braided hoses can.



The battery drain issue is specific to the Teric. I have 2 Terics. I've had them serviced (battery or complete board replacement) a combined total of about 7 times now. But, they are still my preferred dive computer. Despite the battery discharging more quickly than the factory spec says they should, they still last plenty long enough on a full charge for several days of diving. Their battery drain issue has never been remotely severe enough that I have missed a dive or had a dive cut short because of it.

Slow and expensive servicing has been reported by some Shearwater users in Europe. Not an issue here in the U.S..



No. Everyone recognizes that the Teric batteries have some kind of issue that may still be unresolved. I think Shearwater knows about it, too. But, they have not publicly acknowledged the issue. And that may be as simple as them not having a solid fix identified. I don't know.

I'll get her whatever she wants. She is sensible and if it doesn't last as long as expected, I might have some **** to talk, but I'll replace it with something she wants. I'm buying a DC for me that I will hopefully use for a long time, until I replace it with something I want when that time comes. So, despite my personality thorns, of which I'm mindful, she tolerates me. Not because I buy her stuff, but because I respect her choices.

When you frame it that way about her DC not lasting and giving her mine, I'm thinking you accept an asssumption that Garmin makes the more durable product. Or maybe you're trying at the same time to convince me to buy two? I'm that jerk who reacts and says in the inner monologue "buy two garmins". Well it's already been said in this thread and elsewhere that I don't take input well and it's probably true. But you guys are just text on the internet and probably don't even exist.

IE my continued use of inferior braided hoses. I'll tell you what, next time I replace them which I do regularly, I'll look into the improved flexible rubber ones and if I can find them I will get them. Sometimes it is hard to find exactly what one wants in the Philippines. But we're just recreational anyway. I'll let my wife teach my kid better habits but he always copies me. I'm sure I'll think it's adorable right up until he questions the need for a Cypres in his reserve parachute or joins the infantry.

 

[Failed captcha]

Yes, 20 years in Air Force. While I love the information provided by my AI computers, I understand newer computers provide a lot more useful information, which I would be happy to pay for. However, they also provide a lot of capabilities I would never use in my remaining diving years, and do not want to spend the money for the overkill. Best wishes in your search for the computer that best fits your current and future needs.

May you have many diving years yet!

I was at a popular dive site this morning and saw a friend of mine in the water with a tourist he was guiding who was just enthralled away by the view of two turtles being affectionate. It made me more eager than ever to travel again, it's been several years. I already know the turtles around my coast. That's what matters, not SPG vs AI or Shearwater vs Garmin. At least in my opinion.

I'll post an image I took a few years ago of a similar scene but it's just ambient light with a compact camera. Anyway this is life, for me. I am content to see turtles everyday, that's all I want. And yet to see it makes me want new experiences.

 

[Belzelbub]

When you frame it that way about her DC not lasting and giving her mine, I'm thinking you accept an asssumption that Garmin makes the more durable product. Or maybe you're trying at the same time to convince me to buy two?

I have both a Garmin and a Shearwater. I wouldn't necessarily say that the Garmin is more durable than the Shearwater. Both are quite durable. My Garmin undoubtedly gets more use as I wear it daily. The Shearwater is a Perdix and is quite durable.

 

[grantmac]

If I wanted a rugged DC that was going to last it would be a Perdix (at present), which is why I dive one (non AI).

Only going CCR is likely to make me change and I'll use the Perdix as backup.

 

[stuartv]

When you frame it that way about her DC not lasting and giving her mine, I'm thinking you accept an asssumption that Garmin makes the more durable product. Or maybe you're trying at the same time to convince me to buy two?

I do not accept that the Garmin is more durable. If you wear it daily, it probably will not last as long. But, that is beside the point. Any of them can break.

I was only suggesting that if you both have the same thing, it might be beneficial in the event that hers breaks during a dive trip and you want to just have her use yours for the duration.

I applaud your zeal in doing this research and in listening to your wife and giving her what SHE wants, not what you want her to have!

 

[Failed captcha]

I do not accept that the Garmin is more durable. If you wear it daily, it probably will not last as long. But, that is beside the point. Any of them can break.

I was only suggesting that if you both have the same thing, it might be beneficial in the event that hers breaks during a dive trip and you want to just have her use yours for the duration.

I applaud your zeal in doing this research and in listening to your wife and giving her what SHE wants, not what you want her to have!

From what I am gathering the only problems being reported are with the Perdix eating up batteries after it's a few years old but that's not really a problem because it just takes a couple of minutes to open the battery compartment with a coin and switch literally the most common battery type that is universally available globally and even if I had to replace it every 3 days it wouldn't really be a big deal. Name brand AA batteries are like 70-120 pesos for 4 of them. I can order the cr2 batteries for the Swift transmitter (just checked) 138 pesos. I'll figure out o-rings but I'm not ordering kits for 13 euros each.

I'm thinking the Descent G1 hasn't been around long enough for much more than anecdotal reports but other Descent watches have apparently unofficially been given a 5 year lifespan and I'm comfortable with that. I don't doubt it would last longer but the inclusion of a gimmick like solar on one model doesn't inspire my confidence. I'll chock that up to my personality and keep being true to me.

We have done hundreds of dives together sharing one Mares puck that is now over a decade old so I think we'll be ok upgrading to a Perdix and a G1. I'll wait another week or two before ordering our Christmas upgrades in case I hear any other info that would make me reconsider.

I'm also assuming we can get set up to have the same algorithm but if not, we'd get used to it. my wife doesn't need me to protect her but I still do it. And it's a lot of money to me.

 

[Belzelbub]

I'm also assuming we can get set up to have the same algorithm but if not, we'd get used to it. my wife doesn't need me to protect her but I still do it. And it's a lot of money to me.

You are correct. Both run the same algorithm. Both have the same default presets, and both support custom GFs.