Use a backup SPG with air integration?

[RayfromTX]

I think the actual hardware is a small part of the cost. I also suspect that the development cost to sell a Perdix that only offered OC Rec mode would be very small. Seems like a Perdix Lite could possibly add a good chunk to the Shearwater bottom line...

What would they leave out that would significantly reduce the cost of production?

 

[tbone1004]

On the subject of AI and SAC, I have been in off-forum communication with a few people at Shearwater. I expressed interest in a future software release having cf per minute displayed rather than or in addition to psi per minute, particularly since that is how TEC divers are trained and their own dive planning software expresses it in cf.

They said that they would consider it.

liability risk as @hammet said. In tec diving we plan based on cfm, but usually convert it to psim for use during the dive since that is what we see. If you kick it over to metric mode and think in metric then it becomes much much easier

 

[stuartv]

What would they leave out that would significantly reduce the cost of production?

The amortized cost of development. Or, at least, some of it.

 

[Dan]

I used to monitor my SAC, which was steadily dropping from 0.7 CFM, 12 years (600 dives) ago to 0.4 CFM and level off for several years. The dive limiting point is now the NDL bottom time, no longer how much air left in the tank. So, SAC is no longer in my mind when I go diving.

 

[Neilwood]

I have currently got AI with the Perdix and an SPG (2 gauge console with depth gauge) but thinking about stripping it back to leave AI only with the SPG only (stripped from the console) in my bag as a back up.

If the AI craps out during a dive, I will call the dive, then switch out the transmitter to the SPG for any other dives. Might take the opportunity to shorten the SPG hose as well to route it to the shoulder D ring (currently goes down to the waist D ring).

 

[txgoose]

The amortized cost of development. Or, at least, some of it.

This would be my thought. A big portion of technology costs are tied up in developing the intellectual property. They have this property already developed but a newer/tech lite diver doesn't need it all. If enough folks are interested and some manager can get the economies of scale right, seems like a winner idea to me. Granted, I admit to being that tech geek that likes his tech at mid-range pricing. I'm rarely going to buy bleeding edge, but I also don't want to be relegated to simple, less useful tech. I like the Perdix Lite idea. And they can use the new "Lite" revenue to keep pushing their IP dev.

 

[tbone1004]

The amortized cost of development. Or, at least, some of it.

what @txgoose said. Most of the cost has been completed with the Predator release a decade ish ago. The base software hasn't really changed all that much. Some new features added, but the Perdix has the big cost of paying for those injection molds and the machine to make them which aren't cheap. I doubt they could release an OC-Rec only version that would be cheap enough to make a meaningful differentiation from the regular Perdix.

If we look at the competition, AI computers with pretty screens *costs without transmitters, and are taken from the cheapest I could find quickly online
Perdix AI-$935
Oceanic VTX-$1000
Suunto Eon Steel-$1440
Scubapro Galileo G2-$1200
Aqualung i750TC-$999

It's already the cheapest option in its class and has more features than most of the others. Eon Steel is the only other one with CCR support, the Galileo is the only other one with Trimix support, and you have to spend significantly more for both of them. Even if you're using it in rec-nitrox mode only, you're still saving money and you never have to worry about out-growing it.
Could they sell it for less? sure, would they outsell their production capacity? probably. Is it worth it? obviously not or they would have done it.... I don't think Shearwater is out to be the only computer game in town, like many of the other high end "boutique" brands in the industry, UWLD, DSS, Dive Xtras, they don't want the entire market share because it forces them to dilute a lot of why they started in the first place. They are all priced competitively, and if they chose to undercut the competition, they would have a mountain of work and expense to have production keep up with demand. Best to leave the prices where they are and be able to maintain the customer service level they can provide. I can with 100% certainty guarantee that if they scaled up to true mass production their customer service would go the way of the Do-Do and they'd end up like all of the other major manufacturers. It's a sad fact of manufacturing and there isn't really a way to avoid it

 

[Hoag]

Most of this conversation has centered on loss of connectivity between transmitter and receiver. What about hosed AI Dive Computers such as the Oceanic ProPlus3? For those who use hosed computers, do you also carry a backup SPG? One of the big reasons that I went with a hosed AI computer was that "transmitter failure", "receiver failure" and/or connectivity issues would never be issues that I would require a backup plan for.

 

[Dan]

Most of this conversation has centered on loss of connectivity between transmitter and receiver. What about hosed AI Dive Computers such as the Oceanic ProPlus3? For those who use hosed computers, do you also carry a backup SPG? One of the big reasons that I went with a hosed AI computer was that "transmitter failure", "receiver failure" and/or connectivity issues would never be issues that I would require a backup plan for.

Yep. I have Suunto Cobra3 hosed computer & SPG. For my peace of mind, I compare the pressure reading of both SPG & Cobra3 from full (2900-3200 psig) to empty (300-500 psig) routinely to make sure they are still working well within +/- 50 psi of each other to insure the SPG needle is not sticking or the Cobra pressure transducer is not out of calibration.

The scenario that made me want to have backup SPG is "what if" Cobra3 runs out of battery or one of HP hose fails. I do carry a spare battery & HP port plug for my 1stage to fix such problems. I have Suunto D4 non AI wrist dive computer as backup to the Cobra3.

Suunto Cobra3

Suunto D4

 

[txgoose]

Best to leave the prices where they are and be able to maintain the customer service level they can provide. I can with 100% certainty guarantee that if they scaled up to true mass production their customer service would go the way of the Do-Do and they'd end up like all of the other major manufacturers.

And if this is the part of the "economies of scale" that they don't want to mess with, then I get that completely. I would assume that most all CEOs/Boards would prefer to own 100% market share but if it cant be done at the same high level then it is a long term loser. I could see that. And, if I were already a "full price" owner of their devices I would take issue with a lower end customer service. But we can request Lite and hope they do it Right? (poet and all)