Air integration

[boqurant]

FWIW I'd say get the AI. I've found it tremendously helpful to monitor and reduce my SAC over time, and reassuring to keep track of my GTR on long multilevel dives where I don't want to be the cause of ending the dive early

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Whenever I see this (or other threads like it) pop up (again) this song pops in my head.

 

[Liam79]

My computer, Peregrine TX, has AI capability and I have no interest in using it. I rarely need to check my air more than three times per dive, going in, turn or mid point, near end of dive. I do not want all of that data, have no need for it. I like my SPG, it does all I need, no more, nor less.

I upgraded to a standard Peregrine, which is brilliant, 2yrs ago. Now my girlfriend is Advanced, we want to upgrade her to the Peregrine (the screen is so easy to see compared to her old Mares puck). But the AI has always seemed a nice novelty unless you're into Tech dives? I just couldn't justify the added cost when my SPG and analogue compass serve me well. Thanks.

 

[Belzelbub]

Often you can tell because, for example on a deep repetitive dive with a big tank you could have 1500 psi remaining yet a 3 minute DTR so the NDL is obviously the culprit. The more diving you do, the easier it becomes to figure it out even when the differences are more subtle. And when it's that subtle, does it even matter?

I guess. When I went to the Shearwater from the Oceanic, I thought this was a feature I may miss. I quickly learned that I didn't miss it at all. NDL shows a time remaining, GTR shows a time remaining. Whichever is lower is controlling my time.

If gas supply is the controlling factor, I can slow down a bit or ascend to extend. If it's NDL, ascending is the only option to extend.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

The Suunto Eon Core shows the SAC rate. So that's nice.

 

[Maolli]

If gas supply is the controlling factor, I can slow down a bit or ascend to extend. If it's NDL, ascending is the only option to extend.

Ascending will increase remaining dive time in either case. I can't imagine that slowing down would have much effect on gas consumption and provide for a significant increase in dive time unless a diver with COPD is swimming like they're trying to outpace a great white.

 

[Caversluis]

I guess. When I went to the Shearwater from the Oceanic, I thought this was a feature I may miss. I quickly learned that I didn't miss it at all. NDL shows a time remaining, GTR shows a time remaining. Whichever is lower is controlling my time.

If gas supply is the controlling factor, I can slow down a bit or ascend to extend. If it's NDL, ascending is the only option to extend.

A word of caution here: Shearwater calculates GTR based on a single diver. It does not cover the extra gas needed to help a buddy in an emergency (for example a free flow regulator). Therefore staying at the bottom until the GTR show (close to) 0 can be dangerous.

It is important to know your rock bottom gas volume, and not to go below that.

 

[DutchDiverDude]

But the AI has always seemed a nice novelty unless you're into Tech dives? I just couldn't justify the added cost when my SPG and analogue compass serve me well. Thanks.

There are reasons to say the opposite actually: if you go deep into tech diving (cave or deco), failure points become a big thing. Everything that can kill you if it fails should be available as backup. This included a 2nd air source (set of manifolded doubles), mask, torch, computer/bottom timer (depending on school of education), flotation device (wing + drysuit).
Everything that doesn't or is just inconvenient, should be left away or taken just once. No SPG doesn't kill you. You planned your dive, know your gas consumption and have excess air backup with you. Worst case, close off a cylinder and end the dive on your buddies gas supply. Using this train of thought air integration is just a gimmick and should be left out since in most cases people add a transmitter to one 1st stage, and leave the SPG on the other. Especially the additional hose is an additional failure point. Then again, if you screw the transmitter into the 1st stage without a hose and don't use an SPG, you are 1 failure point short of using only a plain SPG.

In the end, and unless you are training with a super strict agency like GUE, do whatever you like. If you can afford to miss the money for it just do it.

 

[Nemrod]

I upgraded to a standard Peregrine, which is brilliant, 2yrs ago. Now my girlfriend is Advanced, we want to upgrade her to the Peregrine (the screen is so easy to see compared to her old Mares puck). But the AI has always seemed a nice novelty unless you're into Tech dives? I just couldn't justify the added cost when my SPG and analogue compass serve me well. Thanks.

I have a standard Perigrine. I like having a compass even for follow the DM dives and the Peregrine TX has an integrated compass. That is why I "upgraded" to the TX. I never had any intention of using the AI feature, I simply wanted the integrated compass so I could dispense with my bulky standard compass for simple dives. And for any dive where I really need to navigate, I will use a real compass. The integrated compass is just a handy feature, I wanted it, so I got it .

 

[inquis]

Shearwater calculates GTR based on a single diver. It does not cover the extra gas needed to help a buddy in an emergency (for example a free flow regulator). Therefore staying at the bottom until the GTR show (close to) 0 can be dangerous.

Shearwater's GTR is against a user-configurable reserve. It's a simple matter to make this the Rock Bottom amount for the planned depth. (I quite agree that knowing how to calculate RB on the fly is important for multi-level dives: e.g., 10D+300 psi for an AL80 with depth in ft will handle a 2 cuft/min SAC rate.)