Alec Pierce Scuba - Computer Video (split off from controversial thread Long Hose Good or Bad

[hammet]

The people who would misread a computer and get themselves in trouble is a small subset, but we've had a post here about someone who was mad at their instructor for just that.

some guys here tore the guy a new one for not reading the manual. I pointed out that getting the required dive info (depth, ndl, dive time) from the screen for that particular computer couldn't have been any more intuitive... which is in line with what alec (note it's peirce not pierce) was trying to say.

 

[johndiver999]

I’ve listened to several of his older videos and found the ones about vintage topics very engaging. This latest on about his new computer was not good. I stopped around half way. His whole attitude was this thing does everything for you automatically.

This type of attitude when expressed to new divers sends a bad message. They need to understand how it works, how to know what mix it is assuming and a lot more. Even if the diver is using air. Someone could help
With the computer and enter in a mix instead of air. If the diver is ignorant and blindly following a computer, accidents could happen.

He even says the computer tells you when you need to get on the boat. Which is not true. A computer tells you when to leave the bottom. When you are moving up too fast and where and for how long you must or are recommended to stop. It is not near as simple as he seems to present and that doesn’t even go into the air integration aspects

The intended audience could get a very distorted picture if they took that attitude. I really get the feeling he doesn’t use computers much to do real
Diving where depth and mod and deco limits are being approached.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I cycle mine before the day's diving, so already know the battery situation. The before the dives I set the computer, so should know the battery situation.
In between dives, I check what the company is showing for SI time etc. And so should know the battery situation, etc.

I don't think his audience is us however. Considering the lowest common denominator, I can envision some vacation diver going on vacation (computer worked on the last trip), maybe even has AI, jumps in the water thinking everything is honky dory (is that the right spelling? First time writing that out), and has a not so calm reaction when they have no idea how much gas they have, no idea how deep they are, , etc. as they may not be paying attention to their computer for a while. We cannot ignore the incredible low level of skills that exist in open water. I read of one instructor on FB saying how open water standards are too high as it is (mind blown there) and that he still certifies for OW instead of scuba diver, because he wants his customers to "feel good." Standards be damned. That reality is what frightens me about the industry in general.

There is a reason why agencies have developed pre dive check lists. The implication that I interpret from the video (which "you" - general you - may or may not agree with) is that computer checks are not important as part of the pre dive check. While not as bad as the long hose video, I don't see this one as very responsible.

 

[BlueTrin]

I understand that you usually could get away without reading the manual of a dive computer.

However, an issue I have seen happening to others is when **** happens and you go into deco or, on Suunto, with deepstops, you suddenly have to deal with an emergency and unfamiliar things on your dive computers.

When you are not used to it, and you have not read the manual, it seems that some people may panic even more.

Someone in my dive group apparently went into deco accidentally then had to skip some of it because his buddy was OOA. He blocked his computer, but decided to do the second dive on his buddy’s computer.

When he told the story on the WhatsApp group, I couldn’t believe what I just read and explained to him the he was at risk of DCI and should definitely not have done the second dive. After talking to him it was obvious he didn’t know what the computer was saying.

I know that some of you will say that it was his fault for going into unplanned deco in the first place but discovering your computer in an unplanned situation ain’t great either.

Also I have met people who can’t tell if the computer is displaying a safety or mandatory stop. So although I think you can wing it and not read a manual, you definitely benefit from reading it.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I understand that you usually could get away without reading the manual of a dive computer.

However, an issue I have seen happening to others is when **** happens and you go into deco or, on Suunto, you get deepstop by default.

When you are not used to it, and you have not read the manual, it seems that some people panic.

Someone in my dive group apparently went into deco accidentally then had to skip some of it because his buddy was OOA. He blocked his computer, but decided to do the second dive on his buddy’s computer.

When he told the story on the WhatsApp group, I couldn’t believe what I just read and explained to him the he was at risk of DCI and should definitely not have done the second dive. After talking to him it was obvious he didn’t know what the computer was saying.

I know that some of you will say that it was his fault for going into unplanned deco in the first place but discovering your computer in an unplanned situation ain’t great either.

Also I have met people who can’t tell if the computer is displaying a safety or mandatory stop. So although I think you can wing it and not read a manual, you definitely benefit from reading it.

Bingo.

 

[HKGuns]

The manual for my Oceanic ProPlus 3 is simply horrific. It isn't easy to read or comprehend and isn't very well organized.

That said, I did take the time to read and understand what it was trying to convey. The computer itself is fairly straight forward to operate and change settings, once you understand certain principles of operation. I still haven't figured out how to review dive logs until I upload them to divelog6.

On the other hand, my dive buddies Oceanic Geo2 is a nightmare to setup and configure. I thought, incorrectly, I could help him, based on my familiarity with the ProPlus3. WRONG.

Note: I have been working with computers since the the 286 processor and 20M hard disks were a thing. So it isn't like I am technologically incompetent.

Dive computers and their documentation have a very long way to go from a usability perspective. I've seen, not used, the Teric and Perdix computers and they look to be much better. The others would be well served to have apple or someone work on their UI and documentation.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Dive computers and their documentation have a very long way to go from a usability perspective. I've seen, not used, the Teric and Perdix computers and they look to be much better. The others would be well served to have apple or someone work on their UI and documentation.

I honestly think that dive computer manufacturers should just copy what Shearwater does. I've owned a Cressi Leonardo, Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1, and an Aeris A300 CS. Only my Perdixes can you really get away with not reading the manual as I have found it quite intuitive to navigate.

 

[HKGuns]

I honestly think that dive computer manufacturers should just copy what Shearwater does. I've owned a Cressi Leonardo, Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1, and an Aeris A300 CS. Only my Perdixes can you really get away with not reading the manual as I have found it quite intuitive to navigate.

Thank-you for confirming what I thought I saw when diving with my instructor and her master instructor partner. Post dive, their logs were readily available, with the nice graphs I get once I upload.

My buddies GEO is already up for sale and mine will be following shortly. I am debating between the Perdix and Teric at this point and frankly should have done more research before buying.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thank-you for confirming what I thought I saw when diving with my instructor and her master instructor partner. Post dive, their logs were readily available, with the nice graphs I get once I upload.

My buddies GEO is already up for sale and mine will be following shortly. I am debating between the Perdix and Teric at this point and frankly should have done more research before buying.

I want to replace my non-AI Perdix with a Perdix AI (so 2 Perdix AIs). Unless my Shearwater gets crushed by a cinderblock, I don't expect to ever stop diving OC with it. When I go closed circuit, I'll have a Shearwater as well (fortunately they dominate that market, so not an issue)

 

[MaxBottomtime]

However, an issue I have seen happening to others is when **** happens and you go into deco or, on Suunto, you get deepstop by default.

When you are not used to it, and you have not read the manual, it seems that some people panic.

Someone in my dive group apparently went into deco accidentally then had to skip some of it because his buddy was OOA. He blocked his computer, but decided to do the second dive on his buddy’s computer.

When he told the story on the WhatsApp group, I couldn’t believe what I just read and explained to him the he was at risk of DCI and should definitely not have done the second dive. After talking to him it was obvious he didn’t know what the computer was saying.

I know that some of you will say that it was his fault for going into unplanned deco in the first place but discovering your computer in an unplanned situation ain’t great either.

Also I have met people who can’t tell if the computer is displaying a safety or mandatory stop. So although I think you can wing it and not read a manual, you definitely benefit from reading it.

A Suunto computer will put you into deco if you wear it in the shower.