New Diver, First Computer

[Kaydo]

I live in florida and plan to stay in warm to temperate waters. Our springs are at about 70 degrees. Deeper waters scare me for right now. I had a dive shop mention to me about the suunto vyper because of the compass and AI support. It looks promising for about 350

 

[scubadada]

I live in florida and plan to stay in warm to temperate waters. Our springs are at about 70 degrees. Deeper waters scare me for right now. I had a dive shop mention to me about the suunto vyper because of the compass and AI support. It looks promising for about 350

As long as you are happy with the Suunto RGBM decompression algorithm New Diver, First Computer

 

[Streydog]

I live in florida and plan to stay in warm to temperate waters. Our springs are at about 70 degrees. Deeper waters scare me for right now. I had a dive shop mention to me about the suunto vyper because of the compass and AI support. It looks promising for about 350

I have the Vyper Novo and think it has many features for $350. But keep in mind adding AI is another $350-400. And the version that is selling for $350 also does not come with a download cable, $50-90. Mine came with a down load cable but it stopped working after a while and I had to buy a new one ( an aftermarket better one). I only recently started using my compass regularly when I started doing a lot of low vis dives in a quary. The biggest factor is how important AI is to you. I liked being able to track my SAC as I kept improving over time. Now that my SAC has kind of leveled out I don't really pay much attention to what it is when I down load the dives so having AI is not as important to me. If I were in your shoes at this point I would be leaning toward the Peregrine then if you decide to upgrade later on use it as a backup.

 

[olemiss36]

wanted to create a follow up question instead of start a new thread. I've been diving for ~15 years but pretty much only on vacations every year. I also do enriched air occasionally. For my recreational needs I'm trying to decide between the suunto d4i novo and aqualung i470tc. After reading this i'm now looking at the peregrine. Which would be the best for my needs?

 

[ToneNQ]

..........snip........I've been diving for ~15 years but pretty much only on vacations every year. I also do enriched air occasionally. ...........snip............ Which would be the best for my needs?

The one you can pick up and it still works, and you still know how to drive it or figure it out again quickly. Occasional diving means you need something simple and familiar, so the menu system is probably the key criteria.

Its been a while since I looked at a new Suunto menu system, but my old one isn't the easiest to drive. You actually have to set it into Nitrox mode and then set the gas. The Peregrine is you set up a new EAN gas, turn it on, then turn off the 21% gas. I actually saw a new D4i on the boat on Sunday but looked no further than the broken strap.

 

[scubadada]

wanted to create a follow up question instead of start a new thread. I've been diving for ~15 years but pretty much only on vacations every year. I also do enriched air occasionally. For my recreational needs I'm trying to decide between the suunto d4i novo and aqualung i470tc. After reading this i'm now looking at the peregrine. Which would be the best for my needs?

Hi @olemiss36

If you want a watch style computer, I would suggest the Oceanic Geo 4 over either the Suunto or Aqua Lung computers. The Suunto (RGBM) and the Aqua Lung (PZ+) run deco algorithms that are middle of the road/moderate in the spectrum from conservative to liberal. The Oceanic runs a more liberal algorithm, DSAT, in addition to PZ+. This would give you a wider range of choices to fit your diving. The Suunto and the Aqua Lung appear to go for about $500, the Oceanic is $100 less

Personally, I think the Peregrine is the best of these computers. For $450 you get a big color screen, infinite flexibility with the Buhlmann algorithm with 3 standard presets and custom GF, cool features like SurfGF and the tissue saturation graph, and Shearwater service.

 

[jejton]

I'm also in the market for a new computer and appreciate all the info here. I've been using a fairly old hand me down one button puck. I've narrowed down to AL 470tc, Peregrine and Deepwater Excursion computers. I've seen the tissue saturation graph and custom GF touted as advantages but can someone explain what those are and what relevance they may have to an average rec diver?

 

[scubadada]

I'm also in the market for a new computer and appreciate all the info here. I've been using a fairly old hand me down one button puck. I've narrowed down to AL 470tc, Peregrine and Deepwater Excursion computers. I've seen the tissue saturation graph and custom GF touted as advantages but can someone explain what those are and what relevance they may have to an average rec diver?

Hi @jejton

I'm sure you meant the Deep 6 Excursion.

For the Peregrine, I would imagine that the 3 standard GF presets would work for nearly all rec divers. I use the custom GFs for reasons of my own, for instance, I do short deco and want the GF low to be higher than the presets. I use the tissue saturation graph for my own education and amusement to learn how repetitive dives affect the tissue compartments. On the other hand, I find the Surf GF very useful in choosing when to make my final ascent from a dive near NDL or from light deco. You can allow your surfacing GF to decrease to the level that is acceptable to you. The major positive features of this computer are listed in my post, above.

Best of luck in your computer purchase.

 

[broncobowsher]

The tissue loading graph, for a recreational diver, is a great education tool to show how different tissues load an unload over time. Why are NDLs different on repetitive dives. How much nitrogen am I still loaded with from the last dive and being a fast or medium tissue how it plays into a repetitive plan. There is some amusement factor as well, run a really high Oxygen blend and you can surface with the fast tissues undersaturated and actually be taking on Nitrogen at the surface while the slower tissues are giving it up. Instead of blindly giving you a NDL time, you understand where that time comes from.

 

[olemiss36]

Hi @olemiss36

If you want a watch style computer, I would suggest the Oceanic Geo 4 over either the Suunto or Aqua Lung computers. The Suunto (RGBM) and the Aqua Lung (PZ+) run deco algorithms that are middle of the road/moderate in the spectrum from conservative to liberal. The Oceanic runs a more liberal algorithm, DSAT, in addition to PZ+. This would give you a wider range of choices to fit your diving. The Suunto and the Aqua Lung appear to go for about $500, the Oceanic is $100 less

Personally, I think the Peregrine is the best of these computers. For $450 you get a big color screen, infinite flexibility with the Buhlmann algorithm with 3 standard presets and custom GF, cool features like SurfGF and the tissue saturation graph, and Shearwater service.

i picked up the peregrine, thanks!