New SWIFT™ AI TRANSMITTER and New Firmware Release

[jborg]

It took a few tries before it showed version 84 in shearwater cloud for me, before that it was 81. I think there’s caching going on, or it takes longer for the app to check in the background so it needs to be running for a while maybe.

After that the upgrade was smooth.

 

[DiveTucson]

DGX has them listed in 4-7 days.

I guess I will be eating ramen for the next month.

I'll have 12 in the shop tomorrow Free shipping. They are already on the site.

Shearwater SWIFT AI Wireless Transmitter

 

[kelemvor]

Maybe I’m missing something, but why is this necessary? The batteries for the transmitter aren’t overly expensive. Certainly cheap enough that changing them once or twice a year is not a significant expense.

Changing the transmission interval seems certainly more critical than being able to turn off the transmitter while pressurized.

Also, has anyone updated a Perdix AI to v84? I’m only seeing v81 available using Shearwater Cloud for iOS or Mac.

Other brands only require changing every 2 or 3 years. Obviously that depends in part on how often you use them. In my mind it's not really the expense, although I guess that depends on what you're paying for batteries. Every time you open a DC or transmitter, you risk water intrusion if everything isn't perfect with the seals. Not having to open them very often is a benefit. Double that concern with a transmitter that costs as much as this one. It's almost double what other tx's cost.

Also, I care because I like to setup my gear sometimes before the boat even leaves the dock. Then my transmitter and DC go to sleep on the way out. I do a quick check before splashing to make sure everything's still okay. Having to wait until I get to the dive site for prep in order to conserve tx battery would not be my first choice.

It should be something that can be done exclusively in software. Therefore I suspect we'll see it eventually. Shearwater has a fantastic track record making product improvements to existing products via software updates.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I'll have 12 in the shop tomorrow Free shipping. They are already on the site.

Shearwater SWIFT AI Wireless Transmitter

Damn it you already got me for a scooter this month.

 

[DiveTucson]

Damn it you already got me for a scooter this month.

We are a one stop shop. What can I say...

 

[Whitrzac]

Is the range any better than rhe standard transmitter?
The ones on my rb are kinda flakey

 

[stuartv]

Wow, finally! I guess shearwater is still the "ask and you shall receive" company.


That's a problem that's not incredibly difficult to lick. Heck, scubapro did it many years ago. Now that shearwater has their own product rather than relying on a commodity, they should be able to do it as well. Honestly, that's probably a more common problem than collisions with other transmitters. Consider that they already do the pressure change measurement when the transmitter is in the "off" state. That's how the thing comes on in the first place. They only need to add a check for lack of change while in the "on" state so it can be turned off.

I'm sure shearwater will get around to fixing that sooner or later. It's a pretty obvious shortcoming, their competitors already overcame the problem, and they have full control of their own transmitter now.

Turning on when pressurized could be a mechanical switch inside. No need to burn battery while it is sitting there sleeping, in order to detect when it should start transmitting.

Having the transmitter go to sleep when it detects "not being used" seems problematic, to me, and I would prefer to not have that. The way they work now seems very reliable. Adding the complexity of "intelligence" that allows the transmitter to detect when it should turn off just seems like asking for less reliability.

Other brands only require changing every 2 or 3 years. Obviously that depends in part on how often you use them. In my mind it's not really the expense, although I guess that depends on what you're paying for batteries. Every time you open a DC or transmitter, you risk water intrusion if everything isn't perfect with the seals. Not having to open them very often is a benefit. Double that concern with a transmitter that costs as much as this one. It's almost double what other tx's cost.

Also, I care because I like to setup my gear sometimes before the boat even leaves the dock. Then my transmitter and DC go to sleep on the way out. I do a quick check before splashing to make sure everything's still okay. Having to wait until I get to the dive site for prep in order to conserve tx battery would not be my first choice.

It should be something that can be done exclusively in software. Therefore I suspect we'll see it eventually. Shearwater has a fantastic track record making product improvements to existing products via software updates.

The Swift has the same spec for battery as the older PPS transmitter used by Oceanic, Aqualung, etc.. 300 dive hours.

The cost is $395 for the Swift. That is basically the same as what the ScubaPro, Suunto, Holis, Aqualung, or Oceanic cost. Not sure where you're getting that this is double the cost of the competition.

As for setting up ahead, I like to do that, too. So I do. Then I just turn off my tank(s) and purge my reg(s)/line(s), so the transmitter turns off. Ride to the dive site and I only have to remember to turn my gas back on. I would do that anyway, even without AI transmitters, just to ensure that (for example) a purge button doesn't get bumped and start a reg free-flowing. Or that I don't have a reg with a slight hiss that lets it drain down over time without even hearing it. I lost a whole bottle of trimix BO gas a few weeks ago from that (and me forgetting to turn off the valve at the end of one dive day before coming back for the next day). In a perfect world, it wouldn't have mattered and I wouldn't have lost any gas. But, I had recently had that BO reg serviced and it turns out I need to take it back to get it fixed...

 

[broncobowsher]

Is the range any better than rhe standard transmitter?
The ones on my rb are kinda flakey

Never had an issue with the ones on the rEvo. But mine are on hoses. The 1st stages are packaged too tight to fit transmitters directly to them. So they are on hoses and sit by the weight shelf right behind my head. Pretty stinking close to the NERD. Never dropped out.

Range is about 1M in clear conditions. Trying to go around a rebreather, cylinders, your body, your head, etc. shortens the range.

 

[stuartv]

To me, the Swift is a swing and a miss.

I have 5 of the regular transmitters. I have never felt any need to use more than 2 of them on one dive. I use 2 when diving sidemount and when diving my CCR. I have never had any desire to add transmitters to my bail out or deco gases. I obviously could have, if I wanted to, since I have them. Even with the 2 transmitter limit, I could have put 2 on one computer and 2 on another (since, if I'm diving with BO or deco gases, I would have at least 2 computers anyway).

So, allowing for 4 transmitters now is cool, but of no perceived benefit - to ME.

EDIT: It IS a benefit that I can now put in the IDs of my single tank transmitter, my doubles one, and the 2 on my CCR and just change which one(s) I'm monitoring, rather than having to re-enter ID #s every time I switch between different rigs that I'm diving. I take back this first comment. I don't see using more than 2 at a time. But, having 4 programmed in will be useful.

On the other hand, the Swift now requires a small screwdriver to change the battery. I have had to make a last-minute battery change before (more than once). Being able to use any old coin to get the battery cover off is great. Requiring a special tool for that would have been a huge pain on more than one occasion. To me, the Swift is a regression, in that regard.

Also, I use 2 transmitters at the same time, all the time, on my CCR. And have used 2 at once whenever I was diving sidemount. I have never, ever had an issue with transmitter interference. I guess MAYBE it could be more of an issue if you were using 4 at once - but, as I said, I don't see myself doing that. And, if it did happen, it's so easy to fix! So, the collision avoidance is cool, I guess. But, again, of no perceived benefit - to me.

With the Swift being $395 and the older style being $350, I will be buying the older style ones until Shearwater no longer offers them. Saving $45 per transmitter is clearly a benefit - to me.

If I do end up needing a transmitter and Shearwater is no longer selling the old style, then I would buy a Swift. The Shearwater warranty and customer service is definitely worth buying a Swift over a non-Shearwater-branded PPS transmitter (to me).

 

[stuartv]

Is the range any better than rhe standard transmitter?
The ones on my rb are kinda flakey

They have the same FCC ID (MH8A), so I doubt the range is any different.

Like @broncobowsher, I have them on my rEvo and have not had issues. Like him, mine are on hoses routed up to the top of the CCR.