Announcing the SubGravity H3 - Powered by SeaBear

[oceancurrent]

Could you please elaborate on the screw and the 2 other problems ?
My wife has a new H3 and I would like to take preventive measures. like tightening and putting a bit of cyano glue on the screw head.
Are those other 2 problems also mechanical ?

Please don't mess with the screws. They are so fragile that they break at the slightest torque. They often times break out on their own too. My first screw broke in two pieces (one was left in the body), while the second one fell off. The material of the screws is too weak and the threads are too soft. The only long term solution that I can think of is installing stronger screws after machining appropriate new threads, but I wouldn't try it at home!

The other issue I had was with one of the two touch sensors. I once pressed a bit too hard on the left button and the touch sensor on the inside came off the logic board bricking the H3. It's soldered very lightly apparently.

Third issue was with a replacement H3 from SubGravity which came with rows of dead pixels on the LED. From what I can tell, others had had the same issue occurring spontaneously after some use. Conclusion: LED quality needs to be revisited.

Finally, it looks like people are reporting issue with the charging after some use.

Bottom line is, the first gen H3-s are exhibiting failure rates well beyond what a consumer product of this kind is allowed to outside of the lab. They are nice prototypes which were let loose before they were thoroughly tested by SeaBear and all kinks worked out, likely due to budget constraints and pressure to go to market. If you are one of the lucky H3 early adopters whose unit is still ticking, apparently you are on your own now as Johnson Outdoors won't even try to fix them, just replace with M2 or Galileo. Can't blame them for that since the H3-s can't be permanently fixed without making changes to the design and production process.

 

[stuartv]

If you want to see people actually diving galileos en masse, including TX divers, come over to France. The sunday morning are not only for going to church, especially for those who live near Marseille. In fact, if you stay over at the Ibis hotel in Antibes, you'll be next doors to the french office of Scubapro, and you can drop by and tell them how you feel. Michael Moore style. There is also a mc'do close-by.

Stu, I think you are too tough on the Lunas. This algorithm and model is clever and validated enough as defacto, even if it stays closed. It came from Uwatec, and scubapro did not give enough hard data about it. That is a cultural and communication problem, not a tech/quality issue. If you really like, I can ask the frenchies for details. It is also possible some data came from COMEX or such secretive IP that is encumbered, and they are not free to disclose it as they like. Oh, BTW, you'll never have any trouble selling a galileo in France. Plenty of potential buyers.

I don't mind that SP are selling a Recreational computer with a proprietary algorithm. Everyone does that. But, if they put out a trimix-capable computer (again - since the Galileo used to be but is not any more), if it doesn't at least offer the option for a "standard" algorithm, then I would absolutely label it a joke.

It is possible nowadays to get a recreational certification for trimix, but I don't think there are very many rec divers who have that and are actually using trimix. So, a trimix computer would be presumed to be primarily targeted at tech divers. Tech divers plan their (our) dives before they ever strap on their dive computers. Some use tables. Some use tables and mental gymnastics. But, just about everyone uses desktop computer software to at least validate their plan, if not as the primary planning tool itself. So, tech divers want a dive computer that implements the same deco algorithm as the desktop planning software. Putting out a dive computer that is intended to be for tech divers, and not supporting an algorithm that is also supported in the desktop planning software we already use (e.g. Multi Deco or V-Planner or PastoDeco or Subsurface or whatever) is laughable.

Over there in France, when you see trimix divers using a Galileo, what kinds of dives are they doing? Are they French recreational divers, with your deeper certification limits, using trimix for what you consider to be recreational dives? I.e. single gas (no gas switch to a deco gas) with limited deco time? Or do you see people doing proper technical dives, with trimix, gas switches, and 1 or more deco gases, using a Galileo as their primary computer?

 

[gizmo1972]

Ok Guys my H3 !!! the reply from seabear wow im sorry your having this problem unfortunatly we no longer have this as a warranty repair so we are exchanginging them for scubapro mantis m2 and transmitter or gallilao sol and transmitter
wihich would you like???
IM SO UPSET!!!!
i so hate scubapro!

 

[scubadada]

Ok Guys my H3 !!! the reply from seabear wow im sorry your having this problem unfortunatly we no longer have this as a warranty repair so we are exchanginging them for scubapro mantis m2 and transmitter or gallilao sol and transmitter
wihich would you like???
IM SO UPSET!!!!
i so hate scubapro!

So it's a hassle. Get yourself the Mantis M2 and transmitter, going for $1500, sell it, get the computer you want, spend the extra for diving.

 

[gizmo1972]

gone for galilao sol and transmitter !!!
but which computer to get?????
i dont want to be changing batteries every week as im clocking 20 dives a week
i want AI and colour must be wrist mount and small
multiple gas
and SEXY! lol

 

[stuartv]

If you want AI and Trimix, is there any other option besides the Hollis TX-1?

 

[Diving Dubai]

If you want AI and Trimix, is there any other option besides the Hollis TX-1?

The Eon Steel has all that as standard

 

[BoltSnap]

Ok Guys my H3 !!! the reply from seabear wow im sorry your having this problem unfortunatly we no longer have this as a warranty repair so we are exchanginging them for scubapro mantis m2 and transmitter or gallilao sol and transmitter
wihich would you like???
IM SO UPSET!!!!
i so hate scubapro!

Reading between the lines, this may mean that SP is changing the H3 and ran out of their old stock for this computer they inherited from buying Seabear. Going further with guesstimates, they are coming out with a totally new version of the computer to replace the older version of the H3.

The new computer version will be a revolutionary dive computer just as is the new "HYDROS PRO" BC. The new computer version will do it all including giving you a message and a back rub during the dive.

Maybe it is good news after all.

 

[scubadada]

The Eon Steel has all that as standard

I think they would prefer to use Buhlmann ZHL-16C with GF rather than a proprietary RGBM decompression algorithm, and would like to be able to use commercially available dive planning software

I found the attached description of the Suunto Fused RGBM interesting. It describes some of the adjustments the algorithm makes for repetitive diving, reverse profiles, and multiday diving. It briefly mentions ascent rate violations. Adjustments in conservativeness are mentioned, but the mechanism used to execute them is not.
http://ns.suunto.com/pdf/Suunto_Dive_Fused_RGBM_brochure_EN.pdf

 

[scubadada]

If you want AI and Trimix, is there any other option besides the Hollis TX-1?

Not yet, keep hoping