Announcing the SubGravity H3 - Powered by SeaBear

[scubadada]

...Are you suggesting that SP's acquisition of Seabear was an ill-thought bad business decision? I am. 2 years is more than enough time to integrate and get the Seabear out there...

I think this is exactly what happened. I recently spoke to a friend and owner of a large dive operation in SE FL, that also happens to be a very successful Scubapro Platinum Dealer. It appears that Scubapro did not do their due dilligence prior to acquiring Seabear and the H3 and ended up with a product that was well below acceptable standards. Though some folks appear to have purchased a "good one", many of the common defects have been discussed extensively on SB. I was told the Scubapro H3 would not be available until at least next fall, probably later. We'll see.

The M2 with transmitter lists for around $1,500, seems like you could easily sell it for near the amount needed to purchase a Perdix AI or another computer of your choice. Inconvenient, but much better than a loss.

 

[oceancurrent]

I am not sure of what you want them to do with the SeaBear's customer other than offer them their top of the line computers as a replacement.

They could communicate openly with the customer base about where they are, what are the issues, and what can people expect from them instead of burying their head in the sand.

 

[oceancurrent]

2 years is more than enough time to integrate and get the Seabear out there.

Agree. Fixing the existing product should not have been that much of a challenge. For example:

weak screws -> change the screws
poor LED quality -> change LED vendor or beat the existing vendor up until they improve quality
battery dead after some use -> change battery vendor, modify battery voltage cutoff logic, reduce idle power usage
touch sensor dislodging -> change solder method, limit button depression range, reinforce touch sensor

Now, adding AI is a different story, but even that should have been resolved by now. Shearwater just showed them how it's done without even needing to drum up the new feature before releasing it.

 

[scubadada]

Not that it makes any real difference, but Johnson Outdoors acquired Seabear a little over 13 months ago. I wonder what has become of Arne Sieber at Scubapro?

 

[stuartv]

They could communicate openly with the customer base about where they are, what are the issues, and what can people expect from them instead of burying their head in the sand.

I have an H3. I am aware, though admittedly not directly from SP, that if it breaks I can get it replaced with my choice of a Galileo or an M2 with AI. I feel like I know what I can expect from them.

Shearwater does not talk about new products until they are releasing them. Why fault SP for handling the H3 the same way?

I'm just glad they are making a meaningful offer to owners of existing H3s that break. They don't have to do that. If mine broke and I was able to get it replaced with a new computer that I could sell for anywhere near what I paid for my H3, I would be VERY satisfied with that. And then go buy a Perdix AI....

 

[tridacna]

[QUOTE="stuartv, post: 7847441, member: 453371Why fault SP?...and then go buy a Perdix AI.[/QUOTE]

You are too funny. That kinda summarises this in a sentence. No-one seriously thinks of keeeping the M2.

 

[stuartv]

[QUOTE="stuartv, post: 7847441, member: 453371Why fault SP?...and then go buy a Perdix AI.

You are too funny. That kinda summarises this in a sentence. No-one seriously thinks of keeeping the M2.[/QUOTE]

If it could do trimix and Buhlmann w/GF, I would consider keeping it. If I were only doing recreational diving, I would consider keeping it.

It is too bad that SP does not have a trimix capable tech computer, but, well, they don't. So, until they do, I think they are doing the best thing they can by offering to swap broken H3s for a computer with greater monetary value. People who don't need trimix or GF might choose to keep them. People who do, can sell them and get something that will meet their needs.

 

[stuartv]

And I'm really glad my H3 continues to work just fine! I still like it a lot better than the Petrel 2 I had.

 

[oceancurrent]

Shearwater does not talk about new products until they are releasing them. Why fault SP for handling the H3 the same way?

Shearwater haven't made any promises that they wouldn't keep in order to gain attention or market share (unconditional devoted customer support, Canadian/Austrian quality, AI, etc). Also, Shearwater has earned the trust of their customers which is not going anywhere, while SeaBear is on shaky ground. I see a difference or two here.

 

[stuartv]

Shearwater haven't made any promises that they wouldn't keep in order to gain attention or market share (unconditional devoted customer support, Canadian/Austrian quality, AI, etc). Also, Shearwater has earned the trust of their customers which is not going anywhere, while SeaBear is on shaky ground. I see a difference or two here.

Sure. But what promises has ScubaPro made that they haven't kept?