Anyone using the latest ver. of MultiDeco on a mobile phone ?

[egovenatus]

Nasser, yep, like I said I found the software to be more conservative than the Petrel even while running the same algorithms. I have never seen more than a two minute deviation at shallower depths though for any of my dives (same over all deco time though).

 

[doctormike]

I don't think I'm being too demanding though. Is it too much to ask to have basic and fundamentally important tools like lost gas and deeper/longer to be more readily accessible and user friendly? ... especially when these functions are readily available on less expensive programs?

Well, I guess it's a matter of taste. I don't think that dedicated buttons for lost gas and deeper/longer are omitted from the mobile version as an oversight or as a shortcut, but rather as a design decision to avoid crowding the interface. Those functions are easily achieved using the mobile app as it stands, as I mentioned. But of course, if you find that to be unacceptable, and feel that dedicated buttons are important, then the MultiDeco phone app wouldn't be for you! Maybe I'll check out Baltic Deco if you think that it's better.

Safe diving,

Mike

 

[Nasser]

Nasser, yep, like I said I found the software to be more conservative than the Petrel even while running the same algorithms. I have never seen more than a two minute deviation at shallower depths though for any of my dives (same over all deco time though).

Yes exactly... although running ZHL-16C GF's I actually found the Petrel to be more conservative. Generally if I get them close enough, then I just run off the Runtimes of the slightly more conservative of the two and things work out ok.

Well, I guess it's a matter of taste. I don't think that dedicated buttons for lost gas and deeper/longer are omitted from the mobile version as an oversight or as a shortcut, but rather as a design decision to avoid crowding the interface. Those functions are easily achieved using the mobile app as it stands, as I mentioned. But of course, if you find that to be unacceptable, and feel that dedicated buttons are important, then the MultiDeco phone app wouldn't be for you! Maybe I'll check out Baltic Deco if you think that it's better.

Safe diving,

Mike

Actually it's not extra buttons that are needed. The way Baltic Deco does it is they have a small arrow (like a greater than sign) next to the max depth and also next to your gases. Whenever you tap on either arrow it slides over to a new page with the modified Runtimes. It's very elegant and the arrows are very unobtrusive. So one can design an interface that is still uncluttered but very functional - sort of like the Petrel !

Anyway, as I mentioned, if I dial in the GF's of either the Petrel, Baltic, or the OS X ver. of Multi Deco ... I can match up the Runtimes close enough and it becomes a rather moot point. It is after all "measuring with a microscope and cutting with an axe".

 

[doctormike]

Actually it's not extra buttons that are needed. The way Baltic Deco does it is they have a small arrow (like a greater than sign) next to the max depth and also next to your gases. Whenever you tap on either arrow it slides over to a new page with the modified Runtimes. It's very elegant and the arrows are very unobtrusive. So one can design an interface that is still uncluttered but very functional - sort of like the Petrel !

Cool! Will check it out, I'm willing to spend $19 on that recommendation...

Is there that big a difference between ZHL16B (which Baltic Deco does) and C? I had always heard that there wasn't that much difference, C supposedly a bit more conservative, but hard to compare since you would be adjusting GF anyway.

Anyway, as I mentioned, if I dial in the GF's of either the Petrel, Baltic, or the OS X ver. of Multi Deco ... I can match up the Runtimes close enough and it becomes a rather moot point. It is after all "measuring with a microscope and cutting with an axe".

Yup, a bright line through a grey area!

 

[Nasser]

Is there that big a difference between ZHL16B (which Baltic Deco does) and C? I had always heard that there wasn't that much difference, C supposedly a bit more conservative, but hard to compare since you would be adjusting GF anyway.

Yes that's right... ZHL-16C is more conservative and is the algo that computers would use. As egovenatus also mentioned - even when running the same algo different software programs and computers may execute it differently and so the numbers don't always match up to the tee.

For example, on a moderate dive to around 200 ft for 20-30 min. I've found that running Baltic ZHL-16B with GF 30/70 vs. Multi Deco ZHL-16C with GF 40/75 vs. Petrel Dive planner (also ZHL-16C) running GF 40/80 I can get Runtimes within a couple of minutes (or less) of each other.

It would be nice to have the Runtimes correlate directly, but even with the same algo that won't always happen... and given the bigger picture, most people would be constantly tweaking their GF's anyway according to the dive conditions and how they feel after a dive. I guess it's becoming something of an art form.

 

[egovenatus]

Yep, I generally go with the more conservative of the numbers between the computer and the software....using VPM-B +3 on software and Petrels here. All in all I have been very pleased with the desktop and the phone versions of MultiDeco and would recommend it to anyone.