Are Pressure Transmitters compatible across brands?

[tursiops]

I have a yellow legacy transmitter I bought from DGX in 2020. It does show the Shearwater logo and name next to the serial number.

All yellows are Shearwater. Maybe all Greens, too.
Are there letters in front of your SN?

 

[Marie13]

All yellows are Shearwater. Maybe all Greens, too.
Are there letters in front of your SN?

Yes

 

[tursiops]

Yes

(like pulling teeth...)
OK, what are the letters?

 

[scubadada]

I believe there is no external marking indicating it was made or sold by Shearwater. The serial number may be a clue: I believe all PPS transmitters begin with BM, so FP may indicate Shearwater. I have 4 transmitters; 3 are BM, one is FP, and I think I bought that one used from a Shearwater owner. Note that Huish repairs/refurbishes/replaces the BM transmitters for $120. i do not know if they do that for the FP transmitters.

This is an interesting question for which I have no answer. PPS is/was the manufacturer for MH8A transmitters that might be branded as Aeris, Aqua Lung, Hollis, Oceanic, Shearwater, Sherwood, or Tusa. Only Aqua Lung, Oceanic, and Sherwood are still selling these transmitters.

As far as I know, only Oceanic/Huish has the replacement policy, costing $120. I had an Oceanic transmitter replaced with a new one in 2017 and I very recently sent another Oceanic transmitter to Huish for replacement. The RMA was issued immediately, with no question. Both of these transmitters had the SN prefix of BM. I have a 3rd Oceanic transmitter with the same prefix. This is the listing from the Oceanic website service section:

It would be interesting to see the SN prefixes for transmitters of known brand, like @Marie13 example. Has anyone tried to use the Oceanic/Huish replacement service with a non-Oceanic transmitter?

 

[Marie13]

@scubadada

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Marie13

Thanks for the reply, your photo is quite blurry, please confirm the SN prefix

 

[Marie13]

Hi @Marie13

Thanks for the reply, your photo is quite blurry, please confirm the SN prefix

Geez. Demanding today, aren’t you?

FK

 

[buddhasummer]

If you cut out repetitive threads, there'd not be much left.

View attachment 619470
*See footnote below regarding the Shearwater Swift AI transmitter
**See footnote below regarding Apeks


View attachment 619471

View attachment 619472

Pelagic Pressure Systems was part of American Underwater Products, founded by Bob Hollis in 1972 (Oceanic, Aeris, Hollis, PPS...). PPS was acquired by Aqua Lung in May 2015. Aeris was folded into Oceanic in September 2014. Oceanic and Hollis were acquired by Huish Outdoors in May 2017

*In July 2021, Shearwater launched their own AI transmitter, the Swift, see their website for details The next generation SWIFT AI Transmitter - Shearwater Research The Swift is manufactured by Shearwater, not Pelagic Pressure Systems. The Swift has a new FCC ID 2A024-17001, but is compatible with computers using MH8A, including all Shearwater computers.

**Apeks brand is owned by Aqua Lung. The DSX computer uses a typical PPS MH8A transmitter, as all Aqua Lung computers do.

Updated 3/11/23

I was unaware HW made any AI computers. I'll go look.

 

[scubadada]

I was unaware HW made any AI computers. I'll go look.

You are correct, Heinrichs Weikamp computers are not air integrated and should not be included on the list.

I don't recall how HW was initially included, the list was started around 2015 or 2016.

Thanks for the correction, HW computers are not available in the US and are not well known. It took a long time for this error to be caught, I appreciate you noticing it.

 

[buddhasummer]

You are correct, Heinrichs Weikamp computers are not air integrated and should not be included on the list.

I don't recall how HW was initially included, the list was started around 2015 or 2016.

Thanks for the correction, HW computers are not available in the US and are not well known.

I've been a fan of HW for many years, owned 2 of their computers and one of their lights. Customer service rivals Shearwater, just amazing. I had to double check wondering how I missed the introduction to AI. Don't think they'll ever go down that route.