Atomic Cobalt or Oceanic ProPlus 2.1 ??

[Hatul]

Are Atomic products sold on the internet by legitimate dealers? Are they highly discounted?

Everyone is selling for the same $1200 price. What happened to the free market?

I thought price fixing was illegal?

 

[BoltSnap]

Hatul,

I don't think that this is price fixing as much as it is sellers taking advantage of the initial rush to buy these products. The illegal part is when sellers get together and scheme to fix prices amongst themselves. If they never got together and never planed price fixing and they are selling on their own at market prices, then it is not price fixing. God bless capitalism!!

 

[muzikbiz22]

Everyone is selling for the same $1200 price. What happened to the free market?

I thought price fixing was illegal?

it is a free market. You may purchase the Atomics Cobalt anywhere you want, nobody is stopping you. Hopefully, you'll purchase through an Authorized Dealer. And nobody is stopping you from "naming your own price".

They're being sold by everyone for $1200, because THEY CAN. (Ever been to an Apple store ?) The product is new, hot, and "flying off the shelves". Why WOULD they discount it ? So now, you have to make an educated purchase, as to who is going to add the best VALUE. There in turn, you the consumer benefits. Now the dealer has to compel you to purchase for some reason other than price.

You can always buy anything cheaper. Don't jump over dollars just save pennies ! I'm one who doesn't mind paying a buck or 2 more for SOME things, depending on what I'm buying.

BurhanMuntasser (above) is right. It is not price fixing. Current market conditions dictate current market pricing. Plus, there is value & integrity associated with the Atomics brand. It's gotta be worth something

 

[mitsuguy]

we sell both... the Atomic is nicer, prettier, all the things said above... even at its price of $1200 (advertised / MSRP from Atomic), we can't keep them on the shelf...

Now, just because everyone lists it at $1200 (Atomic doesn't allow advertising prices below its list prices on the internet), doesn't mean thats what they are required to sell it for... Given the current market, I expect it will be some time before you can find someone willing to sell much below retail...

just like when a new car or new style comes on the market with a high demand... car dealers will even charge ABOVE retail pricing...

 

[RonR]

I'm not a fan of the rechargeable battery. More flexibility with a user replaceable and when the rechargeable does die, I bet it'll cost an arm and a leg to replace.

The battery would be covered by warranty for at least two years. The retail price on a replacement is $50, but based on what we have seen in the last few years testing, the batteries will be for all practical purposes a permanent part of the computer.

The rechargeable battery is a Lithium Ion, like the batteries powering most smart phones, etc. It's rated for 5-700 charge/ discharge cycles before gradually losing its capacity to hold a full charge. Each charge can run the Cobalt for 30-60 hours of diving (depending mostly on screen brightness settings) and should power the Cobalt on standby for six months or more. Charging takes about two hours if it is completely dead.

The graphic color display and the more powerful microprocessor that are in computers like the Cobalt do more and require more power, and that makes disposable batteries much less practical.

 

[drrich2]

I'd be strongly drawn to the Cobalt based on the promise of a very intuitive interface not needing much time in the manual.

My one concern would be having read elsewhere that digital compasses often aren't as 'good' as 'real' (traditional, analog) ones. Anyone care to comment on that angle? Is using the Cobalt's digital compass much different from using the compass module on a ProPlus 2.1?

Richard.

 

[RonR]

I'd be strongly drawn to the Cobalt based on the promise of a very intuitive interface not needing much time in the manual.

My one concern would be having read elsewhere that digital compasses often aren't as 'good' as 'real' (traditional, analog) ones. Anyone care to comment on that angle? Is using the Cobalt's digital compass much different from using the compass module on a ProPlus 2.1?

Richard.

Initially we were going to market the Cobalt with an analog compass. But over the last few years digital compasses improved so much in size, price, and performance (coupled with accelerometers for positioning) that we felt in the end the digital compass provided better performance with much less bulk. We get to piggyback on the technology developed for smart phones, etc.

Digital compasses like the one in the Cobalt are not super accurate- 5° or so is about what you can expect. A good analog compass might be more accurate- if you could hold it that steady and read it while diving. On the other hand, an analog compass must be held fairly level, and the Cobalt compass will read accurately upside-down, sideways, in any position except pointed straight up or down. That has benefits for diving. Earlier digital compasses were not tilt compensated and had the be held very level- that made them difficult to use and is probably responsible for some of the negative buzz re. the digital compass.

We deliberately made the Cobalt compass display Cobalt Guide: Dive Screen: Compass Display look and work like an analog compass card. The display is dampened, as an analog compass would be. This may make it seem slow to respond on the surface, but divers have told us that underwater it is about right. Setting a bearing is done electronically, but works just as on an analog compass. I'd say the biggest differences are that the digital compass works in any position, takes up less space, and can be turned on or off at will. In our field testing the compass was one of the things that got the most positive comments.

 

[BoltSnap]

RonR,

Just to make sure that I understand you correctly, is the compass reading accurate even if I hold the computer vertically and pointing straight up?

BTW, does the Cobalt display tissue loading graphically (like the Edge/Phoenix used to do)?

 

[RonR]

RonR,

Just to make sure that I understand you correctly, is the compass reading accurate even if I hold the computer vertically and pointing straight up?

BTW, does the Cobalt display tissue loading graphically (like the Edge/Phoenix used to do)?

If you hold it straight up or down so you are not pointing it in a particular compass direction, then no, it can't tell what to display. But if the computer's X axis (the line between the hose connection and the front, the long axis) is pointed in a direction relative to the earth's magnetic vector, then it will display the heading, regardless of how you hold the display.

If you're holding the computer in front of you, pointing north, and then swing your arm around so the computer is over your head pointing south- with the display facing down so you can still read it- as it passes through vertical the compass will flip from reading north to south.

In most of the earth, the magnetic vector lines are not parallel to the surface, so the exact point where it flips will not be exactly at vertical. That's also part of the reason the compass needs to be calibrated when you change your geographic location significantly.

There is no Edge type graphic multiple tissue loading display- it was cool, but it took a lot of screen space. There is a graphic across the top of the display Cobalt Guide: The Dive Screen that progresses from green to yellow to orange as the no-stop time is used and one moves into decompression. We actually use different numbers of tissue groups depending on the part of the algorithm that is being called up. Generally, in working the interface over the years, we found that for most information simple numbers, if logically presented, worked better than a graphic. We tried graphic representations of tank pressure or depth, for instance, and found they actually lessened comprehension compared with numbers.

 

[BoltSnap]

If you hold it straight up or down so you are not pointing it in a particular compass direction, then no, it can't tell what to display. But if the computer's X axis (the line between the hose connection and the front, the long axis) is pointed in a direction relative to the earth's magnetic vector, then it will display the heading, regardless of how you hold the display.

If you're holding the computer in front of you, pointing north, and then swing your arm around so the computer is over your head pointing south- with the display facing down so you can still read it- as it passes through vertical the compass will flip from reading north to south.

In most of the earth, the magnetic vector lines are not parallel to the surface, so the exact point where it flips will not be exactly at vertical. That's also part of the reason the compass needs to be calibrated when you change your geographic location significantly.

There is no Edge type graphic multiple tissue loading display- it was cool, but it took a lot of screen space. There is a graphic across the top of the display Cobalt Guide: The Dive Screen that progresses from green to yellow to orange as the no-stop time is used and one moves into decompression. We actually use different numbers of tissue groups depending on the part of the algorithm that is being called up. Generally, in working the interface over the years, we found that for most information simple numbers, if logically presented, worked better than a graphic. We tried graphic representations of tank pressure or depth, for instance, and found they actually lessened comprehension compared with numbers.

I think that I understand you, thanks.

I am waiting for the Wrist version. I don't want a watch size one since it will be so small and won't be able to read everything is a quick glance (this is my problem with the D9). I have a Cochran Gemini and the display is GREAT. Quick tilt of my hand and I can quickly read everything without straining to read the numbers. (I have almost perfect vision but I strain to read the D9 not the Gemini).

BTW, is there a facility to update the firmware/software in the computer easily without having to send it to the manufacturer?