Backup Computer?

[Teamcasa]

Probably with the same amount of money, you could have gotten a real dive computer.

True enough but, I can wear it as a regular watch on dive trips.

 

[Charlie99]

I've opted to dive with a back-up bottom timer/depth guage. In the extremely unlikely event that my computer dies while on a dive trip, I'll simply dive tables the rest of the trip if I can't rent/borrow another computer. Don't see the need to lay out the money for an additional computer when I can fall back on my brain.

This only works well when your profiles are near square profile, or they are so shallow that it doesn't really matter.

Relying upon tables would significantly limit your total dive times when diving the highly multilevel profiles common in places like Cozumel and Maui.

My first dive yesterday was 93', 70 minutes. Obviously only a small portion of that at max depth. That sort of profile is not very table friendly.

On the other hand, if you are doing low profile wrecks or diving low profile reefs where you are near the max depth for a good fraction of your dive, then moving over to tables will just cost you longer SIs.

 

[scubafanatic]

1) 1st suggestion, keep it simple, buy computers form the same manufacturer, so the algorithms are the same, so you don't have to guess which computer to believe.

2) if you do buy 2 different brands, if possible, make sure one or both computers are user adjustable, so you can 'sync' their levels of conservatism, so the computers aren't in conflict with each other. I'm diving Oceanic Pro Plus II's (4), Atomic Cobalts (2), and Cochran Gemini's (6), plus an extra non-AI Cochran EMC-20H.....so having 13 computers from 3 different manufacturers, I want them all to play well together, and with experience I can 'tune' the computers such that they give me consistent results (bottom times/deco schedules).

3) on average, dive computers are going to be much less error prone than the human brain, especially a tired human brain on vacation.

4) On a recreational dive, I will ALWAYS dive with AT LEAST 2 computers (sometimes 3) AND an SPG. (and I will ALWAYS bring a minimum of 2 complete reg sets = 5 computers/ 2 SPGs.

(Originally I'd been diving the Oceanic Pro Plus II's, was offered the chance to 'test dive' a Cochran on a wreck dive trip to North Carolina a few years ago, so I could watch/compare its behavior to my existing Oceanics, to give it a real-world intensive diving side-by-side comparison, which made me comfortable with buying more Cochrans. The lesson being, it might not hurt to rent/borrow a potential back-up computer before purchase, to see if it's compatable with your existing computer, and a multi-day dive trip will give you a more vaild comparison than will a short trip with a few dives will.

 

[BoltSnap]

This only works well when your profiles are near square profile, or they are so shallow that it doesn't really matter.

Relying upon tables would significantly limit your total dive times when diving the highly multilevel profiles common in places like Cozumel and Maui.

My first dive yesterday was 93', 70 minutes. Obviously only a small portion of that at max depth. That sort of profile is not very table friendly.

On the other hand, if you are doing low profile wrecks or diving low profile reefs where you are near the max depth for a good fraction of your dive, then moving over to tables will just cost you longer SIs.

I agree 100% with what you are saying. I don't quite understand why people insist that table use is "superior" except, perhaps, for show value. I am all for understanding the dive tables and even better, understanding decompression concepts but we need to move on and not be held back by antiquated ideas of what is and what is not really important.

 

[scubafanatic]

I agree 100% with what you are saying. I don't quite why people insist that table use is "superior" except, perhaps, for show value. I am all for understanding the dive tables and even better, understanding decompression concepts but we need to move on and not be held back by antiquated ideas of what is and what is not really important.

I think it's kinda funny that we're pretty much 100% reliant on electronic devices/computers in all aspects of modern life, but it's seen as 'manly' to cling to tables vs computers in diving (especially in recreational diving)....we're esentially all 'Borg' now, why fight it in scuba when we're surrendered to the inevitable everywhere else ?

 

[BoltSnap]

I think it's kinda funny that we're pretty much 100% reliant on electronic devices/computers in all aspects of modern life, but it's seen as 'manly' to cling to tables vs computers in diving (especially in recreational diving)....we're esentially all 'Borg' now, why fight it in scuba when we're surrendered to the inevitable everywhere else ?

My sentiment exactly.

My sons are allowed to use calculators in their math and physics classes now. This would have been unthinkable in my time.

 

[phillybob]

You can use a A.I. computer as your 'main', and have another 'puck' computer in 'gauge mode'. Plan your dive and have your expected deco obligations written down on your wrist slate/ bungeed PVC computer holder. If your main computer takes a dump during the dive, the dive is over and you use the 'gauged' computer for your depth and time keeper on your deco. I always have two A.I. computers with me on trips.

 

[RJP]

This only works well when your profiles are near square profile, or they are so shallow that it doesn't really matter.

Relying upon tables would significantly limit your total dive times when diving the highly multilevel profiles common in places like Cozumel and Maui.

Not when you cut your own tables.



PS - did people actually dive (and survive) before computers were ubiquitous?

 

[BoltSnap]

PS - did people actually dive (and survive) before computers were ubiquitous?

People also built the pyramids before they had computers, so what is your point?

 

[phillybob]

People also built the pyramids before they had computers...

Exactly !