baffled by Suunto D4i info while diving vs dive log

[Centrals]

I have the SmartCom. It's pretty old. Been with me for about 800+ dives now. I would suspect that one is the conservative one because the software is ancient (while I am not ).

I have heard that the Suunto is conservative. I know we used to joke about how the thermometer always rounded down a couple degrees.

I prefer to consider my Uwatec as primary because it's air integrated, but I do see the merit of having the more conservative one as the primary. When I first got the Suunto, I monitored the differences and they seemed slight, but those dives were in the coral nursery at 30' max, not in Cozumel with bottomless wall dives.

Thanks for the tip!

Uwatec Smartcom is NOT that old. I am using Uwatec Pro Nitrox which is just a bit older.
There are info on changing the battery yourself on line. Not that difficult to be honest.
You have to be very careful how to maximize the ndl on Sunnto. No short surface interval, no reverse profile, slow ascent and not getting accidental deco etc. Otherwise you will notice the ndl drops considerably.

If you are going to use air on first dive and nitrox on the subsequent dive. You better check if Sunnto would allow the changing without waiting(24hrs). If not sure then set air as Nitrox 21 to avoid any issue. No such problem with Uwatec.

 

[eab]

Uwatec Smartcom is NOT that old. I am using Uwatec Pro Nitrox which is just a bit older.
There are info on changing the battery yourself on line. Not that difficult to be honest.
You have to be very careful how to maximize the ndl on Sunnto. No short surface interval, no reverse profile, slow ascent and not getting accidental deco etc. Otherwise you will notice the ndl drops considerably.

If you are going to use air on first dive and nitrox on the subsequent dive. You better check if Sunnto would allow the changing without waiting(24hrs). If not sure then set air as Nitrox 21 to avoid any issue. No such problem with Uwatec.

Thanks for saying the SmartCOM isn't that old. It's like an old friend really.

I appreciate the Suunto info. As I said, it was a consolation prize when the dive shop couldn't meet their obligation so I sort of fell into it. Trying to learn to love it, and these conversations have been very helpful. All the tips for Subsurface and the Suunto itself have been fantastic. Yes, I do keep the computer on nitrox 21% in case I want to change the EANx %. I do the same on the SmartCOM so I didn't even realize it was possible to switch it up between dives.

 

[eab]

As you suspected, they'll probably track pretty close to each other on initial dives, and dives that are pretty far from NDL.

Yes, they seem to get into a huge disagreement the deeper I go. I'll keep an eye on it and will check the Suunto settings. I think I left it on the default settings.

 

[Centrals]

@eab
You probably know the battery indicator on Uwatec is not very accurate. Put the cost of changing the battery and time required to have it done aside. Having a back up is a very good idea as I had experienced computer failure twice under water. It won't be very funny if both computers are out of operation due to various reasons(battery and locked up) at the same time.
You really ought to consider using the Sunnto as primary particularly on multi-days/mult-dives trip.

 

[Dan]

I used to have Uwatec SmartCom until it got banged out on the boat during rough handling by the crew and flooded. Then I replaced it with SUUNTO D4. Later on I bought Shearwater Teric. What a night & day difference between the two dive computers.

I dove with both D4 and Teric for awhile. Yes, SUUNTO RGBM algorithm is super conservative. I had to set it to RGBM 50 (the default setting was at 100) to make it less conservative and more comparable to the Shearwater’s Buhlmann ZHL-16C. So, I used D4 as my primary dive computer to make sure I didn’t lock it out.

Some problems I encountered with D4:
1. Short surface interval (< 60 minutes) between dives, it’ll penalize me big time. It shortens my bottom time and kepts pointing me up to go to shallower depth, while Teric says, nah, you are doing fine.

2. At 15-foot safety stop, I have to complete it or it’ll ask me to go back down to below 10 feet (flashing D10 warning with down arrow) otherwise it’ll lock me out if it’s not met. While Teric says your surface GF is below 75, you can skip safety stop if you want to.

3. Once I complete my safety stop at 15 feet depth and start ascend a bit fast (> 30 feet / min), D4 would go crazy, showing flashing D10 again, asking me to stop at or below 10 feet for another minute or two until D10 clears out of the display. So I have to ascend really sloooow from 15 feet depth to the surface. Otherwise it’ll lock me out.

4. If D10 is violated, then D4 will lock out for 48 hours (been there & done that) and showing ER (Error message). Teric would say that you have been a bad boy, don’t do that again. It’ll never lock me out.

I gave D4 away to my brother now as he’s taking OWC in a couple of weeks.

 

[Belzelbub]

I gave D4 away to my brother now as he’s taking OWC in a couple of weeks.

Based on the description of your experience, I take it you don't like your brother too much.

 

[Dan]

Based on the description of your experience, I take it you don't like your brother too much.

Wrong! When he learned that I’ll be going to Komodo for 3-weeks, he asked me if he can join me for that trip as snorkeller. I said to him, it would more fun for him to be as my dive buddy. So, I gave him the OWC class for his birthday present. This way I can look out for him underwater too.

D4 is so conservative, it’s good dive computer for beginners. However the manual is so badly written, I’ll need to tutor him in how to use it.

I carry spare battery & O-ring kit for D4. Nothing for Teric since it has wireless charging. I can use my iPhone wireless charging pad to charge my Teric when it gets < 50% charge. So, I have no worry about running out of battery charge in the upcoming 3-week trip to Komodo in July.

After having Uwatec SmartCom, SUUNTO D4 & Shearwater Teric, I highly recommend anyone to get Shearwater Teric!

 

[Curious_George]

And it only took two pages to start the "get a shearwater" subject.

highly recommend anyone to get Shearwater Teric

Not everyone wants a $1000 computer where 50% of purchasers have to return it for repair. OP asked for advice about her current computer, not fan boy recommendations to buy a SW.

 

[eab]

@eab
You probably know the battery indicator on Uwatec is not very accurate. Put the cost of changing the battery and time required to have it done aside. Having a back up is a very good idea as I had experienced computer failure twice under water. It won't be very funny if both computers are out of operation due to various reasons(battery and locked up) at the same time.
You really ought to consider using the Sunnto as primary particularly on multi-days/mult-dives trip.

I did not know that! All great reasons for the Suunto to be primary. Plus ... I can't find the IR connector and I'm on a Mac, so I'm SOL when things go wonky with the Uwatec.

Oddly, the way I got such a deal on the Suunto is because the dive shop guaranteed I'd have my Uwatec back in time for my trip and I didn't.

Thanks for all the info and support!

 

[eab]

I used to have Uwatec SmartCom until it got banged out on the boat during rough handling by the crew and flooded. Then I replaced it with SUUNTO D4. Later on I bought Shearwater Teric. What a night & day difference between the two dive computers.

I dove with both D4 and Teric for awhile. Yes, SUUNTO RGBM algorithm is super conservative. I had to set it to RGBM 50 (the default setting was at 100) to make it less conservative and more comparable to the Shearwater’s Buhlmann ZHL-16C. So, I used D4 as my primary dive computer to make sure I didn’t lock it out.

Some problems I encountered with D4:
1. Short surface interval (< 60 minutes) between dives, it’ll penalize me big time. It shortens my bottom time and kepts pointing me up to go to shallower depth, while Teric says, nah, you are doing fine.

2. At 15-foot safety stop, I have to complete it or it’ll ask me to go back down to below 10 feet (flashing D10 warning with down arrow) otherwise it’ll lock me out if it’s not met. While Teric says your surface GF is below 75, you can skip safety stop if you want to.

3. Once I complete my safety stop at 15 feet depth and start ascend a bit fast (> 30 feet / min), D4 would go crazy, showing flashing D10 again, asking me to stop at or below 10 feet for another minute or two until D10 clears out of the display. So I have to ascend really sloooow from 15 feet depth to the surface. Otherwise it’ll lock me out.

4. If D10 is violated, then D4 will lock out for 48 hours (been there & done that) and showing ER (Error message). Teric would say that you have been a bad boy, don’t do that again. It’ll never lock me out.

I gave D4 away to my brother now as he’s taking OWC in a couple of weeks.

All good to know, thanks. I will say that I was very surprised by the 48 hour lockout. I was trained that if your computer died, you had to wait 24 hours before getting back in the water. Seems a bit extra conservative to me.