Better OC Trimix Computer . . .
- Thread starter Jax
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Jax, I went through the same exercise last year before I took my AN/Deco Procs course, and selected the Predator. I was not a big fan of the tap technology and elected to go for the buttons system. Beside the ease of usage, I really like being able to download my dive profiles without having to buy a separate program and hardware. It comes standard with Bluetooth transfert and you can download the dive manager software from their website.
While the Shearwater Predator was initially based on the Buhlman algorythm, I know that they made a VPM Beta software available to some folks (divers just like us for testing purposes) and they will eventually come out with a firmware that will enable you to use either one of those algorythm.
They provide regular firmware updates that can easily be uploaded to your dive computer ...using the Bluetooth software system.
While the Shearwater Predator was initially based on the Buhlman algorythm, I know that they made a VPM Beta software available to some folks (divers just like us for testing purposes) and they will eventually come out with a firmware that will enable you to use either one of those algorythm.
They provide regular firmware updates that can easily be uploaded to your dive computer ...using the Bluetooth software system.
X1 logging software is free, from HHS website. Comes in 2 flavours, PC & Mac. No extras are needed.
Both Buhlmann GF & VPM-B have been available via Multideco for years now.
Regular firmware updates via USB connection. Everything required is supplied with the unit.
Both Buhlmann GF & VPM-B have been available via Multideco for years now.
Regular firmware updates via USB connection. Everything required is supplied with the unit.
Please let me add a few facts and corrections to this thread.
* The X1 battery will go for 5 days diving, on a single charge - I do this regularly, and I have the first production X1 and still diving it.
* The V-Planner Live Dive log, has more technical details of the dive available for display than any other tech dive log program. It includes exports to other dive industry formats (UDDF).
* V-Planner Live and MultiDeco have more features than Shearwater, with the exception of SCR.
* The Depth and Time information on a X1 is Bigger, bolder, wider and taller than the Shearwater display.
* Online database of real time, 60,000 actual dive profiles, for anyone to search through. This is the only public data base of today's tech diving practices. No one else has the courage to show this.
* X1 software is easily updated as required.
* The 4 axis tap system allows for a better menu system - more capable with quicker and more complex choices available. A 2 button system allows for only two choices, and is slow to use and fiddly to make changes.
* V-Planner Live and MultiDeco has one full featured price that includes everything. Shearwater will nickle and dime you $$$ for every little feature.
Thank you
* The X1 battery will go for 5 days diving, on a single charge - I do this regularly, and I have the first production X1 and still diving it.
* The V-Planner Live Dive log, has more technical details of the dive available for display than any other tech dive log program. It includes exports to other dive industry formats (UDDF).
* V-Planner Live and MultiDeco have more features than Shearwater, with the exception of SCR.
* The Depth and Time information on a X1 is Bigger, bolder, wider and taller than the Shearwater display.
* Online database of real time, 60,000 actual dive profiles, for anyone to search through. This is the only public data base of today's tech diving practices. No one else has the courage to show this.
* X1 software is easily updated as required.
* The 4 axis tap system allows for a better menu system - more capable with quicker and more complex choices available. A 2 button system allows for only two choices, and is slow to use and fiddly to make changes.
* V-Planner Live and MultiDeco has one full featured price that includes everything. Shearwater will nickle and dime you $$$ for every little feature.
Thank you
The shearwater's user changable batteries are AA 3.9 lithium. Not a problem to change out. I must change mine about ever 9 mos. or so, but then I dive them quite a bit.
Shearwater now has V-planner software down load & you can switch back & forth between the original software or V-planner
Now that Shearwater has V-planner, not so true.
Shearwater is easy enough for anyone, even a nearby buddy to read
Should I be impressed?
Shearwater is quite easy with blue tooth capabilities for download of updates
Thus Shearwater's menus are much simpler to get through to the feature you want. Never seen my choices be slow. I'll take simple to get to the menu I want ,over complicated any day.
Not true. The first update to fix a few initial bugs cost me nothing. The VPM does incur a fee of about $75 to down load. Hardly nickel & diming. Plus you can always go back to the original decompression software, if you like. You have your choice of models from stand alone to CCR with Fischer connector.
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Thank you Ross for explaining why you like the X1 over the Predator. I think you make a great product, and I see a lot of divers using it. On out tech trips I see divers hunched over their laptops planning dives. I certainly do.
Your confusing some issues. Sheawater does NOT have V-Planner. The say they made their own VPM. That $75 is to Shearwater - more nickle and dime.
Our MultiDeco-X1 has both VPM-B and B/E and ZHL + GF available. You can choice to run any of these. You can also run 3 concurrent (but different) plans at the same time. Then swap between the results for deco, to suit the conditions. i.e. a shorter bail out or extra long deco for a high stress dive. No one else has this feature.
We are very proud of the database. It's a valuable insight to how tech diving really happens today.
Regards
Ross was responding to the assertion that you only get 1 days diving from a charge. I missed that one, but I get multiple days, with multiple dives per day per charge.
No, it has an implementation of VPM-B. How close this is to that of V-Planer live I have yet to see.
You may be addressing a point that Ross hasn't made.
Just like an X1. Who would have imagined that an OLED screen was easy to read.
That sort of database is a treasure house of info for future researches, so yes, you should be.
Once again, you seem to have missed that Ross was responding to an incorrect assertion
Having used both machines, I'd say they both have good menu that are easy to access & implement. I think you may have got caught up in "my stuff is better than other stuff" nonsense.
As long as you pay for the unlock codes.
I don't have any problem with the X-1, it's a nice enough product and it was certainly an option when I made my decision. It boiled down to real estate. The screen on the Shearwater is simply bigger and holds more information so I can glance and make decisions. The bluetooth functionality is awfully nice. I've got to say, though, that I don't mind the "nickel and diming". At the point where you want to learn trimix, you're going to spend thousands of dollars on training, gas, travel and equipment - what's an upgrade code? CCR? Doubly so... I don't see that as a function of my decision making at all. Diving (especially the diving you'd need either of these devices for) is not for nickel rockets.
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