Can someone clarify this for me, please? Any Recommendations?

[jnethery]

So, I was doing some research into dive computers and I got stuck looking at the Oceanic computers listed at http://www.leisure-pro.com.

For example, there is a DataPlus 2 Combo, a DataPlus 2 Module, and a DataPlus 2 Navcon. No problem, I thought, I will just check the Oceanic web site to see what they are. As far as I can tell, the Oceanic web site lists a single unit - the DataPlus 2.

What on earth is the difference between these units? Not only that, but they certainly look like air-integrated units, but the Oceanic comparison chart does not list them as such. Perhaps I do not fully understand that term. To me, it appears that all of the DataPlus 2 units are connected where a traditional SPG would be...

Anyway, these are the things I am looking for in a dive computer:

Backlight;
Console mount (=air integrated?) with a traditional analog compass;
Record keeping for 10+ dives;
Does not need to do Nitrox;
User Changeable battery;
Auto-activation, auto-shut off;
Shows air time remaining; (what's the diff between air time and O2 time remaining?)
Not conservative;
Does not need to have a lot of fancy functions.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Hello jnethery, welcome to the boards, it's great to have you aboard. It's good to see you jump right on it. Here's the info you asked for

The Oceanic DataPlus 2 Module is the little hockey puck looking computer.

The Oceanic DataPlus 2 Combo is the above plus the pressure guage on the back of the console.

The Oceanic DataPlus 2 NavCon is the Navigation Console and is simply the above plus a compass in a three guage console.

That particular computer is not an air integrated computer and therefore will not display air time remaining information. If you like the way Oceanic computers look you can go with either the DataMax Pro Plus with Compass or the Hoseless Air Integrated models called the Data Trans and The Data Trans Plus. These units can be mounted either on your wrist, a hose or a retractable lanyard attached to your B.C. Another very nice unit to look into is the Suunto Cobra offered by SeaQuest. Is there a price range you'd like to stay in or are you looking for the best available for a recreational scuba diver? Let me know and we can go from there.

Tell us a bit about yourself, where are you from, how long have you been diving? What type of diving do you do?

Sea you in the Deep Blue!

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally there was some fairly wide variation in the "conservativeness" of dive computer algorithms. Those have tightened toward the center over the years, until all currently manufactured recreational dive computers (that I'm aware of) have settled on one or the other of two of the algorithms that seem to be most accurate. Of the two, the Oceanic computers use the less conservative, the Suunto the more conservative.
Rick

 

[jnethery]

Thanks for all the information.

A little about myself:

I am relatively new to this hobby, having just been open water certified in November in Hawaii. BTW, Roger Smith with Cool Blue Scuba was my instructor and did a very good job. Every once in a while I consider selling all of my belongings and moving down there, but hey, who doesn't?

Anyway, I am not planning on becoming a professional diver by any stretch of the imagination. But, I would like to be a serious recreational diver, and hope to obtain a few additional certifications along the way, particularly cavern diving, wreck diving, and maybe advanced open water. 40-50 dives per year at a minimum.

That being said, I want to slowly start acquiring solid equipment, with the reg / alt air source / computer/compass/pressure gauge setup first.

I have a reg / alt picked out: MK 20 / G250 and R190, but need some help with the computer / compass / pressure gauge.

I don't need anything fancy (I don't think), yet I cannot seem to find a computer / compass / pressure guage combo for less than $400. Any thoughts?

 

[Warhammer]

Check out the Genesis line of computers:

The Resource is a good budget computer and you can get it in a nitrox version. It isn't air intergrated though. But does meet the rest of your requirements, except maybe the auto-activation. I'm not sure about that.

The Escort is air-intergrated but it only comes in hoseless. Again meeting your requirments except maybe the auto activation.

The Genesis computers are about middle of the road when it comes to conservatism. Here and here are a couple of charts comparing different computers conservatism to one another.

If you want a liberal computer then the Zeagle Status is a good one. It isn't available in air-intergrated, though.

As a side note the DataMax Pro Plus you was asking about doesn't have auto-activation. But it's air-intergrated so normally you'd check the PSI before entering the water anyway, which would mean you'd have to turn it on as with any air-intergrated computer, so it isn't a big deal. The Suunto Cobra does have auto-activation, but again you'd still want to turn it on to check the pressure.

 

[50sdiver]

Hay Jnethery:
I don't have a computer yet! I am looking to buy one. No one has mentioned my reasioning yet, but I think you should get one that is very - eazy to understand and yet gives you all the information you need, because if you go deep and stay awile, you start to get a bit of nitrogen nacrcosis,(your getting drunk), when this happens you don't want a computer that you must think about to understand. Any body disagree with my thinking? I'd like to hear from you, because this thread is influencing my decision on what to buy.
50's diver