Computer U/I Questions

[perry64]

I've never dove with a computer - I qual'ed back in 1986 when not many people considered a diving computer a possibility. I've never owned my own gear until recently, and no place that I've dove rented computers or required you to use one.

Now I'm diving regularly enough to consider the expense, but I'm not sure how they really work. I've read the great thread RhoneMan started, which answered most of my technical questions and gave me technical things to look for when buying, however there wasn't much discussion about the computers' interfaces. I work with computer code, and know that the best program isn't very helpful if it has a horrible interface. I've looked at lots of computers for sale on line, and Googled for thoughts, but couldn't find very much discussion about dive computers' U/I's, so I thought I'd ask the board.

I'm going on a trip to Andros soon, and the shop there requires you to rent one of their's if you don't have your own, so I will be getting experience with at least one computer. However, I'd like to hear the board's ideas about what to look for in a computer interface, as well as computers that have either exceptionally good or bad interfaces. In particular, I'd like to hear what you think about the following:

• what info is best/required to have on the "default" display;
• are audible alarms that important?
• do recreational divers really use the air consumption calucations enough to make an AI computer worth the extra cost?
• multiple buttons versus a single button;
• is the ability to link back to a computer critical/useful to a rec diver?
• non-technical things you wish you had considered prior to buying yours;

Thanks.

 

[Notso_Ken]

You didn't offer "None of the above as an option".

I've never dove with a computer - I qual'ed back in 1986 when not many people considered a diving computer a possibility. I've never owned my own gear until recently, and no place that I've dove rented computers or required you to use one.

Now I'm diving regularly enough to consider the expense, but I'm not sure how they really work. I've read the great thread RhoneMan started, which answered most of my technical questions and gave me technical things to look for when buying, however there wasn't much discussion about the computers' interfaces. I work with computer code, and know that the best program isn't very helpful if it has a horrible interface. I've looked at lots of computers for sale on line, and Googled for thoughts, but couldn't find very much discussion about dive computers' U/I's, so I thought I'd ask the board.

I'm going on a trip to Andros soon, and the shop there requires you to rent one of their's if you don't have your own, so I will be getting experience with at least one computer. However, I'd like to hear the board's ideas about what to look for in a computer interface, as well as computers that have either exceptionally good or bad interfaces. In particular, I'd like to hear what you think about the following:

• what info is best/required to have on the "default" display;
• are audible alarms that important?
• do recreational divers really use the air consumption calucations enough to make an AI computer worth the extra cost?
• multiple buttons versus a single button;
• is the ability to link back to a computer critical/useful to a rec diver?
• non-technical things you wish you had considered prior to buying yours;

Thanks.

 

[perry64]

That's a good point.

If anyone knows how to delete/modify a poll, please tell me. I think just correcting it and reposting would just annoy people.

 

[tkdgodess]

best feature: Read the owner's manual, and practice. I like my 4 button suunto it's easy to use.(vyper2 - lots of settings, and I have the usb cord for my pc) I have to use a uwatec aladin prime as a back up when teaching, and I don't like having only 2 buttons, long press, short press, makes my fingers sore (wah wah). and it's a bit hard to read imo. My old computer was an oceanic datamax sport. All I had to do was press one button to turn it on before the dive and it provided me with all I actually need to know. Super easy to read, the only thing I didn't like was how long it took to scroll between NDL info and the actual dive timer. The other features are nice to have but not need to have.

 

[Jax]

I've never dove with a computer - I qual'ed back in 1986 when not many people considered a diving computer a possibility. I've never owned my own gear until recently, and no place that I've dove rented computers or required you to use one.

Now I'm diving regularly enough to consider the expense, but I'm not sure how they really work. I've read the great thread RhoneMan started, which answered most of my technical questions and gave me technical things to look for when buying, however there wasn't much discussion about the computers' interfaces. I work with computer code, and know that the best program isn't very helpful if it has a horrible interface. I've looked at lots of computers for sale on line, and Googled for thoughts, but couldn't find very much discussion about dive computers' U/I's, so I thought I'd ask the board.

I'm going on a trip to Andros soon, and the shop there requires you to rent one of their's if you don't have your own, so I will be getting experience with at least one computer. However, I'd like to hear the board's ideas about what to look for in a computer interface, as well as computers that have either exceptionally good or bad interfaces. In particular, I'd like to hear what you think about the following:

• what info is best/required to have on the "default" display;
• are audible alarms that important?
• do recreational divers really use the air consumption calucations enough to make an AI computer worth the extra cost?
• multiple buttons versus a single button;
• is the ability to link back to a computer critical/useful to a rec diver?
• non-technical things you wish you had considered prior to buying yours;

Thanks.

Honestly? or should I say bluntly? If you're needing answers to these questions, you haven't done enough research.

The answers to these are about as personal as one can get; you need to do the analysis and decide your requirements, comfort level, and desires. All of them Depend on the Situation as you see it. What works for one doesn't work for another.

.02psi from a 'puter person.

 

[shafe5858]

Perry, I have a Sherwood "puck" style (Logic I think) Computer that I've used for the last fifteen years. It has the green, yellow, red bar along the side to show when you're getting near your NDL and displays all of your basic info (time, depth, max depth, temp). That being said, the downside to this basic computer is you have to remember to turn it on (it's not water activated). If you dive at a resort where you leave your gear at the shop you have to either fill in your log book there (if you still log your dives) or take your whole reg unit back to your room and don't forget it the following morning! But it's worked great for me (I plan on using it as a backup when I finally upgrade to AI). My feeling on audible alarms is they're annoying when your diving in a group and you keep hearing beeping noises for half of the dive and you know it's not coming from you!!

 

[plumcrazy]

Greeting's Perry,
I recently purchased my first dive computer. I too have been diving for quite some time but only recently began to aquire my own gear. As some one else said you do need to do some more personal research but I'll share with you my thoughts. One thing you didn't really mention but is going to really dictate which and how many bells and whistles you end up with is how much do you want to spend? You probably wont touch an AI computer for under $600.00 and if your comfortable spending that much then hell yea get AI. I personally did not want AI. I figured that I was not ready to get rid of my console because it is so reliable. If the computer floods or otherwise craps out I can still dive with a Timex! Another consideration that concerned both of us is the interface. I firmly beleive in the KISS concept. I had the opportunity to dive with Cochran EMC 16 which is considered a very advanced computer by some folks. I hated it. The display was fine but programing the thing required me to break out the manual every time. I played with that machine for several weeks and still never really felt that I was its master!. My advice to you is go to your LDS and ask to play with any computers they may have in stock. Don't ask for help figuring things out. See how much you can figure out on your own. I found that one button wasn't enough. As for alarms, hell yea I want bells and whistles!! Actually on my computer all alarms can be programed to be as agressive or relaxed as you feel they need to be. Want your max depth alarm to go off at 10 ft, go for it. Easy to program! In the end I made a list of must have's and went from there. My list: 1.) Nitrox with two gas tracking 2.)Adjustable conservatism 3.) Updatable firmware, download ability. As I said before I specifically did not want AI. I ended up with the Oceanic Veo 3.0. Neat little machine. The only complaint so far is that the small icons that tell you what you're looking at are real hard for my eyes to see. So far this has not been a problem because I know what I am looking to see and I can read the numbers without any difficulty. I am looking into getting some sort of gauge reader magnifyer for my mask ( actually its for my aging eyes !!). Hope this helps Good Luck.

 

[perry64]

Thanks to everyone who responded and took the poll. I appreciate the insights. On my next trip, I think I will bother everyone about their computers and see what their interfaces look like, and that will really help me figure out what I want.