Computers most likely to break down or need frequent servicing

[DivingDoc]

How often have you had to send your computer in for service? Which computers that you have owned have been a major problem?

 

[Spectre]

First dive on my Suunto Stinger resulted in a flooding. Sent it back and got a new one. That new one has 8 dives on it with no problems, but I've not been able to download the last couple of dives. I'm not sure it's the computer, I suspect it might be the downloading hardware... I've not had the opportunity to try someone elses hardware to see if it's the watch or the download utility or my PC itself.

 

[Stone]

I have a 2 year old Genesis Nitrox Resource that has lost a couple of digital elements on the LCD. The lost elements are on the Time Remaining/Time to Fly windows which I don't use, so I haven't sent it in for repair.

 

[Uncle Pug]

... an early serial numbered Aeris Savant... which they replaced right away...

I have had two oceanics, Shane still has one for geoducking...
None failed... tons of dives... much abuse...

We both have Stingers with 100 or so dives and no problems.

 

[ninja]

In my early days of divng I had the Mares Tutor!! Went through three of them all pooched !! My dive shop sent back 20 wrist units My suunto and my uwatec have been flawless with well over 200 dives on them

Len

 

[MgicTwnger]

I have an old Computek which has never let me down. It's big and clunky, but easy to read and has all the info I need, and is air integrated.
The only major advance I can see with newer models is the ability to download to PC.

 

[madmole]

Owned a few over the years and always wear multiple computers on each dive. Still own all of these

Decobrain, 300 dives, case leaking retired, 18 years old
Suunto ME, 2000+ dives, still fully functional, 15 years old
Alladin Pro (orig), 1000+ dives, still fully functional, 12 years old
Suunto Vyper, 63 dives, Fully functional, 1.2 years old
VR3 with Inspiration adapter, 5 dives, fully funtional. 1 month old

Wear the VR3 as main, and the Vyper as backup. Wear the Suunto ME as well if I'm diving with someone on air so I know what they need. The Alladin is my reserve of loaner for buddies that dont have a computer

The VR3 is the business, the Suunto's are the workhorses. I find the Alladin gives the least conservative and most table like profiles (But I know the tables are wrong). I will always dive with a Suunto. The download software for them is great and I use it for my dive logging and analysis

Will probably buy a Buddy Nexus as a backup to the VR3 for my rebreather dives. I like mixing makes, because if there is a flaw in the algorythm then you wont get both computers doing it at the same time. I follow both machines recommendations which is fun as the VR3 loves deep stops and the Vytec like shallow stops. But I do notice the vyper responds positively to the deep stops and doesn't add extra shallow stop time.

 

[caymaniac]

of the computers listed. I have been using Skinny Dipper for many years I decided computers were the way to go.I purchased the Genesis Escort air integrated, after 50 or more dives I couldnt get the transmitter to tell how much air I had. This malfunction naturaly happend on a trip to the Brac. When I returned I sent both modules back to the
factory and they fixed the problem free (except for a $10.00 shipping charge). I'm very satisfied, I like the thought that I can replace the batteries unlike Uwatec and a couple of others. The problem now is I'm nitrox certified :band2: and the vytec looks good. My back pocket says the vyper looks good.=-) Such decisions:hour:
Dive Safe
Caymaniac

 

[DivingDoc]

Originally posted by madmole
The VR3 is the business, the Suunto's are the workhorses. I find the Alladin gives the least conservative and most table like profiles (But I know the tables are wrong). I will always dive with a Suunto. The download software for them is great and I use it for my dive logging and analysis

Will probably buy a Buddy Nexus as a backup to the VR3 for my rebreather dives. I like mixing makes, because if there is a flaw in the algorythm then you wont get both computers doing it at the same time. I follow both machines recommendations which is fun as the VR3 loves deep stops and the Vytec like shallow stops. But I do notice the vyper responds positively to the deep stops and doesn't add extra shallow stop time.

What do you mean when you say,"The VR3 is the business, the Suunto's are the workhorses."? Not sure what distinction you're making. Have you ever tried an Oceanic computer? Personally, I think the Suuntos are hard to read with my presbyopic eyes. I wish the displays were bigger and brighter.

 

[madmole]

The VR3 does everything I could ever ask for, including gas switching, Constant PPO2 rebreather diving and realtime PPO2 sensor diving. heck I can even play games while hanging on the stops

The Suunto's are tried tested, I've used them for years. I know the algorythm (I hacked the eeprom) and they work for me

I have also hacked the Oceanic and I didn't like what I saw. The models were almost Haldaneon with a few fudge factors. Also when I worked for a short while in a dive store the only ones I saw come back with problems were the Mares' and the Oceanics.

I'm probably also biased towards the Suuntos as I've had the ME for 15 years and its worked perfectly all that time. The Suunto software is also very good.

The Suunto ME is fine to read. The vyper is a lot easier if you take off the stupid plastic guard, looking through that extra plastic distorts the reading and covers up the edge scroll bars). I agree the oceanic has a very nice display. But take a look at the VR3 if you want a better display of information