Depth - Time - Ascent Rate in one BIG unit?

[Lobzilla]

Is there anything that shows the important items Depth - Time(total and resettable timer) - Ascent Rate in an easy to read fashion?

The philosophy here is that the brain is the computer and the unit shows values that are hard or impossible to derive from our senses.

I am getting progressively frustrated with computers that:

a) require several seconds of looking at them to get some situational awareness (because they show everything except what I care about)
b) keep blinking and beeping (because they do not understand that sometimes you breathe a tank down on purpose for example)

Oh, and if the unit would not require to sell my car that would be great too.

 

[fnfalman]

With b), you either ignore it or turn off the alarm settings.

 

[DevonDiver]

I think it's mostly a case that you need to do a few more dives and get used to the unit. I've never felt that any dive computer has overloaded me. Maybe if, as a novice diver, you are already highly task loaded, then it can add to that.... but you should soon get a good working relationship with your computer.

Most computer alarms can be turned on or off in the settings. Ascent alarms will usually bleep if you rise to fast... but that's important for you to know, as it will be penalising your NDL and/or adding ascent stops. Likewise, reaching an NDL should always trigger an alarm.

When exactly do you deliberately suck a tank dry???

I can't think of a single example of this in my 3000 dive history. If you have air-integrated computer, then an audible low-air alarm is a very sensible precaution.

 

[gcbryan]

Don't get an AI computer and that will cut down on some of the display clutter. Some computers (Oceanic was and maybe still is like this) allow you to set your display to include more or less info.

If you don't care about the NDL function just set most any computer to gauge mode and all you will get more or less is depth and time. Or just get a computer with a bigger display that is not so cluttered and train your mind to only look at the areas with the info that you care about.

This is what I do with the Tusa IQ-700 (Dive Rite Nitek Duo, etc). Oh, you might want to just turn all of the alarms off. Ascent rates are really not that necessary either as you still have depth. You just need to be in control when you are ascending.

 

[ksrtfl]

Is there anything that shows the important items Depth - Time(total and resettable timer) - Ascent Rate in an easy to read fashion?

I have looked at the issue from the same perspective. While Dive Computers have their place, multi-function dive watches haven't lost ground either. The Tissot Sea-Touch is a perfect example of that. It has all the basics that you need -- if you think computers are too geeky. It gives you depth (analogue), ascent rate (analogue) and elapsed dive time (digital). It also has a compass and a thermometer which function underwater. And a basic log book with max dive depth and dive time recall. It's only negative is the price.

 

[Lobzilla]

I have looked at the issue from the same perspective. While Dive Computers have their place, multi-function dive watches still have a place. The Tissot Sea-Touch is a perfect example of that. It has all the basic that you need if you think computers are too geeky. It gives you depth (analogue), ascent rate (analogue) and elapsed dive time (digital). It also has a compass and a thermometer which function underwater. And a basic log book with max dive depth and dive time recall. It's only negative is the price.

Thanks. That's what I had in mind. What a clever idea to use the hands of the watch to show depth and ascent rate in an analog fashion.

It is not the 'geek' factor of a standard computer that scares or annoys me. It's the fact that the vital information is hidden in all the clutter of a conventional dive computer.

Below is an example of how you do this properly in life-critical situations:

The LCD in the middle is a computer that exceeds the capabilities and price of even the best diving computer.

Yet, what you really use to fly are the 'steam gauges' around it. Above the computer is airspeed (no equivalent for diving) on the right the altimeter (depth gauge for scuba) below is the compass, and on the left the VSI (ascent/descent rate gauge). The square box on the very bottom is a communication transceiver.

With information displayed in that easy to read fashion you have a much better chance of getting your rear end out of a pickle compared to being distracted by all the blinking nonsense that you are already well aware of.

 

[charlesml3]

I think it's mostly a case that you need to do a few more dives and get used to the unit.

That's exactly right. After you use the computer for a few dives you'll find yourself paying attention to different readings at different times throughout the dive. You'll learn which readings can be ignored at times and when they become important.

-Charles

 

[TSandM]

Why do you need an ascent rate?

My Liquivision gives me depth and time, occupying about two-thirds of the display screen. Decompression information occupies the left-hand third. A small display beneath my dive time cycles through several readouts, including average depth, and I can call up a stopwatch if I want one (which I did, for a long time, and never use any more). Ascent rate is change of depth with time; if you know what the ascent rate is that you want, you know how many feet you want to go up in a given period. If you get there too soon, you wait there until the desired time has elapsed. If you get there too late, then you move up a little faster on the next segment.

The X1 does require the sale of a car, though . . .

 

[Akimbo]

It is amazing how long it takes, how ultimately simple and elegant the solution, and how excruciatingly difficult good human factors/machine interfaces are to develop. It is also amazing how we can learn to use and tolerate really horrible interfaces… like the QWERTY keyboard I am using right now.

It is a good thing we are accustomed to electronics being virtual consumables, because dive computers have a long way to go.