Dive Computer + Air Integration – Yay or Nay?

[Chris Stock]

One word: Shearwater. Perdix. AI.

That was easy.

OMMOHY

That's three words....

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

an spg is your backup.

Not if you run with dual transmitters and dual Perdi.

OMMOHY

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Not if you run with dual transmitters and dual Perdi.

OMMOHY

Plenty of ways to skin a cat. Not all of us have hit the lottery yet

 

[AfterDark]

I never did see the sense in buying and using AI while carry a SPG for backup. Personally I just skip the AI and use an SPG, as long as I need to carry a SPG for backup why spend the money on AI? Someday AI will be ready for prime time and divers won't feel the need to carry a "backup" SPG.

 

[doctormike]

I never did see the sense in buying and using AI while carry a SPG for backup. Personally I just skip the AI and use an SPG, as long as I need to carry a SPG for backup why spend the money on AI? Someday AI will be ready for prime time and divers won't feel the need to carry a "backup" SPG.

I say this as someone who doesn't use AI and is happy with a single SPG for OC diving.

The sense is redundancy, not that the SPG has better reliability than AI. From what I can tell, "someday" is now, AI is ready for prime time, and the failure rate is similar to SPGs. So if you want redundant tank pressure measuring, you could have two SPGs, dual AI, or one of each. And when designing redundant systems, having two different types is not a bad idea.

Pros of AI are (1) single window display of all of your dive data, and (2) data logging, as mentioned a number of times in this thread.

So I don't think that you need to carry a backup SPG if you use AI, especially not for recreational diving. Backups are for things that - if they fail - you are at significant risk. For example, CCR bailout, redundant buoyancy for a non-balanced rig, lost gas scenario dive planning, redundant gas supply, etc...

If your tank pressure measuring device fails (and you KNOW if failed), you just end the dive. Yes, redundancy will allow you to "save the dive", but we are talking about a very rare occurrence, so going to great lengths to make sure that you will be able to finish that one dive the one time it might happen isn't really the point of redundancy. I don't book two charters in case one of the boats has engine trouble and cancels a trip so that I can save the dive.

 

[Raphus]

I have a transmitter for my shearwater.
I swaped it out, when i started tech. So i was forced to look at my spg and get used to the spg/stage handling.

I planned to reattach the transmitter, as soon as i feel confident with the spg handling.
But i liked the spg. And i got no space on my perdix screen for ai (ok i could make space)

One more problem with the transmitter is the doubles DIR setup. There is not really a good place for the transmitter, even with a short hose i couldnt find a place, where i was happy with.

Thats why the expensive transmitter sits on my desk. Maybe i will use it in the future, but atm i dont see the need.

 

[Hoag]

It is looking like the discussion of AI vs SPG is coming down to a matter of opinion and of preference.

There is no definitive single answer. What might work for one person may be less suitable for another. One person may prefer a console, while another may prefer a wrist computer. These computers may be AI or maybe they aren't. There is no clear cut correct and no clear cut wrong answer.

Set your computer and/or SPG up how it best meets your needs.

 

[doctormike]

 

[GreggS]

I never did see the sense in buying and using AI while carry a SPG for backup. Personally I just skip the AI and use an SPG, as long as I need to carry a SPG for backup why spend the money on AI? Someday AI will be ready for prime time and divers won't feel the need to carry a "backup" SPG.

I think it is already as I'm already there. I did have an SPG for backup for a while, but eventually removed it to get more streamlined. As I've said in another thread, the only time I've ever had a "failure" was when the battery started dying. Fortunately, we were at the end of the dive anyway so was able to finish it as I knew I had plenty of air left and the signal would come and go. I changed the battery after we got back to our room and was good to go.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

View attachment 711947

That is epic!!