Dive computer and PC interface for 300 - 350 dollars

[GJC]

Another consideration for you would be the DG03 at divegearexpress.com

$348 for computer and interface cable. Bühlmann ZH-L16c, 3 gases up to 100% O2.

 

[jseyfert3]

I think what he means it that lithium batteries lose their capacity over the years. I also don't like this lithium battery thing, after 5 years what would happen? My phones never last more then 3 years and the batteries are aways the first problem.

Loss of capacity. How much I'm not sure. I know from RC use lithium batteries are best stored at half charge to reduce standby capacity loss as much as possible. I don't, however, know how much is gained or lost storing it one way or another. I have a bunch of lithium RC batteries at half charge in my refrigerator (cold but not freezing extends the standby life even more), they've been there a year or so, when I get around to using them again I can test for lost capacity...

Cycles always kill batteries though. A smartphone is put through most, if not more than one full cycle a day, and after three years or 800+ charge cycles it's not unusual for them to be dead or low capacity.

On the deepblu website they list 500 cycles before "gradual reduction in capacity." No comment on age.

 

[LandonL]

I am sure Deepblu will replace the battery for a nominal fee if needed.... for the average user it should last quite a while.. sure a cell phone battery dies after a few years of constant cycling, but most people are not doing dives every single day for years unless they are dive professionals or commercial divers.

For me it wasn't a big issue, I like them for students and use one as a backup in gauge mode for myself.

 

[dmaziuk]

It has a rechargeable lithium battery? You want to be able to replace it?

Well, let's just say when the battery in @stuartv's H3 goes titsup I fully expect him to have loads of fun figuring out where to send it. Assuming DeepBlu doesn't pull a SeaBear on its customers, I'd still not want to send it away for battery replacement two days before my Caribbean trip (doesn't everybody check their gear the evening before the flight?) Plus there is any number of countries I'd hesitate to send anything from or to. Unless it's a courier service, and then the total will likely be such that I'd just add a nickel and buy a better computer instead.

As others said, they don't last forever, and with how the manufacturing process works and people's republic famous quality control the battery will almost certainly last for the computer's warranty period. @turko: it's not "years", it's charging cycles. So it also depends on how much you dive.

Ouch, very sorry people are frustrated, but we won't release a product until its ready.

Yeah. I managed to beat my inner obsessive perfectionist into submission a while back. I'm now releasing code when it's good enough. IME I'll have to do a rewrite anyway because TPTBs will change the policies upstream, users will come up with requirements they forgot to mention, python will become incompatible with its own previous release and so on. "Fix it in firmware update" -- it sucks but it least it gets released while someone still cares.

 

[LandonL]

"Fix it in firmware update" -- it sucks but it least it gets released while someone still cares.

You can't fix a case re-design with a firmware update. lol

I'm sure when we release it sales will be fine. Everyone is always interested in an economical dive computer.

 

[dmaziuk]

You can't fix a case re-design with a firmware update. lol

I'm sure when we release it sales will be fine. Everyone is always interested in an economical dive computer.

Well, when making software time to market beats quality hands down every time. And patching software is much easier.

 

[LandonL]

Well, when making software time to market beats quality hands down every time. And patching software is much easier.

You must work for Microsoft

 

[dmaziuk]

You must work for Microsoft

No, even I have standards.