Dive computer basics

[Cafka]

Hey everybody,
Last weekend i finished my pool dives and this weekend I'm going out to do my first OW dive. I can't explain how cool it is to breathe underwater.
I've been looking up all the equipment I have to buy and right now I'm researching about dive computers. What do you have? a console or a dive watch? I'm looking for something that is backlit, pc downloadable, logs my dives, and is easy to use and understand, preferably in a console. It would also be nice if it have Nitrox monitoring capabilities(when i get nitrow certified). I've heard about Suunto, but it seems like they specialize in dive watches. What are some other companies? How much should I expect to spend?

Thanks alot,
Cafka

 

[Hallmac]

You'll get more information than you need if you do a search.

Hit the search button at the top of the screen and type computer in the first box. click the search button and enjoy.

Hallmac

 

[scubasean]

I have the vyper wrist mount.

My son wants the Cobra AI console.

Either will be fine for what you want to do.

 

[Aquamaniac]

The Suunto Vyper is a very versatile unit.
If you buy it in a wrist mount, you will be able to use it all the way up to the highest level of certification possible.
Divers doing the most extremes of dives are using this computer, and so are many first time divers.
All in all, its a VERY reliable, easy to use, functional computer

Dave

 

[falcos]

I use a Sherwood Wisdom - I love the large easy to read digits, and find it extremely easy to use.

 

[Don Burke]

First of all, congratulations on getting this far in your course.

Any computer you get should be nitrox-capable. Don't even consider one that isn't as it will come back to bite you when your gas consumption improves.

You might be able to drag your feet on buying a computer for a little while since most new divers use up their air so fast that deco is not an issue. That gives you more time for window shopping. Muddling along with the tables for a little while isn't hard at all.

Once you get to where you are ending dives with leftover air, it is time to start thinking computer and nitrox.

You've got the idea on what works. Big display, backlight, easy to operate, and hard to screw up underwater are all good things. The PC hookup is really handy.

I've got one of the older computers in a console module that I wear on my wrist. If I had known that I wasn't going to need a console unit, I would have bought one of the bigger wrist units.

 

[Tekk Diver]

Just a few words needed in response to this post:

Aeris Atmos AI w/compass & quick disconnect...

This computer...is superior.

 

[SeaJay]

For the Vyper.

Excellent readability, user-changable battery, logs my dive, software is one of the best on the market, features are the best in the industry.

It's a very conservative computer, too, which is great.

I bought mine from http://www.ass.com.sg for $260, I believe. Yes, it was new, and yes, Atlantis is an authorized dealer. Customer service was nothing shy of the best I've ever encountered.

By the way, he doesn't advertise price on his website... He says it upsets Suunto.

You could also go for the console version, the "Cobra." The Cobra has the additional feature of being air integrated, but I've found the numbers for the AI feature to be somewhat pointless... Since I don't dive to the end of my tanks anyway. They also change so fast with depth changes that it's simply a pointless bit of information, IMHO, and distracting at that.

...So without the AI feature, I like having all of the remaining information on my wrist, where I don't have to fumble for it. Add to that the fact that the computer is on my right wrist while all of my buoyancy controls (both dumps and the inflate) are on my left, and it does a super-nice job of enabling me to watch all of my guages while performing any of the necessary adjustments.

Well, that is... Except for the pressure guage, which I like in a big, heavy brass casing for durability. It's also got a glass face that resists scratching, as compared to plastic. Tank pressure, IMHO, doesn't need to be on my wrist, since I check it every 5 minutes anyway... And it's never a surprise - it's always within a couple hundred PSI of what I thought it would be.

...So IMHO, it's all about the Vyper, although if you really want a console mount, you could go with the Cobra.

Hey, does anyone know if there is a console mount for the Vyper? Not that I'd be interested... But our friend here might, so that he has the option of console or wrist...

 

[Throw Back]

I've been recently certified also, and recomend you buy both a computer and the wheel sooner rather than later. If you have to get one before the other I suggest the wheel first because you need to know what it is the computer is doing for you, not to mention you will have instructors there to make sure you use it correctly. You also need to be able to understand if the computer is doing what it was designed to do (I believe user SeaJay has an excellent post on trusting your plan over the computer, thanks SeaJay). The wheel will allow you to make a solid multilevel dive plan and better help you to understand the principles involved and keeps your brain in the dive. The computer is a very precise instrument that is also very helpful.
Initially I was going to hold off on buying a computer till I became more experienced. Experience quickly taught me that a dive can go bad and you may not know it till many minutes into the crisis.
My advanced open water class had four students (two buddy teams). On the deep dive the other buddy team had an emergency which left my buddy and I seperated from the group and the instructor. The dive plan was blown and I did not have the experience to deal with this properly, after returning to shore we discovered that we were off the table because we had been to 90 feet during the dive even though we did not come close to the NDL and spent the majority of the dive at thirty feet. I was only going to be able to make this one dive that day anyway, but if I had others planned I would not have been able to make them because I was now commited to a 24 hour surface interval. If I had a computer at this point and it also failed I would still be done for the day, the wheel's battery will never die. I dive with a Suunto Vyper now and I am very pleased with it but the wheel is also a permanent fixture in my dive bag.
I did not really mean to preach because I'll be out this weekend and you never know when the SCUBA God's are going to dish anyone a dose of humility. This is also only my 200 psi, you should never take advice that you are iffy about or can't be explained to you demonstrated to your satisfaction.

Happy and Safe Diving,
Jim

P.S.- once you narrow the field on the computers, do a google search on it along with keywords recall and safety.

 

[Throw Back]

SeaJay/Cafka,

I'm located in Maryland and I've seen a console option for the Vyper at at least two shops. I picked wrist so I could have an analog backup depth gauge when I purchase a reg.