Dive Computer Life Expectancy: Am I being BS'ed?

[SteveFass]

Sorry, what was the question? I can't keep a thought in my head thanks to Sasscuba's new avatar. It's something about diving I think, right?

 

[BSea]

I think the question is "Would even you look at your computer if you got to dive with Jessica Alba?"

 

[mikerault]

Also look at the used market. I have owned several dive computers, all of them used,all worked great. I currently dive the Cochran Commander (for the great vis on its numbers) and the Citizen Cyber Aqualand NX (for its computer logging). I didn't spend over $400 for either of them.

Mike

 

[dashmatrix]

Yeah sounds like your on board BS meter is pretty good.
Kraken is right on about the "wish I'd bought Nitrox". Sage advice.

I've bought a couple computers over the years and I'll tell you a few things I learned...
The life expectancy of the TECHNOLOGY is far less than the MTBF (mean time between failure) of the hardware. What I mean there is you might spend 1200 on a nice hoseless AI UWATEC today and 4 years from now it's running like a top but it doesn't have the new Argon Flux Dissipation mixture settings, or the Korn-Gonkulator Algorithm.

If you dive a couple times a year on vacations, a streamlined interface is the best thing you can buy. One button.. clear icons... and intuitive. Try remembering the UWATEC finger excersises during a 1 year surface interval. It's like doing sign language in Latin.

Most computer manuals can be found online, quickly perusing the manual of some computers your interested in can be better than listening to a clerk's sales schpeel. Not to mention more accurate.

 

[BSea]

For what it's worth, my Oceanic Pro Plus is almost 8 years old, and still going strong. I'll buy another computer when this 1 dies. the features I wanted back then were nitrox & air integrated. Even though I wasn't certified for nitrox, I knew it was something I was going to do, and I wanted a computer that would handle nitrox. So, do yourself a favor & get a nitrox model.

 

[PerroneFord]

I've bought a couple computers over the years and I'll tell you a few things I learned...
The life expectancy of the TECHNOLOGY is far less than the MTBF (mean time between failure) of the hardware.

Yep, makes a good reason to have guage mode. My computer will never become outdated unless physics for time keeping and depth measuring become obsolete. It even has that metric stuff!

 

[S. starfish]

It even has that metric stuff!

Metric! I heard they have that on the internet now.

I used to have a US Divers Scan 4 that I bought used. After what I beleive was at least 11 years of service and over 100 dives in my possesion the display finaly died. May it rest in peace.
I don't know what that guy is talking about, lasting only jessica alba, err.. I mean three years. I can see the software being obsolete in that time but the hardware should still be good.
The only computer that I would well and truely say wouldn't last three years is the Apeks Quantum, I've seen a bunch of them fail, out of the water and in - apeks may have fixed them problem though, having something that fails a bunch doesn't seem very characteristic of them judging by the quality of their regs.

 

[tkdawg]

If it is treated right and there are no bad parts it will last for more years than you want. Can't buy a new one because your old one is still working perfectly. I still dive with a ORCA Delfi it is going on 14 years now. I cant find o-rings so it is time to find a new one. MY son is 12 and I bought him the Aeris xr1. Air iintegrated and air only. He is not going to do nitrox at this age. It will last him well into his early 20s I hope.

 

[pir8]

Get a new LDS! QUICKLY

 

[radinator]

My Oceanic Prodigy was the most basic cheapest computer I could find 10 years ago when I got certified. It is still the only one I use and is still going strong. I've had to change the batteries a few times, but that takes me 5 minutes.