Divesoft Freedom Trimix: Cheaper and better than Perdix?

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I was just reading up on the Divesoft Freedom Trimix dive computer.

Freedom Full Trimix - Detail - DIVESOFT.CZ

Summary of highlights:

- thinner than a Perdix
- color display is slightly bigger than Perdix (2.4" vs 2.2"), with same resolution

@stuartv look at the pictures he posted. While the Freedom is technically thinner than the Perdix, because it isn't recessed to contour to your arm it actually sticks out farther and has a larger profile on your arm. I've seen them on CCR divers and it feels as big as a Petrel if not bigger

Yep. I did notice that. A brick! But, what LJS said about the battery life is the REAL killer. I found a line in the user manual that mentions 10 hour capacity. I guess that must mean 10 hours of dive time battery life. Definitely way too short.

Stuart, this is the same issue the OSTC4 has. And the Ratio iX3M. The Perdix "thickness" number is a bit misleading because of how it fits on your arm...the spec makes it seem bigger.

One other note: I've played with the Divesoft and the Perdix in person, and the Perdix has a bigger screen that I (personally) prefer. If you look at the side-by-side picture, it's pretty clear the Divesoft Freedom screen is smaller. As for screen quality, I prefer the Perdix and Petrel screens to the Predator, so I'm not the best judge for many ;) .
 
I think the problem is what LJS alluded to. No battery maintains its capacity forever. If it's 10 hours when new, then it might only be 8 hours in 6 months to a year. 5 hours after 2 years. I think it needs to start with at least double the capacity you want, so that it still has the actual capacity you want after 2 years. That is, of course, just personal preference. But, I want to have enough capacity to do 2 normal (but full) days of diving in a row without having to charge. That allows me adequate margin if I forget to charge it one night. Having 2 days capacity, after 2 years, means it needs to start somewhere around 4 days of capacity when new. At least, that's what I would want. My H3 is rated for 15 hours, I think, and it is fine, but I would not want it to be any less. I normally charge it after every 2 or 3 days in a row of diving. But it's still relatively new.

And obviously, how many hours there are in a "normal full day of diving" TOTALLY depends on the diver and the dives they do. I figure very roughly that 3 hours a day (average) would cover me for multiple days in a row. Often it will be less. But sometimes it could be more.


@stuartv

Sorry I must disagree, with your battery life statement. I run an Eon Steel that has a rechargeable battery (albeit with a sensible 40hr life max). In my config (both my wife and my Eon have 27 hrs forecasted and it's pretty accurate

Our Steels are used hard, and thus get lots of recharges - I personally don't like them to get below 10 hrs. In the 18months or so I've had ours they're getting close to 200 dives each. With no battery degradation (that's noticeable any how)

I'm seriously looking at the OSTC 4 as a second computer, it uses induction charging which I'm not convinced about, if I'm on a liveaboard and the seas are rough overnight who's to say it doesn't move and stop charging, whereas my Eon has an old school cable.

I understand people liking user changeable batteries, I'm never without power, if there is no mains I have a powerpack so I don't buy into that argument. I also feel that every time you open the case to change the battery you run the risk of a trapped or damaged Oring and a flooded computer. As every thing though it's horses for courses


Despite my reservations I will no doubt push the button and buy the OSTC 4 because it's positives outweigh the negatives and more importantly it's a shiny thing I want
 
Is Divesoft Freedom Trimix better than Perdix? This is what my cave instructor (a reputable diver who is asked by many manufacturers to represent their products) told me when I asked him - which computer should I get. He had bought a Perdix for himself and a Divesoft Freedom for his lady. After he got acquainted with both, he regretted - why, oh why I didn't get a Divesoft for me, too?!
 
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Is Divesoft Freedom Trimix better than Perdix?

Define "better". At some point the chioce comes down to subjective likes & dislikes and you wouldn't necessarily know what yours are until you run the two contenders side by side for a while.
 
Define "better". At some point the chioce comes down to subjective likes & dislikes and you wouldn't necessarily know what yours are until you run the two contenders side by side for a while.
Is Divesoft Freedom Trimix better than Perdix?

Yeah, but so is the title of this thread...
 
Yes, but with the title we can answer the 'cheaper' part objectively ;)
 
I use a Petral and many of the things you list as "pluses" on this computer, I take as negatives... I added some comments to your list...

- 1-button gas switches - which means you could accidentally change gasses perhaps?
- Buhlmann with GF - Shearwater uses this
- thinner than a Perdix - no concern to me, but some will like it
- color display is slightly bigger than Perdix (2.4" vs 2.2"), with same resolution - this I like... I am waiting for an iPad size model
- built-in rechargeable battery, but not clear on how much dive time it is expected to provide - Not good... Inevitably, you'll get caught at a dive with a dead computer. With Shearwater, drop in a spare and you're diving.
- rated to 300m (1000') depth - not an issue for 99.999% of users
- USB interface for charging and downloads - boo... any plug is potential flood point.
- optional O2 analyzer add-on - that's cool

What is not discussed is Shearwater's legendary customer service... I had occasion to benefit from that last week, when I had a strange error on my Petral. I sent the unit back at their request. Five business days later, I received it back, and it appears to have had all new guts, a new screen, a new padded pouch, new straps, a decal and a t-shirt! All for no charge!

None of this is to take away from this new computer... it may well be a worthy competitor.
 
To be honest, @Stoo raises for me the killer point. At the price point of these PDC, the after-sales support is a huge factor. What @Shearwater has done is raise that bar so damn high that I really doubt any company is going to compete any time soon. IF they brought the price down to less than half of my Perdix, the economics might swing me but till then I'll pay the (slight) premium and be happy with peace of mind.

As a quick test, I have yet to hear of anyone complain about SW products or service ever, except for some very tiny gripes that seem to have been resolved almost immediately. Name ANY other major dive gear manufacturer that this is true of. Its a REALLY short list.
 
@Stoo contridicts himself.

On one hand his positive is a user changeable battery which means you have to open the case

On the other he states a USB connector is a problem because it's a potential flood point.

Come on, you can't gave it both ways....


I don't have a horse in this race, Sherewater is a great comp with great service, I maintain for a good majority of users it's something they don't need and only have for the brand name... But then that's human nature...


What other brands have to understand is that if you want to take on the market leader, you're either cheaper, or have some USP's that are significantly better to justify a higher price and lure away those wishing to buy the market leader.

On my radar is the OSTC4. They don't sell to the US which your misfortune. For me it has some elements I prefer over the Sherewater, but is it worth the price difference, maybe not depending on your point of view....
 
@Stoo contridicts himself.
On one hand his positive is a user changeable battery which means you have to open the case
On the other he states a USB connector is a problem because it's a potential flood point.
Come on, you can't gave it both ways....

I do that a lot... ;-)

I guess the thing is that their battery compartment (which is sealed to the rest of the computer I understand) is sealed with a standard DIN o-ring (or two in the case of the Perdix I believe) which makes it simple to check and lubricate or replace if necessary. Using an o-ring that every diver is likely to have in their spares is shear brilliance in my opinion and says a lot about the thinking behind these computers.

In fairness, I don't know how the USB connector seals and it may be just fine. My bigger point regarding the battery is having the ability to quickly swap it out if necessary, rather than having to recharge over several hours
 
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