Do I really need an expensive dive computer??

[drbill]

Dove for nearly 35 years without a computer but bought my first one when I started doing a lot of repetitive and deco dives. I wear two for redundancy (have had computer batteries die on me in the middle of a dive). None of my computers cost more than $250. As a starving marine biologist, I wouldn't even think of spending $1,000+ for a computer!

 

[60plus]

Not sure if I should post on this as so far I have only done dives where basic knowledge of tables was enough and guide had a computer. However When buying my BCD and Regs the seller felt I should be getting a computer. When he is teaching divers it one of the first things he advises. We had a chat about them why some were £150 and some £1000 plus. A comment he made was similar to previous post. Preference was for 2 identical cheaper ones, so you have a backup if one goes wrong and if readings diverge between the two you know something is going wrong. Not unknown for batteries to work fine after being in a warm vehicle prior to the dive, but for output to become too low to operate computer when they cool to 12 or 14 Deg C or lower on a dive.

 

[al248005]

I am yet to buy a DC that downloads data. I would love the feature, but the cheapest I have seen the cable for sale for is $88. That seems like gouging to me, a cable costing almost a quarter of the cost of the computer.

I have seen enough instances of transmitters having spotty function ( one guy actually hung his PDC from the yoke of hi tank to make sure it recorded the dat).

With as fast as technology is advancing I think Bluetooth on the majority of dive computers will be the norm to transfer the dives to a computer with no cable needed. Shearwater computers are Bluetooth capable now but they are towards the upper end of the cost spectrum. Im not sure if there are others but I find it hard to believe there isn't.

 

[Lorenzoid]

With as fast as technology is advancing I think Bluetooth on the majority of dive computers will be the norm to transfer the dives to a computer with no cable needed. Shearwater computers are Bluetooth capable now but they are towards the upper end of the cost spectrum. Im not sure if there are others but I find it hard to believe there isn't.

I have to admit that giving the Bluetooth on my Shearwater a try was fun--it was just so easy--even though I don't plan to make a habit of downloading dives. However, I do appreciate the ability to update the firmware via Bluetooth. Cables are so old school. (Says this old school-minded diver.) Now there is an improvement over older dive computers: the ability to update firmware for bug fixes, added features, etc. I remember 10+ years ago having to send my Suunto to the service center to have firmware updated to fix a bug they had found.

 

[scrane]

I would recommend a person buy the computer with the features he/she wants balanced by a priice they can afford. Just like everything else we buy. Why so complicated?

 

[dmaziuk]

However, I do appreciate the ability to update the firmware via Bluetooth. Cables are so old school.

As long as BT stack itself doesn't get updated you'll be fine.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As long as BT stack itself doesn't get updated you'll be fine.

Don't burst my bubble. Just when I'm feeling a little more confident in relying on technology.

 

[KentB]

When i was looking for a new computer I ended up with a perdix AI. the OLED screen was a huge deciding factor for me. Around here vis is typically 5-15 feet with 20-25 being good.
Not having to hit a backlight button and all of the info I want on the screen In big numbers is great.
I like the AI and Bluetooth and the graph shows that log everything. I enjoy looking at it and comparing dive to dive stats.
Required ? No but im happy with my purchase.

 

[gcarter]

Once during a complete silt out in a cave (believe it or not, it wasn't a dangerous situation), I looked at a Shearwater Petrel readout, which I could read clearly despite all that silt. It wasn't mine. Reading that computer was the only way I knew anyone else was in there with me. I could not see the arm to which it was attached.

On a dive on the Miles Roche powerhouse, a diver was inside one of the large pipes and silted it out. Couln't see much, but he saw my Petrel 2 just at the mouth.

 

[JamesBon92007]

One thing I wonder is why all this focus on SPG, but not on depth gauges. I feel like if I couldn’t read my pressure, but I knew depth and time, and it was a farmilar depth, I might figure, well this tank lasts x amount of time at this depth so if no weird bubbles I’m good—but if I didn’t know depth, I mean gas consumption is so depth dependent...am I missing something here?

Oh yeah the computer has the depth gauge yawn it’s getting late

Well sure, you need a depth gauge more than you need the SPG if you already know your air consumption based upon previous experiences. When I used to dive with no SPG I knew how long my air would last for a particular dive, and if I did run out of air before I expected to (actually, that never happened) I would surface and swim back to the boat or shore. So, out of all the devices, I would have to say that a watch or bottom timer is the one that you can't (shouldn't) ever dive without. I have ran out of air on several occasions but I knew I was running out of air but was absorbed in some fascinating thing or another.