EON Steel firmware update suggestions

[Diving Dubai]

I get your frustration. I was an early adopter of the Steel. I would agree lack of side-mount compatibility is a disappointment.

Obviously the Steel is their flagship, and I don't see it being abandoned. Suunto put their efforts into the D5, giving the mass market access to a colour screen computer at a mid point price. On teh back of that came RGBM2. The Core was an obvious play to give a lower price, and lighter weight Eon.

Now clearly Suunto needed to put some differences between the Core and the Steel to persuade buyers other than those who wanted greater depth and a steel case, hence the Buhlmann upgrade due for Steel only which will include RGBM2 . Obviously this as been delayed by the D5 taking priority and then Covid.

I use the Steel and push it hard, I also have a Perdix. Buhlmann on the Steel is a nice to have, since there's negligible real world difference between RGBM at P-2 and Buhlmann GF 45/95

Apart from SM I can't see any real deficiencies of the Steel, sure I have a small list niggles, I'd like to be able to force it into sleep mode rather than wait for it to time out, I'd like to override the water sensor, I'd like to modify teh alarms rather than all on or off and different tones. I'm sure others would have their preferences. None of these detract from the computer, indeed I think its UI, screen and menus are light years ahead of the Perdix

Currently there's nothing on the market that gives any real advantage over the Steel. Sure the Ratio has some nice features but nothing that really gives it an advantage over the Eon apart from SM. I would be hard pressed to come up with a must have list of improvements

I used to be AI or nothing - I'm ambivalent to it now. My wife and I have 7 transmitters between us, but I'm also good just using an SPG I'm happy with SPG's on my SM - if I was desperate I'd have brought transmitter for my Perdix.

 

[Mouse51180]

Most of my scuba friend are tech divers and a lot of them are on CCR...and ALL of them are using some form of Shearwater computer. Its tough being the only EON (Steel or Core) owner in my group and feel like I made the correct decision in buying a Suunto when the Shearwaters just have an overall sense of being more tech friendly.

Dont get me wrong...I love my EON Steel and I think its a great computer. I just dont quit get the feel that it is as tech diving advanced as it was advertised to be when it was released and I really dont feel\see like there is much effort in trying to move it forward in this way either.

The Steel was released in 2015. If I remember correctly the CCR function was not enabled upon release and had to wait for the first firmware release to given for that feature to be added. I dont recall if anything else was missing. This looks to have a release date of May 2015. Included CCR, improve compass, Air Time calculations... happy with this firmware. Well timed.
(Suunto EON Steel grows with you // Software update 1.1)

The next firmware update I was able to find is on Suuntos webpage from March 2017 (Suunto EON collection software updates). This was almost 2 years after the first firmware release. If I remember correctly I did notice an increase in battery life with this update. Really dont care much about the Movescount and if I need to change my gas mixture during a dive...im having a bad day, but I guess that was a welcome feature for some.

Six months (Oct 2017) we had another release for some more graphical features...this was a small update, but since it was only six months after the previous, I think this was acceptable and happy to get it.

One month later in Nov 2017 they had another update, but this looked mainly to fix bug in the compass and probably was an accident that was overlooked in the Oct firmware release...so I dont really count this as a true update.

Almost two year later (March 2020) we finally get the next firmware release and its hard to say it is not focused around the Core.

Looking further on Suuntos webpage...I found this (Suunto EON collection software updates) where they say "We expect to release software updates around twice a year. Release schedules and content are planned based on consumer feedback."
The consumer feedback seems to be listed all over this particular forum post....I just dont see the effort in "releasing software update around twice a year" as mentioned on their website. As stated previously in this thread...people are begging for the Buhlmann algorithm...this is not something that has to be invented or engineered....it just needs to be implemented. Im not sure how this could not have been easily implemented during all this work from home covid mess.

This is just my two cents. I like my EON Steel. I dont plan on parting with it, but I do feel a bit let down \ left out by Suunto on the after sale of this product.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I can't comment on CCR. I tec dive my Eon with my S/W and much prefer the Eon. I don't do tri mix, but I have friends who do using the Eon making 100m dives and who are happy

The March 2020 update was core only for RGBM 2. This had alway been advertised it was happening. The Steel gets a different update which gives it both RGBM2 and Buhlmann and this isn't available for the core. The Steel Update was scheduled for end of Q2 this year, obv Covid has pushed that back

I would argue if it isn't broke don't fix it - The firmware is stable and works well. Even after 40 repetitive dives over 10 days, some with deco, most on scooters - lots of nasty profiles my Eon was showing exactly the same NDL and Deco times of my S/W - and in 900 on it dives I've still failed to bend it or get a lock out

 

[jcbrown]

...lack of side-mount compatibility is a disappointment.

A Feature that Has Not Been a Priority with Suunto. Shearwater Perdix AI Works But Only Supports Two Transmitters.

 

[Diving Dubai]

A Feature that Has Not Been a Priority with Suunto. Shearwater Perdix AI Works But Only Supports Two Transmitters.

Yes and the Perdix makes SAC calcs in a weird way - one tank only

I dive SM. I can’t be bothered to invest in extra transmitters for my Perdix when my SPGs are in plain sight

I’m afraid I can’t get excited about lack of SM support on Eon, nice to have sure but, as it stands I’m happy with it

I’d buy another Eon, I wouldn’t buy another Perdix...

 

[jcbrown]

I Have Two Suunto Eon Steel's. Work's for Sidemount. Dual Tank Pressure Display Would be Ideal for CCR.

 

[AKinnunen]

Does this mean that the EON Steel story has come to an end?
At least there is a note at Suunto Finland web page: “Saatavuus: Ei enää saatavissa”
= Availability: No longer available.

 

[CaptainChris]

So I guess from the above post they have killed off the Steel, therefore the upgrade with Buhlmann won't happen?

I was looking forward to it. Purely for a matter of choice. I use the Steel on P-2 and have no issues. Just a bit disappointed, but I do like the steel and will keep with it.

 

[Kofferfisch]

About a week ago I contacted suunto regarding an update of the eon steel. I got the answer that the computer is not yet EOl. But they could not give me more information about upcoming features.

 

[CaptainChris]

Ok. JKust a waiting game then!