Garmin enters the large format dive computer market X50i

[DAJ]

As their InReach market is beginning to dry up, they should integrate that technology into this computer so you could also use it as a PLB on the surface.

 

[ChrisMBC]

Which is one of the reasons the MH8A is so ubiquitous, affordable, and reliable.

It's ubiquitous because it's affordable; it's affordable because it's technology that has remained unchanged since 1995. The lack of features (compared to the Garmin) doesn't intrinsically make it reliable - the signal can be blocked much more easily, it's far more prone to interference from other transmitters, and (until the Swift) there was no interference mitigation available. There's also proactive notifications about battery life, another nice feature enabled by the more modern transmission protocols. Anecdotally, my Descent transmitter has never, ever lost signal underwater, unlike my old MH8A transmitter.

Yes, it would be nice if Garmin added compatibility for the MH8A transmitters alongside their own, but I understand why they don't. But it's not like Garmin is making a proprietary technology just for the sake of it, they're offering features that *do* solve a problem for a lot of divers (even if those divers aren't you).

Diver-to-diver messaging doesn't excite me in the slightest, but better signal reliability does. Moreso, the prospect of what Garmin might be able to do by leveraging its other marine electronics segments (Diver-to-surface messaging, using a Subwave-compatible transducer hooked up to a Garmin head unit? Underwater positioning with a USBL system running on Subwave?) really does excite me.

 

[tursiops]

The lack of features (compared to the Garmin) doesn't intrinsically make it reliable

The reliability comes from the simplicity, and decades of experience. The low (relative) cost also comes from that simplicity.

it's far more prone to interference from other transmitters, and (until the Swift) there was no interference mitigation available.

True, but the yellow transmitters with a slightly different transmit interval solve the collision problem nicely.

There's also proactive notifications about battery life, another nice feature enabled by the more modern transmission protocols.

Each MH8A transmission includes battery information. Not sure what you mean.

Also, I admit to a dislike for underwater acoustics (as in the Garmin); too many interference mechanisms possible, especially in shallow water and in confined spaces.

 

[landphil]

I’m going with backup dive light as my favorite X50i feature- but mainly as a cautionary tale. Clearly, first prize in the company beer pong championship shouldn’t be adding any feature you want to their latest product.

 

[GF99/99]

The next big thing in high-end (i.e. >$1000) dive computers might be wireless oxygen sensor integration for CCRs, like the Halcyon Symbios. Garmin doesn't have that yet.

This is my dream! I would buy this in a heartbeat! I would love to ditch the cable.

I might be over simplifying this as I know nothing about electronics but I have always wished Shearwater could come up with some kind of Bluetooth (or some kind of wireless technology) pod that you plug into your AK 4 pin or Divecan port and then a regular Petrel/Perdix could pick this signal up and give you a Po2 display. I mean its 2024 I can Airdrop a massive 4k video in a couple seconds I would think its pretty easy to transmit a couple voltage readings.

 

[jellycatsdad]

Garmin keeps innovating, which is great. Now if they would just ditch their proprietary transmitter and go with the standard just about everyone else uses.

The fact that they do not support the MH8A standard used by so many other dive computers is alone the one downside that will prevent me from ever giving Garmin a try.

Yea, the sonar tech is cool though.

A Fenix 8 would be my ideal get-stuff-done, jack of all trades watch, with a scuba mode. It’s gonna play nice with Strava on land for cycling and running - and ANT+ support for older cycling sensors/power meters that don’t support Bluetooth LE is icing on the cake. It can even track climbing indoors too. But, Garmin Pay doesn’t have the same amount of support as Apple/Google/Samsung Pay, especially for things like transit cards(Clipper/Orca/Hop/Compass/TAP/Ventra/OMNY being examples). And Garmin devices tend to play nicer with Android phones, while Apple wants you to get an Apple Watch with iOS. Shearwaters are simple and are dive-centric. I’ve heard stories of Garmin Edges conking out on a ride.

 

[Nick_Radov]

This is my dream! I would buy this in a heartbeat! I would love to ditch the cable.

I might be over simplifying this as I know nothing about electronics but I have always wished Shearwater could come up with some kind of Bluetooth (or some kind of wireless technology) pod that you plug into your AK 4 pin or Divecan port and then a regular Petrel/Perdix could pick this signal up and give you a Po2 display. I mean its 2024 I can Airdrop a massive 4k video in a couple seconds I would think its pretty easy to transmit a couple voltage readings.

Right, that's exactly how the new Halcyon Symbios computer works. I'm not sure if this is something proprietary and patent protected or if any manufacturer could do the same.

SYMBIOS HANDSET User Manual

Cutting the Wires on Halcyon’s new Chestmount Rebreather

Halcyon Manufacturing is close to rolling out its innovative new chest mount closed circuit rebreather (CCR), which will be on display at the annual DEMA diving trade show this month. Tech and cave instructor John Kendall, who has been working with the new unit, and helped steer it to launch...

indepthmag.com

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Commercial for the X50i featuring Dan Dawson, tech instructor & owner of Horizon Divers.

 

[stuartv]

Garmin doesn’t, but it’s the kind of possibility opened up by its transmitter tech. Garmin’s transmission protocol has much more range and data throughput (and, almost inevitably, reliability) than MH8A transmitters. Adding in other data fields or 2-way transmission with a rebreather would be very possible with a firmware upgrade; it’s not an option with MH8A transmitters.

Color me skeptical that Garmin transmitters are more reliable.

I do not consider an occasional dropout of pressure reading to be a significant problem. I have never had one lose signal that didn’t come back within seconds of me actually holding my computer up to read the display.

And, as previously noted, the yellow and green transmitters mitigate the collision issue perfectly well. And in a very simple way. I like simple. Simple is “inevitably” more reliable.

The biggest problem with Garmin transmitters (IMO) is the inherent UNreliability of using a different tech when on the surface versus in the water. You cannot know if your Garmin transmitter is working until you actually get in the water. Meaning, you can tell before splashing that the RF transmission is working, but you can’t tell if the ultrasonic transmission is working. I personally regard that as a fundamental flaw and deal breaker. I mentioned this to the Garmin rep at DEMA a couple of years ago and he was completely unaware of the issue. *shakes head and walks away*

This is my dream! I would buy this in a heartbeat! I would love to ditch the cable.

I might be over simplifying this as I know nothing about electronics but I have always wished Shearwater could come up with some kind of Bluetooth (or some kind of wireless technology) pod that you plug into your AK 4 pin or Divecan port and then a regular Petrel/Perdix could pick this signal up and give you a Po2 display. I mean its 2024 I can Airdrop a massive 4k video in a couple seconds I would think its pretty easy to transmit a couple voltage readings.

At one time I also wished for the same thing. I have since realized that my controller will always have a cable. I use a NERD2 as a monitor. Having the cable wrapped around my loop hose really isn’t a big deal to me, and it ensures that it can’t get knocked off and be lost.

I have zero interest in diving a manual CCR.

So, cordless pO2 monitoring really is not something I care about anymore.

 

[Vicko]

WHY GARMIN, WHY MUST YOU CONTINAULY MAKE ME LIVE AT THE EDGE OF POVERTY.