Garmin enters the large format dive computer market X50i

[coldwaterglutton]

Anyone diving the x50i yet? I am looking for some real world feedback - like others I am thinking about upgrading my mk3i to something easier to read...

My son and I will be in about 10 days . . . will post some thoughts then.

 

[RonR]

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.

Garmin is using acoustic transmission, which can travel a lot farther underwater. The other transmitters you refer to are RF, which attenuates in just a few feet at the power levels we are dealing with. RF will never deliver the capabilities (messaging, monitoring other divers more than a few feet away) that Garmin is achieving, it would be a different product.

-Ron

 

[stuartv]

Garmin is using acoustic transmission, which can travel a lot farther underwater. The other transmitters you refer to are RF, which attenuates in just a few feet at the power levels we are dealing with. RF will never deliver the capabilities (messaging, monitoring other divers more than a few feet away) that Garmin is achieving, it would be a different product.

-Ron

That doesn't mean Garmin couldn't add a receiver for an MH8A transmitter into their dive computers.

They could give the diver the option to forego messaging and all those other features in order to use a transmitter that they can verify is operating correctly while still on the boat/shore - and that the diver may already own.

They could make it a setting on the dive computer to choose what kind of transmitter they want to listen/talk to.

If the Descent would listen to an MH8A transmitter, I would have bought one a long time ago.

 

[scubadada]

That doesn't mean Garmin couldn't add a receiver for an MH8A transmitter into their dive computers.

They could give the diver the option to forego messaging and all those other features in order to use a transmitter that they can verify is operating correctly while still on the boat/shore - and that the diver may already own.

They could make it a setting on the dive computer to choose what kind of transmitter they want to listen/talk to.

If the Descent would listen to an MH8A transmitter, I would have bought one a long time ago.

Here is the circuit board and antenna from one of my Terics that was replaced due to a broken antenna. The antenna is not huge, but is does take up space. It would be interesting to see what a Mk3i looks like.

 

[ChrisMBC]

Here is the circuit board and antenna from one of my Terics that was replaced due to a broken antenna. The antenna is not huge, but is does take up space. It would be interesting to see what a Mk3i looks like.

View attachment 877047 View attachment 877049

The only RF antennas the Garmin is going to have are for 2.4GHz and the GLONASS radios - much much smaller than the much lower-frequency antennas used for the MH8A transmitter.

 

[scubadada]

The only RF antennas the Garmin is going to have are for 2.4GHz and the GLONASS radios - much much smaller than the much lower-frequency antennas used for the MH8A transmitter.

Thanks, what is required to send/receive in the SubWave sonar network?

 

[ginti]

Does anyone know if this computer can monitor heart rate in real-time while underwater?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Garmin is using acoustic transmission, which can travel a lot farther underwater. The other transmitters you refer to are RF, which attenuates in just a few feet at the power levels we are dealing with. RF will never deliver the capabilities (messaging, monitoring other divers more than a few feet away) that Garmin is achieving, it would be a different product.

-Ron

Yup, I get all of that. Also don’t need any of that. Thus, I’m not a customer and probably never will be.

I prefer the tried & true RF transmitters that use the same technology topside as they do underwater. There is no way to test an acoustic transmitter topside to ensure it is functioning. That is a showstopper for me.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Does anyone know if this computer can monitor heart rate in real-time while underwater?

Nope

 

[brsnow]

be curious on upcoming enhancements