Help on computer Galileo Luna vs. Mares Icon HD

[opie712]

Looking into a new computer but have hit a bump in the road and can't find any fairly new post so here goes i have read time and time again that the mares is great for night diver which is 80% of my dives but having a huge software problem has this been fixed also is the battery life bad or good as far as the Luna I know its been proven time and time again

 

[CPH]

I had a demo Mares and LUNA. Based on the battery life alone I would buy the LUNA.
I have no problems with the display at night.

 

[opie712]

I have heard different ppl say the get 4 dives other say 10

 

[dive-comp-wiz]

Looking into a new computer but have hit a bump in the road and can't find any fairly new post so here goes i have read time and time again that the mares is great for night diver which is 80% of my dives but having a huge software problem has this been fixed also is the battery life bad or good as far as the Luna I know its been proven time and time again

g'day, Opie712!

I owned and was diving with Galileo SOL for some time (it a bit similar to LUNA, Luna is simplified version of SOL), and I did it at night - no problems with that. When I tried Mares Icon HD - battery was good for 5 dives, couldn't make it longer.

 

[opie712]

Also I've read a lot of people loosing air pressure signal while diving horseless and have to send the unit in for repair is this common

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Way to get around that is not use a transmitter or computer that requires one. For what you look like you are going to spend why not get a computer that has none of the issues either of these has or may have? I dive a Shearwater Predator and it is the best computer I have used for night and low vis dives. There is even a SB member selling one now for under 700 bucks.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cl...ers/448904-shearwater-predator-oc-trimix.html

If I didn't have two dive shows to attend in the next three weeks and need the funds for those I'd snap it up to have a back up to the one I have now. Or look at the Petrel.

Nothing beats OLED displays for night dives and Shearwater's support is second to none. Upgrades are free and easy. No cables to mess with. They connect to your home computer via bluetooth. I wouldn't waste money on a computer that I would be wondering about the battery dying, losing signal, or need to send away to be fixed. I'd use analog gauges and tables first over that.

 

[Hatul]

I had the Icon HD when it came out with AI and it was a disaster with multiple problems and poor support, so I returned it and bought the Sol. Unless there was a miraculous change in Mares I would stay away from it.

 

[opie712]

How do you like your sol and problems with it

 

[Hatul]

How do you like your sol and problems with it

It's a good computer and I've no problems recommending it. Some cons:

- it's large, but not as big as the brick Icon
- I improvised a bungee mount for it
- the digital compass is one of the better ones, but still has some issues such as too easy to overwrite a bearing and forces your elbow into 90 deg bend
- the display is not as good as the active color displays coming out
- it's impossible in SmartTrak software to combine two dives, and it's awkward to renumber dives
- the safety stop timer does not trigger until you get to 15 feet

Still, if you're looking for AI it's probably the best out there.

 

[opie712]

Thanks hatful for your help much appreciated