Hollis DG03 (air integrated with firmware version 1B)

[mike.chuanshi]

Is anyone able to provide a little background on the DG03? I know there was a firmware issue after it was initially released, but my understanding is that the problem has been taken care of for a while. Other than that issue, the DG03 seems to be a great little computer (according to reviews of it online). So why did Hollis stop making them? Are there other issues with the computer? The only other thing I could find were some minor complaints about it being difficult to learn and navigate at first. And why are places like Dive Gear Express selling them for as low as $249? For a 3-gas, advanced nitrox computer with AI capability, that price is almost unbelievable. Any history and/or insight you are able to share?

 

[Vegan Shark]

It looks like it's just a re-branded Aeris Elite (Aeris and Hollis are owned by the same parent company). Exact same design and features. When you add in the price of the transmitter it comes out to $500, which is the same price as the Aeris, too. Maybe they just weren't selling well, since Hollis is supposed to be geared towards tech divers, and a basic AI computer is seen more of as a rerecreational thing?

 

[Ken T]

The air integrated is optional.

You do not need to purchase the transmitter.

My wife and I have dove the DG03 as a recreational nitrox computer.
We do have the transmitter, but we are switching to a sidemount configuration, so will be dropping the transmitter.

Only have about 30 dives on it…so no great insights.
And, not technical divers yet…purchased with the thought of growing into it.

I agree with the reviewers that the menu system is confusing…but you do get used to it.

We found the screen a little hard to read in northern waters, when in Hawaii the screen was fine.

 

[NCadiver]

It looks like it's just a re-branded Aeris Elite (Aeris and Hollis are owned by the same parent company). Exact same design and features. When you add in the price of the transmitter it comes out to $500, which is the same price as the Aeris, too. Maybe they just weren't selling well, since Hollis is supposed to be geared towards tech divers, and a basic AI computer is seen more of as a rerecreational thing?

You forgot about the other company oceanic and the old VT3 computer that was replace 3 years ago by the VT4 and all those computers had a patent violation problem as well.

Ken T it's called old outdated stock.

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

I can't tell you the history of the DG03, but I've been using one for about a year and am pretty happy with it. Enough so that I just bought another unit for my wife to use.

I don't know of any PC-connectable dive computer that's as affordable as what DGX sells these for. The fact that they sell the DSS bungee mount along with it is an added bonus.

I should mention that I dive min deco, and mostly sidemount doubles, so I primarily use it as a depth/time gauge.

When I dive singles, however, I use the air integration, which has worked well. I like the on-the-fly "remaining time" calculation it does from your depth, consumption rate and gas pressure, and it's nice to be able to analyze your SAC rate once the gas consumption data is downloaded to a PC.

All in all, it's not a bad deal for $250 / $500 with air sender.