Icon HD Air integration availability

[BlueKnight]

Hi Zak. I have just bought the ICON and am very pleased with it. Just a quick question on the air intergration. Is the option to upgrade just for the price of the transmitter with a new computer time limited. I see the release date has now changed to spring 2011 and I will want to upgrade when availaible but not if the offer of a new comupter for the price of a transmiiter has expired by then.

Another question I have with regards to this, I am quite a small chap so have quite a large excess of wrist strap even with a dry suit on. I am tempted to trim off a couple of inches and want to know if I do this, will this prevent me from exchanging for the air intergration computer?

Thanks for your time Zak and keep up the good work.

 

[DaveLA310]

I am a bit dissapointed that Mares has not responded to this board. It seems that they would want to be clear...one way or another.

Mares....please provide an answer to the questions that have been posted here.

Thank you

 

[Zak OHara]

DaveLA,
I am and have been communicating within this forum from the beginning. Did you not read my previous responses? I thought I was clear from our position. If you have any more specific details that I can answer, I'm all ears.

Best regards,

 

[MikeSK]

I am a bit dissapointed that Mares has not responded to this board. It seems that they would want to be clear...one way or another.

Mares....please provide an answer to the questions that have been posted here.

Thank you

You should actually read the thread before posting silliness.

 

[terrylowe]

My Icon HD came in today. I am currently running a Suunto D9, so that is all I have for comparison. I can actually *see* the icon display. It is large and very colorful. It is very intuitive and I don't think I am going to have to refer to the manual on the way to the dive site to remind myself how to set up the nitrox %. The manual is fairly brief and very easy to read. (important for people like me who have trouble programing TV recordings)

It came in a nice case which has accessories including the dive software, the connection cables, and multiple plugs for foreign electrical systems. The padded case has a cutout for the air integration transmitter. You can recharge this thing! Get outta here!

My theory about the delay in getting the transmitter is that there is a legal problem with the patent and Mares is being very quite about it so as to not inflame their negotiations. Probably sitting on a lawyer's desk waiting for a nth review of a contract.

At any rate, I don't mind diving with my air pressure gauge for a while until the transmitter becomes available.

 

[terrylowe]

If people are thinking that once this feature is available then they are going to be able to remove gauges from their setup then you are planning to take a great risk.

OK...I will probably get nailed for this, but I took off my gauges after I got my first air-integrated computer. My octopus is integrated with my inflator hose as well. That leaves two hoses...the regulator and the inflator hose. You get that "free" feeling...like walking around the house in your boxers....not that I've ever done THAT.

• All my dives are in good visibility and are usually less than 60 feet with no overhead.
• All of my dive buddies have been family members who also have computers. I know, I know...never use another person's computer but it is nice to know one is available to help with ascent rate and safety stop if needed.
• If a computer fails, the dive is over. Ascend slowly with buddy, take a safety stop and get out. (I do use an underwater watch). So far I have never had to do this. If I ever do, I will be really mad because I don't write my dive in my logs after each and every dive either . If my computer blows up, I will lose the dive data from that trip.
• I don't know what the failure rates of a computer is compared to the failure rates of older instrumentation, but I could not imagine that it would be all that high with our litigious society. If there was a really high failure rate for computers, the makers would be sued out of business in a flash.

 

[tardmaster]

OK...I will probably get nailed for this, but I took off my gauges after I got my first air-integrated computer. My octopus is integrated with my inflator hose as well. That leaves two hoses...the regulator and the inflator hose. You get that "free" feeling...like walking around the house in your boxers....not that I've ever done THAT.

• All my dives are in good visibility and are usually less than 60 feet with no overhead.
• All of my dive buddies have been family members who also have computers. I know, I know...never use another person's computer but it is nice to know one is available to help with ascent rate and safety stop if needed.
• If a computer fails, the dive is over. Ascend slowly with buddy, take a safety stop and get out. (I do use an underwater watch). So far I have never had to do this. If I ever do, I will be really mad because I don't write my dive in my logs after each and every dive either . If my computer blows up, I will lose the dive data from that trip.
• I don't know what the failure rates of a computer is compared to the failure rates of older instrumentation, but I could not imagine that it would be all that high with our litigious society. If there was a really high failure rate for computers, the makers would be sued out of business in a flash.

lol, i'm sure you've heard all of this before so i'm not going to repeat it. just consider yourself nailed. i'm an icon owner too. i love mine.

 

[Zak OHara]

Dear all,

Here is the (straight) answer; (by the way, all of my posts and answers have been straight and as accurate as possible). I see no advantage to put in writing something that is not truthful (think about it).

The Icon HD upgrade is now scheduled for "spring 2011" as the website states (the N.American site has been updated). I will give a more precise date as we get closer, I understand many of you want to know exactly. Unfortunately, if we put a specific date out then it would be my recommendation to put something late and deliver early.

• The tooling and mold for the transmitter is complete.
• The transmitter electronically is mostly complete and in testing phase.
• The delay is strictly a development issue
• We will have some functioning prototypes for our dealers to try and sample within the next couple of months
• Total upgrade cost to a consumer with prepurchased Icon HD is $450.00 U.S.
• Consumer will get a new Icon HD computer with transmitter at point of upgrade
• I also have some nice news that will apply to this computer as well as our other computers. I am not at liberty to announce today. We will let all know at DEMA.

I hope this helps to clear things up from our side.

Warm regards to all,

 

[terrylowe]

Thanks for the update Zak. When it comes to my life....you guys test all you want! :mrcool:

A surprise? Hmmm....that should start up some speculation!

 

[putkis]

Ok, thanks Zak to clarify what is the phase of the delays. It's important to get facts from you since all resellers have no answer at all. Still this isn't world's most important issue..

Someone earlier pointed that man should not rely on computers but that's why I've always backup instruments. But it would be great that all needed info can be found easily from one big screen from my wrist. Only which isn't backed up, is the tank and first stage. It could be important also when diving in cold waters.

Btw, Why I dived in wrong spot in Finland??? One managed to find new wreck which contains world oldest champagne where one bottle price is estimated round 10000€ and bit more in US $. And it's drinkable since waters are dark and cold, so perfect storage -> Why we dive in such places?