I’ve read it all and still need opinions on computers

[tursiops]

For wristwatch non-AI, also consider the Deep 6 Excursion. Bluetooth. Small. Not a great screen, but cheap.
As cool as the Peregrine is, it is not a wristwatch-sized computer.
I think the 470 is worth the additional over the 200....but then I love AI. Neither has a screen that is exciting.
Then there is the do-everything Teric. Size, screen, AI, compass, customer service.....
Or, if everything is not enough, then throw in GPS and fitness apps and spend the price of a full week of vacation pls air and get a Garmin Mk2 Descent.
Easy choices.

 

[Kimela]

I love my Oceanic Geo 4.0 - it's not air integrated. I had a really expensive, (IMO) heads up display by Oceanic (air integrated) and also loved it (it's not dead yet - just in moth balls because my eye prescription changed and I didn't want to change the mask, thinking it will die soon) ... so I got the Geo. It's great because I can sync my dives while on the boat, during the surface interval and on the way back to the dock, and it's consistently dependable. Because it's Oceanic it's not as conservative (even though I have it set on the more conservative settings) as, for instance, the Mares Nemo. Anyway, I really like it and it's easy to use. I can even set the gas from my iPhone during surface intervals - it's the bomb!! I'm 60, so don't have awesome near vision either.

 

[Grateful head]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. My eyesight is fairly good and not too far from Green Bay. I quick looked up the Shearwater computers and yeah... they are a bit bigger than I am looking for. I’m going to try and reframe my question. Is ai in a dive computer something that is a desirable feature. I emailed a dive shop I plan on diving with this spring to ask them if I can screw my transmitter (presuming I buy an ai computer) to their first stage. His response was “ you sure can but I strongly suggest you have a backup SPG as I have seen more than a few transmitters fail and divers not knowing how much air they have”. I thought the big draw to ai was the elimination of a hose and being able to be more streamlined. His response is making me rethink the importance of ai.

 

[Marie13]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. My eyesight is fairly good and not too far from Green Bay. I quick looked up the Shearwater computers and yeah... they are a bit bigger than I am looking for. I’m going to try and reframe my question. Is ai in a dive computer something that is a desirable feature. I emailed a dive shop I plan on diving with this spring to ask them if I can screw my transmitter (presuming I buy an ai computer) to their first stage. His response was “ you sure can but I strongly suggest you have a backup SPG as I have seen more than a few transmitters fail and divers not knowing how much air they have”. I thought the big draw to ai was the elimination of a hose and being able to be more streamlined. His response is making me rethink the importance of ai.

A number of us here cave and wreck dive with just transmitters, but we’re using Shearwater Perdix or Teric computers. I do it myself. That should give you an idea of the reliability of some AI, anyway.

 

[Kimela]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. My eyesight is fairly good and not too far from Green Bay. I quick looked up the Shearwater computers and yeah... they are a bit bigger than I am looking for. I’m going to try and reframe my question. Is ai in a dive computer something that is a desirable feature. I emailed a dive shop I plan on diving with this spring to ask them if I can screw my transmitter (presuming I buy an ai computer) to their first stage. His response was “ you sure can but I strongly suggest you have a backup SPG as I have seen more than a few transmitters fail and divers not knowing how much air they have”. I thought the big draw to ai was the elimination of a hose and being able to be more streamlined. His response is making me rethink the importance of ai.

I really loved having all my info in one dive computer - but I ALWAYS had a back up, just in case. Interestingly, it was my backups that failed me (my Cobra and my Gekko - the Cobra was AI and the Gekko was not). But with my Geo (not AI) I dive with an old fashioned SPG and it hasn't failed me yet - I don't know how often they fail (anyone know?). They're analog so I assume (maybe not a good thing to do) that they are reliable.

Edit: when I got my HUD I think AI's were less reliable, so I saw a fair number of responses from tech/wreck divers that this AI stuff was just another possible point of failure. But with the Perdix and Teric it seems the technology has become 'more' reliable (though I would still dive with redundancy).

 

[Brett Hatch]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. My eyesight is fairly good and not too far from Green Bay. I quick looked up the Shearwater computers and yeah... they are a bit bigger than I am looking for. I’m going to try and reframe my question. Is ai in a dive computer something that is a desirable feature. I emailed a dive shop I plan on diving with this spring to ask them if I can screw my transmitter (presuming I buy an ai computer) to their first stage. His response was “ you sure can but I strongly suggest you have a backup SPG as I have seen more than a few transmitters fail and divers not knowing how much air they have”. I thought the big draw to ai was the elimination of a hose and being able to be more streamlined. His response is making me rethink the importance of ai.

I have a Teric, which is an AI computer, and I like it, the AI features are nice to have. On the other hand, it's typically a $300-400 upcharge for AI. If you're just starting to gear up, that extra money may be better spent on other pieces of gear (regs, BC, exposure), or just more diving (rentals, airfare, tank fills). But that's just my opinion, others might recommend starting with AI. It's not like that's crazy or anything, just different priorities.

 

[Lostdiver71]

The myth that AI is unreliable goes back to the first generation Suunto AI computers. They had a problem with losing the connection while on a dive and the only way to restore the connection was to surface and reset the connection. Modern computers automatically reconnect if the signal is lost. The most common failure of AI transmitters is the battery running out of juice, my Oceanic lets me know the battery status and I keep a spare battery kit with my gear. I have not had a transmitter failure in the last 20 years but I have had a computer fail.

 

[Kimela]

But that's just my opinion, others might recommend starting with AI. It's not like that's crazy or anything, just different priorities.

Bingo! It's a cool feature - and some may feel it's cool enough to warrant the price. At one time, it was for me. Do what feels right for you in this phase of diving. You can change your mind later - or not!

 

[Grateful head]

I have a Teric, which is an AI computer, and I like it, the AI features are nice to have. On the other hand, it's typically a $300-400 upcharge for AI. If you're just starting to gear up, that extra money may be better spent on other pieces of gear (regs, BC, exposure), or just more diving (rentals, airfare, tank fills). But that's just my opinion, others might recommend starting with AI. It's not like that's crazy or anything, just different priorities.

This..... this is dilemma. Do I buy non ai and put the money into something else or will I regret not having it in a year or two. I forgot to add that I am shopping for my wife as well so it will be a two computer purchase, money is an object. I am leaning towards the 470. It’s $450 and I can buy the transmitter now or later. It’s also made in California which I like. Any other recommendations?

 

[drrich2]

Is ai in a dive computer something that is a desirable feature.

For some of us, including me, yes, very much.

1.) Automatically records start and end gas pressures which are then recorded in the electronic log. If you want that info. in your dive log and don't have A.I., you need to write it down. On multi-dive trips by boat, that's a hassle.

2.) Automatically calculates your SAC for the whole dive (and you may be able to follow you gas consumption rate through the dive? Haven't looked into that in awhile), to get a sense of how well you do on gas consumption with different dives.

3.) Offers you estimated air time remaining, so you've got a rough 'if I stayed at this depth, consuming gas at this rate' estimate as to how much dive time you've got left.

I like having all that.

I have a Cobalt 2 console and Oceanic Worldwide VT3; if I were buying a wrist unit today, I'd probably get a Shearwater Teric. My old VT3 transmitter should work with a Teric!