Looking for a computer...help (also anyone know anything about the Oceanic OCL)

[RobertLyndonDavis]

Greetings all,

Well I'm fairly new to diving but I love it (especially the underwater photography side of things) and I'm looking to start getting my own gear (starting with a computer) and doing a lot more diving in the future.

I've done a lot of research and reading on this board and every time I think I've decided which computer to get, I read something that changes my mind. So I wanted to get some expert opinions and see if I can finally work it out.

Firstly I'd like to spend under a thousand but thats not a hard and fast rule. Also I don't know about air integration. Initially I wanted it but the more I've read it seems maybe it's not that important since I'll have an SPG anyway as a back up. Seems like it can be unreliable and a pain to keep syncing computers with transmitter. Also I'm not sure how easy it to to use your own transmitter on rental first stages (or even if its possible).

One computer that has kind of caught my eye is the Oceanic OCL. I love its small form factor and ability to be a nice vacation watch when you're not in the water. Oddly though I can't find a single review of anyone using it on line. Maybe it's just too new for people to be using it.

Also I've seen some Suunto DXs on here second hand going pretty cheap which also seems like maybe a good idea but I'm not sure if buying second hand is such a good idea.

Anyway the main two brands I've been tossing up between are suunto and oceanic but if anyone know's of other brands I should be looking at please comment (I had a look at scubapro/uwtec but nothing really jumped out at me). From what I've read and heard it seems that the main problems with Suunto are non user replaceable batteries, overly conservative (especially if you're diving with guys using oceanic), unreliable transmitters, costly services. The main problems with oceanic seem to be poor build quality, tendency to flood, bad customer service, overly liberal, unreliable transmitters.

So there you have it, I don't know what to get. I'm torn between trying to find a computer that does everything and probably not that well or one that does a couple of things but does them extremely well. I'll be doing only rec diving in the foreseeable future. I've got my padi adv. open water and want to do rescue diver as well. I'll probably mostly be doing with guides and tours and focusing on the photography side of it so I don't need something that'll do tech diving or anything like that.

So if anyone has some recommendations that would be very much appreciated.

 

[John A Lewis]

Seems you're looking for a lot of possible things.

It all starts with the type of diving you do now and in the foreseeable future. Can you tell us more about that?

 

[C Dub]

Shearwater Petrel.

 

[DIY]

You can get he Oceanic OCi for $499 and $750 off ebay from Leisure Pro right now.

 

[RobertLyndonDavis]

Seems you're looking for a lot of possible things.

It all starts with the type of diving you do now and in the foreseeable future. Can you tell us more about that?

Certainly. I just do rec diving. I'm looking at doing some diving tours and maybe even some live aboard but nothing where'd I'd be leading a dive or even going with out a guide. That one of the reasons I was worried a Suunto might to overly conservative because most of the dive masters at one of the bigger dive shops in Brisbane all use Oceanics and if i'm diving with them I didn't want to have to cut my dive short.

---------- Post added December 19th, 2015 at 01:10 PM ----------

You can get he Oceanic OCi for $499 and $750 off ebay from Leisure Pro right now.

Thanks I'll have a look at it.

---------- Post added December 19th, 2015 at 01:11 PM ----------

Shearwater Petrel.

I had a look at that one but it seems a bit of over kill for what I want. It's also pretty chunk.

 

[Tbar]

Certainly. I just do rec diving. I'm looking at doing some diving tours and maybe even some live aboard but nothing where'd I'd be leading a dive or even going with out a guide. That one of the reasons I was worried a Suunto might to overly conservative because most of the dive masters at one of the bigger dive shops in Brisbane all use Oceanics and if i'm diving with them I didn't want to have to cut my dive short.

So from Brisbane, welcome. I also am in Brisbane.

Given the US/AUD exchange rate those US costs have gone up a lot.

What does the shop suggest?

Most sites dived commercially around Brisbane will not be over 18m so I do not expect that the various computers will have significantly different NDL. I am involved in running club dives and our club computers are Zoops I do not see any dives cut short due to NDL, typically dives end due to gas consumption...

What features do you want in the computer? I don't find it clear from your first post.

Once you say a $1000 you will get computers that match the cost not the features. In reality from the cheapest to the most expensive as a recreational diver you just need NDL get back before deco and to be able to use Nitrox to 40%.

With respect to doubling as a watch, that cost a lot and can impact on usability of the computer. I keep my computer with my gear, when I gear-up the computer is there no chance I left it else ware. For me I just have a watch for the time, and on a live-aboard I don't even ware a watch!

Have a look at this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...lyzers/519343-suunto-vyper-cressi-giotto.html In there there is link to an eBayer in Germany who has some well priced computers - if money is worth saving

 

[RobertLyndonDavis]

So from Brisbane, welcome. I also am in Brisbane.

Given the US/AUD exchange rate those US costs have gone up a lot.

What does the shop suggest?

Most sites dived commercially around Brisbane will not be over 18m so I do not expect that the various computers will have significantly different NDL. I am involved in running club dives and our club computers are Zoops I do not see any dives cut short due to NDL, typically dives end due to gas consumption...

What features do you want in the computer? I don't find it clear from your first post.

Once you say a $1000 you will get computers that match the cost not the features. In reality from the cheapest to the most expensive as a recreational diver you just need NDL get back before deco and to be able to use Nitrox to 40%.

With respect to doubling as a watch, that cost a lot and can impact on usability of the computer. I keep my computer with my gear, when I gear-up the computer is there no chance I left it else ware. For me I just have a watch for the time, and on a live-aboard I don't even ware a watch!

Have a look at this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...lyzers/519343-suunto-vyper-cressi-giotto.html In there there is link to an eBayer in Germany who has some well priced computers - if money is worth saving

Thanks for the link I'll check it out.

The features I'm looking for are something compact, reliable, would like USB connectivity and would like air integration but not essential. Thats pretty much it.

You're right that most sites around Brisbane aren't that deep but I will be taking it with me traveling and diving over seas too.

The guys at the shop I spoke to all seam to like oceanic (particularly the recommended the oceanic OCi) but after I'd read about their reliability and build quality problems I was a little worried about that.

 

[AJ]

I had a look at that one but it seems a bit of over kill for what I want. It's also pretty chunk.

It has Rec mode, so in that respect it will be fine. Being chunk is great underwater. It means great readability. The main reason I traded in a Suunto D4 for the Shearwater.

 

[Johanan]

If you are looking for a small computer which can be worn as a watch, have a look at the Seabear H3. It is the smallest dive computer I have seen and capable enough even for extreme diving.

 

[dmaziuk]

The features I'm looking for are something compact, reliable, would like USB connectivity and would like air integration but not essential. Thats pretty much it.

Watch-size, no AI, extra stuff needed for USB, under $1K US, is pretty much Oceanic Geo 2. Up here in murkia it can be caught on specials for as little as $250, no idea about down under.

Otherwise you're looking at a thousand dollars (again, US prices) plus a fair chance you won't be able to put your transmitter on the rented first stage -- so need your own regs, too. Seabear now ScubaPro H3 if its promised AI ever materializes, and Hollis TX1 seem to have the best feature sets in that category right now.