Looking for cavern/deep computer

[SuperMiguel]

What you guys opinion on the NiTek Q vs DG05? im getting a reallllly good deal on them, like 1/3 of the petrel price

 

[scubamarketing]

IIRC, the DG05 was recently discontinued. Not that that means it'll be unsupported, just something to keep in mind.

 

[SuperMiguel]

gotcha

 

[JamesK]

Please see my posts regarding the Q in this thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/dive-rite/468681-nitekq.html#post6936137

Sorry, I am on my phone and am too lazy to type all that. LoL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Superlyte27]

What you guys opinion on the NiTek Q vs DG05? im getting a reallllly good deal on them, like 1/3 of the petrel price

They are 1/3 of the price, because they are 1/3rd the computer. Wasn't the DG05 discontinued recently, or was that a different one?

 

[the_shadow]

So I got my OW cert few weeks ago, i wanted to do spearfishing and i tried it and i loved it, but at the same time i stared doing my AOW and im kinda liking it, yesterday i did night and deep and i loved it, also a week ago i went down 100ft and into a "cavern" type of environment and liked it as well.. At the moment i have a DG02 and i guess it works fine for spearfishing not to big... But it SUCKS for night time or where visibility is limited, like yesterday i was using one hand to move my light around, and it was realllllly hard to turn the back light one, and when it does go on, it just stays one for few seconds making really hard to see...

So im thinking that after AOW ill do deep dive, and most likely do intro to cavern.. So i want something that i can see... The instructor i was with recommended getting the NiTek Q, he said that its cheap and that it can be upgraded to be a really good computer...

Whats is you guys opinion on this?

I've been diving a very simple computer (Mares M2) for a while now, and I'm finally starting to consider dropping down $1000 for a Petrel. You just got your OW certification, I'd recommend you'd first get a simple computer, start doing some more dives (I'm of the school of thought that you're not 'Advanced' after 5 OW dives and a few specialty dives), and then start considering buying a $600+ computer. When you're night diving, you can just use your light to look at your computer screen, why bother with the backlight?

If you insist on buying something with an OLED or TFT screen, you might, as suggested earlier, want to have a look at the xDeep computer that recently launched. You buy it as a basic bottom timer (which for now might be fine if you cut your own tables), but can upgrade it to an EANx/TMX computer in the future.

Investing large sums of money into a hobby you "kinda like" seems like you're actually buying an expensive future paperweight.

 

[DevonDiver]

My suggestion would be to postpone the choice for a couple of months (and get the experience/skills developed) until there is more feedback on the X-Deep. This does, on paper, look like a good unit.

The biggest advantage with the X-Deep is that you'd stagger the cost (software upgrades) over the time it took you to progress from OW-Tech-Cave-Trimix etc. That should be some considerable time. Tech/Overhead isn't a good arena for plastic-happy card collectors.

By the time you've reached levels where you need that computing capability, you might have found that technology and/or deco approaches have evolved significantly. The X-Deep would hopefully evolve along with the science... meaning your future software upgrades would reflect the latest developments, not the 2013 stuff.

If the entire unit was, by then, antiquated, you would have invested far less in it...and it'd still function okay as a back-up timer.

 

[Superlyte27]

I've been diving a very simple computer (Mares M2) for a while now, and I'm finally starting to consider dropping down $1000 for a Petrel. You just got your OW certification, I'd recommend you'd first get a simple computer, start doing some more dives (I'm of the school of thought that you're not 'Advanced' after 5 OW dives and a few specialty dives), and then start considering buying a $600+ computer. When you're night diving, you can just use your light to look at your computer screen, why bother with the backlight?

If you insist on buying something with an OLED or TFT screen, you might, as suggested earlier, want to have a look at the xDeep computer that recently launched. You buy it as a basic bottom timer (which for now might be fine if you cut your own tables), but can upgrade it to an EANx/TMX computer in the future.

Investing large sums of money into a hobby you "kinda like" seems like you're actually buying an expensive future paperweight.

So, let me get this straight.... You think he should buy a "simple" computer, OKAY, the Petrel is the simplest computer on the planet to operate. Yes, I understand that's not what you meant. But your logic is that he should drop 300 or more on a computer now, then spend another 1000 later. Wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run just to buy the computer you can't outgrow? The petrel will work for his diving now. It will work for his diving in 10 years. So, rather than have a closet full of gear that he no longer uses anymore because he's outgrown it. How about buying right the first time.

This is said from a guy who has 3 computers sitting on the rack in the garage that never get touched. This is said from the guy who has 3 traditional bcd's that haven't seen water in year. This is said from the guy who has tons and tons of gear he bought at the OW level that wasn't conducive to technical diving. If this man has the foresight to know that he's headed for tech diving, then by all means, buy the proper gear now, so you're not like me with gear that collects dust.

Save your 300-600 dollars on an entry level computer. Drop down 1000 dollars when you can afford it, and I promise you'll never be unhappy.

As far as the X-Deep goes... I'd prefer to stick with a company that is tried and true with a proven record of good products. There are dozens of posts on here and the other major forums about Shearwater's customer service. I suggest you look at them. I've never heard anyone complain about Shearwater. They really are fantastic.

 

[victorzamora]

While I agree that the NitekQ and the DG05 aren't worth it over the Petrel, including cost considerations, I'm wondering if you'll EVER need a Petrel. Are you doing a "cavern class" specialty with some random rec instructor from down the block, or are you plotting a course into real tech/cave diving? If the latter, then the Petrel is worth every penny and you need to buy one yesterday. If you're not, then I'd reconsider ANY computer over a few hundred bucks. Without Tech training, any computer as flexible as the Petrel is an easy way to end up with a chamber ride.

My problems with the NitekQ and DG05:
The NitekQ has this goofy framerate issue where all of the information gets REALLY blurry if you move the screen. I've got GREAT vision and not prone to headaches, but it hurt my eyeballs to look at it while it was moving.
The DG05 is Hollis rebranding an even older computer, both companies have completely stopped supporting it. They're VERY old technology. I mean, there's a reason the price has dropped so drastically recently. My suspicion is that Hollis will be announcing a DG06 at DEMA.

Also, OLED isn't a requirement. Good LCD/LED screens are just as good as OLED. IE: The Petrel doesn't have an OLED, but it's every bit as good as (if not better than) the Predator's OLED. Liquivision computers are pretty, but a buddy has an X1 and hates it. In fact, he's selling it.

 

[buddhasummer]

I believe the Petrel is colour LCD and not OLED, not sure what diff this makes though. I owned a colour LCD comp and it was very easy to read.