Need help Picking new Computer

[MikadoWu]

I am looking for a new Dive Computer for my Sons Birthday. We only started diving last November, but my son has fallen in love with it. We are presently working on our AOW, then Recuse in August. He has plans to be a Master Diver by Years end and Trying to be a Divemaster before he graduates High School Next Summer.

Our Dive Shop has been awesome working with Him and they have let him Assist in his older sisters OW classes. That said, they are mostly a Huish Shop, all our gear is Atomic, Zeagle and Suunto.

Though I am diving with a Cobalt (old eyes) He prefers the Watch. He has used the Cobra, Viper, Zoop, and Di4 to date.

He really Likes the Oceanic Designs. Sadly there are not a lot of resellers in Central Florida that have many of them in Stock. Even Divers Direct on had 2 models and there staff seemed limited on their knowledge.

So basically, I need a nice watch, under $1000, that he can use through all his training. He will be required to keep his gauges, so I do not HAVE to by the Wireless Transceiver immediately.

Thank you all.... BTW I love all you divers. A lot of Chill people out there that like to share Knowledge. Nice Change for me..............


I have looked at the OCS, but is it much better then his Zoop? Do I need to get him an OCi or Atom?

 

[Chestermanp@gmail.com]

I have a VT4 (Oceanic) with wireless transmitter and should be available under $1,000 - this wrist mounted computer is worth looking at.

 

[Instructor_Tom]

Thing to keep in mind, if he is going on to Dive master. Dive shops want their instructional staff diving what they sell. so if the plan is to Divemaster for the shop which you are currently using the idea would be to outfit with their equipment and avoid having to change later.

As a personnel opinion, the dive computers with transmitter are another point of failure on your equipment and unnecessary. For recreational use i use a Zeagle n2ition 2 gas computer which I've had for over 6 years. Its simple and easy to use and allows you to do deco dives with a higher gradient gas than your back gas.

For technical diving i use the Dive Rite Nitek Q. They are now under $800, are OLED, 7 gas mixes, compass, and can run in CCR mode.


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[andreau]

Do not go with Oceanic products, their computers are ok but their Oceanlog software is the biggest piece of crap I have ever used!!! I honestly believe that I could write a better interface program then they have. Oceanic, if by some rare chance that someone from your office is reading this fire your software development team and start over. Also there are no Oceanic reps on this board to assist. I also have a Sunto Zoop and that is a great dive computer.

 

[jimbeeler]

I have a VT4 (Oceanic) with wireless transmitter and should be available under $1,000 - this wrist mounted computer is worth looking at.

+1

I also have a Mares Puck as a backup that works well. I've also got a Subgear computer on my console that works just fine. I understand that the Zoop is very good also. As I "outgrow" dive computers I just relegate them to backups or donate them to an aspiring diver. My next one will probably be something like a Shearwater Petrel (which is definitely overkill for the kind of diving I do, but looks really cool).

Jim

 

[Tony387]

No problems with my Oceanic Veo 100 nx. I dive it every weekend. Works like a champ.

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[eelnoraa]

I have to disagree to a post above about Oceanic rep. Amount some of the bigger brands, I think Oceanic/Hollis/Aeris has some of best customer service. You can always call their office in San Leandro and talk to people that know what is going on.

As to Oceanic computer, I have used 2. In general, I think they make good computers. Construction quality is good, very reliable. My only complains are that none of their model display second in any of the dive modes, not even in gauge mode. Their timer implementation is not very convenient. Also, with AI computer, if you don't use the AI feature, the real estate on the computer is wasted. It can't be reconfig to display something else. Other than that, they are good computers.

Comparing OCS to Zoop is not apple to apple. OCS is higher end, watch style computer, more expansive. Zoop is bigger dedicated dive computer, entry level, no gauge mode. I think Zoop vs Veo is more a fair comparison in both feature and price point.

 

[dmoore19]

There are several alternatives to their software. For instance, I have a Mac and I use MacDive for my Oceanic computers. It works very well. I don't think the computer manufacturers are much interested in software. I had a Cobra 3, didn't like the software from Suunto either.

I had some trouble with downloading my Oceanic computer. I called them and they walked me through the fix. No problem with service.

Do not go with Oceanic products, their computers are ok but their Oceanlog software is the biggest piece of crap I have ever used!!! I honestly believe that I could write a better interface program then they have. Oceanic, if by some rare chance that someone from your office is reading this fire your software development team and start over. Also there are no Oceanic reps on this board to assist. I also have a Sunto Zoop and that is a great dive computer.

 

[DiveNav]

If you buy an Oceanic dive computer make sure that you register it with the manufacturer and they will send you an activation code for a free online class.

 

[MikadoWu]

Hello All, I do thank you all for the feedback. DiveMaster_Tom makes a good point about diving with what the LDS sells. It was hinted to me, that the Atomic rumored Watch version has been delayed due to the Liquidvison acquisition. So who knows what could happen there.

For you Zoop users, Will the Zoop get my Son through NAUI Master Diver Classes and maybe to DiveMaster?

BTW, my son dives almost every weekend with one of the 4 instructors at our LDS, for class and recreational. One of them let him use the Atomic Bladesfins and he fell in love. Said he Noticed an instance difference over is Mares Quattro's. So at least I now have options for his Birthday.

In regards to the Software statements, I been using Diving Log from Sven. He has been awesome, his software supports almost everything (Microsoft, Apple Scroogle). It has worked flawlessly with my Cobalt 2, Zoop and the Cobra rental.