Need recommendations on my first dive computer

[Teller]

If you only plan one 10-15 dives a year just grab a bottom timer. I certainly would get an expensive computer ($500+) if I wasnt going to use it often.

 

[GLOCKSCUBAG!RL]

I'm a newly advanced certified diver and have bought my first dive computer, Oceanic OCS, and I LOVE IT. It's so easy to use and stylish! I don't feel the need to use a wireless integration for my air, but my sister has the OCi and she really likes it. It depends on your personal preference, but for myself, I feel safer using an air gauge attached to my reg so I can focus on my compass or depth from my computer..


*~ Adventurer for life ~*

 

[scubadada]

First of all, maybe a little grammar would help you get your point across better. Secondly, my number of dives should mean nothing. I said they're a mixed bag, people have mixed feelings about them, and that I was against them. I never mentioned why. It has nothing to do with linking failures.

-I'm diving multiple tanks so multiple transmitters would be required...which I don't want.
-They're relatively fragile. I've seen two transmitters snapped off. One was a guy carrying his bcd from where we assembled our gear to the water line on a shore dive. He grabbed the valved like everyone else, and the transmitter snapped. The second one, the tank slipped out of the camband and the transmitter was caught on a strap, snapped it off. Neither of them had spare plugs. Neither got to do any more diving for the day.
-MOST IMPORTANTLY, your AI computer only takes YOUR breathing rate into account. If your buddy has an equipment failure (or brain fart), your computer isn't smart enough to compensate for it. People get overly complacent from it, thinking that they have plenty of gas. Gas management is a crucial thing....and I sure don't want a buddy that blindly relies on an AI computer to tell them when to surface.
-In my cave and tech diving, switching gases on my computer to keep track of my deco schedule and air consumption isn't something I want to deal with.

Grammar, BS, my point was made. Using all caps, multiple times, is childish.

Multiple tanks, reasonable point, I'm a recreational diver.

Fragile, I don't think so, but, of course, you can break anything if you're a bludgeon. I've got backup.

I'm generally a solo diver, a buddy is not generally relavent. When I dive with others, I mind their gas requirements rather than my own.

Your cave and technical diving is up to you, you have no right to be condescending with someone with probably twice your diving experience. Best of luck to you in your future diving.

Best, Craig

 

[drrich2]

I've seen two transmitters snapped off.

I've heard of this sort of thing, such as where someone carelessly picks up a tank grabbing the transmitter instead of the valve and damaging it.

Some people get a short HP hose & connector so as to have their transmitter have a flexible rather than rigid connection to the reg.'s 1'rst stage. From what I understand most people don't, but the option is there for those interested.

Richard.

 

[victorzamora]

you have no right to be condescending with someone with probably twice your diving experience. Best of luck to you in your future diving.

.....so I can't be "condescending" over tech diving (which I didn't mean to be if I was) but you can be condescending because you think you've been on more dives? Fine, whatever. I brought up relevant points (I thought) to present facts to someone who may have not been aware.

Back on topic:

OP, I totally forgot about the Suunto Mosquito and the Aeris Manta. Aeris and Oceanic are owned by the same company, so the Manta is equivalent (identical) to one of the Oceanic computers (but I can't remember which). You might find a great deal on the Aeris, which is why I bring that up. Two features you didn't mention that I'd like to offer up are a backlit screen (or some way to read it at night/in the dark). Also, nitrox is much more useful than most OW divers think it would be. A computer that can deal with EANx is good. Something not everyone thinks you need is a computer with Gauge Mode. It's useful for a lot of things, but mostly for techy stuff...so not something you really need.

 

[doctormike]

Grammar, BS, my point was made. Using all caps, multiple times, is childish.

I'm not sure your point was made. Kind of hard to tell, but I think that you were saying that it was BS that transmitters get mixed reviews, or that Victorzamora was against them? Or were you saying that because your transmitter had not failed, that transmitters don't fail in general?

I dive a Suunto Vyper Air and now a Petrel. The Vyper has wireless AI, and I would say that it links up about half of the time. Maybe it's because I don't re-link it before each dive by turning the link on and off (that seems to work), but frequently I get the "fail" error message when I use my strobes. So that's a little mixed.

I like having the pressure data in my logs when it's there, but I generally just assume that it won't work and forget about it. I use a brass and glass SPG on my left post.

BTW, the Petrel is an AWESOME computer, but sounds like it wouldn't be appropriate in terms of cost and size for the OPs needs. It sounds like they are willing to pay more for the styling of the D4i...? If I were in that situation, I would get a Suunto Mosquito or Zoop on eBay or something and just clip off an SPG... more than enough computer for that application.

A bottom timer would cost close to what a computer would cost (unless you were just going to use some sort of waterproof watch), and you would lose the main advantage of having a computer over tables - the NDL credit you get for time spent above your maximum depth.

---------- Post added January 3rd, 2014 at 09:09 PM ----------

Also, nitrox is much more useful than most OW divers think it would be. A computer that can deal with EANx is good.

Yup, I agree. Actually, I didn't even realize that you could buy a computer these days that doesn't have nitrox capabilities. I looked at a couple of online shops, and all the low end computers (down to the $199 BUD) did nitrox.

 

[sunshinecat]

Thanks for all the advice. It sounds like the D4i is more than I need for my dive profile. Only one person commented on the Vyper Air--any more opinions about this one (also maybe more than I need, but I could use it for many years)?

I'll take a look at the Oceanic ones recommended (Geo 2.0, OCS, OCi and Atom 3.1) and the Aeris Manta. I like the price on the Geo and OCS--hopefully they are watch size and not bigger like the Zoop. I will use an SPG gas gauge anyway, so air integration is a bonus feature, but not mandatory. Does anyone know anything about the Sherwood Amphos compared to the other models mentioned?

 

[doctormike]

I wouldn't overthink this if I were you.

If you don't get something that has illumination (that is, with an OLED or LCD display, like the Petrel), battery life isn't going to be a big issue for you with the number of dives you plan on doing per year. So whether you need to take/send it to a shop or can change the battery yourself isn't much of an issue in practical terms.

Any modern dive computer will give you a reasonably safe NDL for the profiles you are likely to do, most of them are downloadable to your digital log, and almost all of them will do nitrox. You are wise not to make wireless air integration a must-have, as I feel that the SPG is a better way to go in terms of reliability and cost (others obviously feel differently).

If your eyes are young and you want to wear this thing to the bar after diving, then you can go with a small wristwatch sized computer. I don't like them because they are more expensive and harder for me to read. But that's me.

The bottom line is that at your level, I can't imagine a current model dive computer that will limit your diving in any way, so you are really looking at form factor (looks) and price. If you want small, I would buy a Suunto Mosquito - here is one with no bids for $225. If that's not fancy looking enough for you, then there are other watch style computers.

Don't worry about getting a computer that can grow with you. If you ever get into technical diving, you will find yourself buying a flashlight for $1500, and the cost of this little starter computer will be long forgotten...

 

[dmoore19]

I will again throw out a caution. I have no intention of doing Tech dives. I am older and that is just not in the cards for me. The petrel may have been a draw to me at one time, with age not so much.

If your desire is to get into tech diving then the petrel would be a benefit to you, no doubt about that. If your desire is to be a recreational diver with no visions of tech diving your decision may be different. I love wireless AI. If your intent is to remain a recreational diver then your options are limitless. You need only to find a computer with the features you want. If you intend to be a recreational diver then I suggest you do whatever you want. If you get the wireless transmitter and like it you can use it. If you decide that you don't like that then you can still use the computer and rely on a SPG for pressure information. Just because you have AI doesn't mean you must use it. I find it helpful and an option available to me. I think the failure to sync and the failure of the transmitter is a chance you can take with a small chance of total failure. The reliability of wireless AI has improved greatly over the last few years. You can always just buy the SPG and use it if you don't feel comfortable with relying on an AI or wireless AI transmitter. I have had no problems with mine and in my experience I haven't seen anybody else have a problem. Don't waste your money on something that doesn't fulfill your wants. But if you intend to do technical dives, don't waste your money on something that won't supply you with your needs in the future.

 

[doctormike]

If your desire is to get into tech diving then the petrel would be a benefit to you, no doubt about that. If your desire is to be a recreational diver with no visions of tech diving your decision may be different.

I think that the Petrel does have one advantage for a non-tech diver - the LCD display with LED backlight is good for those with aging eyes, as I have recently found out. Not sure if it's worth $950 for that feature alone, but it is nice to be able to read it more easily.

I love wireless AI. If your intent is to remain a recreational diver then your options are limitless. You need only to find a computer with the features you want. If you intend to be a recreational diver then I suggest you do whatever you want. If you get the wireless transmitter and like it you can use it. If you decide that you don't like that then you can still use the computer and rely on a SPG for pressure information. Just because you have AI doesn't mean you must use it.

As far as relying solely on the AI and not having an SPG - if you are an attentive diver, not diving in physical or virtual overhead environments to the point of requiring staged decompression, and you have a reliable wireless AI, then the possibility of AI failure is not such a big deal. You should know approximately how much gas you have at any point in the dive, and if you suddenly realize that your link is dead you just ascend normally. It would be pretty unusual (or involving some degree of laxity) to be in a situation where the loss of that link would actually put you at risk. Maybe if the link stopped working, but the PSI reading froze?

So the only downside of getting the wireless AI if you don't use it is the extra cost (leaving aside the remote possibility of the transmitter physically breaking), but if you think that the ability to try it out is worth that to you, then go for it.

If you haven't seen it, this site might be helpful...

But if you intend to do technical dives, don't waste your money on something that won't supply you with your needs in the future.

Unless you are sure that you will be doing technical dives, I would say that money spent on a simple starter computer is not wasted. I think that it's a mistake to buy something suitable for gas switching, trimix or rebreathers because you might do tech diving in the future. As I mentioned, the cost of tech equipment is so great that it seems unwise to worry about the $300 spent on a basic computer now. Unless you are absolutely sure you are going on to tech diving (and only a small minority of new divers do this), you aren't wasting money by buying an appropriate computer for your current needs.