Need suggestions about budget dive computer

[enduser]

Just buy a zoop or the like and go diving.. Sheesh this thread has taken a turn nowhere near helping the OP.

If you are worried about the light get a Vyper instead similar to the Zoop but has a light. The non air version is not much more expensive.

 

[cascas]

Because I don't want to buy another computer after x dives and I want to stay down more than 7 minutes on my second dive?

You've said it twice now that my reasoning doesn't make sense. Can you actually explain why?

---------- Post added September 21st, 2014 at 09:51 PM ----------



Just FYI, the SDI OW course requires using a computer. Teaching tables is purely optional and up to the instructor. Well, and, I guess, to some degree, the student as well. Also, as of July 31st, 2014 (according to the shop where I'm going for OW cert), PADI now also no longer requires teaching tables and you can get PADI OW certification just using a computer.

IOW, some new divers are going to HAVE to have a computer to dive. The shop I'm going through also told me that some resort dive shops won't let people dive without a computer. I suppose if you show them a 1,000-dive log book they might waive that requirement, but I imagine for new(ish) divers they would require you to rent one from them if you don't show up with one.

Personally, I already know how to read the tables and plan multiple dives in a day using Air or Nitrox, including the deco stops spelled out in the USN tables. But, I want a computer so that I can enjoy more time diving (actually in the water), since tables only allow for square dive profiles, computers compensate for non-square dive profiles, and I expect I will have many dives that are non-square. Plus the whole convenience of downloading my logs.

I can, but not in a couple of sentences. Do the course, ask questions, learn about tables, hiw they work and why they are there. THEN buy a computer.

 

[lv2dive]

Sure, some dive boats/ops supposedly "require" a computer... Guess what... I can't tell you how many times I flashed a Xen at an op that *required* a computer and they never blinked. A Xen is a BT only... not a PDC at all. The *required PDC" is a complete non-issue!!

Stuart, *please* consider waiting to dispense advice until you have some dives under your belt. There is a world of difference in what you can glean from research, and what you learn from experience. This is why almost everyone keeps telling you to get some experience [emoji4].

I think it is understandable and admirable to want to gain as much knowledge as possible prior to embarking on a new endeavor, just be aware of the limitations of that knowledge.

...The shop I'm going through also told me that some resort dive shops won't let people dive without a computer. I suppose if you show them a 1,000-dive log book they might waive that requirement, but I imagine for new(ish) divers they would require you to rent one from them if you don't show up with one.

Personally, I already know how to read the tables and plan multiple dives in a day using Air or Nitrox, including the deco stops spelled out in the USN tables. But, I want a computer so that I can enjoy more time diving (actually in the water), since tables only allow for square dive profiles, computers compensate for non-square dive profiles, and I expect I will have many dives that are non-square. Plus the whole convenience of downloading my logs.

 

[Bom]

Thank you very much for all comments and sorry for my late response. I was quite busy during weekend. My maximum budget is D4i Novo but I reluctant in it because it has to be sent to shop for changing battery and pressure test which costs about $80-$90 here. Sadly, I have very limited choices here (Thailand). There are Mares and Cressi distibutors. I will check them out. The Matrix is more expensive than D4i here and Puck Pro is same price as Zoop. Last Saturday, I went to 2 dive shops. Both shops said same thing..go for Suunto due to reliability (compared with O..brand) but they don't have Aladin Tech (actual product). I think I will check Mares and Cressi Leonado too. Can I change battery by myself for Mares and Cressi?

One silly question, is gauge mode importance for recreational diving? I saw some posts mentioned that Zoop is not as good since it has no gauge mode but I don't know what it is and how importance it is.

Again, thank you very very much for all helps, I am very new to diving but my wife and I like it a lot.

 

[Oldbear]

Gauge mode is not all that important at your level of training. The Zoop is an awesome first computer. I am buying several for my students to use.

 

[Tbar]

I think I will check Mares and Cressi Leonado too. Can I change battery by myself for Mares and Cressi?

I have Mares Pucks for the family (6 of them and we range from experience to recently certified). Some are in console others as wrist mount. The Puck is a user changeable battery, does Nitox and has bottom timer. I believe the Puck Pro has the same capability.

If you get a Puck check that it has latest firmware "0.66" not older "0.11", this allows some additional information to be captured during the dive, including full temperature and assent/decent profile. I also think its is less conservative. I dived with two Puck computers over the weekend and the older one gave a few minutes less dive time than the new one.

 

[Roman_66]

More budget than this ?
No transmitter recreation computer with all functionality, which recreation diver may need and later bottom timer for technical.

 

[doctormike]

My maximum budget is D4i Novo but I reluctant in it because it has to be sent to shop for changing battery

Wow, that's not such a tight budget... Maybe I'm looking at the wrong computer, but I'm seeing list of $840 with a discounted price of about $750. Is that what you are looking at?

 

[sea_ledford]

Being able to replace the battery myself is a top requirement for my choice of computer. The other one that is a deal breaker for me is the 50/50 reset if it can't be disabled. This will reset your computer to an equivalent of 50% nitrox for your O2 toxicity and something else for your N2 loading (air maybe?). I understand the thought process behind it, but the implementation is usually idiotic- like you have to set your PPO2 within a few minutes of descending or it defaults. As long as I can turn it off, it's fine though.


I have had a bunch of the uwatech 2gs for my dive program and have had to send several of them back for bad pressure transducers, broken buttons, etc. I wouldn't get one for myself. I had a suunto mosquito years ago that worked well until the button covers came off and I couldn't get it serviced anymore. I have a geo 1 and it has been the only computer (aside from my shearwater) that has not failed on a dive, and I've had it for about 7 years now. The user interface is annoyingly complex, but you learn it eventually if you use it a lot. If you use it occasionally, bring the manual.

Gauge mode is typically used either by people that are diving tables, or as a backup for decodiving. I use my Geo in gauge mode as a backup for my sheawater when deco diving. For a primary computer, it isn't that important. It's nice that you can use it as a bottom timer down the road if you ever need it, but in my experience if you get more than 5-8 years out of a computer, you are doing well. Unfortunately they are not a buy once and forget it piece of gear.

-Chris

Thank you very much for all comments and sorry for my late response. I was quite busy during weekend. My maximum budget is D4i Novo but I reluctant in it because it has to be sent to shop for changing battery and pressure test which costs about $80-$90 here. Sadly, I have very limited choices here (Thailand). There are Mares and Cressi distibutors. I will check them out. The Matrix is more expensive than D4i here and Puck Pro is same price as Zoop. Last Saturday, I went to 2 dive shops. Both shops said same thing..go for Suunto due to reliability (compared with O..brand) but they don't have Aladin Tech (actual product). I think I will check Mares and Cressi Leonado too. Can I change battery by myself for Mares and Cressi?

One silly question, is gauge mode importance for recreational diving? I saw some posts mentioned that Zoop is not as good since it has no gauge mode but I don't know what it is and how importance it is.

Again, thank you very very much for all helps, I am very new to diving but my wife and I like it a lot.

 

[cascas]

Gauge mode is primarily used by technical divers using predetermined dive schedules based on either ratio deco or decompression software.
Personally I dislike computers and I prefer bottom timers combined with a deco chart specifically for that dive. If the dive is a "minimum deco" dive, I just use the bottom timer.
You do need to know what you're doing and why.

Just buying a dive computer and trusting it is generally a really bad idea. Background knowledge is a must.