New computers at DEMA

[pdoege]

Hello -

I looked at a few computers at DEMA. I'm no expert, but this is my report.

Oceanic had their new gas switching, hoseless AI, Atom. Still using some sort of ZHL from what I can tell. I tried talking to the product manager, but he blew me off. Oh well.

Dive Rite and (???) had a new multigas unit (the Duo) that looked a lot like the Cressi Archimede. ZHL 16 IIRC and very easy to use and setup.

Cochran had a trimix unit.

Mares had two really nice RGBM units. "Real" RGBM, blessed by Wienkie and everything. The computers require and display deep stops. Very nice. The M1 has the typical crappy M1 display. The Neo is very stylish and looks like a dress watch. Pricey at $700.

The Mares people that I talked to really had their stuff together. Mares is known as a rec only line. Apparently Mares Europe has some other ideas....

So there are some nice toys coming down the line.

My wishlist for next year is hoseless AI, RGBM, and small. We'll see....

Peter

 

[jplacson]

Uhm... The Suunto Vytec has everything on your wishlist..plus gas switching. Now, how 'small' is small? I find the Suunto Stinger a bit too small for underwater use... I like big gauges since they are much easier to read.

 

[pdoege]

The Suuntos are still using a not-quite RGBM implementation IIRC.

Add helium to the wish list. I knew that I was forgetting something.

Peter

 

[caveseeker7]

It has full RGBM, 10 mixes, and is available either nitrox or trimix.
The only thing missing is AI, which is kinda useless once you use
more than one tank (gas), don't you think?

 

[pdoege]

It sort of misses the "small" bit.

Anyway, the AI is nice for tootling around on reefs. Not a big deal, but that is what wish lists are for, right?

Peter

 

[Allen42]

I'm assuming ZHL, RGBM, and IIRC are tissue loading algorithms?

Where can I find out more?

 

[blackice]

Thanks for the feedback, I was kind of holding off on buying a computer until after the show - just incase anything new came out that would address my multi-gas needs.

Still seems like the Explorer is the way to go... thanks

 

[blackice]

pdoege once bubbled...
It sort of misses the "small" bit.

Anyway, the AI is nice for tootling around on reefs. Not a big deal, but that is what wish lists are for, right?

Peter

That's why you have both, the Stinger as backup and the Explorer as the main gas switching computer.

 

[MechDiver]

Allen42 once bubbled...
I'm assuming ZHL, RGBM, and IIRC are tissue loading algorithms?

Where can I find out more?

ZHL and RGBM are, IIRC is "if I remember correctly".

ZHL is one of the Buhlman algorithms, RGBM is a new one primarily aimed at helium use and deep dives and is overkill for recreational diving, but its a neat buzzword for selling computers.

 

[pdoege]

ZHL is the Buhlman model, RGBM is the reduced gradiant bubble model. A decent decompression text will explain the various differences and how the models are derived.

Wieke's "Technical Diving In Depth" or "Basic Decompression Techniques" cover it.

As does:
http://www.abysmal.com/web/library/articles/abys1.pdf

You can safely skip to part 4 of the paper.

MechDiver is correct. There is no substantial difference between the models in non-decompression diving in terms of NDL limits. However, the discovery and study of the bubble models has led to advances in diving practices.

See section 4 for details.

Peter