- I would not buy a computer that used IrDA. That technology is just too old.
- I would not buy a computer that required sending it off for a battery replacement - unless the expected battery life is several years (e.g. 4 or more).
- I would spend at least $15 to put Hydro-Tac reader lenses in my mask.
Hydrotac Stick-on Bifocal Lenses, 2.00 - Walmart.com
I have these in one of my masks and they are great. Just make sure you put them on and allow AT LEAST 24 hours for them to dry. If you do, they should stay on indefinitely. If you don't, they may come off when you use your mask. I have a pair of these on my daily wear sunglasses (as well as a pair on my old mask). They have been on for over 6 months without coming off, and that is on a curved surface. Putting them on the inside of a flat scuba mask lens is even less likely to come off.
- Or you can buy masks with reader lenses built in.
BuildMask - SeaVisionUSA
I actually bought a set of these masks (2100s in all 3 color lenses, paid for using my HSA, so no out of pocket for me) after I tried a buddy's and found out that my constant slow leak in my old mask was not strictly due to my facial hair - the 2100 doesn't leak for me.
- IMO, there are more reasons to be able to read while diving than just reading your own computer. One example, you may need to read/see something small of your buddy's (a computer, an SPG, a wrist slate, whatever). So, having reader lenses is a good idea, period, in my opinion. And if you have them, then you can use any computer rather than limiting your selection to ones with big numbers.
- I would buy a computer that will meet your anticipated needs over the next year or two. I would not limit myself to just what you need today. Why spend $200 on something you'll want to replace in a year or two?
- Diving with 2 computers is nice. If one dies, not only can you continue your current dive, you can do your next dive and so forth without giving up any surface time to dive planning using tables and without giving up any bottom time because dive planning using tables does not give you as much bottom time (generally speaking) as using a computer does. So, you could take the approach of buying a capable but less expensive computer now with an intent to buy a nicer computer later, with the long-term plan being to dive with both. E.g. you could get a Geo, for example, for now, and then buy a SeaBear H3 with wireless air integration when that is available. Some people would call that a waste of money. Only you can make that call. I dive with an Atom 3.0 (with AI) and a Petrel 2. I don't feel like I wasted my money. If I fly to Hawaii to dive, I am very confident I won't miss any dive time because 1 computer crapped out. In that case, I would/will also carry a physical SPG with me that I could add to my 1st stage if needed. That is just cheap insurance that I think is appropriate when spending the kind of money that goes with traveling like that to dive. And I would only use it if my wireless AI crapped out.
- I dive Rec dives normally with only my Atom's AI as my SPG. In over a year of usage I have never had a problem with that. I see a lot of people post that you should have an SPG also "because AI can be spotty" (or words to that effect). I think there is no denying that in its early days, AI was not reliable enough for most people to use it without also having an SPG. But, I have not seen anything that makes me think current, modern wireless AI isn't solid enough to rely on as the sole source of tank pressure on Recreational dives. Not that you can't get a "bad" transmitter. You can get a bad anything when it comes to modern electronics. But, on the whole, it seems like current wireless AI tech is pretty solid. If it works for the first couple of dives, then it's probably good to go.
The caveat to the wireless AI thing is that you do need to read the manual and be aware that there are some limitations on positioning of the computer and transmitter. Basically, they should be on the same side of your body. If the AI xmitter is pointed out to the right side of the 1st stage, then you should wear your computer on your right wrist. Or both on the left. The xmitter doesn't go directly through your body very well. When I do that, I don't have any dropouts in tank pressure signal. I have mine setup to use on the right. The other day, I did a dive where I wore my Atom on the left (and Petrel on the right). A couple of times I raised my left hand to check my tank pressure and saw that it was flashing, meaning it had lost signal. But, within a second or so of holding it up to see it, it re-synced and showed my current pressure. That has never happened to me when I had computer and xmitter both on the same side.
- Your local shop is probably not going to actually service anything you buy (other than possibly changing your battery for you, which, if they can do it, you can and probably should do it yourself). The big advantage to me, which is why I bought both my computers from my local shop, is that if the computer dies while under warranty, there is a reasonable chance the shop can and will just swap it out for you and deal with the manufacturer's rep themselves, instead of you having to do it. That is not a huge concern (to me), but the price on my computers was almost as low from my local shop as buying online, so it was worth the small extra cost to me.
- If you buy a used computer, MOST of the manufacturers will not transfer the warranty from the original owner. Having a factory warranty was worth something to me, which is why I bought my computers new, from an authorized dealer.
- I don't like console computers or puck computers mostly for the same reasons: the size. I have found that my watch-sized computer (Atom) is very nice. My bigger computer (Petrel 2 - closer to a puck in size) is annoying to me because of its bulk. Every time I am on a boat and changing tanks, I find my Petrel getting in the way. Also, when I am donning/doffing my BC, the bigger computer gets in the way of the shoulder straps.
- You might want to read through this thread and think about the algorithms of the computers you are looking at:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...zers/305374-so-you-want-buy-new-computer.html
When you are first starting out, you are unlikely to be limited on your bottom time by the algorithm of the computer you are using. You will probably be diving with aluminum 80 tanks and your dive times will be limited by you getting low on air before you get close to running into your No Decompression Limit (NDL). But, if you plan to use your computer for a year or two or longer, you could easily get to the point where your dives become limited by your NDL instead of your air supply. Especially given that you plan to get Nitrox certification. And ESPECIALLY if you start seeking out and renting bigger tanks (e.g. aluminum or steel 100s). In that case, choosing a computer that uses a more liberal algorithm might pay you some benefits. The thread I linked has some posts with links to reviews that clearly show the wide variation between computers on allowed dive times, particularly if you do 2, 3, or 4 dives in a day. When I dive with my g/f, we are always limited by NDL. Specifically, the NDL on her computer. She is very good on air and I use big tanks. She has a more conservative computer than mine and even the first dive of the day is normally 2 minutes or so shorter than what my computer would allow. On a second dive, it's typically several minutes shorter than what my computer would allow.
I have been diving for just over a year. Last summer (so, 8 months or so after I started diving), it became normal for me to be limited on my dives by my NDL, not my gas supply. That is using Nitrox in my own tanks versus, for example, using Air in a rental tank. I think the last time I dived using an AL80 was last April. I have always had bigger tanks since then, even when renting.
