Online dealers - random question

[redacted]

True. But is there any difference in the actual computer sold to you and that sold in the US?

My $68 Oceanic Data Plus that I picked up on Ebay from a guy from England is a lot of fun. Put it with a metric SPG and most US DMs have little idea what your dive profile was. Multipy by 10 & divide by 3. Good check for narcosis too.

 

[tridacna]

My $68 Oceanic Data Plus that I picked up on Ebay from a guy from England is a lot of fun. Put it with a metric SPG and most US DMs have little idea what your dive profile was. Multipy by 10 & divide by 3. Good check for narcosis too.

It's funny. I was brought up in the Metric system. First 30 years. I'm totally comfortable with counting to ten and not measuring things in furlongs per fortnight.

Then I came to live in the US.

Now when I dive in metric countries, I refuse to change my computer to metric. I have no idea what the DM means when he says that we have to be back with 35 bar or whatever they say. (That's when it's useful to have a mechanical SPG).

 

[mike_s]

Which I never quite understand. In the photo market, take a look at B&H's prices and the Gray Market is clearly marked and maybe 3% cheaper on pro-level gear. The only thing I can think of is that the U.S. warranty isn't good for commercial use so companies are buying these to save just a tiny bit of money. I certainly wouldn't consider it.

Now 40% on a regulator, I'd consider. 40% on a pair of fins, no question there.

I noticed the "difference" on photo equipment was small compared to dive gear difference in price. I guess the photo market is just bigger and more competitive.

The big difference is that a lot of lens from Nikor (Nikon) come with a 5 year manufactur warranty but grey market only a 1 year store warranty. To me it's worth an extra $20 to $50 bucks in most case to have the better warranty on that lens.

however, on an Aqualung Reg, I can't see spending $300 more to have the same warranty for the same reg.

True. But is there any difference in the actual computer sold to you and that sold in the US? Does anyone seriously think that Oceanic has two manufacturing facilities. One for the US and one for the rest of the world. Obviously not.

heck... I doubt they have "one factory" at all. Most manufacturers, even Oceanic, OEM their equipment out. ROMI Enterprises makes Oceanics regulators for example. Palegic makes (or made) their computers.



AWAP, As for a computer with Metric only numbers, that's just firmware. Most computers that's easily upgradeable. newer ones allow the user to switch between them to make it easier to ship globally (as noted in general by I think Tridacna earlier)

 

[RJP]

In some countries with strong consumer protection laws, it is illegal for a manufacturer to dictate retailer policies or to cancel a contract with a retailer because of how the retailer conducts his business.

That's simply untrue as a general statement, particularly in the US.