opinions on entry level dive computers

[Sean Walberg]

my bad - put that in the wrong place.. I meant that for the zoop..

No, the cable is solid and well designed. It is a pretty normal FTDI type of cable but the connector and pinouts are proprietary. It changed since the last generation of watches, otherwise I'd just have built myself a cable since there are schematics for older watches out there.

 

[Esprise Me]

Oh one other point I forgot to mention re the Leonardo: their software to interface with your computer is terrible. Luckily you can use Subsurface instead for free. I just got the cable and downloaded my dives, (and found out I have ascent alarms from when I was literally kneeling on the ocean floor! Yellow warning triangles everywhere! Aaaaaaugh!) but I had to use Subsurface because Cressi's software wouldn't even launch. Also their user manual, which I think you can download for free online without buying anything, reads like it was written by a non-native English speaker.

 

[dmaziuk]

My guess is the computer is a proprietary connector, but the communication protocol is just standard serial.

Since most computers don't come with rs-232 ports anymore, you're looking at a serial-to-usb chip and the attendant drivers for your operating system. Cressi, at least, uses infrared, so their cradle also has IR-to-serial and the drivers for that... which windows 10 apparently didn't have for a while.. and so on. I.e. "just standard serial" tends to be wishful thinking these days. You need at least a Lazer-7 output.

 

[jimmyt]

serial referring to the mode of communication not the port.. lol

the aqua lung has me intrigued... not sure why I wrote it off.. i tried an aeris? that I did not like.. did aeris become aqua lung? or was that oceanic? Cant find much info on it..

 

[scubadada]

serial referring to the mode of communication not the port.. lol

the aqua lung has me intrigued... not sure why I wrote it off.. i tried an aeris? that I did not like.. did aeris become aqua lung? or was that oceanic? Cant find much info on it..

Aeris was a separate brand, along with Oceanic and Hollis, under American Underwater Products. Computers for all three brands manufactured by Pelagic Pressure Systems, also AUP. Aeris was phased out as a brand by AUP before Oceanic and Hollis were purchased by Huish. PPS was purchased by Aqua Lung. PPS manufactures for Aqua Lung, Oceanic, Sherwood, Genesis, Tusa, maybe others. PPS transmitter also used by Shearwater.

Now, that's clear, isn't it?

 

[dmaziuk]

serial referring to the mode of communication not the port.. lol

the aqua lung has me intrigued... not sure why I wrote it off.. i tried an aeris? that I did not like.. did aeris become aqua lung? or was that oceanic? Cant find much info on it..

DiveNav has a bunch of "simulator" videos and training videos as well. I don't think those videos are anything like the real thing, but if you can't get to hold one in a shop, it may be worth a look -- assuming they have one for i300 in the first place.

 

[Canajan]

+ 1 for the zoop novo, mine is still going strong after 3 years, and over 100 dives. The screen is of a decent size to read, and does have backlight when needed.

 

[scubadada]

+ 1 for the zoop novo, mine is still going strong after 3 years, and over 100 dives. The screen is of a decent size to read, and does have backlight when needed.

Be patient, have higher standards, my Oceanic VT3 has 1,286 dives, 1,348 hours, over nearly 9 years. I would imagine, many could beat that.

 

[jimmyt]

That makes perfect sense especially with the way manufacturing is today. I'm assuming the use high quality components and don't cut corners?

="scubadada, post: 8584997, member: 33978"]Aeris was a separate brand, along with Oceanic and Hollis, under American Underwater Products. Computers for all three brands manufactured by Pelagic Pressure Systems, also AUP. Aeris was phased out as a brand by AUP before Oceanic and Hollis were purchased by Huish. PPS was purchased by Aqua Lung. PPS manufactures for Aqua Lung, Oceanic, Sherwood, Genesis, Tusa, maybe others. PPS transmitter also used by Shearwater.

Now, that's clear, isn't it?

 

[dmaziuk]

That makes perfect sense especially with the way manufacturing is today. I'm assuming the use high quality components and don't cut corners?

Suunto apparently has its share of faulty pressure sensors and they don't consider that bad enough to issue a product recall. (Some judge in California does though.)