Oye, Investment time!

[Kaffphine]

Ok, computer... ah wrist or consol mount and extended bottom time by not penziling you with a square profile. As of the beginning of the week that's what I knew about computers. Quick trip to LDS is starting to fix that. Dive shop's main line is Suunto, but they'll order anything I want.

Here's my questions to the vast hold of knowledge this board has.

*Air intergraded computers- Is the use you've gotten out of the additional information, both during & after dive, been worth the additional cost?

* LCD screens in cold water- Somewhere I heard/read that in cold water the LCD readout is slowed down a bit. Is this a display only thing, or does the cold actually affect the speed the computer does it's thing?

*When I'm looking around, what kind of questions should I be asking?

Right now the only thing the computer has to have is Nitrox capabilty.

 

[sumguy]

I have the Oceanic Data Max Pro Plus, and to me, the air integration was worth the extra cost. But, it might not be to the next diver.
As far as the LCD slowing down in cold temps, my owner's manual says that it is just the display, not the computer itself.
As far as what questions to ask, others here may be more helpful, but I would think you'd need to decide if you want a computer that's more conservative, or less. User-changeable batteries? Will you be needing to track more than one gas mix? Do you need gauge mode?
These are just some off the top of my head.
Hope they help.

Oh, and imho, if you get a computer in a console, make sure you get the quick disconnect, so you can take your computer with you, to do your log, etc., without having your reg dangle along.

 

[Dee]

I agree with Sumguy...I have the DMPP, too. I'm very anal about my logbook entries and keeping up with my SAC rate so the air in/air out reading is important to me. The quick disconect is well worth the extra money. It can be stored better for protection, and when on a trip can be taken with you for downloading/logging without having to take your whole reg set-up.

I like all the features, it's easy to read and falls in the mid-range of conservativeness. It has user replaceable batteries, easily found anywhere, but my LDS has told me that it's better to let him change the batteries. Why? If the computer floods, he is responsible and will replace the computer!

And last but not least, Oceanic really stands behind their products.

 

[Fishkiller]

Last year when I decided to spend my money on either the Aeris 500AI or the Cobra

I felt that the Air intigration was well worth it, I haven't really been in cold water but the Computer will work just fine as long as you stay within it's operation limits.

I chose the Aeris 500AI for two major reasons. First was the cost I found a source that saved me $300USD Complete with Compass and quick disconnect, and downloader, and it wasn't online. the second was the display itself it was large easy to read and is easy to use

the Aeris is Nitrox compatible and I highly recommend it

 

[Tavi]

I dive with the Suunto Cobra, I like it a lot. The quick disconnect is a big plus. All my dives are logged on paper and on my PC thanks to Suunto Dive Manager. It even shows your dives in graph form showing nitrogen loading at any point in the dive. I like the air integration, I think it is worth the extra $. Besides PSI it gives me remaining air time. It is Nitrox programable. If you plan on diving Nitrox put it in Nitrox mode and leave it there. It will go to 21% by default.
It also has a guage mode for those dives that are planned using tables or computer generated tables.

My wife and son both have the same computer. We wouldn't have spent that much $ if we didn't think it was a great product!
I give it a

Good luck in your quest!

 

[Kaffphine]

Thanks guys, I knew there was a good reason I deprived myself of some good hours of sleep every night.

Air Intergraded- I assume the computer connects directly to the HP hose. This would make it impossilbe to also have an analog pressure gauge, right. Dead batt/implosion/unkown electronic problem and you lose time, depth and pressure gauges. How often and what kinds of problems does an air intergraded electonic set-up have?

 

[Tavi]

The Cobra has a battery power indicator. The only way you'd end up with a dead battery is if you ignore it. Batterys last a long time too.
If you have a 1st stage with 2 HP ports you could still have an Analog Pressure Guage.I have heard of people doing this.
I have only heard of 2 people having problems with the Cobra. 1 was here on the boards (you could do a search). The other was a freind who's Cobra just died after 10 dives.
I have a mosquito I use for back up. If I ever had a problem with the cobra on a trip I could put a SPG in it's place and not have to stay dry for 24 hrs.