Perdix (Last deco STOP)

[npole]

Maybe you should design and build your own dive computer you can get everything you want ?

I would, but I do have another job, scuba diving is my hobby so I pay others to develop the nice tools I use to get fun.

Most folks are perfectly happy with the customization/configurability of the Shearwater screens...

I'm not sure about the "most" ... but people who are happy with something that could be improved are the same ones who were happy to work inside those caissons back in the time (and die because of it). We have a brain, and due to our experience we driven the innovation, otherwise you'll be just another sheep.

 

[npole]

Curious - why would you need to see water temperature continously?

I use to compare what I feel with what is measurable. It's a reinsurance that I'm diving in a certain condition (the temperature is part of it) if I can have a immediate response. You may don't care about the environment around you, but knowing those details it helps me to better manage the dive. That's the difference between me and you, and that's why a proper diving computer should be made configurable to suit every diver requirement.

However you shouldn't even ask to me why I would like to see the temperature, you should ask (to yourself?) why a 1000€ computer cannot be set to show the temperature on the main screen in TEC mode. That's the real question.

 

[tbone1004]

I use to compare what I feel with what is measurable. It's a reinsurance that I'm diving in a certain condition (the temperature is part of it) if I can have a immediate response. You may don't care about the environment around you, but knowing those details it helps me to better manage the dive. That's the difference between me and you, and that's why a proper diving computer should be made configurable to suit every diver requirement.

However you shouldn't even ask to me why I would like to see the temperature, you should ask (to yourself?) why a 1000€ computer cannot be set to show the temperature on the main screen in TEC mode. That's the real question.

because it isn't a useful variable to look at compared to the other things that you need to see front and center on the dive screen. It is certainly uncommon that you will be diving with frequent fluctuations in temperature and it's a single button push to find the temp.
In tec mode you have more important things to be looking at.

regarding seeing "air" or not in rec mode, if you set it to air, of course it's air, but what else do you want to be seeing instead of gas, and then would you be upset that if you accidentally or intentionally programmed a second gas and didn't know what gas you were breathing?

 

[Joneill]

I use to compare what I feel with what is measurable. It's a reinsurance that I'm diving in a certain condition (the temperature is part of it) if I can have a immediate response. You may don't care about the environment around you, but knowing those details it helps me to better manage the dive. That's the difference between me and you, and that's why a proper diving computer should be made configurable to suit every diver requirement.

However you shouldn't even ask to me why I would like to see the temperature, you should ask (to yourself?) why a 1000€ computer cannot be set to show the temperature on the main screen in TEC mode. That's the real question.

I don't view temp as a variable that I need to monitor that closely and not sure why anyone would? In any event, you can configure the Perdix AI to show temp on the main screen in TEC mode:

 

[Joneill]

I'm not sure about the "most" ... but people who are happy with something that could be improved are the same ones who were happy to work inside those caissons back in the time (and die because of it). We have a brain, and due to our experience we driven the innovation, otherwise you'll be just another sheep.

My comment was based on the fact that, in my albeit limited time here on SB, you are the only person I've ever seen have any real issue with the customization/configurability of the Perdix screens. It is probably the most configurable DC on the market, but feel free to suggest improvements to Shearwater as they appear to continually improve their products and do participate here on SB.

 

[npole]

@TBone: leave to me the decision of what is important or not for my dive. You can set to time of the day as well on the main screen, is it more important than the water temperature during a dive? Maybe for some people it is... if they booked a restaurant after. It's not just about the temperature, I tried to explain it already: it's due to the restrictions put in place for no reason. It's my dive, I should decide my profile, the constructor should only give me the tools.

@Joneill: thank you, can you put it in the lower left or right corner? Can you change that PO2 to something else? Can i have the mini screen with the tank pressure, the GTR and the SAC in TEC like the one you have in REC mode? I can continue the list if you wish... as I replied to tbone: it's not just about the temperature, it's about the limitations that could be easily eliminated with a more open software. It's 2017, yes it is the most configurable computer on the market, that is the reason of why I'm using it instead of another one, and it could be improved. One of this improvement is to leave to the final user the possibility to configure the screen with what he/she really needs, and not with the info you guess they could be useful. We're all different divers.

 

[BazzaB]

The main problem here however is another, I think I paid enough to have a fully configurable computer (or that what I believed initially), but I'm finding restrictions arbitrary placed here and there with no apparent reason.

Why did you spend 1000 € on a computer that does not meet your requirements ?

 

[Alastor]

Ok, you bought a computer that was the lesser of two evils, but you are still not completely satisfied.
While in TEC mode you have more configurability and, yes you can have the miniscreen and some other info on the main screen, let's try to imagine that, even if it appear a restriction placed intentionally, usually in the SW is the opposite: you have to intentionally allow a function, not only having a configuration for it, but also in the routines that manage the display during a dive.
As a provocatory, but not so much, proposat to Shearwater engineers, we could ask to make every portion of the main screen configurable, either in TEC and REC mode, having still an Easy REC mode where the user has what, according Shearwater design, shall be in the minimal display (the actual REC).
Having the ability to completely change what appears on the main screen, every user will be free to put what they need on the main screen, even getting rid of depth and dive time (!).
It wouldn't surprise me if the majority of Perdix users will not change so much the main screen.

 

[npole]

Why did you spend 1000 € on a computer that does not meet your requirements ?

Because the other (computers) doesn't meet them at an even higher level.

 

[npole]

Ok, you bought a computer that was the lesser of two evils, but you are still not completely satisfied.
While in TEC mode you have more configurability and, yes you can have the miniscreen and some other info on the main screen, let's try to imagine that, even if it appear a restriction placed intentionally, usually in the SW is the opposite: you have to intentionally allow a function, not only having a configuration for it, but also in the routines that manage the display during a dive.
As a provocatory, but not so much, proposat to Shearwater engineers, we could ask to make every portion of the main screen configurable, either in TEC and REC mode, having still an Easy REC mode where the user has what, according Shearwater design, shall be in the minimal display (the actual REC).
Having the ability to completely change what appears on the main screen, every user will be free to put what they need on the main screen, even getting rid of depth and dive time (!).
It wouldn't surprise me if the majority of Perdix users will not change so much the main screen.

Ideally the screen should be fully configurable and divided in cells, they could leave the basic system as it is now, and add a PC application (or mobile app) where you can design your own GUI and place the data you want (from all the ones available) inside each cell of the predefined grid. It looks something complex, but it's really easy to do (for a dev), and it's a very old solution for this type of applications (not necessarily linked to the scuba diving world). A RaspBerry (to mention a small computer) can do this and a lot more for $30 ...if someone will design a nice underwater case for it, it would be awesome!

Returning to the reality, you can have both worlds living in the same instrument: want it easy? Leave everything at default; Want it to be fully customized? Do your nerd things and embrace the freedom of the fully customization.

Removing the depth from the main screen? Why not? I can use two computers and in normal operations I may decide to leave the depth off from one of them, and show something more useful for me, while I could switch it back for redundancy in case of emergency.
The options are endless, that's why it's important to give to the operator the complete freedom, and to not apply restrictions (especially if the restriction is not there due to some technical limitation).

I agree, most won't be bothered to change the main screen much, but I'm sure that all of them will make those little adjustments to make it perfect for their needs. I do not ask to fix a major flaw, I'm asking to improve a product trying to make it "perfect" for any application.