Purchasing your first dive computer. A non-technical approach.

[Hoag]

I wouldn't bet against you. You have done hundreds if not a thousand dives more than I have. But I stand by my assertion that "after hundreds of dives, a diver doesn't need to look at a computation of 'Air Time Remaining'--he has a pretty good feel for what the number is." After a couple of hundred dives on 60-80 foot reefs, I don't need to look at my SPG nearly as often as I did when those dives were new to me.

@Lorenzoid, your assertion/assumption is really only valid if those "couple of hundred dives on 60-80 foot reefs" are done with some degree of regularity and/or consistency. I am a "destination diver. I might go a year or more between dive trips and only get into the pool as a self refresher a few times between those trips. I can tell you for a fact, that after going for a year to 18 months, the first few dives I do will have very little in common with the last few dives I do on any given trip when it comes to my air consumption. It will take a few dives to "knock the rust off". If all I have to rely on is an SPG, then the info I am getting is X PSI. At the start of a trip, that value will give me a totally different amount of bottom time than the same value will 20 dives later at the end of the week. If an AI computer tells me that I have Y minutes of ATR, then it doesn't matter if it is my 1st dive of the trip, or the last dive of the trip.

Your logic that an SPG gives you everything you need is analogous to saying "I don't need matches or a lighter because I can make fire by rubbing sticks together." It might be true, but it is not always the best way for everyone. This may be especially true for a new diver such as the OP who has less than 100 dives.

 

[ronscuba]

Yup, unless I've clicked on one of the alerts in the top right I exclusively access scubaboard via the "new posts" link. Unless you investigate, the site doesn't tell you what section a given post is in. Actually, I guess it does say at the top of the page what section a thread is in. I never noticed it before.

This also happens when someone finds a scubaboard post via a google search. I'd bet it's more common than to actually sort through the list of subforums manually.

In the end, the OP asked for an opinion on dive computers. I can't think of a single one, including the shearwater computers, mares puck, everything in between, that would not work well for a new diver. Everything else is merely a matter of opinion.

Unless I am researching something in particular, I usually click on recent posts.

The op actually was not asking for opinions. He/she told telling their story on how they got the computer they were looking for. Something basic, easy to use and affordable. The title of the thread was very fitting and is located in the new divers section.

The thread like many other equipment threads changed towards more technical aspects. Useful information being shared, but maybe more fitting in a separate thread.

 

[Lorenzoid]

@Lorenzoid, your assertion/assumption is really only valid if those "couple of hundred dives on 60-80 foot reefs" are done with some degree of regularity and/or consistency. . . .

Right. It's an individual thing. The more frequently one dives, and the more similar the dives are to each other, the less frequently one may feel a need to look at their gauge.

Your logic that an SPG gives you everything you need is analogous to saying "I don't need matches or a lighter because I can make fire by rubbing sticks together." It might be true, but it is not always the best way for everyone. This may be especially true for a new diver such as the OP who has less than 100 dives.

Again, I have never taken the position that what works for a diver with a few hundred similar dives under his belt works for someone with only a few dives, who dives irregularly, or whose diving varies, etc. My thinking with regard to people in the OP's situation was that what he as a new diver may believe he needs may not be what he feels later on that he needs. When I was a new diver, I probably had my eyes glued to my SPG out of fear of running out of air. AI may or may not be of interest to someone after a few hundred dives--it all depends. I have never dived with an AI computer, but my wife did, and she eventually got rid of it in favor of a traditional SPG. She says she doesn't miss AI.

As for the analogy, if I could consistently and reliably start a fire using sticks rather than a lighter, I would probably opt for that method. That's just how I am. If I could grow gills and dive without the distraction of any gauges at all, that would be the ultimate solution to me. The less gear, the less stuff, the fewer things with batteries, etc., the happier I am. I fully realize not everyone thinks that way. As I said in a previous post, I think some people simply enjoy gear and technology for its own sake--electronic stuff, looking at display screens, more data rather than less data, etc., and that's fine for them. Whatever floats one's boat.

 

[dmaziuk]

Only a few issues with that -
1) figure out what type of diving - I know what I want right now but I don't know what I don't know.
2) Read the manual??? I am a man, we don't need no stinking manual....

Joking

I do read the manuals (it's in my job description), but that aside:

• buy a computer with functions you want within your desired budget

That is, deep blu is about the only "brand" I can think of whose long-term reliability is not known as they haven't been around long. And as for the "functions you need" it is pretty much any computer nowadays, the only really meaningful ones are hosed/hoseless air integration and colour screen.

Not joking.

 

[Joneill]

I do read the manuals (it's in my job description), but that aside:

• buy a computer with functions you want within your desired budget

That is, deep blu is about the only "brand" I can think of whose long-term reliability is not known as they haven't been around long. And as for the "functions you need" it is pretty much any computer nowadays, the only really meaningful ones are hosed/hoseless air integration and colour screen.

Not joking.

"Functions" that might drive a decision could also include things like:

• Mounting options/ease of mounting: straps, bungee, ability to add to a console, etc.,
• User interface: Number and type of buttons and intutiveness of navigation and settings changes
• Electronic compass versus no compass
• Replaceable battery (and type) versus rechargeable battery
• Ease of log download (cable vs bluetooth)
• Support on 3rd party log programs
• Layout/presentation of data on screen and ability to customize display
• Algorithm and ability to customize
• Audible (should be banned ) versus visual alarms
• Lock out "feature" if computer is not followed versus no lock-out

 

[dmaziuk]

"Functions" that might drive a decision could also include things like:

• Algorithm and ability to customize

And that is exactly where SB threads on new computer go to become useless, as the OP stated.

Audible alarms are good for you and if you have a problem with lock-outs you shouldn't be diving.

 

[scubadada]

"Functions" that might drive a decision could also include things like:

• Algorithm and ability to customize

And that is exactly where SB threads on new computer go to become useless, as the OP stated.

For some divers, yes, for you, no. The OP has not been here since April 2

 

[stuartv]

No, this computer does not factor RN so you will need to work those solutions with the tables but we all do that anyway to validate what the computer is telling us, right?

I don't. And I have never noticed anyone on a boat that I was on consulting tables, either.

SDI OW doesn't require learning tables and I think PADI OW doesn't either, any more. So many recent OW grads probably don't even know HOW to do that.

Why? Because modern computers are so reliable that those training agencies have determined there is not a need for people do that. A computer may die and not tell them anything. Or it may have a pressure transducer go bad and give obviously wrong depth readings (with equally wrong NDLs). But, if it appears to be working correctly, then the displayed NDL is presumed to be correct.

 

[Joneill]

And that is exactly where SB threads on new computer go to become useless, as the OP stated.

I disagree - one of my dive buddies has a Zoop and it is way too conservative in my opinion. Especially on multi day, multo dives per day trips, it's sending him up and even indicating deco at times way before my Shearwater ever would . I stay down longer and have had no issues (and no deco obligations) so I, personally, would not want a computer with the Suunto algorithm limiting my dives needlessly.

Audible alarms are good for you and if you have a problem with lock-outs you shouldn't be diving.

To me, audible alarms are a little annoying, especially since no one ever seems to know whose computer is pinging - many times, I've seen multiple folks looking around bewildered when alarms start sounding. However, to my point, if you want that function then it will drive the computer you choose (excludes Shearwaters, for example). The vibration alarms on the Ratio computers seems a better idea as the user will know when it is their computer alarming.

With respect to lockout, I also would not want an overly conservative computer locking me out if I did not follow it exactly - I don't plan on not following it, but I want to decide my risk tolerance myself.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I disagree - one of my dive buddies has a Zoop and it is way too conservative in my opinion. Especially on multi day, multo dives per day trips, it's sending him up and even indicating deco at times way before my Shearwater ever would . I stay down longer and have had no issues (and no deco obligations) so I, personally, would not want a computer with the Suunto algorithm limiting my dives needlessly.

On the other hand, thousands of people all over the world, including many divemasters who lead hordes of vacationers on dives every day, are happily using Suuntos.