Shearwater Peregrine TX battery reliability

[vaughnd]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a Peregrine TX. I use an apple watch ultra as my daily watch and backup computer, so I'm keen on a console-style computer for legibility. My only worry is the rechargeable battery. I'm in Cape Town, South Africa, so there's no official service center although Shearwater is sold by two shops in SA. I only do recreational air and nitrox <40m diving, so I don't need all the extras that the more expensive Shearwater's offer, but I do like the user-replaceable AA battery. Air integration is a non-negotiable.

My question is whether the battery in the Peregrine TX is reliable?

I just had a Mares Sirius refuse to charge on any charging pad while on an RA trip, so I'm naturally wary of rechargeable kit now. Also trying to find a half-AAA battery for the Mares transmitter in remote locations is impossible, so saner design choices would be great. My apple watch has been fine with charging, so it could just be Mares quality. Seeing as I also had a Mares Smart freeze up on me and need to be replaced, straps unscrew themselves, straps split, etc. I think I'm officially done with Mares computers now.

Thanks,
Vaughn

 

[d^2b]

The main issue reported with Shearwater is the horrible mobile app. It is extremely challenging (read: barely possible) to get that to sync with your dive computer. Connecting to the Peregrine via laptop is no problem, but I leave mine home while on vacation. If they ever fix the app, I will have zero to complain about with Shearwater in my limited experience.

I'm a lug the laptop on vacation guy, and a linux user, so I probably can't offer too much practical advice, but I wonder if subsurface mobile would work any better for you? I know that many people find it easier to connect subsurface mobile on the phone than on laptops.

 

[hancockks]

I'm a lug the laptop on vacation guy, and a linux user, so I probably can't offer too much practical advice, but I wonder if subsurface mobile would work any better for you? I know that many people find it easier to connect subsurface mobile on the phone than on laptops.

Use subsurface. Available on iPhone, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux. You can always export from Subsurface to something else.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I've had a Peregrine for 3 years that spends most of it's time dry, no issues with the computer. I just upgraded to a TX for the AI based on my very positive experience with the Peregrine.

The main issue reported with Shearwater is the horrible mobile app. It is extremely challenging (read: barely possible) to get that to sync with your dive computer. Connecting to the Peregrine via laptop is no problem, but I leave mine home while on vacation. If they ever fix the app, I will have zero to complain about with Shearwater in my limited experience.

Huh??? I’ve never had a single issue getting my iPhone with the SW app to sync to my Shearwater computers over the past 13 years of using them. I mean NEVER.

 

[tursiops]

Huh??? I’ve never had a single issue getting my iPhone with the SW app to sync to my Shearwater computers over the past 13 years of using them. I mean NEVER.

And I've never had a problem with my various Android phones over the years and models, with any of my various Shearwater computers. I can't say the same thing about uploading to my various Windows laptops, on which the Bluetooth syncing is marginal.

 

[Erik Anderson]

Huh??? I’ve never had a single issue getting my iPhone with the SW app to sync to my Shearwater computers over the past 13 years of using them. I mean NEVER.

Appreciate you relaying your experience, but that hasn't been mine. Troubleshooting guides, YT, and hard resets, firmware updates, SW uninstalls have been successful only in getting sporadic connectivity.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Appreciate you relaying your experience, but that hasn't been mine. Troubleshooting guides, YT, and hard resets, firmware updates, SW uninstalls have been successful only in getting sporadic connectivity.

Not sure what is going on with your device, but your experience is highly unusual and not normal. Connecting Shearwaters to laptops is far more problematic for most. But connecting to iPhone and Android devices is solid for a very large majority of users.

Have you contacted Shearwater for troubleshooting assistance?

One thought but I doubt this is it. I use ExpressVPN on my iPhone and iPad. It blocks the bluetooth connection to Shearwater, at least for me. I have to turn it off and everything is fine. I then turn it back on after I'm finished downloading. I doubt you are experiencing something that simple, but thought I'd share.

 

[Erik Anderson]

Not sure what is going on with your device, but your experience is highly unusual and not normal. Connecting Shearwaters to laptops is far more problematic for most. But connecting to iPhone and Android devices is solid for a very large majority of users.

Have you contacted Shearwater for troubleshooting assistance?

Ironically, my laptop has no issues and recognized the new TX immediately. Based on the reviews in the G Play store, I'm not alone with my app experience and connectivity. Perhaps compatibility is less robust for Android than Apple?

When I first experienced it, I sent a couple emails to SW which directed me to try the Legacy UI, cycle power/BT, etc. Since I was able to connect to the laptop, I chalked it up to a flaky app, and accepted that I'd have to populate dives to my phone via the cloud and not direct from the dive computer.

 

[GreggS]

And I've never had a problem with my various Android phones over the years and models, with any of my various Shearwater computers. I can't say the same thing about uploading to my various Windows laptops, on which the Bluetooth syncing is marginal.

This is the same experience I have. No problem connecting my Android phone to my Peregrine TX but my Windows 11 desktop refuses to recognize it. So I download to my Pixel and import to my Windows desktop.

 

[tursiops]

This is the same experience I have. No problem connecting my Android phone to my Peregrine TX but my Windows 11 desktop refuses to recognize it. So I download to my Pixel and import to my Windows desktop.

I download to my Samsung S24+, upload to the SW Cloud, then download from that to my desktop.

 

[GreggS]

I download to my Samsung S24+, upload to the SW Cloud, then download from that to my desktop.

Well, yeah. I just didn't include every step.