Should Shearwater add Air Integration to its computers?
- Thread starter boulderjohn
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
- Messages
- 7,660
- Reaction score
- 4,717
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
That's a tad unfair for a company that tries that hard. Feed what you want more of...
How about "Intuitive" instead of simple? If AI scares anyone, don't use it. Or back it up with brass and glass.
How about "Intuitive" instead of simple? If AI scares anyone, don't use it. Or back it up with brass and glass.
Actually, I have such faith in Shearwater's reputation for reliability that I would be surprised if people experience difficulty pairing or any other problems of the types that have been reported with other manufacturers' AI computers. I have to believe that if Shearwater put as much thought and engineering into this as with previous products, so as to protect their brand's reputation, it's going to take AI reliability to a whole new level.
- Messages
- 19,760
- Reaction score
- 18,615
- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
So, anyone who want's a non-AI can buy one, something for everyone
They're using PPS transmitters, so that's a wash. Comparing Shearwater computers with Oceanic, both in person and the posts I have seen, Shearwater computers have needed to be returned for an issue more often. The difference is that Shearwater takes such good care of their customers that people don't even mind (or even seem to remember) that their computer had an issue.
My Oceanic (AI or otherwise) has never hiccuped. The instructor I was diving with for my Solo cert last weekend had a Petrel that was about to go back. It looked like it had water under the screen and was unreadable by the end of the day.
Don't get me wrong. Shearwater is great and I expect to buy a Perdix AI soon. But, it CAN'T be more reliable than my Atom AI has been.
WarrenZ
The Ultimate Bad Example
I would like to be able to define a duplicate gas on my Petrel so by doing a gas switch it will log when I go from my left tank to my right. I assume if I had two xmtrs I could see this in the log but it would be a nice to have on even my Petrel.
I am only basing my comment about Shearwater "ultra-reliability" on my perhaps poor/selective memory of posts here on SB. My perception is that complaints about Shearwater problems are extremely rare compared with other computers. Of course, I am failing to take into account that despite a vocal population of Shearwater owners here on SB, Shearwater computers are still not as common as the major brands. Also, as you point out, their customer service is apparently so good that people either don't bother posting about it when Shearwater quickly fixes a problem for them, or I mistakenly remember their post raving about Shearwater customer service as evidence of high reliability
My 10 year-old Suunto is still working fine, despite what I perceive as a lot of posts complaining of failed depth sensors. I believe I have simply been fortunate, but who really knows what the stats are on reliability of any computer. Maybe there are so many posts about Suunto failures because poor Suunto customer service pisses off people enough to rant about it.
I bought my Petrel 2 a couple of years ago, and I hope it keeps ticking for another 10. Even a Petrel 1 would have been fine with me, as I have never used Bluetooth, rarely use the compass, and haven't even gotten around to installing the Shearwater Desktop software--something I will need to do at some point in order to receive firmware updates. Instead of adding features, I'd rather they find ways to make it even simpler and more reliable.
Last edited:
I am only basing my comment about Shearwater "ultra-reliability" on my perhaps poor/selective memory of posts here on SB. My perception is that complaints about Shearwater problems are extremely rare compared with other computers. Of course, I am failing to take into account that despite a vocal population of Shearwater owners here on SB, Shearwater computers are still not as common as the major brands. Also, as you point out, their customer service is apparently so good that people either don't bother posting about it when Shearwater quickly fixes a problem for them, or I mistakenly remember their post raving about Shearwater customer service as evidence of high reliability
Yep. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You wouldn't see so many posts about how awesome Shearwater customer service is if nobody ever had any reason to contact customer service.... And, as you point out, there aren't THAT many people using SW computers, so all the posts make me think SW owners have a disproportionately high rate of contacting customer service. I can't tell you anything about Oceanic customer service because my Atom just ticks along and I have never had any reason to seek customer service.
Shearwater computers are really good. I'm just saying that, thought their customer service may be The Best, by far, I'm not convinced that their actual reliability is any better than other good quality manufacturers. Reading posts on here about problems in early runs of new models, with body castings or O-rings or battery compartment doors or whatever, and looking at their site and seeing the firmware updates that are available to fix things like incorrect O2 sensor readings is enough to show that their computers are not PERFECT. They are just really, really, really good.
- Messages
- 7,660
- Reaction score
- 4,717
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
You don't have to defend your stance. This isn't "The World According to Shearwater".
I have a Shearwater and I love it. I already enjoy a freebie upgrade that really makes my night diving easier. I am totally exasperated with trying to get the "Big Names" to even acknowledge my existence, let alone my issue.
Honest competition is a wonderful thing. So glad that you love yours.
Similar threads
