Suunto and HP PDA

[Ranger275]

Does anyone know if any suunto dive computer is downloadable to an HP PDA? My particular computer is the Suunto Vytec. I read mostly about the palm pilot software but cannot find any information on any other brands.

Ranger275

 

[PurduEE]

Does anyone know if any suunto dive computer is downloadable to an HP PDA? My particular computer is the Suunto Vytec. I read mostly about the palm pilot software but cannot find any information on any other brands.

Ranger275

You'd need a serial port - a CF serial port is the easiest way to go about this. Here's the cheapest I could find:
http://store.yahoo.com/westcoastmicro/rscoflpcseio.html
(this assumes you have a 2215, 5xxx series or something that can use a CF card. 4xxx/19xx series will not work)

In addition, you'd need some software to read from the Vytec. Unfortunately, I've never seen such a beast, probably due to an inability to connect directly to a dive computer (unlike the Palm Vs, IIIs, etc., with their native serial ports.)

You might think that you could use the USB cable for connecting to a dive 'puter, but unfortunately, the HP PDAs only support a USB 'slave' mode, which means that the PDA can connect to other devices (like your desktop) via USB, but cannot have other devices connect to the PDA (like a USB mouse, keyboard, etc.). Toshiba had a PDA that supported USB master and slave mode, but even then, you'd need a driver to support a USB->serial adapter, which I'm not sure existed for Xscale/Arm PDAs. Primarily, it was for using USB keyboards with the Toshiba device.

It probably wouldn't be hard to write an application to do it, but I don't think there are enough people willing to spend the money to do it.

You can find Palm V's on overstock.com for less than $100. I'd get one of those and just use it for downloading dives if you are so inclined. Get a 5xx Palm and dump the dive data to an SD card and you could re-open it in the PDA. It's messy, but it's the solution most likely to work and end up with the data in your HP PDA...

I've got a 5555, which one do you have?

 

[Ranger275]

I personaly have a HP iPAQ 2215 so the CF serial port should work. I thought about the palm but was more comfortable with microsoft software so went with the HP. It has worked well up to this point for all my needs. Now I am interested in taking something smaller than my laptop on my dive trips to download dives. Thank you for all the information, It looks as though I'll just get a cheap PALM V through overstock and go that route. Is the PADI software the only PDA software that you are aware of?


Ranger275

 

[scubarick275]

I got a dive log program for my handspring off the web. It was a palm website. It cost me 10$ to download it. I'll check at the house and get back to you

 

[mars2u]

I personaly have a HP iPAQ 2215 so the CF serial port should work. I thought about the palm but was more comfortable with microsoft software so went with the HP. It has worked well up to this point for all my needs. Now I am interested in taking something smaller than my laptop on my dive trips to download dives. Thank you for all the information, It looks as though I'll just get a cheap PALM V through overstock and go that route. Is the PADI software the only PDA software that you are aware of?


Ranger275

Check out my website and look under the SCUBA section. There is free software and the ability to upload directly from your Vytec. I use Aqua Divelog and it works great. My site has info and links that you can look at.

 

[Ranger275]

Thanks Damir, your website was great with good information.

Ranger275

 

[Ranger275]

Look forward to hearing from you scubarick275.


Ranger275

 

[mars2u]

Thanks Damir, your website was great with good information.

Ranger275

I'm glad I could help. The divelog is actually very good and gets all the info I need from the vytec. Plus it graphs out the entire dive for you including any "warnings" and "messages".
Besides, you cna't beat "free".