SUUNTO Cobra Issues?

[The Chairman]

Hey all,
Of course the previous reply applies specifically to a Cobra... I should think the Vyper would be similar.

Pete from Orlando

 

[Warhammer]

How old is your Vyper? Reason I ask is that some of them can't be switched back and forth. I seem to remember that there are 3 different models of the Vyper and a new model being released this August. Only one of those 3 and the new release can be switched between metric and imperial. But all were available in either or. Also seems like the ones that were switchable had round buttons and the ones that couldn't had square, but don't hold me to it.

 

[bio guy]

Pete...Warhammer. Thanks for the info. Here is the scoop. When I get to "set pref", I get "2 pref" not "3 pref".(1 - light, 2 - nitrox/air/guage) I am trying to remember when I purchased mine. I would have to dig out the receipt, but it was the spring of last year. My buttons are round, but it appears I don't have that option. I'll contact suunto about it. Its probably just a program upgrade (Hopefully). Anyway thanks again for the info. If I get a response from suunto, I'll post it for others who may want unit switching on their older units.

Cheers

 

[Warhammer]

You can contact a guy that goes by EINS on Rodale's forum and the California BBS. I know he just went through this same issue with his Vyper. I believe he found out that his wasn't upgradeable and had to buy a diferent model.

 

[bio guy]

Thanks Warhammer. I have a funny feeling I'll run into the same problem. Frankly, it seems to me that it should be similar to flashing a new bios, but I'll see what the suunto people say. I learned to dive using imperial units, but living in a metric country, and considering the studies I do are often conducted using metric units, it would definitely be a handy feature.

Cheers

 

[triggertravel]

Does anyone have an opinon on whether the Cobra is better than the Aeris 500ai? We are trying to decide between the two.

 

[The Chairman]

So hey Trigertravel...

Which one did you finally pick? I think this thread got screwed when they were messing with their servers.

Pete from Orlando...

 

[bluebanded goby]

To respond to one question posed a while back on this thread ...

I've owned a Suunto Cobra dive computer for the past six months, but like a lot of people I've found the cost of the PC interface (~$150) very pricey. Looking around on the web I found several sites with schematics by which you can build your own for about $10 or less in parts. I picked one design I liked the best, lashed it together in an evening, and then used it in conjunction with Suunto's Dive Manager software that they give away for free at their web site. Voila, I saved myself $150 and can now graph my dives and replay them moment by scintillating moment.

I should also note that, while I'm not an electronics professional, I've been building kits like shortwave radios for many years and am comfortable around a soldering iron. The Suunto computers seem to be reasonably tolerant of minor hiccups like reversed polarity on the interface contacts, but proceed at your own risk and only if you are comfortable putting a circuit together.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Since my last post, I have taken this Cobra into salt water, where it was off by 4ft. (reading shallow)on one dive, but correct on another 12 dives. I sent the computer back to SUUNTO (I never did get any response from them to emails) where they kept it for six weeks, tested it, declared it good and sent it back - they claim they didn't do anything to it other than test it.
Since getting it back, I have made six lake dives and several pool sessions with it, with no depth errors. I'm taking it to the Florida springs (site of the original errors) this weekend, and to the Gulf the following weekend. I will report after these two trips.
The Vyper that misread depth back in March has made about forty dives since then, both fresh and salt without any more errors.
Rick

 

[Warhammer]

My Cobra has around 30 dives on it now, I've been randomly checking it's depth indication since you reported your problems and so far it's been accurate. I'll definately keep an eye on it though.