SUUNTO DM4 - What other program can I use because DM4 is terrible?

[pasley]

OK, since SUUNTO (great dive compuer, bad dive log program) DM4 has to be the worst computer program ever (calling it a program is giving it more credit than it deserves.) I am forced to buy a 3rd party software to download my dives into a log. DM4 is no where near ready for release or use, and has no manual. To enter your dive buddy and other details you have to log onto the internet, upload your dive from DM4 and then enter the informaion in an online program called MovesCount. I will not use a program that has 2 parts, one on my computer and one on the internet that I have to access seperatly to finish the entries for the log.

What software would you recommend and why to download your dives. Here is what I am looking for:
1. Download eaisly directly from SUUNTO Cobra 3 using the cable.
2. Able to print with out having to make a PFD first. (DM4 you have to do PDF then print the PDF)
3. Records Dive number and keeps track of same. (not available in DM4)
4. Records Time of entry and exit from the water.... Can you belive DM4 does not do that?
5. Accuratly computes SAC
6. Maintains database of my air tanks (cylinders) and their size.
7. Computes PP O2 for Nitrox
8. Computes PP Nitrogen
9. Charts the dive
10. Records dive site Catalina CA, Bird Rock, or Laguna Beach CA, Deadmans Reef (Um, not really in DM4 they have tags, but they are a long list of all your old dive sites, dive boats and dive buddies in one unsorted list. Then there is no obvious way to sort or use these. Maybe if they had a manual....but they don't).
11. Records dive buddy (not in DM4)
12. Dive Boat name or shore dive (not in DM4)
13. Max Depth
14. Bottom time
15. Generous area for notes.
16. Exports to DAN (not in DM4, but I could in DM3)
17. Exports to format SUUNTO DM will inport (just in case SUUNTO ever gets it together).
18. Imports from SUUNTO DM4 and DM3 so I can bring my past dives into it.
19. Does not require me to log into an online program after importing into the on my computer program some of the dive details to enter the rest of the dive details such as dive buddy, location etc. (can you belive DM4 makes you do this), or for me to maintain a online posting of my dives to have all the dive details recorded.
20. Place for visiblity (DM4 has pre-determined ranges of 0-20, 20-60 etc).
21. Place for weather, sunny, rainny, overcast, night dive etc
22. Place for weights used
23. Place for dive gear used, drysuit, wetsuit, 2 piece wetsuit etc.

The programs I am currently looking at are:
Sharkpoint by Dream Dives
Divelob by Seawolf.com
Dive Log 5.0
Scuba base dive log

Anyone out there have any experience with these programs and would recommend or not recommend one over the other and why? Any other programs I should look at?

 

[Slmason.72]

DM4 does most of the things you are asking for... Between it and diveboard.com, I record everythingi want to record including maps, photos, etc. I can access diveboard.com from anywhere and can upload my dives directly from my Suunto (with a plug in).

Paid be interested to find a program that could do all of what you are looking for, but I also want Internet accessibility too.

 

[pasley]

I agree the no manual or online help program DM4 does do some of the things I am asking for and many of them if I also log into MovesCount online and make entries in this stand alone program after uploading my dive there. As an Instructor I make notes about my student on the dive log and do not want these on the internet. I also find it very inconvenient to have to go to two places (DM4 and then Movescount) to log a single dive. I also don't want to go online to finish entering by log information. DM3, with its flaws (all programs have flaws) was much better and did all that I am asking about.

The deal breaker for me on DM4 is as follows without using MovesCount (which I won't use because want one program and student confidentiality) you can't:
1. No dive numbering. Want to know how many dives you have done? SUUNTO said add them up year by year using the DM4 year totals. Want to know which of the 3 dives you just printed out was the 2nd or 3d or 1st dive of the day? Good luck. You have to compare the dive profile in your hand against the dive profile on DM4 and then hand write it onto the printed record.
4. No way to print the dive log unless you first make a PDF (nice feature) of the dive and then open and print the PDF.
5. Notes overprints in the PDF the Start and end pressure numbers
6. No space for Dive Buddies name
7. Do place for Beach or boat dive or dive boats name
8. No manual for the DM4 program. Adding a cylinder is an excise in trial and error until you figure out what number to enter where and what number to let the computer figure out. Two entries Tank Size and Tank Volume. The program puts numbers in these spots when you make an entry in either column. The result, I entered the size of the tank and got very odd SAC rate calculations until I figured out which column to use and which to not use.
9. No Time (down or surface) recorded. Kind of nice to know and helps you figure out which dive was first and last. Nice to know if it was day or night too later on.
10. Visibility recorded in blocks. Example Viz: 20-33 feet.
11. No space for DM name
12. No space for dive gear used. Like to keep track of the weights and gear. Need both to make the record of use.
13. No record on the DM4 of tank size.
14. No record of boat or shore dive.
15. Waste a lot of ink with dark 1/2 inch wide bar of black ink at top and bottom of page.
In short you pay a lot of money for a dive computer that you can download and that captures a lot of information every 10 seconds, and they give you a program to go with the $100 cable that provides you so little of the captured information and allows you to add so little.

On the plus side, it does give me more room for my notes.

So no, I will not be using DM4, nor will I recommend the purchase of a SUUNTO downloadable dive computer in the near future until they either fix DM4 or come out with DM5 (and it fixes the problems).

So far Dive log 5.0 appears to do everything I am looking for (and that DM3 did and a bit more) and I can customize the print out too. Just looking for anyone with other suggestions or a history of using any of these programs and their feelings on them.

 

[Slmason.72]

It does record beginning of dive time, but only in the my dives column. You can also set tank size on the details tab. Weights are set in the my notes tab as well as viz and weather. There is ample room for notes on this same tab. You can enter boat, DM, etc in notes as well as set up each as a tag for easier recall later. dive time, max depth, max depth temp, etc are in the summary tab. Most of it is there, just not in a user friendly interface.

Not having to much experience with other programs, I've just made it work for me. I'll check out divelog 5.0

 

[pasley]

What I need is for it to be in the PDF that I print out. I need this record for my hard copy records and for my student files. SUUNTO makes a great dive computer, but the DM4 has me looking elsewhere for the next dive computer I buy or recommend. The program has no manual, is not user friendly and is halfbaked.

DM4 also relies on MovesCount for the imput of much of the information that use to be part of SDM 3. MovesCount makes sense for joggers, runners and bicycles, but not scuba. As I said before I am not interested in a "Look at me, I did this much exercise" on the internet.

 

[skankpile]

Cochran does that and more, but their software is written in caveman and a pain to use.The Gemini unquestionably has the best logging capability for recreational but it also costs about 3 times what your Suunto disposable computer does.

 

[reefduffer]

The turnabout wrt dive logging software is too funny not to mention this, although my tongue is firmly in my cheek ...
Take a look at MacDive
Of course, you'll need to switch to a Mac to run it ... :cool2:

No, if you're a Windows user I'm not really expecting you to switch to a Mac to upload your Suunto dive data.
Any more than I'd switch to Windows, as has often been suggested as a solution over the years.
Here's a fun read: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo: Steve Ballmer and Corporate America
Lovin' it.

 

[muzikbiz22]

The turnabout wrt dive logging software is too funny not to mention this, although my tongue is firmly in my cheek ...
Take a look at MacDive
Of course, you'll need to switch to a Mac to run it ... :cool2:

No, if you're a Windows user I'm not really expecting you to switch to a Mac to upload your Suunto dive data.
Any more than I'd switch to Windows, as has often been suggested as a solution over the years.
Here's a fun read: How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo: Steve Ballmer and Corporate America
Lovin' it.

+1 for MacDive.