Curt Bowen
Contributor
Shearwater is the only answer needed
Tec Computer
- Thread starter MyronGanes
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packrat12
Contributor
Stuartv - I will say it again. Those divers you mentioned dive a TON compared to you. You may want to review the EN recovery - One of them was on the recovery team. I do not think your experiences equate with theirs. I know I dive 2 computers each dive, every so often 3. This gives a lot of computer years and dives compared to yours. I have about 1/2 or more of your total dives from this year alone. I do not even remotely compare to Jon or Kristi in quantity, complexity or difficulty of my dives! I expect them to have more failures then you or I. Around the South Florida technical community, I barely dive. By far, the most common computer here for technical diving is the Shearwater. This means that they are going to see issues, failures and repairs. My Shearwaters are smashed into wrecks, deep gouges on the screen, are dropped, pried etc. Comparing recreational use to technical use is not even remotely correct. And it is not if there is an issue, it is how it is handled. Shearwater is ALWAYS responsive and proactive. There is an open line to the Owner Bruce, his wife Lynn and the other main leads in the manufacturing of the computer. Try that with your Oceanic, H3 (oops failed) or any SP gear!
Lets look at the H3 - Broken screws, Dive: No, Dead batteries over short time, Dive: No, Current Warranty Honored: No. And these issues are off of the top of my head. SP may have offered a replacement but it is not what was purchased or even equivalent! That is a failure. I know that I still get Shearwater Predators serviced, 2 generations ago.
Lets look at the Hollis TX-1 you got - Why did it jump to a 30' deco stop???? That is a critical fault. I would not use it as a primary or secondary computer until it is understood...PERIOD. You talk a lot about software issues - That is a SERIOUS one! I in no way would trust it until it is understood. Second issue: temperature off.... Manufacturing QC?
Look at the release notes for Shearwater. They will explain issues and what was done to correct them. If it was a serious issue, they may even do a specific write up about it. I have yet to see Oceanic write up why a firmware change was made in theirs.
I have 3 Oceanic ProPlus 3. One had a temp issue also. Oceanic responded quickly and appropriately. I have had 1 hang for no reason and another have a one-time fault while diving. Ok for recreational but not technical.
Stuartv - This is about technical computers. They must work and work correctly. When you start doing more dives at this level, you will learn that having to worry about the battery, reliability or functionality of your computers should be the last thing on your mind. I would have suspected that you would have caught the TX-1 issue when it happened if you were doing more technical diving. I know I would NEVER surface with a computer having Deco obligations on it regardless of primary or backup. The purpose of having a backup computer is to validate the primary as well as having alternatives in a failure.
As for buying the Kool-Aid - It is apparent even from your title "pesterer of scubanati" that you do not want to learn anything from those before you, especially experienced technical divers.
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also keep in mind that unlike the PPS computers where firmware and hardware updates almost never happen, and can't really happen because most people don't own the download cables to actually upgrade them, there will be bugs. The bugs happen as a function of continuous improvement to make the computers better. Some things have been upgraded, and yes there have been some hardware problems, my buddy had something go wrong with his battery compartment and his Petrel 2 ish years out of warranty? They fixed it no problem. Should the problem have happened? No, but his computer was built prior to the hardware upgrades so they upgraded it for free. Stuff happens, life goes on, but these computers are going on far more rigorous dives than most of the other computers out there. OSTC is the only company that I think comes somewhat close, but now that Shearwater is the dominant CCR computer for the eCCR's I think there is really no comparison....
Where did I compare my experience with those people? My statement that I don't know about Oceanic customer service? Really? You take that statement to mean that I think my experience is any way comparable to the people on the EN recovery team??!?! Do you think that people diving at that level are the only people who ever had a warranty issue with a SW computer??
Re: TX-1: I don't know. I'm working on finding out. It's fine that you would never get out with a computer showing a deco obligation. I was not following the TX-1 for my ascent plan. I wasn't even looking at it, except for my tank pressure. I was following my H3. The TX-1 is new to me and I want to get more dives on it before I depend on it. IF I ever depend on it. You follow a new and untried computer all you want. I'll stick to following my training and the equipment that has earned my trust.
Re: Kool-Aid: Don't want to learn anything from those before me? Really?? Why do you think I pester the more experienced folks? For my health and amusement? Nope. It's to learn not just what they do but WHY they do it. I had a Petrel 2. Why? Because even though *I* didn't think it was what I really wanted, I deferred to the experience and wisdom of the more experienced people and bought one anyway. I've been diving for 2 years (as of today, actually). I have done a LOT of training in that time. Why? To learn from experienced divers who are instructors. Your statement really is quite insulting and I challenge you to justify it with actual facts, not just your feelings about memories of what you think I have said somewhere. And not just with quotes of questions I've asked. Asking questions does not mean I don't listen and it certainly doesn't mean that I don't DO things the right way.
BTW, I'm from Tallahassee. My dad was diving north FL caves before I was even born (and I just turned 50). He might possibly even be more experienced than you are. Should I do everything the way he says? I don't think so. He thinks we're all incompetent for even needing one SPG. So where do you draw the line between just accepting everything "the more experienced divers" say and saying "sorry. There are newer, better ways"? Is it that whatever YOU say is Gospel and anyone older and more experienced is "stuck in the past"? And, obviously, anyone younger/newer who happens to have a different opinion just doesn't want to learn anything.
CptTightPants21
Contributor
Great post, could not agree more!
I love this quote because it represents Stuart so perfectly. His H3 isn't listed and the one that he personally recommends he has never used
Great post, could not agree more!
I love this quote because it represents Stuart so perfectly. His H3 isn't listed and the one that he personally recommends he has never used
The H3 isn't in the list because it is not currently for sale. And yes, that's right, I have owned a Petrel 2 and sold it. And if the OSTC 4 had AI I WOULD already own one. It IS the one I like the best - as I said, based on the specs, reading forums (like the owner's forum on HW's site).
The OP asked what his options are. Unlike all the one-liner posts, I actually attempted to answer the OP's question and give him information to let him make a decision for himself, based on his plans and his budget. Apologies for varying from the SB rule of always handing a man a fish, even if he asked to be taught how to hunt deer. "Deer's not what you want to eat! Fish is much better for you, and you don't even need to look at those other fish. You just need to get ya' some good wild caught salmon."
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