The great Suunto data cable thread (incl DIY)

[DM462432]

Hi there,

i just purchased my Vytec recently and
would like to find out how can I transfer
my data from the Vytec to my PC?

I downloaded the Activity Manager from Suunto
but have no idea what sort of cable to use?

Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance

 

[SA-Diver]

You either need to buy a PC interface or do a search on the forum for homemade interfaces - much cheaper if you can build the electronics yourself.
I built mine for R50-00 ($5-00) as opposed to buying it for R1500-00 ($150-00).
There is another thread on this forum with a link to websites with schematics and instructions on how to build your own.

 

[SA-Diver]

Look at

http://www.geocities.com/scubadiver_roli/english.html

for instructions on a homemade interface.

 

[chrispete]

In all likelihood, nothing bad will ever happen and you'll never need to worry about any of this stuff.

<Chrispete touches the contacts to his tongue..."hrm... that won't work....">

<Chrispete stretches the cable from his machine and "accidently" wraps the other end around the leg of his chair..."oh, someone's at the door, I have to run and see who it is..." *smack* facedown on the floor... "ah, now I can sue the company who made it, their family, their dog, their dog's doggie friend down the street, the doggie friend's owners, etc...>

Sorry to seem cynical, but I've had many idiotic lawuits filed against me from people who think like this that it's pathetic. ("oh, but you own the ISP that my wife was connected to when she met some guy on the net that she ran off with and left the kids with me, you should have to pay for their college..." - guy trying to explain to me why he was filing a lawsuit against my company and me personally after his wife left him)

 

[Wally_lamma]

jamiei once bubbled...
first of all guys, I'm not doing this as a business or making any money from it. I'm only doing it to help other poor divers out like myself]


Sounds good to me. One thing that came to mind was if the info is available in the (public domain) and people build it themself as I see it your off the hook. Barring trade secrets of coarse.

After market is after market and homebrew is homebrew. You may not make any money with public domain info but up could offset your cost by selling PCB's and parts and let people build it themself.
If I had the time I'd figure out how my Oceanic worked but I'm afraid that the software would be the issue as I have not seen any info on the data output format.
I think your idea is valid. Some things should not cost so much it's not like they didn't make a S__T load of money when you bought the computer.
Regards
ChrisR

 

[jamiei]

If anyone is interested, I would be glad to sell just the parts or even just the etched pcb board. If I etch the board I could sell the board by itself for $25. You could by a kit to etch it which costs $15 and do it yourself, but it takes patience and about an hour to do. If you're intested, I'll be glad to offer as much or as little as needed.

 

[kpauley]

Does anyone know of any software that runs on Macs? I looked briefly but there doesn't look like there is any. I am going to start looking for a computer soon (as soon as I pay off the drysuit) but can't find any that will connect to my computer.

 

[SMKChef]

For anyone who is planning to purchase a Suunto Vytec, save yourself some $$ and buy the interface from the guy on the board who is selling it. This isn't an advertisement so I won't list his name. If you need me to tell you, send me a private message.

I finally got to dive with my new Vytec yesterday. Nothing to write home about, really, just three dives at SeaBase in Grantsville UT. I was dying to download my first dives from teh computer, and was aching to get it.

Anyway, the interface kit showed up this morning. I put it together and this evening after I had some quiet time I finally tested the unit. I saved over $150.00 buying the kit rather than buying even off of Ebay.

Its a great kit.

 

[madmole]

The interface is only £52 approx $80 from Simply Scuba brand new (and you can get the 17.5% tax off that in the US making it $66 New

 

[SMKChef]

Well, I didn't even think about ordering from there. And I only paid $30. for the kit. So, I still paid half what I could get it there for.

For heaven sake, its a couple diodes, resistors, and PNPs. Any techy diver should be able to put it together. And now I know how it works. More knowledge for me.