Thoughts on Air Integrated (hoseless) computers

[charlesml3]

I think the debate is on the air integration component, not on dive computers as a whole.

Very well. The air-integrated part just provides the diver with an estimate of "Dive Time Remaining." It's up to the diver to use this data (if they so choose) to plan the rest of their dive. Sometimes it can be useful. Other times the dive will be controlled by other data. A good diver will know when to use a particular set of data in order to maximize their bottom time and minimize their risk.

-Charles

 

[rongen]

Uwatec's (older) Aladin Air Z (Nitrox) has a battery life of about 5-6 years , while the transmitter can last up to 10 years. Replacement of Aladin Air Z costs about Euro 60,- + postal, new transmitters (they don't replace batteries anymore, they replace transmitters) are more expensive, between 120-150 euro (sorry, I' continental).
Just had my battery replaced. Love the thing, very reliable. Sometimes you find them for nice price on eBay, just as battery replacements.
One con for wireless: in some places (Egypt e.g. and some live-aboards) guides insist on hoses, no wireless accepted.
Vincent

 

[the dive_addict]

Uwatec's (older) Aladin Air Z (Nitrox) has a battery life of about 5-6 years , while the transmitter can last up to 10 years. Replacement of Aladin Air Z costs about Euro 60,- + postal, new transmitters (they don't replace batteries anymore, they replace transmitters) are more expensive, between 120-150 euro (sorry, I' continental).
Just had my battery replaced. Love the thing, very reliable. Sometimes you find them for nice price on eBay, just as battery replacements.
One con for wireless: in some places (Egypt e.g. and some live-aboards) guides insist on hoses, no wireless accepted.
Vincent

Ok I am totaly confused.In 2008 I sent several air zs and air x o2s to uwatech in California. They were all returned.I called and spoke with the service tech. I was told that the batteris could not be replaced.Due to a design flaw the case could not be resealed .At one time uwatech had the bateries for life program.This involved sending a refurbished computer back.Also the internal antenna breaks easily if the transmiter is accidentally dropped

 

[the dive_addict]

Dive computers in general are E&U. A real diver doesn't need no stinking computer. His computer is between his brain. Just by feel of water pressure on his body alone, he can tell what depth he's at. He doesn't even need The Wheel to calculate for multilevel diving. It's all in his brains and it doesn't even cost $70.

I can tell my ascent rate by the pressure on my sinus. Darwin? He does make a point never abandon your brain to technology

 

[fnfalman]

I can tell my ascent rate by the pressure on my sinus. Darwin? He does make a point never abandon your brain to technology

The maximum velocity for rising bubbles is 60-ft/sec. If you don't go faster than your bubble, you'd be OK. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Don't need no stinkin' computers.

 

[DeltaWardog]

The maximum velocity for rising bubbles is 60-ft/sec. If you don't go faster than your bubble, you'd be OK. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Don't need no stinkin' computers.

Those are some fast bubbles! I'd like to know what you're breathing down there!

I have a VT3 and I'm seriously considering giving it up for a non-AI wrist computer. I've had problems with the transmitter on two different dives over the 30 or so I've dived with it, and the VT3 *eats* batteries.

The hassle of losing your pressure reading underwater, even for only a couple minutes, outweigh the benefits of the streamlining to me. If the tech was more reliable I'd be all for it, but in my experience it's not reliable enough. I've had two different transmitters and both have acted up.

There's no point in having a transmitter if I have to put a SPG on my rig. I don't need a computer to try and figure out how much dive time I have left.

 

[greylion]

Those are some fast bubbles! I'd like to know what you're breathing down there!

I have a VT3 and I'm seriously considering giving it up for a non-AI wrist computer. I've had problems with the transmitter on two different dives over the 30 or so I've dived with it, and the VT3 *eats* batteries.

The hassle of losing your pressure reading underwater, even for only a couple minutes, outweigh the benefits of the streamlining to me. If the tech was more reliable I'd be all for it, but in my experience it's not reliable enough. I've had two different transmitters and both have acted up.

There's no point in having a transmitter if I have to put a SPG on my rig. I don't need a computer to try and figure out how much dive time I have left.

I'd call Oceanic tech support and tell them your problem and send it back for an overhaul. The same thing happened to my wifes Aeris Atmos Elite and they checked it out and it failed their bench test because it lost the signal at 2 ft when it should be good away from the transmitter for at least 3 ft. It wasn't the transmitter it was the receiver in the wrist unit. Marc Lane is the guy to talk to.

Oceanic Worldwide - Contact Oceanic

 

[fnfalman]

Those are some fast bubbles! I'd like to know what you're breathing down there!

You're right. It should be more around 50ft/minute.

Bubble Size and Fluid Motion

0.25m/s equals out to around 50ft/min (or 49.5ft/min for those who don't want to round up). Anyway, if you don't go up faster than your bubbles, chances are you might be OK.

I have a VT3 and I'm seriously considering giving it up for a non-AI wrist computer. I've had problems with the transmitter on two different dives over the 30 or so I've dived with it, and the VT3 *eats* batteries.

The hassle of losing your pressure reading underwater, even for only a couple minutes, outweigh the benefits of the streamlining to me. If the tech was more reliable I'd be all for it, but in my experience it's not reliable enough. I've had two different transmitters and both have acted up.

There's no point in having a transmitter if I have to put a SPG on my rig. I don't need a computer to try and figure out how much dive time I have left.

Why can't you just use your VT3 as a non-AI computer? You already have it, why trade it in for another computer?

As far as eating batteries, how fast does it go through your battery? I logged 80-dives last year (assume average of 40-min/dive, that's about 52-hrs) and the battery pretty much lasted a year just like the book said.

BTW, I have the Aeris Elite T3 which is the same as yours. The only time I've ever received intermittent signal was at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. This dive site is a hole that's filled by an artesian spring. Never lost signal in lake diving in Texas and New Mexico or saltwater diving off SoCal coast.

 

[DeltaWardog]

I'd call Oceanic tech support and tell them your problem and send it back for an overhaul.

I'm not the original owner so I don't qualify for warranty support. I've already paid $130-something for a transmitter replacement. Don't want to sink any more money into this thing.

Why can't you just use your VT3 as a non-AI computer? You already have it, why trade it in for another computer?

As far as eating batteries, how fast does it go through your battery? I logged 80-dives last year (assume average of 40-min/dive, that's about 52-hrs) and the battery pretty much lasted a year just like the book said.

BTW, I have the Aeris Elite T3 which is the same as yours. The only time I've ever received intermittent signal was at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. This dive site is a hole that's filled by an artesian spring. Never lost signal in lake diving in Texas and New Mexico or saltwater diving off SoCal coast.

With 3 divers in the family now I decided we're all going to have the same computer for simplicity's sake. I just bought two Veo 3.0's for wife and son and will replace my VT3 on our next trip.

Regarding batteries, I have to replace the battery on my VT3 every single time I take a trip, whether it's 6 months or 1 year from my last trip. Every time I pull it out of the box the battery is low. Each trip I've only done a dozen dives on it, but for some reason just sitting around in my basement drains the battery.

Another reason I want to get rid of it is that it's an absolute bear to just swap the battery. Getting it apart is easy - but I have worked up a hell of a sweat getting the cover reseated. By the time I've done it feels like my thumb has stress fractures from trying to keep the thing in place while I tighten the compartment cover. I even watched the local dive shop tech struggle with it for 10 minutes, and this guy knows his stuff. Hopefully the Veo's won't suffer from the same problem. I have a feeling my VT3 is not representative of the model and mine just has a slight defect because there's no way it should be as hard as it is. By comparison the wife's Suunto Vyper is as easy as one would expect for a simple battery change.

My wife and I certified in Santa Rosa. Never diving in water that cold again without a dry suit. Yep, we're wimps!

 

[fnfalman]

Regarding batteries, I have to replace the battery on my VT3 every single time I take a trip, whether it's 6 months or 1 year from my last trip. Every time I pull it out of the box the battery is low. Each trip I've only done a dozen dives on it, but for some reason just sitting around in my basement drains the battery.

Another reason I want to get rid of it is that it's an absolute bear to just swap the battery. Getting it apart is easy - but I have worked up a hell of a sweat getting the cover reseated. By the time I've done it feels like my thumb has stress fractures from trying to keep the thing in place while I tighten the compartment cover. I even watched the local dive shop tech struggle with it for 10 minutes, and this guy knows his stuff. Hopefully the Veo's won't suffer from the same problem. I have a feeling my VT3 is not representative of the model and mine just has a slight defect because there's no way it should be as hard as it is. By comparison the wife's Suunto Vyper is as easy as one would expect for a simple battery change.

My wife and I certified in Santa Rosa. Never diving in water that cold again without a dry suit. Yep, we're wimps!

According to the manual, the battery lasts 1 year. So even when unused, it still sucks a lot of juice (not too different from electronic fuel injection cars and motorcycles).

Changing the battery is a pain though it helps if you have one of those pliers with the two little vampire fangs looking thingies to get down into the two little holes. I don't know why Pelagic designed the damn compartment that way, but they did. Not to mention that even when you have the right tool, and if you don't twist the battery cover correctly, the O-ring would come out and the battery compartment gets flooded (guess how I know). But I do like the computer so I'll put up with it. Once a year 10-minutes hassle ain't too bad.

BTW, Santa Rosa is like bathwater to me. And the crawdads make me laugh when they stick up their claws trying to ward you off.