VEO 250 Dive Computer

[scubadon64]

knfevg,

I haven't been diving since Dec 2009, and don't have a trip planned any time soon, so the computer has just been setting on the shelf. Hard to swallow the $120 repair bill from Oceanic when their no real explanation for why the issue happened in the first place ( ie loose battery, hardware defect, software defect ). Since I have two of these computers I would prefer to keep them both at the same firmware level which would mean paying $240 total to have them both serviced. Thanks for posting, let us know if the issue happens again. If enough people complain about it, maybe we can get Oceanic to look into the issue a little more.

 

[vondo]

I've had the same issue with my Veo 200 (same computer, different buttons). Always (I think) on the surface. It's been good for a while except for once on my last trip when I dropped it from a few feet.

I'm not sure I'd spend $120 on it.

 

[knfevg]

Next week I'll be in Sinai and will have 10-12 dives.... will let you know how it goes.
The computer has a new battery, o-ring and was laying with the cover open (to dry it just in case water got in) for 2 weeks.

 

[craracer]

Last week I was in Roatan diving and had a similar experience.

Let me preface this by saying that I am on my 3rd Veo250. The previous 2 computers were sent back because they would go from 3 bars of power to flashing single bar, to shutting down within minutes. I tried the Sony battery replacement several times, each with a different battery, yet ended up with the same results.

Back to last weekend; I put in a fresh battery prior to leaving for my trip. After the third dive, I was checking the computer log to transfer information to my log book when it immediately displayed one bar battery flashing. Within seconds, the word "Batry" (or the like) appeared and the unit shut down.

I quickly replaced the battery with a fresh one, but lost the information for fly time, saturation (nitrox and nitrogen), which basically made all subsequent dives void of correct information. The unit also reverted to a date in 2003, and the clock was incorrect.

Fortunately, I use my VR3 as my main computer, and was able to continue without using tables.

I decided to go ahead and continue using the VEO to see if it would occur again, which it did...two more times.

The unit is 34 days out of warranty. Oceanic does not extend warranties when units are replaced, despite being a manufacturer defect. The warranty starts on the day of purchase of the original unit.
From the email I received today:

.. Note that while repairs
performed under warranty do not extend the original two year warranty
period, repairs performed on a non-warranty basis carry a new one year warranty.

What I fail to understand is why there has not been a recall of these computers? The issues are well known, and have been documented multiple times.

I'm having a difficult time justifying spending $120 to repair something that I've had to return twice before. As history has demonstrated, more likely than not, the "repaired" unit will encounter problems.

I was considering purchasing the GEO as a replacement, but after reading through the boards here, it appears that this unit is not without its problems.

I am extremely disappointed because I find the VEO to be very user friendly in terms of navigation.

 

[scubadon64]

Craracer, Thanks for the information. I have a friend who is a dive instructor and got one of the Veo 250 dive computers from the shop she was working with since they sold Oceanic equipment.

She had very similiar experiences when she first obtained her VEO 250. The battery appeared to die rather quickly and as I remember she replaced a couple batteries and had asked us at the time if we had any issue with our computers. At that time, ours were working. I'm not sure if she uses hers any more or not.

I suspect they actually don't repair any thing for $120, they just give you a new computer.

As cheap as micro memory is these days.. it would seem like they could determine some way to save the information every few minutes and then recalculate the current values once a new battery is installed. But maybe there's some thing odd about the design or some "safety" reason preventing them.

 

[F106A]

I got a 250 about 5 years ago. It has dropped dives from the log, reverted to air between dives when programmed for Nitrox (and set to not default to 50% shortly after surfacing), reset the date, etc. No problems when actually diving though. The batteries always lasted a fairly long time/many dives/activations.

 

[scubadon64]

F106A,

Any idea which firmware level in installed on your Veo 250? It might be interesting to track the firmware versions and see if some specific level is having issues. Mine both appear to be version 2B. The support tech from Oceanic said he didn't think that was the issues, and it was a hardware issue, but didn't provide any details. So I'm not sure if they know there is a specific hardware issue, or just didn't want to admit it is a firmware issue. He did say Revision 2D was the latest revision, so you kind of wonder what was fixed between 2B and 2D.

 

[craracer]

I've invited the Oceanic Marketing Manager to this thread. I see that he was posting here yesterday, but must have missed this (and the Geo) thread.

 

[F106A]

F106A,

Any idea which firmware level in installed on your Veo 250? It might be interesting to track the firmware versions and see if some specific level is having issues. Mine both appear to be version 2B. The support tech from Oceanic said he didn't think that was the issues, and it was a hardware issue, but didn't provide any details. So I'm not sure if they know there is a specific hardware issue, or just didn't want to admit it is a firmware issue. He did say Revision 2D was the latest revision, so you kind of wonder what was fixed between 2B and 2D.

No, I don't. If I figure out how to evoke the firmware display I'll post the results.

 

[danwig]

Just got back from a trip.. the wife's VEO did exactly as reported here, it shut itself down between dives.. VEO250 , just shut itself off and lost track of the dives and saturation for that day, even when turned back on. Date, everything was correct, just 'forgot' about the dive that happened 12 minutes ago though it was in the log.. Battery was new, had worked 12 dives until then.. luckily the wife had her backup (another brand) with her so we didn't have to scrap the day. Like scubadon I am not paying that much to send it in for them to 'look' at it, there is obviously something going on with these computers. Would like someone from Oceanic to comment, or should we just scrap these and buy some other brand.