Versa Pro Computer download review

[wabelita]

The following is a summary of my first experience with the Oceanic OceanLog software used with the data cable for downloading dive info from a Versa Pro computer. The software CD that comes with the cable supports 12 Oceanic computers including the Versa Pro. The software was installed on Windows 2000 and the serial data cable was identified by the software with no issues. The version of the OceanLog software is 1.03

First, let’s go over the PC-to-DC link. You are supposed to be able to download setting from your PC to the Versa Pro. Well, that doesn’t work. The following message is given when you try to use this feature, “Dive Computer Settings program is not compatible with this unit. Contact your OCEANIC Dealer for upgrade options.” My question is what has to be upgraded? I bought the computer and data access software and cable. So forget using this feature.

Second, you can set the sampling rate on the computer for time or depth intervals. I set it for 2-second time intervals. The “user manual” states that you can store at least 125 one-hour dives on the computer with a sampling rate of 15-30 seconds. I made six dives with a total time of 3.7 hours with a 2-second sampling rate. Do the math and you should have enough memory on the computer to store the dive info. When I got home and connected the DC to my PC only the last 4 dives were available to download. Okay, what about the first two dives? Why can’t I see how much memory is available on the Versa Pro so I can adjust the sampling rate so I don’t run out of memory? This could have been designed a little better.

Third, when I tried to download the info for the 4 dives one dive gave the following results:
Total new dives have been saved: 3
Invalid dives found: 1
Why was one of the 4 dives invalid? Nothing was changed on the Versa Pro. Could this be a bug on the Versa Pro?

Finally, I think the Versa Pro is a great DC with nice BIG numbers and adjustable for Nitrox. I also think the $140+ cost to download dive info is worthless. I was only able to download 3 out of 6 dives. Don’t waste your money. Or wait until the software and/or DC to be redesigned.

 

[JeffMandell]

That's bad, but get this: I recently got the interlink for my Oceanic ProPlus2. It's the same software you describe.
But, not only does it state that several of my dives are "invalid", but the graphs and charts I was able to produce contain major errors.
Now before I list these, I want everyone to know I drove to my LDS yesterday to show them this and go over it to make sure I wasn't making a mistake. We also used the shop's own computer, software and interlink cable to be sure the defects weren't in my equipment. Result: they got same results as me and match my experiences.
That said:
If you click on any spot in the graph, the software gives you your NoDeco time and, since the ProPlus2 is air integrated, your remaining breathing gas time. Just three small descrepencies:
1. On EVERY dive, the graph shows I ran out of air altogether about 5-7 minutes before the end of the dive.
2. On many, but not all dives, the software shows I ran out of NoDeco time about 5-10 minutes before the end of the dive. (Mind you, it doesn't show any mandated stops and it doesn't show the dives in violation.)
3. Additionally, most dives show my ending air pressure way below 500psi, (e.g. ending pressure of some arbitrary number like 118 psi). I just don't dive that way; it's plain wrong.

Soooo............. the LDS owner and I were pretty amazed at the crappy software. We both feel certain the data in the computer is correct, as at the time of the dives I obviously didn't run out of air, etc. It must be the software. (And maybe it's worse for the ProPlus2 than for the Versa Pro.) He told me he'd encountered other problems like this before and passed them along to the folks at Oceanic, but nothing happens. He was going to contact them again, given this mess.
So, I wouldn't be running out and buying the expensive download link and software any time soon.
It's too bad. Until now I've held Oceanic in high regard.

 

[RICHinNC]

Pardon my ignorance....but why do you want to down load that kind of information?? what do you do with it....how does it help or alter the way you dive.....is it really that worth while.

now if it is just "cool"...thats ok too but what am i missing out on?

 

[wabelita]

The info can be used to track a lot of things, air consumption, depth, temperature, ascent rate and lots of other thing. You can show your friends the pretty graphs of your dives that they could care less about. Do you need it, no. The problem is the DC was advertised with this feature and you have to pay extra to use it. After paying I feel cheated. You would think that something you have to pay extra for would work dependably. Okay, I’ll stop *****ing now.

 

[FengShui]

Second, you can set the sampling rate on the computer for time or depth intervals. I set it for 2-second time intervals. The “user manual” states that you can store at least 125 one-hour dives on the computer with a sampling rate of 15-30 seconds. I made six dives with a total time of 3.7 hours with a 2-second sampling rate. Do the math and you should have enough memory on the computer to store the dive info. When I got home and connected the DC to my PC only the last 4 dives were available to download. Okay, what about the first two dives? Why can’t I see how much memory is available on the Versa Pro so I can adjust the sampling rate so I don’t run out of memory? This could have been designed a little better.

Third, when I tried to download the info for the 4 dives one dive gave the following results:
Total new dives have been saved: 3
Invalid dives found: 1
Why was one of the 4 dives invalid? Nothing was changed on the Versa Pro. Could this be a bug on the Versa Pro?

The math does seem a little short. By my calculations, you should be able to get approximately 8 hours of dive data at 2-second sampling according to the example they gave. Perhaps it also takes sampling during your surfce intervals as well?

However, the invalid dive makes a lot of sense. What probably happened is that the data store is a fixed size and when it gets full, the computer just replaces the oldest data in the store. That means that the data from the end part of the last dive over-wrote some of the data from the 3rd dive that day, making it invalid. It's not a great way to implement the data store, but it did keep the data for the last three dives. Is there any reason you need 2 second sampling? Setting it to 5 or 10 seconds in the future would probably allow you to take advantage of the entire data store without losing any data.

 

[PurduEE]

JeffMandell once bubbled...
1. On EVERY dive, the graph shows I ran out of air altogether about 5-7 minutes before the end of the dive.
2. On many, but not all dives, the software shows I ran out of NoDeco time about 5-10 minutes before the end of the dive. (Mind you, it doesn't show any mandated stops and it doesn't show the dives in violation.)
3. Additionally, most dives show my ending air pressure way below 500psi, (e.g. ending pressure of some arbitrary number like 118 psi). I just don't dive that way; it's plain wrong.

Yep, the software is crap. No question.. However, I think the problems you list are not really problems... Here's possible reasons for your problem descriptions...

1. Most dive computers will continue to log the dive for several minutes after you have surfaced, just in case you go back down, etc.. In this case, I think the dive computer is probably continuing to log the dive until you get to the surface, take off the tank, and turn off the air... leaving you with 0 PSI... and then the computer logs some more...
2. see #1. Once the PSI goes to 0, the software probably sets NDL to 0, since you're out of air as far as the computer can tell.
3. As you turn off the air while the computer is still logging, it probably grabs the last reasonable number before 0 and logs that as ending pressure.

Does the depth/time graph match up pretty well? Does the dive time seem reasonable compared to your time in, time out numbers, or is it longer? I may be wrong in my conclusions, but I had a friend with one of the first Oceanic hoseless AIs that had similiar oddities and I believe that the reasons were the reason for his (similar) issues.