What if Shearwater made a purely recreational computer???

[boulderjohn]

BoulderJohn:
Thanks for the clarification. I wish we did have a good idea as to the percentage, though even then the shades of gray would make it hard to call. If someone takes a course in deco. procedures and advanced nitrox, and does a rare deco. dive (e.g. the Oriskany wreck) but 95% of his diving is plain old rec. diving, where do we put him?

I consider anyone who is certified to do a technical dive a technical diver, even if they only do it occasionally. Many technical divers are instructors, cave divers, decompression divers, and more, all at once. They don't do all of those things on every dive, but they have the ability to do it on any dive.

 

[Ouvea]

Hi Guys:

I doubt that it makes sense for Shearwater to add another offering to its product line. This computer accommodates both recreational and technical dive profiles with ease. In addition, it has the easiest menu to understand the easiest interface to use. In addition, the company provides excellent customer service, either directly or through its retailers. If you look at the offerings on the market (w/o transmitter option), the Shearwater units are highly competitively priced.

Shearwater Petrel/Perdix - $775
Mares Icon HD - $799
Scubapro Luna - $729
Oceanic VTX - $949
Hollis TX1 - $549
Suunto Eon - $1440
Liquivision Kaon - $650

If you look at the list, I would say the majority of these units are targeted toward the recreational diver, apart from the TX1 and the Petrel. Hollis remains AUP's offerings for the technical diver. When I purchased my Petrel, I did not intend to venture into Technical diving. I purchased it because it had gorgeous display, an easy to read/understand menu, an easy to operate interface, even with dry gloves, and the ability to accommodate bungee straps. The unit has many features that any diver, whether recreational or technical, would appreciate.

 

[SillyQuestions]

Lots of people on this thread saying "oh, well why don't they sell a basic model and allow you to buy expansions to do the diving you want with it"

Because if they did their core consumer base would walk away. I'd suggest the majority of shearwaters divers DO use all the features available on their computer. Start making them pay extra for them, they'll walk away.

Tech divers start using something else and rec divers want that instead, because its "cool"

 

[DevonDiver]

Once upon a time, Liquivision made THE hottest tech computer. So recreational divers started buying it.

But those recreational divers wanted a Liquivision to be more recreational....

So Liquivision obliged with a range of recreational diving focused computers.

Now Shearwater makes THE hottest tech computer.

So, recreational divers don't want Liquivision any more, they buy Shearwater.... but they want Shearwater to be more recreational...

Anyone else see the trend?

 

[NAM001]

Cant argue with any of what you said. So many grow to hate the endless beeping in the water form those that don't know how to set up their puter to start with. Pull it from the box and go with it. Even my aeires t3 elite has the alarms turned off. I did that for 2 reasons. I cant tell whos alarm is going off in a group and it forced me to become more attuned to what i was doing. especially when it comes to ascent and decent rates. I eventually no longer cared whether it was O2BG or PSI or N2BG that was controlling the dive time remaining. I got to where i could not focus on the tank that said what i was breathing. The predator and petrel was the answer to those issues along with taking a trimix course. The trimix class was why i bought mine and only after that i found out how much simpler everything became when diving tech or rec. As air integreation goes i lost interst in it. NOt because of DIR so to speak but because for me it became an un needed nicety. I still believe that it would be nice to have a data logger with ai in it. My lack of use of AI was rooted in the constant sending in and repairing of the xmitters for not being accurate. Errors of 3-500 psi were normal. My shearwater was cheaper than the repair bills to date.

There is a contingent of rec divers that would prefer NOT to have bells and whistles. Many of us, however, do not need trimix or multigas deco bells and/or whistles. We would also like air integration for a number of valid reasons.

Shearwater can maintain their "this device will fail you" attitude, and we'll still be quite happy. I'm still quite happy with my Petrel in rec mode. I'm VERY happy Shearwater came along in the first place.

 

[SillyQuestions]

You'd like air integration. Not need it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tracy]

Once upon a time, Liquivision made THE hottest tech computer. So recreational divers started buying it.

But those recreational divers wanted a Liquivision to be more recreational....

So Liquivision obliged with a range of recreational diving focused computers.

Now Shearwater makes THE hottest tech computer.

So, recreational divers don't want Liquivision any more, they buy Shearwater.... but they want Shearwater to be more recreational...

Anyone else see the trend?

You sure Liquivision didn't lose the market share because of **** product? When the screen on my zen died the second time, I didn't buy another one because it was a piece of crap, not because something else was sexy.

Sent from my Dive Rite Bridge II

 

[DevonDiver]

You sure Liquivision didn't lose the market share because of **** product? When the screen on my zen died the second time, I didn't buy another one because it was a piece of crap, not because something else was sexy.

Well, they lost their (core) technical market share because they were busy pandering to the whims of recreational divers.

But Liquivision currently make what everyone is asking for.... at a comparable price..... but they're forgotten about now, because social media isn't swamped with tech divers applauding them...

Liquivision should have focused on updating the X1... or building a credible successor (a Petrel slayer).... but they were too focused on tinkering with adding AI and other shennanigans...

As for failures, Shearwater experiences those also... but they have excellent customer service. Let's imagine how long that'd last if they grew drastically in size and market share...

 

[lowviz]

..............

 

[drrich2]

Once upon a time, Liquivision made THE hottest tech computer. So recreational divers started buying it.

But those recreational divers wanted a Liquivision to be more recreational....

So Liquivision obliged with a range of recreational diving focused computers.

Now Shearwater makes THE hottest tech computer.

So, recreational divers don't want Liquivision any more, they buy Shearwater.... but they want Shearwater to be more recreational...

Anyone else see the trend?

At one time I considered the Lynx. This had nothing to do with LiquiVision's history with making a leading tec. diving computer; I didn't even know about that. I was interested in a wrist unit, A.I., with an interface hopefully comparable to an Atomic Aquatics Cobalt 1 and the buddy locator function sounded like a nice backup if we got separated.

I'd never used a tap interface & didn't know if I'd like it. The thing with transmitter was quite expensive. Having a buddy also equipped so we could use the buddy locator function was REALLY expensive. People posting about it rapidly plowing through batteries, expense, opening & closing the battery tray often (which I do NOT like doing) & a battery tray that looked less than sturdy put me off.

Not a desire to chase cool status symbol products from technical dive equipment companies. If I didn't already have a VT3 & a Cobalt 1, I'd be waiting for SeaBear H3's to include A.I., and weighing the H3 against the LiquiVision Omnix.

I can't speak for all recreational divers in the market for a dive computer who didn't buy a LiquiVision product. I suspect they were influenced by some of the same reasons I was.

Richard.

P.S.: When I want a BCD, fins or a mask, I don't preferentially go running to see what tec. gear companies are selling. I doubt that drives most rec. divers, either.