What is a good dive computer????

[James R]

I've personally seen far more hoses fail in the time I've been diving (6-7) compared to hoseless AI computers & their transmitters (never).

Hoses never fail and a transmitter is always a failure waiting to happen...yeah right.

 

[diverdoug1]

As far as hoseless AI computers, I have had good luck with the Uwatecs. For recreational or easy U/W photography dives, I use a Gallileo SOL, I aslo use a Sunto Vyper on a console with a regular SPG. You don't have to pair the SOL for evey dive. DiveRite also has good computers.

 

[runway1]

I've personally seen far more hoses fail in the time I've been diving (6-7) compared to hoseless AI computers & their transmitters (never).

Hoses never fail and a transmitter is always a failure waiting to happen...yeah right.

No offense, but it's not about your feelings, it's about the scientific probability based on hard data. Nothing personal, it's just the math.

I haven't been paid to collect this data, but with 24 years in engineering, I'll bet those hoses have a small fraction of the failures. Do you really think a positive mechanical interface has the reliability of an RF transmission? It does not.

 

[whodunit68]

What is a "good" computer? What are your diving goals? Diving a wreck versus an open water recreational dive or a night dive really have no influence on the type of computer you should be looking at (other than a backlight feature to see at night).
Define your goals. The good money should be spent on a "good" regulator setup, training, and practice. Find the algorithm and define your diving then try to figure out what dive computer matches the type of diving you'll be doing. You should spend your time and money learning about tables and what the computers do. You really shouldn't blindly trust a computer without knowing what your limits are. I've had $100 computers give me essentially the same information that I've seen a $900 computer give.
I agree 100% with ronzo that you should have an SPG and separate bottom timer no matter whether you go AI or not.
Are you going to go tech? What kind of budget are you talking about?
Why do you want AI? Please be wary of recommendations from those who tell you they tried a computer once or twice and liked it. Why did they like it? Because it was pretty?
There are lots of good computers by lots of manufacturers. I've not seen any manufacturers make only bad computers so I can't say that Suunto makes good computers without saying so does Liquivision, DiveRite, Zeagle, Hollis, Cressi-Sub, etc.

 

[James R]

No offense, but it's not about your feelings, it's about the scientific probability based on hard data. Nothing personal, it's just the math.

I haven't been paid to collect this data, but with 24 years in engineering, I'll bet those hoses have a small fraction of the failures. Do you really think a positive mechanical interface has the reliability of an RF transmission? It does not.

None taken. Did i mention feelings anywhere in my post? You post about probability based on data...great. I posted what I have seen with my own eyes. It's not personal either, it's actual instances of an issue not a theory made up on paper.

I am NOT saying that AI can't fail. Just what I have seen myself.

 

[Scubaman!]

Thank you for all of your information. I am thinking about the Suunto Vytec DS, Oceanic VT3, and the Oceanic Atom 2.0. Any comments? Should i pick something other than these? Does anyone have them?

Also will scubatoys.com match LP pricing?

 

[pnw_diver]

I've personally seen far more hoses fail in the time I've been diving (6-7) compared to hoseless AI computers & their transmitters (never).

I don't have any data on the failure rate of either, but what you've observed may be explained by virtue of the fact that every diver has 2-5 hoses for a rec rig (HP, 2nd stage, octo, BC inflation, drysuit inflation) - whereas most divers have zero hoseless transmitters.

I've personally never seen a hose failure (though I've heard of a few second hand), but I have seen one hard failure of a hoseless transmitter, and seen more cases where it was less than 100% reliable. Then again, my sample size is far too small to really be useful.

I've also personally had a (non hoseless) AI computer pressure sensor fail - and it wasn't the hose that failed. Incidentally, I'll probably never buy another one as I found the utility of AI to not be worth the price premium.

Personally, as I would have a backup SPG anyway, a hoseless AI computer doesn't really save me a hose.

I know a lot of divers that use AI with and without hoses and love them, I don't happen to share their enthusiasm. It's great to have choices so everyone can be happy. It also gives us something to argue about here.

 

[cobbonthecorn]

Unless you absolutely need a three gas computer I would opt for the Vyper Air instead of the Vytec DS. Argument for the Vytec is that it is a three gas computer, travel, bottom, and deco gases. Reality, it only tracks one tank, it also uses the old memory/chip set so it records air at the start and end, and temp at max depth and a couple of other points. Old Vytec was slow to download. Vyper Air is a two gas, and only tracks one tank. New memory/chip does continuous sampling of air, depth, and temperature. Fast download. The continuous tank pressure recording is great for post-dive analysis of instantaneous SAC rate. (Lets you learn what makes you gulp air.) I like both the Vytec and Vyper, but as I said before, this is my rec and back-up and will leave tec gas management to my Shearwater.

 

[StuartT]

The oceanic vt3 and the aeris elite t3 are the same computer. I have the aeris version and been very happy with it. I use a veo 1.0 as a back up and a hp pressure guage for back up in case of transmitter link failure which has so far not happened. Got over 200 dives on it and only had to change the battery once so far. Also just got a great deal on a second transmitter for my pony which is great. All your dive info is right on your wrist whether on tank 1 or 2 (or 3 if you wanted to). Unless you are thinking of trimix etc. I think you will be very happy with these computers. Looks like around $750 online with transmitter.

 

[James R]

Back on topic, my gf has a VT3 and I have a Scubapro / Uwatec Luna.

I find the Luna is MUCH easier to use (eg menus are far easier to navigate) and the software is far better in my opinion. That comes at a price premium, as the Luna costs a good bit more. I bought my Luna at the end of May, and it now has 81 dives on it -- guess how many failures? Zero

Her VT3 is a bit odd in that you can NOT turn it off -- at least I can't figure out how and our LDS where we picked them up can't either. It turns itself off when it's good and ready I guess. That aside, it's still a very solid computer and she's happy enough with it after 15 or so dives. There was one issue where the buckle on the strap came off twice in one day. Oceanic replaced the strap without any issues through the LDS. Oh yeah, the Oceanic price of 749.99 should be the same online and at your LDS, so support them if you decide to go that way.