Which Bottom Timer do you use and where did you find it?

[amascuba]

My ideal unit would display depth and time (seconds included) of course in fairly large numbers, and maybe temperature, but in addition it would have a stop watch feature and depth averaging which could be restarted by pushing a button, dive recording for uploads, backlight and it would be about the size of the Timex Helix dive watch and work to at least 200m, but the deeper the better. Also, you should be able to choose imperial or metric units. I think the Aladin Tec is the closest you can get to that right now and at a little over $300 it's still semi-reasonable given what other units out there cost. What do you think?

The Aladin TEC does everything that you want except possibly the size of a timex. I am very pleased with my TEC. They were a little buggy when they first came out, but scubapro seems to have resolved all the issues.

 

[neophyte]

I'm happy with my TEC, and bought it (intending to eventually use it exclusively in gauge mode) for pretty much all the reasons you laid out.

I do love seeing my dives graphed out and feel I'm gaining some insight into shaping my profile from doing so.

YMMV

 

[globaldiver]

But I don't want to pay for a computer when all I want is a bottom timer!

The computer is there so you can buy the bottomtimer at a reasonable price.
To make the bottomtimer solely for DIR diving, you would have to pay a whole lot more for the same thing due to the smaller market.

David Rhea (GUE) was part of the team designing the Aladin Tech, and that is one reason why it is such a good bottomtimer...

Anders

 

[Vie]

I was using an Aladin TEC until it died... There seems to be a battery drain/reliability issue.

 

[amascuba]

I was using an Aladin TEC until it died... There seems to be a battery drain/reliability issue.

That was one of the issues when they first came out. I had mine for 6 months and was getting ticked with some of the buggy issues and battery drainage. I sent it to scubapro because I *broke the battery clip* and scubapro sent me a new computer. It's worked great ever since.

 

[PerroneFord]

David Rhea must have eyes better than mine!

David Rhea (GUE) was part of the team designing the Aladin Tech, and that is one reason why it is such a good bottomtimer...

Anders

 

[Vie]

That was one of the issues when they first came out. I had mine for 6 months and was getting ticked with some of the buggy issues and battery drainage. I sent it to scubapro because I *broke the battery clip* and scubapro sent me a new computer. It's worked great ever since.

I am still waiting for my new one - the old one just refused to turn on one day and a battery replacement did nothing... I really like the size of the Aladin TEC, especially with the DSS boot. The TEC also works with my Mac (it took a while to find the "right" USB IrDA unit though). Otoh, a D6 is starting to look good...

 

[BigBoB]

I have seen it discussed a few times but with no final answer.....has anyone come up with a way to replace the battery in the uwatec/oms/whatever bottom timers?

 

[neophyte]

The TEC also works with my Mac (it took a while to find the "right" USB IrDA unit though). Otoh, a D6 is starting to look good...

Mac compatability was one of the reasons I got mine, but I still haven't found the "right" dongle.

If you could share a product and a place to get it, that'd be GREAT. I'd love to finally put that old Dell to rest, there's only one reason it's still plugged in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Vie]

Mac compatability was one of the reasons I got mine, but I still haven't found the "right" dongle.

If you could share a product and a place to get it, that'd be GREAT. I'd love to finally put that old Dell to rest, there's only one reason it's still plugged in.

Thanks in advance.

IRWave USB interface - made by Hoya.

http://www.redlionsports.co.uk/item--iRwave-USB-2-0-IrDA-Interface--Polarusb
http://www.irwave.com.tw/ProductShow.asp?Pno=IR721&CatalogNo=0001

I was told to "make sure not to get a Sigmatel 4200-based device - they won't work on newer Macs," so I'll pass along this snippet of info...