Why does garmin hate us so much?

[Todd999]

I got a Garmin Mk3i as a second computer to backup my Shearwater perdix. After two dozen recreational dives I am looking more at the garmin than the perdix throughout the dive. I have not taken it on any tech dives yet but plan to this summer.

It's great hardware. However the software is so bad it is actually insulting to the user.

For years I have used Mac Dive and also tried out sub-surface. Having a good dive log is something i enjoy so I import all my dives via bluetooth from the perdix to Mac Dive on my phone. Garmin does not support direct Bluetooth connections :-( The perdix DOES.

Garmin makes exporting data painful and manual No way to import and the exports of FIT files require a lot of retyping info that should have been in the FIT file. This would not be so bad if the included dive software were of equal functionality to Mac Dive or Subsurface. It is not. Far from it.

How can garmin not have a product manager focused on making the best dive software for their hardware? If they don't want to invest in making good software then add a real export feature so we can use better software without all the extra work.

end rant.

 

[tursiops]

Doesn't subsurface so everything you want, so long as you use USB download?
Have you seen this thread?

Thread 'Garmin vs shearwater'

Mar 1, 2024

Hi everyone. I’m looking at upgrading my dive computer and I’ve been look at the shearwater teric or tern x vs the Garmin descent. I really like the fact the Garmin is a smartwatch too I could use daily to replace my smartwatch and use it as my computer. Anyone have any insight between the two?

• Jrob4449
• garmin shearwater
• Replies: 97
• Forum: Computers, Gauges, Watches & Analyzers

 

[wlecyt40]

Which Garmin are you using? The newest?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Shearwater software isn't much to be proud of either.

 

[Scared Silly]

At the end of the day, I am willing to bet most divers rarely download, let along look at their dives in any detail. As such, direct software support is really an after thought and more of a nice to have.

 

[rhwestfall]

You are referencing MacDive and Subsurface as a standard. Both are independent (non-OEM) products to the dive computer. The OEM software packages of the dive computer manufacturers you mention are both less than ideal...

 

[Nick_Radov]

How can garmin not have a product manager focused on making the best dive software for their hardware? If they don't want to invest in making good software then add a real export feature so we can use better software without all the extra work.

Garmin does sort of have a product manager.

But the interoperability features certainly leave a lot to be desired. As others have pointed out, you can download dive log .FIT files directly from the device using the supplied USB cable and you can also export the same files from the Garmin Connect website after your device syncs. Bluetooth sync only works with Garmin's own smartphone apps but you can also sync via Wi-Fi or via USB to a computer running the Garmin Express application.

Part of the problem is that if you edit a dive activity in Garmin Connect or Garmin Dive, those changes aren't written back to the saved .FIT file. So if you add in your buddy's name or details about conditions or whatever and then export the .FIT file for use elsewhere it won't have any of the edited data. That has always been a fundamental limitation of Garmin's platform for all activity types (not just diving).

You can also import .FIT file dive logs into Garmin Connect. I think some third-party dive log applications can export in that format. I wrote a converter program for my old Suunto D3 logs.