Why the dislike of air integrated computers?

[tbone1004]

I am not a zealot, I am actually quite tolerant, and I have tried to explain that my comments have two very distinct points in this thread. In other threads I have point blank asked you to explain your preferences and you have yet to do so, so I welcome you again, please explain a single advantage of a stab jacket over a bp/w, one for split fins over paddle fins, one for a safe second over a traditional octopus, and one for the golden triangle over a suicide strap. I have asked many times, I have yet to see someone come out with a legitimate reason on why one is better. That is not to say that everyone has to dive in a DIR rig, I don't, I never have, and I likely never will because it isn't the best for me. There is room for personal preference, there has to be for areas to improve, that does not mean gimmicks are OK such as with split fins, or designs that actually make an already dangerous activity more difficult than it needs to be, i.e. sharing air from the golden triangle or via a safe second. This is not relevant to this topic, which is based solely on why people dislike AI. I have explained that my dislike of AI is because no one has come out with a cost effective solution to justify it against a Petrel/SPG.

AI can't be justified based on cost/performance right now. On that, I believe the technology is actually superior to SPG's, but no one has something that is worth me jumping on the band wagon. If you can justify it, good for you, I wish I could and can't wait until I can. The "wrong", "fact", etc's are for the other gear that I was trying to use as a point to differentiate between something that is purely a convenience, versus something that is actually inferior. I never said AI is inferior, I never will, because it isn't, it just isn't cost effective right now, but it is the way of the future, whenever that may be. Just like Pete said about points to electronic distributors, to full fuel injection, right now we are at the point of points to electronic distributors. They are better, but they are too expensive right now, technology has made huge leaps in the last 2 years, but the price hasn't come down to make it worth upgrading. No different than the first ipods either. Please understand there are two very different points, one of which I brought up to emphasize the point on AI not being inferior, just too expensive.

 

[Octopusprime]

Many VERY experience tech divers will tell you all they need is their plan and a bottom timer. But they have a Detailed plan and follow it. And know how to safely alter their plan if something goes wrong. It is like OW non deco tables vs multi level diving. With manual methods you can dive a conservative plan but a computer allows you extend you non deco limits and have shorter stops because it calculates based on actual depth.

but to be honest I do not have a 6th seance about how fast I use air at 130ft. I always have a spg but I also have an air integrated wrist computer... Anything happens I know my stops and I know how much air I have. Experienced divers I think rail against them because divers jump in the water and go and their computer will they'll them when to go up. Failing to have a written plan is the problem.

 

[luscioman]

Tbone,
One of your main points were ""There is no reason to choose AI over an SPG other than "because I can", or "because I want to"."" You kinda changed you tune where I gave 2 examples why too choose AI over an SPG. Now you base your argument on cost. I understand cost could be an issue for some people. I don't claim to be rich by any means. However, realize that some people may take off a $9,000 Rolex and put on 2 AI computers worth $1,500 to go dive. So I don't base cost on what I choose to dive with.

Its best to just leave it as AI will give you some advantages over non AI as I have pointed out. However as with most electronic devices you probably run a slightly higher risk of some type of failure. Thus the reason I wear 2 AIs on my wrist.

 

[ronscuba]

Tbone, fins and BCD have their own separate forum.

You are welcome to post in the fin thread I started. Flexible vs. Stiff fins.

You can start a BCD thread in BCD forum as well. I dive a BP/W, but I dove and liked some jacket BCD's and can discuss why I preferred the jacket BCD vs. the Balance back inflate I used to own.

 

[dmaziuk]

This is crazy, you could write a mystery book though, for nondivers. Nobody should rely entirely on their ATR, it's to be interpreted in the context of gas remaining, depth, time to surface...

That's part of "not that anyone would go to all that trouble". The other part being there's easier ways to do harm.

 

[RJP]

Thus the reason I wear 2 AIs on my wrist.

How do you sync them both?

 

[dmoore19]

I have a datamask and an OC1. I have 1 transmitter mounted. The transmitter serial number is entered in both computers. They both sync to the same transmitter. I have a spare transmitter and I have a SPG in the dive bag just in case. So far I have not had any failures.

I got the datamask in a trade for another computer I had that was non integrated and some other items. I bought the OC1 because I wanted to.

 

[dmaziuk]

If remaining air supply is misreported then the results are potentially much more drastic.

I'm sure there are people unable to swim 40m up in fins after ditching the weights, after breathing compressed air for some time, despite being extremely highly motivated to make it up there. For those who can (that should be everybody) it's like you said "worst case scenario: trip to the chamber".

 

[luscioman]

How do you sync them both?

I wear a Galielo Sol on my left wrist and a VT 4.0 on my right wrist. The only time I ever had to sync them up is when I first mounted them. I have about 200 dives on them and do not have to sync each dive.

 

[PfcAJ]

I'm not super passionate about AI, it just doesn't add anything for me or my diving. I look at my SPG a few times on a dive as I've got a good handle on my sac rate and how much gas I consume at various depths.

To me, it would just be 'one more thing' to maintain and deal with for no real benefit.