wireless computers

[FishOutUvH2O]

Rant on

I can't see the reason for this particular product. It's all con in my opinion.

The unit has to be larger to accommodate the added info or the numbers have to be smaller or displays have to flash between one function or the other.

The underlying premise is rather faulty...and that is that you need to constantly be looking at your spg. It's a solution to a problem that doesn't exit.

Look at your spg when you first go down, maybe when you get to depth, and again on ascent. Rather than just looking at a spg maybe 5 times during a dive you now have a transmitter attached to your first stage and too much info at all times on your computer display and for this you get to pay more...much more.

This is one product that I just don't get.

You can eliminate a hose (many don't however) but the hose is not so much the problem as it's length and how it's routed. A short hose clipped to a waist D-ring or something similar is pretty streamlined. It's only if you have the spg on a longer hose and have it in front of your face for the entire dive that going hoseless is a real benefit.

Sure you can get your actual SAC rate for every dive. Does that matter after a few dives? Either a pattern establishes itself, in which case you no longer need this feature, or if it doesn't then SAC rate is useless as it's only used as a predictor on future dives. If a pattern is never established then it's not of much use as a future predictor.

Another "feature" is that the computer will attempt to predict how much time you have left based on air usage and depth. In any other endeavor such a concept would be considered more like "training wheels". This is the ultimate "riding of the computer" in that you are diving until the computer tells you to come up or you will be out of air.

This is one of those products IMO where there was no need for the product but once it existed small features were added on to justify its existence in the first place.

Rant off

I agree with you 100%. . . That most certainly exemplifies the notion of a "rant". With a generous helping of rave I might add. You feel better now that you got that off of your chest?

 

[gcbryan]

I agree with you 100%. . . That most certainly exemplifies the notion of a "rant". With a generous helping of rave I might add. You feel better now that you got that off of your chest?

Much better, thank you.

 

[RAWalker]

Much better, thank you.

I so glad you had the opportunity to lower your blood pressure.

 

[scubafanatic]

Wow! I wouldn't want to be near you underwater, my compass would be spinning, my AI computer would not know which transmitter to read and I am sure that my dive knife would be drawn by the power of the radio-magnetic field surrouding you. :shocked2: Which would throw me off trim.

....yeah, I'm envisioning an AWACS style rotating radar dish mounted to the back of his tank too......but with that many computers, at least no need for a weight belt....

 

[DiveNav]

......and I am sure that my dive knife would be drawn by the power of the radio-magnetic field surrouding you. :shocked2: Which would throw me off trim.

Get a Titanium knife

 

[TNTdive]

I got a Oceanic Atom 2.0 (and some other equipment) over the holidays. I read through the manual (and yes it is very long) and then worked through the functionality with the book next to me. Yesterday I went to a local dive store with a training pool and experimented over two tanks. The Atom does have a couple of blind spots (which the manual points out). Overall I was very impressed with the Atom 2.0. Having worked the features on land and have an understanding of it prior to ever hitting the water, provided a good training session. I had seen the post of the lost link and being able to access information off of the computer and wanted to ensure that I knew the limitations and capabilities of the Atom 2.0. I compared the computer functions with my old Oceanic DataMax Sport (which I will still carry in my BC to cross reference), and the Atom 2.0 matched all the data and provided additional information which I could choose to use or not. The link did miss a couple of times (I had it set at 30 second updates), but it let me know that I had lost the link and still read the last reading (flashing to let me know that the link was lost). The Atom 2.0 is adjustable for the length of time between updates. And after taking both tanks down, the warnings/indications/features left me very comfortable with open water diving with the Atom 2.0. I also dive in the local aquarium and it will get some more checks. With the Atom 2.0 you are able to check the battery status of the computer and transmitter prior to every dive (and the batteries can be changed easily by the user). My two cents...I like it and am glad to have it with my dive gear.

 

[charlesml3]

you now have a transmitter attached to your first stage and too much info at all times on your computer display

Ha! ha! Too much info. Yea, that really IS a problem. That's like going to a party and hearing someone say "Wow, there's TOO MUCH beer here."

-Charles

 

[charlesml3]

I'll at least make an attempt to bring this back on-topic here.

Personally, I like the wireless air-integrated computers. I have no problems assimilating the information I get from them and can easily switch my attention to the part of the data that's most applicable to my current situation. I've noticed that over the years I'm watching my "Dive Time Remaining" more that most anything else. I have a lot of dives and I'm experienced enough to know when to switch over to other parts of the display when I need to.

I have to admit that the whole idea of "streamlining" gives me a chuckle. The notion that removing a single hose is going to somehow result in less effort to swim is just nonsense. A diver is about as streamlined as a cinder block.

I watched the wireless AI computer market for several years and dove with friends who had them. The ones of the past few years are really very good. The market is mature and the products are reliable. Plus, I'm a bit of a techie. I like having the additional information about my dive. I realize that may not be for everyone.

-Charles

 

[fnfalman]

A real diver only need a set of regs, a J-valve equipped tank and a dive watch. You don't even need depth gauge. Hey, break out an underwater map, plan your depth, plan your bottom time based on your SAC and tank size. Bottom timers? Sissy gears. Compass? Ha! Have you heard of terrain association navigation technique?

Wetsuit? Blah, back in the days, we used jeans and wool sweaters with lots of duct tapes.

Dive computers, depth gauge, compass, SPG, BCD...no wonder you people can even move much less dive.

 

[gcbryan]

I don't think the problem is assimilating the info it's just that it's either smaller numbers or a larger display because of the additional info.

For an experienced diver it's usually NDL that comes before air issues anyway so AI is doing nothing in that case.

In any event it's better to not be relying on a computer for anything other than just reinforcement of what you already know. More or less like the speedometer in your car. No one thinks the speedometer is "life support equipment" or keeping them safe.