Worth extra $ for air intergrated computer?

[NJdiver85]

Brandnew2Scuba, before plunking down the money, have you considered the options of wrist mount vs. console? I'm very happy with my Vytec, which is an air-integrated wrist computer with a wireless transmitter. I also have a small brass and glass spg clipped to my left waist d-ring as well, so I don't have to rely on the wireless, although it has never let me know in over 100 dives. It's nice to able to quickly glance at your wrist and get depth and pressure information. It also makes it easier to monitor these things when you are multi-tasking, like ascending with a reel and DSMB and simultataneously controling buoyancy. So make sure you think about the wrist vs console thing.

 

[Ron Brandt]

Nope, not worth it.

That's true,it's a failure point. Computer dies.......Now am I feeling lucky today,do I really know how much air I had left before the computer blacked out. Yes,all computers die,it's a matter of when.


Ron

 

[cummings66]

If losing your SPG in the middle of a dive constitutes an emergency for you, you need to start planning a bit better on the surface. At least that's MY feeling. Others may disagree.

I don't think it'd be a problem if no other problems cropped up like an OOA diver. I've donated air once and he sucked it down so fast it made my head swim, so I'd say a SPG is useful especially if you had to donate air.

I don't think it's an Earth shaking moment however. In aviation, and the scuba industry is starting to realize this, it's commonly accepted that it's not one thing that leads to a fatality, it's a chain of events and continuing a dive with broken equipment is the first link in the chain and the first chance to break the chain of events.

 

[PerroneFord]

I don't think it'd be a problem if no other problems cropped up like an OOA diver. I've donated air once and he sucked it down so fast it made my head swim, so I'd say a SPG is useful especially if you had to donate air.

Here's the thing.

When you left the surface, you had a plan (hopefully) on what the dive would constitute, how much gas you'd need to get back, etc. You left a margin of safety to accomodate for issues.

So, if the plan was solid, the SPG is nothing but a redundant check. If you have an exit delay or have to share gas, that should be in the dive plan. If you had an OOA and you had an SPG, would you say goodbye to the diver if you were running low?

The sad fact is that since gas planning and management is not covered in OW or AOW diving, that most divers really don't leave enough reserve to do an OOA donation on exit. Classic example, dive to 75ft. You plan on being back on the boat with 500. You begin your ascent with 800 figuring that 300psi is enough to get you back on the boat inside the rule. On ascent, your buddy's tank loses the o-ring. Can you both do your ascent and safety stop with half your remaining gas? Under stress? With the short hose? With an SPG, you can make an informed decision at maybe 200psi, to blow off the rest of the stop and get out of the water before you both go OOA. Without an SPG, you're guessing. If you were diving thirds, or halves, you'd avoid the problem altogether.

 

[TxHockeyGuy]

That's true,it's a failure point. Computer dies.......Now am I feeling lucky today,do I really know how much air I had left before the computer blacked out. Yes,all computers die,it's a matter of when.


Ron

All SPG's will die too. They just generally take more time and don't rely on batteries. Right now I dive an spg, depth gauge, and non air integrated computer. When I upgrade to an air integrated computer I will lose the depth gauge and dive with both computers. That will give me redundancy in air, depth, and the computer information. It's all about redundancy.

 

[TxHockeyGuy]

Perrone.... <smack>

I think that getting an AI computer to babysit you while diving is foolish. Learning to plan and conduct a dive safely should be paramount.

Yes, I could probably do several common dives with no SPG at all and surface right where I thought I would be in terms of gas remaining. Does that make it smart? Probably not, but I also wouldn't consider an spg failure an immediate emergency.

If my air being shut off constitutes an emergency that requires loud sirens and flashing lights, I should probably work on my comfort in the water instead of buying a fancy solution.

Rachel

While I certainly don't advocate diving a computer until the alarms start going off ignoring the information during the dive, I also see no problem in using such features as an additional margin of safety during the dive. Nearly every vehicle made has a low fuel indicator, commercial airplanes have computers on them that let a pilot know if something isn't right, are these bad things? I certainly don't think they are, I just don't depend upon them. I do however think they are nice to have.

 

[PerroneFord]

If every passenger on the plane could hear the pilot's alarms, would you feel differently?

 

[RonFrank]

From the typical diver *groups*!

We have the GUE/DIR/Hol group who believe that anything NOT in the Bible is evil, wrong, and flawed.

We have the AI users who are going to be a LOT less biased, and generally helpful.

AI computers are a tool. One can gain from having such a tool. At the very least it's easy to check your PSI while glancing at the wrist for those non-important things one wants to know like BT, Depth, and so on! IMO THAT alone would make AI worthwhile as it's one less thing to have to drag into view.

However if/when I do get one, I will ALSO have an SPG clipped off dir style to my BC. I just don't trust the hoseless wonders as I've just seen and read of too many failing (generally NOT having anything to do with smashing into things!).

IMO if you have the money get the hoseless AI computer. They are cool, and do some useful things like calculate SAC rate. Those that poo-pooh them generally don't use them, and feel that if you are not planning your rec dives just like you were doing a 1 mile cave excursion to 200feet, that something is very wrong. The reality is that most rec divers will find the alarms useful, and it's just a TOOL! IMO an alarm at a turnaround point is USEFUL, just make sure that you do not fall into ignoring your head and assuming that if the computer does not alarm all is well.

Like all Tools, use them appropriately, and make sure as much as possible that you have backups, and have your plan IN your head. IOW, don't dive the computer, dive your plan.

 

[Soggy]

From the typical diver *groups*!

We have the GUI/DIR/Hol group who believe that anything NOT in the Bible is evil, wrong, and flawed.

Settle down there, chief.

What is GUI and Hol? You'd think since you know so much about DIR, you'd be able to at least get the agency acronym and Hogarthian right.....

There have been several answers given here with real reasons why one should not waste their money on useless gear (unless money is no object to you). There are few, if any in water benefits to an AI computer. I know, I used to dive one. They don't give you any information that you shouldn't already know.

 

[TxHockeyGuy]

If every passenger on the plane could hear the pilot's alarms, would you feel differently?

If it was the difference between having an alarm and not having one, no. That being said all the alarms under water do get highly annoying after a while. It would be nice if they all vibrated instead. Maybe if they could make the vibration eat up enough battery life people would start setting reasonable alarms and trying to stay out of alarm conditions to begin with. Just a thought.