drrich2
Contributor
I agree with Hatul; a wrist Cobalt without AI will get compared to the Petrel, and both Shearwater and the Petrel have a strong, devoted following, with considerable influence on ScubaBoard in terms of gear recommendations from what I've seen.
A recent thread got into a contentious 'spirited' discussion about whether it would be a good idea to include AI, even as an optional add-on with little or no added cost to the base unit, in a technical computer. It's a question I've often wondered. In a nutshell, because of the way the tech. diving community dives, and the degree of advance planning and adherence to the plan coupled with the self-awareness of SAC & so forth that these advanced dives bring to their dives, many tech. divers don't need, don't want and in some cases are antagonistic towards adding AI functionality to a tech. diving computer, even as an optional add-on (in other words, transmitter sold separately).
So, I doubt Shearwater will be adding AI to the Petrel anytime soon, unless they release a separate computer for the rec. market.
I was very interested in the Lynx, with that capability of locating the buddy or a boat transmitter. I am disturbed by discussions of ridiculously expensive batteries, and rechargeables that don't last long and involve pulling out some fragile looking tray (if I understood correctly from others descriptions).
I dive a Cobalt 1 console, with an old Oceanic VT3 as backup and to give me my PSI on my wrist. I really like having it on my wrist. Also like how the computers both automatically record my start & end pressures and calculate SAC for logging dives by download to my computer.
What I want in a wrist Cobalt:
1.) Built-in rechargeable battery that is not removed to recharge, and can handle a bunch of dives (in a Lynx thread, someone criticized built-in because you can't swap it out if it's dead and you want to go diving. So a built-in needs to last a number of dives). Every time I wrack my nerves swapping out a battery in the VT3, I'm grateful I don't have to do it with in the Cobalt.
2.) A.I. or bust.
It would be really neat if you could also use it to locate a buddy or boat transmitter. Buddy separation happens often enough in the real world that an effective, easy to use buddy finder would be nice. Just think of the paranoid parents getting their kids certified who'd like this capability. Not to mention divers who routinely dive low-viz. environments.
Richard.
A recent thread got into a contentious 'spirited' discussion about whether it would be a good idea to include AI, even as an optional add-on with little or no added cost to the base unit, in a technical computer. It's a question I've often wondered. In a nutshell, because of the way the tech. diving community dives, and the degree of advance planning and adherence to the plan coupled with the self-awareness of SAC & so forth that these advanced dives bring to their dives, many tech. divers don't need, don't want and in some cases are antagonistic towards adding AI functionality to a tech. diving computer, even as an optional add-on (in other words, transmitter sold separately).
So, I doubt Shearwater will be adding AI to the Petrel anytime soon, unless they release a separate computer for the rec. market.
I was very interested in the Lynx, with that capability of locating the buddy or a boat transmitter. I am disturbed by discussions of ridiculously expensive batteries, and rechargeables that don't last long and involve pulling out some fragile looking tray (if I understood correctly from others descriptions).
I dive a Cobalt 1 console, with an old Oceanic VT3 as backup and to give me my PSI on my wrist. I really like having it on my wrist. Also like how the computers both automatically record my start & end pressures and calculate SAC for logging dives by download to my computer.
What I want in a wrist Cobalt:
1.) Built-in rechargeable battery that is not removed to recharge, and can handle a bunch of dives (in a Lynx thread, someone criticized built-in because you can't swap it out if it's dead and you want to go diving. So a built-in needs to last a number of dives). Every time I wrack my nerves swapping out a battery in the VT3, I'm grateful I don't have to do it with in the Cobalt.
2.) A.I. or bust.
It would be really neat if you could also use it to locate a buddy or boat transmitter. Buddy separation happens often enough in the real world that an effective, easy to use buddy finder would be nice. Just think of the paranoid parents getting their kids certified who'd like this capability. Not to mention divers who routinely dive low-viz. environments.
Richard.
