UWATEC Aladin Air vs. Smart COM Pro

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

BigBill - 17 Jun 2004 16:29 GMT

I am new to the scuba world and have just recently certified. I am
now looking to get some of my own equipment, especially a regulator,
computer, and BCD.

I like the Smart COM Pro, but as we all know, has a hefty price tag.
I have my eyes set on a new, but used Aladin Air and my local dive
shop says that the difference in the two is that the Smart COM Pro has
personalized configurations for each diver.

What are the differences in the two and should I go with the older
model or the newer? Being new I am not seeing a future yet of Nitrox
or deep ( >130 ft), although I like to purchase technical "toys" that
I can grow with.

Also, my local dive shop owner told me that the quick connects on both
models have had problems with the o-rings. Is this true? Would it be
better to have the non-quick connect version? I am all for supporting
my local dive shop, but $900 for a new one?

I apologize in advance if this has been covered. I searched Google
and found some good information, but still found the need to ask.

Thanks.

Bill

Reply to this Message

bullshark - 17 Jun 2004 17:12 GMT

>I apologize in advance if this has been covered. I searched Google
>and found some good information, but still found the need to ask.

Evidently because you failed to read their website www.uwatec.com.
If you had, you would know that there is no such thing as a
"Smart COM Pro". There is a "Smart Com", which like all AI computers
is a piece of sh.t, and a "Smart Pro", which like all wrist computers
is twice as good, and half as much as their AI relative.

AI is like silicone boobs: big and showy, but no nutritional value.

You don't want the Aladin Air.

"Personalized configurations for each diver"? WTF are you talking
about? Why would you think that is useful? Get another Dive shop.
The LDS you are talking to has no idea what they are talking about,
and they are selling their ignorance.

Please name the dive shop, so others will know.

safe diving,

bullshark

Reply to this Message

BigBill - 19 Jun 2004 15:06 GMT

> >I apologize in advance if this has been covered. I searched Google
> >and found some good information, but still found the need to ask.
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> bullshark

For the rest of the crowd, I apologize for not being as specific in my
first transmission.

On the "personalized configurations", I think I didn't get all of the
information from the dive shop and misinterpreted what was being said.
Like I said, I am new to this.

Oh and reading the website, I did read it and you got me there - Smart
COM. Why the BS, bullshark? Why not just answer the question instead
of the BS that you felt the need to give? And if this is the quality
of information and attitudes I am going to get in the future, I would
be better off listening to my local shop.

Bill

Reply to this Message

bullshark - 19 Jun 2004 22:46 GMT

>And if this is the quality
>of information and attitudes I am going to get in the future, I would
>be better off listening to my local shop.

You see, I write here on my own time, with my own money, and
what you want has no impact whatsoever. I write whatever I want
to. If you want specific answers in specific formats, then next
time put out an RFP, and I'll give you a bid.

Don't let the door hit you in the a.s on the way out.

Reply to this Message

H. Huntzinger - 20 Jun 2004 12:07 GMT

> > >I apologize in advance if this has been covered. I searched Google
> > >and found some good information, but still found the need to ask.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> >
> > AI is like silicone boobs: big and showy, but no nutritional value.

Cute way of summarizing it :-)

> > You don't want the Aladin Air.

Personally, I have a hard time "wanting" any UWATEC, given their poor
track record of recalling known defective products.

> > "Personalized configurations for each diver"? WTF are you talking
> > about? Why would you think that is useful? Get another Dive shop.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> For the rest of the crowd, I apologize for not being as specific in my
> first transmission.

Some of it is understandable, being a Newbie, but some of it is also the
product of your environment, eg, the quality of the education you
received at your dive shop. As such, some of your comments have tripped
the old "BS warning flag" for some of us on the diveshop you're using.
FWIW, I'd also be interested in knowing who's doing this kind of
hand-waving...as well as seemingly suggesting that a newbie start with a
$900 dive computer. Is this really the class of dive computer that
they're recommending to you (& other newbies)?

> On the "personalized configurations", I think I didn't get all of the
> information from the dive shop and misinterpreted what was being said.

Its possible that it has adjustable conservatism settings, but not much
more than that. Even so, this should be a RTFM for the end User and not
necessarily something that's done by the shop without intimate
familiarization by the user, for the very reason that it directly
impacts safety.

> Why the BS, bullshark? Why not just answer the question instead
> of the BS that you felt the need to give?

He did answer the question...you just didn't want to hear it. When I
first saw your note, I was going to point out that from a dive
efficiency standpoint that a simple $200 computer provides ~90% of the
benefit of a fancy $900 one, but your follow-up makes it very obvious
that you're far more enamored with the opinion of your local dive shop
(regardless of their self-interests), which means that you probably
wouldn't bother to really listen to my explanation as to why this is as
it is anyway, so I won't bother. Afterall, its in the Google archives,
so you might have already found (and ignored/disregarded) it.

> And if this is the quality of information and attitudes I am
> going to get in the future, I would be better off listening
> to my local shop.

Since you don't ever want the blunt truth, enjoy being ripped off.

-hh

Reply to this Message

BigBill - 21 Jun 2004 18:32 GMT

> > > >I apologize in advance if this has been covered. I searched Google
> > > >and found some good information, but still found the need to ask.
[quoted text clipped - 62 lines]
>
> -hh

Ok.

After dicphering the original message, I see the question was
answered. No, I don't mind the truth, but having to muddle through
the BS isn't necessary.

Thanks for the info.

Bill

Reply to this Message