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Scuba Forum / UK Scuba / April 2006Computer advice for newbie please
Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. From the bit of research I've done already it would seem to make sense to go for one that is nitrox enabled (thinking for the future). I don't want a watch type but would like it to be wrist mounted, and with the facility to upload data to my pc. I want my purchase to be an investment and so don't necessarily want to just head for the cheapest. Neither do I want anything too fancy either (so not worried about the capability to switch between different air mixes, for example, as I have a disability and could only ever cope with one tank anyway). Any advice as to models, pron/cons, where i might find any useful info, would be greatly appreciated. thanks. Jan > Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first > time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Any advice as to models, pron/cons, where i might find any useful info, > would be greatly appreciated. Last time this topic came up with a very similar question I suggested a Suunto Vyper and was severely flamed for having recommended a computer which was sooooo conservative on deco times. Of course it depends on what type of diving you want to do. Certainly it has all the features you describe, as well as being bombproof. It is one of the most - if not THE most popular computers in UK diving, and comes in at a very reasonable price no doubt helped by the volume of sales. If you could only ever cope with one cylinder, then extended deco dives are unlikely to be your passion as carrying lots of gas is not an option. In that case, views on (over?)cautious deco requirements are irrelevant as no-deco diving would be the norm. The Vyper, IMHO+FWIW, seems to fit your bill, represnting excellent value for money. Ken I second that motion. Maybe there is a "conservative" issue relative to some computers but with the practicalities of recreational diving it's not really a "BIG" issue, it's never bothered me. Besides, even if they are more conservative it means that its erring on the side of caution. Also, the fact that it is such a common/popular computer means that there's more chance of you diving with someone with the same computer thus being on the same algorithm. The other computer that I considered getting at he time I bought my Vyper was the Apeks Quantum. The Quantum has the benefit of being able to switch gases during dive. It all depends if you think you might go that far with twins etc. At the time, the Quantum hadn't got the pc software and hardware so I went for the Vyper. Euge >> Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first >> time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Ken >Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first >time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Any advice as to models, pron/cons, where i might find any useful info, >would be greatly appreciated. Suunto Vyper - simple to use, fantastic after sales service, does everything you want plus more, possibly a little conservative on long stop dives > Suunto Vyper - simple to use, fantastic after sales service, does > everything you want plus more, possibly a little conservative on long > stop dives. Absolutely. You'll be the safest diver on the boat. You'll not be able to go as deep as anyone else or stay as long as anyone else, but heck, that's not a problem. You'll get first choice of seating on the ride home every time. The Suunto Viper is one of the most conservative computers relative to no deco time. That, however, is not the primary problem many of us have with it. The way it reports, and calculates on the next higher partial pressure percentage and dramatically decreases allowable dive time for pressures at or over 1.4 ata is what has made it so many enemies. If you like the Suunto line, check some of the other computers. If I recall correctly, the Vitec does not share the nitrox problem. Lee > Absolutely. You'll be the safest diver on the boat. You'll not be able > to go as deep as anyone else or stay as long as anyone else, but heck, > that's not a problem. You'll get first choice of seating on the ride home > every time. Not in the UK. You'll be the last person back on the boat doing stops whilst everyone else is onboard eating your lunch. I'm reasonably happy with the Apeks Quantum. Had it a couple of years. Less conservative than the Vyper, but still more conservative than others on the market. Jason  SignatureSee http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for Caribbean trip reports to Aruba, Cuba, Grand Bahama, Barbados, St Lucia and Mexico >> Absolutely. You'll be the safest diver on the boat. You'll not be able >> to go as deep as anyone else or stay as long as anyone else, but heck, >> that's not a problem. You'll get first choice of seating on the ride >> home >> every time. > Not in the UK. You'll be the last person back on the boat doing stops > whilst everyone else is onboard eating your lunch. I'm not so sure. It'll have you in deco so early that most conservative people will begin their ascent while others are still on their way to the dive. Of course, if the computer were to even suspect you were breathing 50% at 70 feet, or, gods forbid, 100% at 20 feet, you'd never get cleared to surface. > I'm reasonably happy with the Apeks Quantum. Had it a couple of years. > Less conservative than the Vyper, but still more conservative than others > on the market. I like my Oceanics as well. They're not overly conservative, which is fine with me. I'm conservative enough to make up for it. My Nitek Duo is considerably more conservative, but makes up for it by accepting a switch to an appropriate deco gas in mid dive. I don't think I'd recommend it to a relative novice, but it does what I bought it for well enough. Lee Lee Bell kirjoitti: > >> Absolutely. You'll be the safest diver on the boat. You'll not be able > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Lee I'm now in my fourth Nitek Duo in two years. It's a fine computer but unfortunately they have trouble making them waterproof. Which would be a nice feature in a dive computer. No? The problems with Duos are widely published and ATM I would have a hard time recommending it to anyone. timo > I'm now in my fourth Nitek Duo in two years. It's a fine computer but > unfortunately they have trouble making them waterproof. Which would be a > nice feature in a dive computer. No? A nice feature, yes. I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble. I'll keep an eye on mine. > The problems with Duos are widely published and ATM I would have a hard > time recommending it to anyone. Care to point me to information on this? I'm particularly interested in knowing where the leaks occur, what to watch for and what Dive Rite does for its customers. Lee Lee Bell kirjoitti: >>I'm now in my fourth Nitek Duo in two years. It's a fine computer but >>unfortunately they have trouble making them waterproof. Which would be a [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Lee There's a lot of discussion about the Duo's problems and DR (US) responses on the Decostop under several threads. Search for "Nitek Duo". The most typical symptom seems to be a fading/errant display immediately after a dive, followed by one or more of the buttons ceasing to work. My first one started acting up already in deco and from the symptoms I first thought the pressure sensor had packed it. From my own account in TDS: "My first Duo started acting a couple of weeks ago with symptoms similar to those described in this thread after some 50 dives on it. Being the inquisitive spirit I am, I took it apart to have a look. It appears that a small drop of water had entered through the shaft for the left button and the contacts on the circuit board operating the switch had eroded away. This switch is constructed by etching pencil-thin contacts to the board that are operated by a metallized rubber cup pressed by the button shaft. Effectively, it is a self destroying mechanism if any water enters the housing. How such a small amount managed to get into mine in stead of a catastrophic flood is beyond me. I put mine back together and it still works as a gauge and air computer but no settings can be made, histories browsed, etc. that would require the left button to be used. The computer is reasonably easy to take apart and to put togethether with a bit of care. About the complexity of taking apart a light head with the addition of a few very small parts." I have since got a replacement that lasted for 5 dives and the replacement of that lasted 15. I took the latest one to the local DR rep on Monday for replacement and they indicated that if (as if!) I have lost my trust in the thing, there might be another alternative. Watch this space. What DR is doing about it: Replacing 'puters under warranty and - apparently - sometimes offering "upgrades" to the Nitek Plus. It somehow appears there may have been a good batch in the very beging and the grapewine has it that the new ones are differently built but seem still to suffer from the same problem. Go figure. I have not heard of similar issues with the Apex computers (which is exactly the same unit) but I would be surprised if they did not have the same issue. Dunno, though. timo Thanks. > Lee Bell kirjoitti: >>>I'm now in my fourth Nitek Duo in two years. It's a fine computer but [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > > timo Lee Bell kirjoitti: > Thanks. > [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] >> >>timo You're welcome, Lee. timo I am by no means an expert - but as I was on same 'path' as yourself, I asked the instructors when ona weeks diving last year. Without fail all advised that the Suunto Vyper was the model to get - large clear, simple ... and fully Nitrox compatible. I bid on eBay and ended up buying 2 brand news ones for less than the cost of 1 at local dive shop - I know you take risk of service)- ...but they are under Suunto guarantee so I was happy. Sold one straight away. Not used in anger yet ... but on my Nitrox course next week, so will get to use it then. Lot's of these on eBay ... worth looking there. Captain's log. On StarDate Fri, 17 Mar 2006 00:03:37 -0000 received comm from "Jan Smith" <jan@20riverside.freeserve.co.uk> on channel uk.rec.scuba: : Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first : time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] : Any advice as to models, pron/cons, where i might find any useful info, : would be greatly appreciated. I personally like the Suunto D9. It has build in digital compass, integrated gas management, good easy to use UI/buttons, build in USB interface (cable included) and fairly good PC software (free). Also like the design so much that I use it as my normal watch as well. martin SignatureMartin Törnsten - http://martin.tornsten.com/ Thanks to you all for your suggestions. Seems the Vyper wins hands down. Jan > Thanks to you all for your suggestions. Seems the Vyper wins hands > down. The first response to your question clearly indicated that there are a lot of divers that don't consider the Vyper to be a viable choice. You would be well advised to research why. Lee > Having recently got my OW certification and just come back from my first > time diving abroad I now want to buy my own computer. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > mixes, for example, as I have a disability and could only ever cope with > one tank anyway). I'm in a similar position. The advice I was given was the entry level suunto's are a good bet. I've got my eye on one of those shiny D9's... be a while before I can afford one though :S > I'm in a similar position. The advice I was given was the entry level > suunto's are a good bet. You also got a lot of advice to the contrary. Lee > > I'm in a similar position. The advice I was given was the entry level > >>suunto's are a good bet. > > You also got a lot of advice to the contrary. And a good bet isn't necessarily a safe bet ;-). Matthias > > I'm in a similar position. The advice I was given was the entry level >> suunto's are a good bet. > > You also got a lot of advice to the contrary. Depends what you mean by entry level. The Gekko's alright I think. I've got a Suunto Companion which is still going strong after years. Makes a good timer for deeper stuff. Just gets a bit confused when you get out earlier than it thinks you should have. Jason Signaturehttp://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for Aussie diving reports including the Coral Sea, Ningaloo reef, the Solitaries and Byron Bay A few things to keep in mind that if you are going to download the dive profiles to a pc . With the Suunto stuff the Dive Manager download software is free. The interface ie usb cable etc isn't Check out the prices for the software and the cables/interface to allow download in a lort of cases these are add on items this goes for most of the other manufacturers. The dive download software with some of the other manufacturers can be pretty expensive. . >> > I'm in a similar position. The advice I was given was the entry level >>> suunto's are a good bet. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Jason |
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