Which Dive Computer?

[bang-on]

the vr3 would be my choice thats what i use along with a buddy nexus for diving.
i have a suunto stinger i use as my watch and the odd time as a depth/timer i would have saved many shillings if i had bought the vr3 long ago.
sold on vytec,aladdin,suunto i cant remember name of, all good computers but only 1 will do it all the vr3.
cheers
barrie

[Rob Evans]

Spookily enough, as an owner of both a VR3 and Stinger, I'd go for the Nexus.  Nice and cheap, sometimes a bit of a bastard to program - but does two mixes & CCR if that's your bag.  For service backup you've only got to look to Buddy - ie superb.  Yes, it doesn't do trimix - but for mixes up to 30% He that's a no-brainer anyway so you're OK for normoxic if that's what you finish up doing.  You'd be amazed the amount of serious gas divers (CCR admittedly) swear by them.
The Vytec has merit, but as regards the Aladin (nice, but does it really give you THAT much more) and the VR2 (HOW FECKIN MUCH?) you'd be better off keeping it cheap until you've got more of an idea what you want from your diving.
A VR3's a ton of money and though it DOES rock  I'm starting to wonder if it was money all that well spent.
Hope WL isn't reading this. Hope Chasey isn't reading this. Or Rob M. Or Phil E.
Bollocks, I've just managed to alienate another half of YD.  [img]C:\Documents and Settings\Rob\My Documents\My Pictures\Emoticons\Big grin.gif[/img]

PS Hang on to the Stinger, makes a great backup bottom timer in Guage mode.

[SteveC]

lol you would daz, tut lets ave it . Well I don't own one of those air integrated transmitters, but from what I’ve heard sometimes there can be difficulty in receiving a signal.  Now if this became a frequent occurrence during a dive id find it more of a hindrance than a help so if I had an ‘actively AI computer’ (see below), I'd want to be able to switch to a standard pressure gauge.  On a more general note, id disagree that analogue and electronic are prone to failure the same amount.  With electronics I think there’s more to go wrong so I’d want a backup.  In my opinion an analogue pressure gauge is less likely to fail than a dive computer especially when nowadays you get these user replaceable batteries; that alone has got to cause more POSSIBILITY for them to bugger up, considering you’ve now got to account for the numpty factor (I dare say ill be contributing to the stats after I’ve done mine ).  

On a slightly different note, regarding soley relying on it (don’t like quotes they look confrontational )  people have been known to carry two computers, if one fails they can complete the dive safely on the second, now if the one that failed happened to be your fancy AI one then you can't because you've just lost your pressure gauge too.   Just seems a bit like putting all your eggs in one basket.  So say you only dive with one computer, like me.  I’ve got a vytec and twin console.  If I 'lose' the computer, at least ive still got depth and air, ive only lost time; so at least I can find 6m to deco at.  Someone with as many first stage connections as me with AI can lose depth, air and time; ouch.  So fair enough ive added a depth gauge, but the point im making is that I can have more redundancy with that one first stage connection than someone with AI.  This is why I would not like AI as a soul source of reference. I dunno im probably wrong, usually am .

[daz]

No some valid points.  

The hose integrated AI computers do not seem to be problematic at all, but then if it is on a hose, might as well have a gauge.

The hoseless versions do lose the signal due to certain factors, such as camera strobes.  So probably not great for avid photographers.

My main computer is AI, but I also dive with a spare computer, mainly for liveaboard type holidays so I do not have to stop diving for 24 hours in the event of a failure.  If my main computer failed,  I would have a reasonable idea of my remaining air to within 10 bar.   At which point I would abort the dive and then put a normal gauge on and continiue diving on my spare computer with a standard gauge.

I guess I just like to keep hoses to a minimum and it is nice to have all my information in one place on my wrist.

So I guess I would not agree that a gauge is required for redundancy but I do carry a standard gauge in my spares and dive with a spare computer to avoid missing dives in the event of a failure.

Each to their own and can't say that having a gauge attached just in case, is a bad idea, just not for me.

Daz

(Not much of a ruck, was it   )

[Dominic]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]people have been known to carry two computers, if one fails they can complete the dive safely on the second, now if the one that failed happened to be your fancy AI one then you can't because you've just lost your pressure gauge too.

I beg to differ.

You carry two computers like you carry two DVs - so that if one breaks, you can safely ABORT the dive using the other.

If your AI computer breaks, but you have a second computer and gauge, only a Darwin candidate would continue the dive happily using his unbroken equipment. The failure of ANY important piece of dive gear is a signal to immediately call the dive. A diver with an AI computer, a backup computer, and a backup gauge, should respond to a dead AI computer the same way as a diver with an AI computer, no backup, and no gauge - end the dive immediately.

Therefore, a backup gauge has no benefit, unless you distrust your AI computer to give you a valid reading and want another gauge to verify it.

But if you're that mistrustful of it, why use it in the first place?

[SteveC]

I would think it depends on the type of diving. I reckon if ive got a backup computer in which you can complete the dive safely id do that.  Your not compromising anyone or anything by doing that and I would be doing the next dive on only one computer as I would have before I ever got a second one.  Not to mention there’s my buddy with his computer(s).  And if we got separated then obviously your aborting anyway. So then there’s two of you with 2/3 computers between you still. If that isn't a more than required safety margin I don't know what is.  This is how I separate computers from every other bit of dive gear, because by their nature they are separate.  If anything other fails yeh your aborting, obviously anything relating to your air source, tank, first stage, DV's, not least because its all interconnected. Drysuit flood; getting cold. Fin strap breaks, cant move easily etc. These are all  direct hazards to overall physical and dive safety.  I believe that you can be too cautious however, others don't, its personal opinion.  

Now I've got two masks, if say the mask skirt of my primary one has been damaged putting it on and I have my second one in my pocket, i'll change it mid-dive, I aint aborting just to throw it to one side and waiting get back in the water later.  In such a case having a spare mask is not only just convenient. But obviously more importantly because otherwise aborting is a must, due to safety and the possibility of becoming fully flooded without being able to clear. I view computers in this way.  But then im only a recreational diver who’s only been to 30m!  As I said I would imagine it depends on the type of diving.

Now don't get me wrong it also depends on the scenario.  If my computer is knackered because ive had it crushed (along with my wrist) from a bit of wreck then im not gonna be wanting to hang around admiring the red misted scenery.  Same goes for getting my face accidentally smashed by my kick boxing buddy. But if its a relatively calm situation ill want to keep going .

[Phil Ennis]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Rob Evans @ Jan. 02 2004,23:22)]Hope WL isn't reading this. Hope Chasey isn't reading this. Or Rob M. Or Phil E.
Bollocks, I've just managed to alienate another half of YD.

<font color='#810541'>Hope you don't mean me Rob &nbsp;

I have a VR3 &nbsp; &nbsp;and I want a BOX. &nbsp;

[bang-on]

in many circumstances i would agree with a call to bin a dive if a primary piece of kit goes pear shaped.
however murphy's law states if kit is going down its normally at the worst possible time ie; when you have just completed your bottom time and are leaving the bottom,back up for this information is fairly critical especially on deeper longer dives that require long deco and many gas changers.
that said never had a computer fail in water yet.
cheers
barrie

[Janos]

For the sort of diving I'm doing (30m to 40m with not much deco) then I think that back-up computers are overkill. Of course I would like one, but I don't think they're by any means a neccesity.

I only have one computer at the moment, (although I do have watch) and if I'm doing something extreme (for me) then I also take down some bail-out tables on me wet-notes

Consequently, if I do ever have two computers (and I would quite like a Vytec, but only after I've bought a new torch) then doing this sort of dive I would be quite happy to continue if one of them went tits up.

I think the big advantage of backup dive computers (for me) is when you're on a weeks holiday somewhere and one goes wrong and you don't want to wait 24 hours before diving again.

Obviously all this depends very much on the diving you're doing really.

Laters,
&nbsp; &nbsp;Janos

[bang-on]

For the sort of diving I'm doing (30m to 40m with not much deco) then I think that back-up computers are overkill. Of course I would like one, but I don't think they're by any means a neccesity.

you would still need depth/time info!

I think the big advantage of backup dive computers (for me) is when you're on a weeks holiday somewhere and one goes wrong and you don't want to wait 24 hours before diving again.

if your dive has gone wrong to point of your dive computer locking you out for 24hours your probably better of not diving for the 24hours.

cheers
barrie