i'm in the dive computer market again

[spatman]

it seems i have a knack for losing the expensive pieces of gear. first my camera, and now my dive computer.

i had been using an Oceanic Veo 250, which was fine for the diving i do generally. but as i grow as a diver, i've been thinking that my next computer should allow for deep stops. i'm leaning towards something like the Aladin Tec 2G or the Suunto Vyper 2.

any thoughts or suggestions on these models, or perhaps another i've overlooked? i'm hoping to keep this purchase to <$500...

thanks for your help.

[Nwbrewer]

I love my EMC-16. Stupid simple to use, the download software is expensive, and kind of sucks, but the nice big display and the backlight are great. If you forget to set your mix, and bend it, it won't lock you out, just smack yourself on the forehead and switch to tables. The biggest complaint I've heard on them is for tech diving, where it has the pre-programmed depth for gas switching with some people like, some people don't.

Talk to Matt at NWSD.

Jake

[Joshua Smith]

I know the Suunto will punish you for repetitive dives- and I don't think the algorithm is very happy with deep stops, either- it's straight buhlman, I believe- it wants to get you shallow quickly, and keep you there for a long time....

[dsteding]

I've used a Vyper and a Tec 2G, the 2G is my main computer now (although I use it in gauge mode).

I'm not sure about the Vyper 2, but the Vyper is a pure recreational computer. If you are talking deep stops in the recreational sense, the Vyper really doesn't punish you for those. I did ~75 dives on mine in nitrox mode before switching it over to gauge, and it never got mad at me.

The Tec 2G is a nice computer, more functionality, and you could use it for technical diving if you want-it can do gas switches, for instance. I run mine in gauge mode as well, and have been very happy with it. The only issue I see is some continuing reliability ones, I had a dive buddy's crap out on my boat a little while back (I gave him my old Vyper and we went diving).

[spatman]

I know the Suunto will punish you for repetitive dives- and I don't think the algorithm is very happy with deep stops, either- it's straight buhlman, I believe- it wants to get you shallow quickly, and keep you there for a long time....

the vyper 2 does allow for deep stops. like the other suuntos, it uses their RGBM algorithm, but tends to be more conservative than other brands.

vyper 2 specs are here.

[Grateful Diver]

I know the Suunto will punish you for repetitive dives- and I don't think the algorithm is very happy with deep stops, either- it's straight buhlman, I believe- it wants to get you shallow quickly, and keep you there for a long time....

Nope ... Suunto's are modified RGBM. They do not penalize you for deep stops ... but they really DON'T like reverse profiles. And they're absurdly conservative.

The main reason I won't go Suunto anymore is that their customer service sucks ... when my Vytec decided to start giving me false depth readings, Suunto's answer was to give me a 10% discount if I purchased a new one.

Dive Rite computers use Buhlmann algorithms. Not sure what Oceanic uses, but they're about the most liberal computers out there.

I really like my Tech2G ... but it's never been dived in computer mode.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[WylerBear]

I love my Suunto's. Don't really know about their customer service because in almost 700 dives, none of them have had an issue. But they are conservative. I like that but others don't so you need to decide. I have a Cobra console (used to be my main computer-probably has 400 dives on it) which I still use when in the pool. I have a Mosquito which I use as my back up-it probably has 300-400 dives on it. And my primary computer is the Vyper 2 which I love. It only has about 150 dives on it so far. But like I said, no problems.

[loanwolf]

it seems i have a knack for losing the expensive pieces of gear. first my camera, and now my dive computer.

i had been using an Oceanic Veo 250, which was fine for the diving i do generally. but as i grow as a diver, i've been thinking that my next computer should allow for deep stops. i'm leaning towards something like the Aladin Tec 2G or the Suunto Vyper 2.

any thoughts or suggestions on these models, or perhaps another i've overlooked? i'm hoping to keep this purchase to <$500...

thanks for your help.

Spatman:

What kind of diving are you doing and what do you see yourself doing in the future? That is the first question you need to ask yourself. I would also like to know to give you a better recommendation.

[spatman]

Spatman:

What kind of diving are you doing and what do you see yourself doing in the future? That is the first question you need to ask yourself. I would also like to know to give you a better recommendation.

i'm purely a recreational depths diver currently. these days i dive 32% and don't push my MODs, though i would dive a lower O2% to see something worthwhile at a deeper depth.

i have no immediate plans to get into technical diving, but i wouldn't completely rule it out for sometime in the future. ( i know i've said otherwise to some folks, but i may come around someday...)

[cardiver]

Take a look at the new Oceanic OC1 coming out in a few months.

[Pez7378]

it seems i have a knack for losing the expensive pieces of gear. first my camera, and now my dive computer......

any thoughts or suggestions.....
thanks for your help.

Yeah, cut back on "losing" the gear you want to replace or upgrade before your wife catches on!

[Ken G]

My vote is for a Diverite Nitek Duo. Great little puter. Reasonably priced, easy to use/read, download-able, 2 gas user switching, back-lit, user changeable battery, and gauge mode.... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh DSS makes a sweet wrist boot for it as well.

I picked mine up new for under $400

[spatman]

Yeah, cut back on "losing" the gear you want to replace or upgrade before your wife catches on!

oh, she knows, dude, she knows....

[spatman]

Take a look at the new Oceanic OC1 coming out in a few months.

looks like a nice unit, but i am not an early adopter. i'll let other folks test it for awhile before i'd buy...

My vote is for a Diverite Nitek Duo. Great little puter. Reasonably priced, easy to use/read, download-able, 2 gas user switching, back-lit, user changeable battery, and gauge mode.... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh DSS makes a sweet wrist boot for it as well.

thanks, ken. i'll take a closer look at that one.

[Grateful Diver]

Take a look at the new Oceanic OC1 coming out in a few months.

looks like a nice unit, but i am not an early adopter. i'll let other folks test it for awhile before i'd buy...

My vote is for a Diverite Nitek Duo. Great little puter. Reasonably priced, easy to use/read, download-able, 2 gas user switching, back-lit, user changeable battery, and gauge mode.... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh DSS makes a sweet wrist boot for it as well.

thanks, ken. i'll take a closer look at that one.

See above ... DiveRite uses a Buhlmann algorithm. If you're in the market for a computer that doesn't penalize for deep stops, Dive Rite isn't a good choice (because it does) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Ken G]

Must have missed that. Yes it uses a modified Buhlmann ZH-L16 algorithm

[Burntchef]

why the need for deep stops if you are not leaning towards tech?? and when you do foloow that path you will most likely be using the comp in gage mode and using a set of tables. i have used the nitek duo for tons of dives and still do in gage or in computer mode, also ran it side by side with the shearwater pursuit and it was a comprable deco time. and they can be had for around 350 ish.

[spatman]

why the need for deep stops if you are not leaning towards tech??

mostly as a conservative measure if i'm on ascents during a deeper dive. and i'm not currently leaning towards tech, which isn't to say that i may in a few years. that is, if is haven't lost my next computer by then.

[Burntchef]

if you want you can take the duo for a test dive, let me know and we will hook up for a dive.

[Ken G]

I have one im not currently using you are more than welcome to test out as well

[spatman]

thanks for the offer, guys. i'll shoot you a PM if i can figure out a time to test them.

[OreCoastDiver]

I've got the SUUNTO VYTEC DS and love it. When I started diving about the only dive computer on the market was the ScubaPro Bend-o-Matic, which was real scary. A computer jock friend of mine built a bottom timer that ended up being a little bigger than a soup can and everyone in the college dive club thought it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen. I had a dream that some day there would be something the size of a dive watch that told you everything you needed to know: how much air you had left, how many minutes it would last at the depth you were, depth, time, temp. Now, a mere 32 years later, I've got it in the Vytec.

With the Vytec you pay a lot for the hoseless feature. I had the money in the bank when I was looking for a dive computer so I went ahead and got it, but I think if I was doing it over I'd get the Cobra. It's about the same thing hooked to the end of a hose.

For a rec diver, air integration is great. While it doesn't take the place of a good gas plan, it is way cool. Of course you can always dive it in the gauge mode.

Just a note about electronic compasses: I don't like them for a lot of reasons. I do really like my Suunto SK-7 with bungies so I can wear it on the top of my left wrist.

[Maverick]

I recomend not using a computer, they cost to much. Just use a water resistant Casio with a stop watch around your neck. Works great and is right there for you to see and works great with tables too.

[Nwbrewer]

I recomend not using a computer, they cost to much. Just use a water resistant Casio with a stop watch around your neck. Works great and is right there for you to see and works great with tables too.

You need a depth gauge too Mav...

[Maverick]

You do? I just count every time i clear my ears as 10fsw and 15ffw. works great