Ilikerisk, I do worry about both software and hardware faults.
Two software faults I can think of are Green=Good/Red=Bad LED systems where the green remains on when things are okay. Controllers can hang, signalling green when they're not working. I find that not acceptable. For comparison, The PRISM's electronics go through their loop and give a signal to the HUD for the green LED to come on and off. If the green stays on or if it as well as the red or blue all stay off you
know the system isn't working.
Another software fault was on early Inspos, the ability to calibrate during the dive. And since they used the same software, the mistake was written in both controllers.
As far as flying manually, I've done that, on eCCRs, from beginning to end. With electronics that didn't work. Just using the analog gauge that runs of the cells to monitor the pO2, and using the manual add valved to maintain loop volume and setpoint.
I bought the Sport Kiss after that, and have been maintaining the setpoint manually ever since.
You won't believe just how easy it is to get into deco with a CCR.
The Disco people claim that the 2.7 kg scrubber outlasts the O2. Not an unreasonable claim, that's a lot of absorbant for a "receational" unit. About as much as the Ouroboros or PRISM, actually. O2 supply is 300 liters, so if the system doesn't blow gas like a whale and the divers uses about 1 lpm, we're talking close to 5 hrs duration here. Easy to get into deco at 35 or 40 meters. Now rack up even just 15-20 minutes, have some failure, bailout to the demaining air dil, all while stressed and breathing rapidly as you will ... the "just flip the switch and ascend" method may not work all that well.
Yes, I prefer to stay on the loop as long as possible and take advantage of the mix richer than my air dil. On conventional CCRs I have that option, as well as the option of running the une unit in SCR mode. If I have to get of the loop I do carry separate bailout, at least Nitrox40.
Jason, I wonder what the training program will be.
And the crossover ... do we need that?
Anyone who has ever trained and wants to crossover already survived lesser machines. And mCCR trained diver are grossly overqualified, don't you think?
If you do think about it, all you need to know is how to put a battery in a charger and into the unit, how to insert a cartridge, how to open a tank, how don the unit, and how to flip the bailout switch. Luckily no need for all the usual disclaimers, the unit is safe after all, if you go easy on the pictures you can fit that on single page.
On the back they could list all the stuff we can forget about now that their unit has been introduced, will probably fit on a single page as well. In my experience most divers (including myself) didn't know as much as thought, and forgot some already.
Might as well just send c-cards to any overqualified (already trained, that is) diver upon request.
