VR3 Computer opinions

fireman

How about the shearwater, and or the liquivision x1 if it's not vapor ware.

Allan_o

My vr3 got filled during a 35meter dive.
the vr3 went to delta p, got back very quick with brand new electronics.
One single line of pixeling missing now but dosent affect the deco or anything (same as marks vr3)

The browsing through the menus is easy to figure out, but iwould have preferred 3 buttons to get rid of the LONG push.

/Allan

Genesis

I have one and like it a lot.

However, with that said:

1. The deco is very "old school" and can be WAY conservative. The VPM implementation is next to useless IMHO due to even MORE conservatism that is hard-wired in and can't be turned down. They had the opportunity to really be a barnburner with the VPM algo and IMHO blew it.

2. The PIN system is a pain in the arse. However, you only need to enter any particular PIN once. I do NOT like the pricing for the PINs one bit, but it is what it is.

3. I do NOT like the lack of local (e.g. in the US) service. But - mine has never needed to go back. So..... I guess that means its ok eh? After all, isn't the best customer service the type you never need to use?

4. "The last computer you will ever need" is a bit of a farce. The VPM fiasco proved that to a lot of people who had units with lower memory amounts that couldn't run it without HUGE amounts of $$$ being invested. I guess the answer to that is "don't believe the marketing."

As a full-deco computer I like it a lot. The theoretical tissue loading graph which can be displayed underwater is a BIG help if you're diving your own profiles yet using the computer as a guide for deco. It allows you to add however much conservatism you want to over the base "0" level and yet know what you're doing relative to baseline. There's no other computer currently on the market that makes this possible. I dive mine set to zero conservatism which gives me a "baseline" and then extend my stop profile to get the tissue graph where I'm comfortable, and have developed a good feel for what it needs to look like before I get out. Works for me and leaves me feeling great post-dive - what's not to like about that?

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

DeepBlueInnovation

I am looking forward to trying the X1, and from talking to someone who has had a play with one and is importing a number to the land down under, they do exist

Good pricing, software options look pretty sweet - just as long as they are reliable But then again, all the other gear that comes from Canada seems to be pretty good!

CharlieT

Ah yes, your Shearwater is another tale altogether

Charlie

RichClark

What's the story there? I have one on my KISS and so far it's been faultless.

Is there something that I should look out for?

Cheers

Rich

__________________
The more I learn about women, the more I want to go diving... just don't tell my wife I said that

To taste something a little different, try http://www.thechillikitchen.co.uk

CharlieT

Only if your name is Mark Chase

divetheworld

I must agree with the above but also add some slants.

I like conservative, I dont like getting bent. It hurts and stops you diving. Perhaps setting your own conservatism is the point here but it doesnt affect me. As far as 'old school' is concerned, I prefer GF by far.
The PIN system has its uses but it would have been a bit more honest to put 'license to print money' on the brochure. That goes double for poor buggers with old boards who want new 7pin accessories or VPM.

Bail to open circuit is death on a stick. (OK, an exageration but still crap). You must change to OC, then disable gases and enable others for the look-ahead deco to function.

I didnt find the fourth cell integration very reliable. Wandering cell measurements and stuff didnt make me feel confident in its ability to track safely.
I feel it is needed to explain this a bit more. With another cable on my arm and diving from my RIB, I found it useful to disconnect the computer by the connector when hanging on th etubes of the boat and pass th ebox up to the crew. this gets splashes of seawater in the connector between divies. this might have been the cause. but isnt that the reason for a plug and socket? there might be some difference of opinion as to that little ditty.

Lastly, you have little choice when you compare what is on the market in non-integrated deco computers. As I see it, its still the best of the bunch and I will let it go when you prise it from my cold dead hands. Which might be sooner rather than later if I have to rely on it in an OC bail situation

If you want integrated then I would stop looking at anything other than the Shearwater but that is just my opinion.

Brent

__________________

Mark Chase

No not really.

I think Charley was referring to my unnerving ability to make electrical things stop working


Sherewater

Gradient deco with pre set settings (would prefer a custom setting option but its not a big deal)

Can link to one forth cell or all three cells on the controller to give back up and real time deco.

Screen contrast is superb very easy to read and understand. Menu system isn't bad and switches work well.

Down load package is cheep worked first time and is not bad at all for a dive graph but still not as good at logging general dive info as my Suunto.



The OC bailout option is fantastic with five button pushes setting up all your OC bailout options immediately and selecting the most depth suitable gas by default. 5 gasses available.

5 diluent available but the deco is counted on ALL input gas so you have to run it on one unless your intending on doing dill flushes. Gas parameters can be altered in water for those dives where you forget to switch the Shearwater back from 10/50 on to air dill.

It has user definable auto set point switching for going down and coming up.

I made a numptie didn't read the manual properly mistake of setting the auto set point switch DOWN at 20m thinking that was an auto switch on the way down but its actually the switch from 1.3 to 0.7 . Slightly frustrating as you can see from the graph. I should have set it at UP 20m.

The straps provided were totally useless. I couldn't pull adjust them so had to have them reeeely tight on the boat to compensate and then the unit still flopped. I solved it by swapping to a couple of HH straps.

The unit is big and heavy. In this day and age of miniaturization it looks and feels clunky and i have affectionately named it the house brick.





Seeing as its so big i would have preferred a much bigger screen but thats a minor niggle.

Battery life is so good they suggest having the back lite on all the time which is lovely on dark UK dives

Battery is user replaceable but its inside the main housing so needs the housing opened up.

The screen does not rotate (vr3 does) this is a PITA because the Fischer connector is on the left and the unit goes on my right wrist as the primary for the HH goes on the left. As a result the cable sticks out toward my hand which is untidy puts a sharp bend in the cable and exposes it to impact damage I have now sourced a 90 degree four position Fischer connector which i hope will solve most of the problems.

All in all i think its a major step forward from the VR3 in terms of deco and the fact it can monitor all three cells.

Cost wise its a very serious competitor for VR3 in Trimix OC or CCR mode. Personally I would much rather have the Shearwater deco than the VR3 deco.
Bruce is very responsive to Emails and to date has been a pleasure to do business with.

If they did triple cell, GF deco, superb screen contrast in mono on the VR3 id prefer its neat and compact packaging (and I never thought Id say that about the VR3)


HTH

ATB

Mark Chase

__________________
See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!!

Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08
[/quote]

Gilles

I have an older version (V2.01 CXR I think), Buhlmann only.

I've had significant amounts of difficulties with it, but it was met with excellent technical and service quality from delta-P.

It used to reset itself during the dive, usually at the beginning of the deco.

I don't know if the newer units have ever changed the following complaint I have about the design.

The need to scroll through PO2 settings of up to 2.0 ATA to get to the setting you want (lots of unnecessary button puxhes).

Other than that, good peice of kit and superb customer support !

__________________
Gilles
http://www.dirrebreather.com