Another new freediving computer - Sporasub SP1

Sporasub recently released their "new" computer - the Sporasub SP1. I am telling "new", because it is in fact the same computer as the Omer MIK1, and that again is a clone of other similar computer built by the Chinese company Latitude.

Omer MIK1 was/is an inexpensive computer (the catalogue price was 169€, now changed to 179€) but with some serious flows - especially the missing surface time display, and no dive depth alarm. The Sporasub clone has an improved firmware and offers both of these functions now - it does show the surface time, and it has a depth alarm. Unfortunately, these small (but important) fixes are rater expensive - the catalogue price of the SP1 is 259€, which makes it as expensive as the Aeiris F.10 or Uwatec Aladin 2G, and other computers. These computers offer much more functions for freedivers (especially the multitude of alarms), and in case of the Aladin 2G, it offers even the full scuba air and nitrox functionality, and even comes with IrDA PC interface, which means you won;t be billed another 100€ for the data cable as it is usual at practically all other manufacturers (except of Liquivision).



Well, I wrote more information about the new computer on the APNEA.cz - Blog and you can, of course, see the computer features, data, and links in the comparative review which now contains data on 39 computers suited for freediving (and I already know about the 40th which is in testing, and will be probably a really attractive alternative).

APNEA.cz - Freediving Computers
The SP1 compared to some popular computers:
APNEA.cz - Sporasub SP1

twentytwomonk said:

Although being Sporasub, I'm surprised it's as cheap as it is.

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If you read the initial post above, the comparative review, or the blog entry about the SP1, you will see that it is not really Sporasub. It is just branded Sporasub, but in fact the computer existed already well before it was branded Omer, and recently Sporasub. It is manufactured by the Chinese company Latitude in Hong Kong. It looks like Sporasub just had them do the firmware modification, added 60€ to the price of Omer. Under other brands, the watch can be found for much less, though I do not know yet whether Latitude sells the modified firmware now too.

sross said:

I had a couple of questions. Wasn't the Sporasub brand bought by Mares a while back, and they started introducing some products under that brand name?

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Yes, Sporasub belonged to Mares too. Spaghetti wrote about the history of Sporasub here: http://forums.deeperblue.com/spearo-board/81011-spooo-raaa-suuuuub.html#post744393

-The Sporasub brand used to belong to the Mares Conglomerate Htm-Head group.
-Then early this year the Mares conglomerate has SOLD the brand "Sporasub" to a Hong Kong based conglomerate.
-Then, recently, the Hong Kong based conglomerate has loaned the brand Sporasub to an italian based dive gear manufacturer (Omer), who will start producing a new line of gear under the brand Sporasub.
-Mind that only the brand has been sold: the buyer of the brand will be free to make their own products, and put on them the brand "Sporasub". But they will be totally different than the previous Sporasub/Mares products (no more relation of any sort between the two brands).
-The new Sporasub catalogue will be released in afew weeks, with some very interesting features: the new company say they will be all top of the shelf, high quality Elite products.

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sross said:

Also, is it possible to do firmware updates through the data cable of these Sporasub/Latitude/Omer computers?
I wonder if one could jailbreak the software, just like on game systems, and even customize it?

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That would be really a tricky job, since the computers do not come with any PC interface. So you would not only need to hire a top hacker to crack the firmware, but additionally you might need quit some special hardware loading the firmware into the watch. So it would be many orders more expensive than even the most expensive freediving computer you can find