Computers to help Hunting/Freediving .

Hey,

I have been looking at computers recently as i have started freediving, and the main difference between the different computers i can find is the sample rate (how often it measures the depth).

The Suunto D4 is 3 times a second, the Cressi Edy2 is once a second, not sure on the OMER Mik1, it depends on how accurate you want it to measure your depth and bottom time. I was recommended the Suunto D4 by my free diving instructor so its what im planning to get once i can get a spare £400ish !

The reasons i have heard to getting a computer is you can see your dive time and depth (obviously), you can set both time and depth alarms for a dive. What sort of things have you heard ?

One thing you have to be careful of it that many computers dont come with the cable or software to attach it to a PC so you cant take the dives off. And the cable and software usually costs around £50 ! so even if you get a bargin on the computer, if you want to keep more dives than just the computer can hold you will need to fork out another £50.

Hope this helps

i choose the complete solution
i have a MARES NEMO EXCEL [300EU]
functions:
- freedive [with all the necesary "beeps"]
- scuba diving [air]
- scuba-diving [nitrox]

all the above for fresh and salt waters
the design allow me to where-it as a simple wach to
it can be turned off at any time to conserve baterry
he has the meaning to transfer all the dives on the computer via IRIS

NEMO EXCEL

A.C cheers for the heads up on the website it much cheaper there than i have previously seen

Was looking at the MARES NEMO EXCEL and from what i read the sample rate is once every 20s on scuba mode and once every 4s on freedive mode.

The Shuunto D4 has a full scuba and nitrox mode as well, which is good as it stop me buying both a free diving computer and a dive computer !

Have yet to find a computer that has freedive, scuba, nitrox and transmiters as well but maybe in the future, who knows.

check out the d9 andy

andycornish said:

Have yet to find a computer that has freedive, scuba, nitrox and transmiters as well but maybe in the future, who knows.

Click to expand...

Well, there are indeed some available. Suunto D9 has transmitters, and although I am not sure whether the watch has a freedive mode by default, I know there are some freedivers who got D9 with custom firmware for freediving (i.e. Herbert Nitsch - or was it D6?).

Then you have Uwatec Galileo which has not only transmitters (four of them - even one for a buddy), but also many other gimmicks - heart rate monitor (!!), digital compass, IR interface (no cable needed for connecting to your PC), etc.
GALILEO LUNA - SCUBAPRO-UWATEC

Some of the Oceanic computers also do have transmitters (and also a freedive mode). For example Atom 2.0 and VT3:
http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_atom20.html
http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_vt3.html

Aeris, beside their latest freediving computer F.10 developed in cooperation with Martin Stepanek, they also have some models with transmitters and freedive mode:
DiveAeris.com - Scuba Diving Computers - Epic Hoseless Dive Computer Watch
DiveAeris.com - Scuba Diving Computers - elite T3 Hoseless Dive Computer
I am not sure if these models have the same freedive functions as the F.10 - perhaps Fondueset who is often in contact with Dough Krause from Aeris could ask about it.

Both Oceanic and Aeris use the same OEM computers by Pellagic, and their big advantage is that they calculate nitrogen saturation even in freedive mode, and have freediving specific deco tables. Suunto does not offer it, and except of Tusa freedive computers, I believe there are no other manufacturers offering freedive deco (I am not sure for the Uwatec Galileo though). Tusa has no computers with transmitters, AFAIK, though.

I'd tell that that's already not bad as choice

Wow they are nice computers ! thanks for the info trux, unfortunately the price range is a bit out of my budget at the moment !
The most i could stretch to is £400, for that sort of budget and for the range of functions i need the Suunto D4 seems to be the best option, also as i borrow a cable and software of a friend saves £50.