Oceanic Datamask opinions?

What do the experts have to say about this piece of kit?:
http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_iddm.html
Thanks, David

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:52:46 -0800, David Johnstone wrote:

> What do the experts have to say about this piece of kit?:
> http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_iddm.html
> Thanks, David

It's not Scottish.

"David Johnstone" <david_ffm@mail.com> wrote in message
news:1170580320.369965.191040@j27g2000cwj.googlegr oups.com...
On Feb 4, 7:24 am, "ZamaTim" <some...@microsoft.com> wrote:

>> So David,
>> do you work for Oceanic and that's what this is all about. Or do you
>> have
>> one and would like to express your opinion?

> No I don't work for Oceanic.

> I own a Uwatec Aladin Air X Nitrox with transmitter, bought in
> 1999. Unfortunately Uwatec/Scubapro now refuse to change
> the battery in this model and instead offer an exchange to a
> newer (and in my opinion worse) model for the mere bagatelle
> of EUR359.

The exchange or upgrade model is the Smart Z. I read the product
information at http://www.scubapro.com/prod/strum/SmartZ/smartZ.htm and it
appears to me to be a far superior product. The penal sum to replace the
Air X Nitrox is somewhat less in the US but providing amounts for the
exchange is not appropriate because they may vary by local.

I don't remember the purchase date of the Air X Nitrox but I paid just over
$1,000. The price for the Smart Z with the Air X to ScubaPro will make
total dollars out roughly equal to the list price of the Smart Z.

The Smart Z will work with a broader range of gas, sample more frequently,
hold more data, and is permanently paired. You complain about the quality
of the product; maybe rightfully so, I don't know. I do know the Air X was
worthless in the end so for the money I'll have something that should work
and is guaranteed if it doesn't. Over the past few years ScubaPro replaced,
in lieu of repair, two dive computers, one secondary regulator, one compass
and one compass board. ScubaPro upgraded at least one primary reg and
provided the parts for the annual service of numerous regulators. I'd just
as soon have equipment that never broke or wore out, but that's highly
unlikely.

> > No I don't work for Oceanic.
> > I own a Uwatec Aladin Air X Nitrox with transmitter, bought in
> > 1999. Unfortunately Uwatec/Scubapro now refuse to change
> > the battery in this model and instead offer an exchange to a
> > newer (and in my opinion worse) model for the mere bagatelle
> > of EUR359.
>
> The exchange or upgrade model is the Smart Z. I read the product
> information athttp://www.scubapro.com/prod/strum/SmartZ/smartZ.htmand it
> appears to me to be a far superior product. The penal sum to replace the
> Air X Nitrox is somewhat less in the US but providing amounts for the
> exchange is not appropriate because they may vary by local.

Maybe, but list price is way over street price or IMHO value
of the computer. Also the memo mouse and display protector
and carrying case for the Air X which all cost money I can dump
straight in the trash.
I don't think the Smart Z can do gases
other than nitrox and air - are you maybe confusing it with
the Smart Tec, which costs even more to upgrade to?
And what do you mean by "permanently paired"? That
doesn't sound like a great advantage, but I never had any
pairing problems with the Air X.
In any case, all I need is air and nitrox, which the Air
X Nitrox can do. The display on the Air X is much better, that
was the main reason I bought it. The Smart Z just looks
cheap and crappy by comparison and will be more difficult
to read in low vis conditions. And the web site doesn't even
say clearly what you need to download data via infra red.
The Air X did and does everything
I want and I'm very happy with it. I don't see why it should
be up to Scubapro to decide when it's time for David to
buy a new computer. That's the other problem with this
deal: Scubapro are not committing themselves to a service
life for the Smart Z either, so if they decide again in 5
years (or 6 months for that matter) that I need something
better and more expensive, then there's diddley squat I can
do about it. In my book that sucks big-time.

I'm glad your other experiences with Scubapro were
better. I will never buy anything of theirs again if there is
a viable alternative. I also believe it was their takeover
of Uwatec which caused the Air X problem. The emphasis
shifted from customer satisfaction to shareholder value;
such is the way of the world.

David

On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:06:04 -0800, David Johnstone wrote:

> On Feb 3, 2:30 am, nos...@all.please.net wrote:
>> On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:52:46 -0800, David Johnstone wrote:
>> > What do the experts have to say about this piece of kit?:
>> >http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_iddm.html
>> > Thanks, David
>>
>> It's not Scottish.
>
> Not exactly cheap, no. OTOH comparing it to the price of
> a good nitrox hoseless air integrated wrist computer with
> transmitter, plus a decent mask, and assuming the list
> price may be discounted a bit, there's not a lot extra for
> the HUD technology, if it can really be described as such.

http://www.cafepress.com/dogs_of_war.74170825

> http://www.cafepress.com/dogs_of_war.74170825

OK, so now please tell us what Scottish dive computers
are on the market, hoseless air integrated please?!

David,

Sorry, I didn't mean to dig on you so much. I guess it was the way I
perceived your post.

--
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><)))%>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

"David Johnstone" <david_ffm@mail.com> wrote in message
news:1170580320.369965.191040@j27g2000cwj.googlegr oups.com...
On Feb 4, 7:24 am, "ZamaTim" <some...@microsoft.com> wrote:
> The ad says the "Military Special Forces won't get in the water without
> it".
> Well, that's incorrect because I work with several SF units and they don't
> have these mask. However, I'm sure some are field testing them. So
> David,
> do you work for Oceanic and that's what this is all about. Or do you have
> one and would like to express your opinion?

That formulation about "won't get in the water without it" is
obviously hyperbole.
No I don't work for Oceanic. Wow, how suspicous can you get?
I mean, in a group like rec.scuba.equipment we can't really talk
about much without mentioning brand name products or
manufacturers, can we?!
I own a Uwatec Aladin Air X Nitrox with transmitter, bought in
1999. Unfortunately Uwatec/Scubapro now refuse to change
the battery in this model and instead offer an exchange to a
newer (and in my opinion worse) model for the mere bagatelle
of EUR359. So my plan was to buy a Suunto D9 wit transmitter
and change the battery myself after the guarantee period.
Then I saw this and thought it looked interesting.

Other things strike me about the Oceanic info though.
In the second paragraph here:-
http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_co...m_details.html
it mentions " The DataMask HUD Wristwatch PDC" and then
again "...sends cylinder pressure data to the wristwatch".
So what's this about "wristwatch"? As far as I can see, there
is no component the diver has on his wrist. Probably somebody
cut and pasted text from the blurb for another model - bad.
Also, it seems it is not a true HUD device. In such a device
the digital data appears along the normal axis of vision, whereas
it seems here you look down into the corner of your mask to
an additional display.
All in all I think it's not quite right for me. Though an interesting
idea, and one big benefit could be diving in zero or very low
visibility conditions where you have problems reading a
computer.

David

appearing

>
> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·..><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>¸.
> ><)))%>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
>
> "David Johnstone" <david_...@mail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1170341566.035880.125860@v33g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > What do the experts have to say about this piece of kit?:
> >http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_iddm.html
> > Thanks, David
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com




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Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

> Sorry, I didn't mean to dig on you so much. I guess it was the way I
> perceived your post.

No worries

I just discovered that Cochran had a similar product, called
"Spectacle", which was apparently a true HUD mask. But they
stopped the project at some point, and it never came on
the market. I guess it's harder than one might think to
build something like that, or at least to do so at a price which
anyone except the military can afford (and maybe Exxon ).
Oceanic have also been announcing this since 2003 - so it'll be
interesting to see what reviews it gets when it finally does
appear.

David