Just to be clear, Bluetooth and Wifi are also both radio technology; it's just the frequencies they work at are too high to go far enough in water. And none of these LF AI systems are anywhere near Infra-Red. Shearwater do work at 38kHz, giving them a slighty better penetration than Suunto at 123kHz, but IR starts at 300GHz; well the other side of radar! You say these are line of sight, but in fact LF radio spreads pretty well in water; I have an AI pod on the right post of my twinset and although it's snuggled down on its stubby hose alongside the cylinder it has no trouble linking to the computer on my left forearm. My Suunto DCs tell me when the pod battery is getting low with a graduated color scale on the paired cylinders page. But agreed, a conventional SPG is useful redundancy; I always use one. As to the hose, having seen it happen, an accidental clonk on the first stage when someone's manoeuvring a heavy tank can wreck a plastic AI pod. A 6" HP hose isn't that expensive and can save a world of pain. Oh and congratulations, that hose you showed was the stiffest I've ever seen.
Re. frequencies, right -- that's wholly wrong. Also, the mention of incompatibility is correct but imprecise; it's not just a matter of frequency but also protocol. (By way of analogy, Pierre and I both speak audible syllables (frequency) but he speaks French and I speak English -- still incompatible.)
@@lairdb @N N , I think I know, why everyone got confused with IR frequencies. Cause if you talk about IR transmission, there are THREE different frequencies at play: 1. The wave-length of the beam itself. ( Loosely, you can think of it as radio-frequency ) Usually, in remotes this number is just slightly off the visible light. Most popular are around 900nm but it doesn't have to match perfectly. 2. The carrier frequency, which is indeed often 38kHz, but it I've seen 54kHz and some other cases. This is a frequency IR LED blinks with. 3. The data transmission frequency. This is the frequency we're sending data at. Popular choice is 2.4kHz but it's a zoo. People use all kinds of things. What is the frequency you use, for IR communication. The answer will depend on who are you talking to. From physics perspective, the carrier for IR communication is (1), but it's completely impractical in electronics, where different frequency is called "carrier" (2). Now. In the world of radio, the frequency of the radio and carrier frequency is the same thing, but in IR it's not. In IR you data is modulated with the carrier and the signal goes to LED, which kinda does a second modulation of the signal with much, MUCH bigger frequency. We can take a calculator and do the math, to figure out how STUPIDLY high this number is. Speed of light is 3×10⁸ and wavelength of common IR LED is 900mn, which is 9×10¯⁷, which gives us roughly 3.3×10¹⁴Hz = 3.3×10⁸MHz = 330 TGz. It's hundreds of terahertz range!!! Newer mention this kind of number to your fellow electrical engineer, they'll most likely punch you in a face or go into coma. So while it's totally true, that carrier frequency of the IR in TV remote is 330 THz, you'll never see this number anywhere in the specs. In fact your circuit will not even know about that frequencies, cause IR sensor will demodulate it. This is exactly why, there's another much lower frequency used for signal modulation. Actually, right now off-the-shelf IR receivers does second demodulation as well, that's why you can see numbers like 38kHz in the specs of the receiver. Once you go away from 900nm waves of IR light to more reasonable millimeter range, you're getting into realm of traditional radio, where electronics can handle those frequencies and you don't need two layers of modulation.
I know you are trying to limit time of video but I would think it’s worth mentioning some benefits of AI such as live tracking SAC rate and predicting remaining“gas time”. Also being able to review usage charts after the dive to help examine your consumption performance. Great video. Love your work. Hope the ear is going to be OK.
I recommend always putting a transmitter on a short hose. It's way too easy for someone else handling your tank to grab the transmitter and break it if it's just attached to the first stage directly. Bumps on the boat can also be more hazardous.
Question: Does the short hose have a special name or anything like that? I want to get an AI system but don't have the money yet, but really like your idea of putting it on a short hose.
@@Sicel1304 You need a high pressure hose and a swivel pin air spool. It's common for people to buy the hose and not know about/forget about the spool, a mistake I also made when buying my first high pressure hose. I use 15 cm miflex carbon HD hoses for my AI units but there are other options including stainless steel and rubber.
I used to think that the advantage was just that it was cool and could just check your wrist (or arm) mounted computer instead of looking down but there are 3 main advantages to me 1. Having gas pressure on your arm rather than waist means you check pressure more often. 2. Can monitor your SAC and be more conscious of your breathing 3. After dive data for your tank pressure and SAC means you have a record of how your dive was going and can learn any lessons from it too. (Ie were you working harder for some reason, or was there a place where you were over exerting yourself)
I picked up the Garmin Mk2i. What a great piece of tech! I just passed my SSI Open Water Diver Cert. So, I am just starting out in my diving journey and find that this device is something that I will not out grow anytime soon. I made filling out my log book a dream. My buddy asked me for the information because the app made it easy to interpret. James thanks for making the video on the Garmin MK2i! It really made choosing that as my dive computer.
I've dived with a Suunto d4i +AI for years and really appreciated it, but always took an SPG as well. These days my eyes aren't what they used to be so I struggle to read key details on the d4i screen. I'm switching to a Shearwater Peregrine (easy to read, but no AI) and will just stick with my trusty SPG. I know the Perdix has AI, but I'm fine to go old school again now and do without ;-). Great video James, as always, thank you!
I prefer the Galileo Hud over wrist computers, I find it extremely nice to just see it in my field of view vs on my wrist. A backup SPG is essential! Technology fails, so having a backup is smart and safe diving!!
Love my transmitter on my shearwater. Lots of other great data is generated besides just your gas pressure remaining. My will also calculate a rolling average rate of PSI gas consumption which I have found to be useful in monitoring my activity level and helps me really notice when I’m sucking air back hard. It’s a good real time data point to remind me to slow my breathing and has been helpful in learning what is really effective and lowering my SAC rates.
Great review James, I have the Perdix AI, love it. But my question is about the 6" flexible hose. Looks like a great idea from keeping people from grabbing it like a handle.
It is indeed. In don't dive AI because I'm cheap but I have friends that do and they all use the hoses to keep "helpful people" from using it as a handle
I used to have an Oceanic Pro Plus 2 console style computer, but eventually its air pressure sensor stopped working and since it was no longer supported I couldn't get it fixed. Luckily I was able to send it in to Oceanic for a cash credit to use to buy a refurbished OCi and transmitter from them. Great deal. Saved me a lot of money and the computer works great.
I cant such more thank you! This was great. Biggest take away, having the spilt HP cord for my standard SPG and computer as a backup. Second, making sure I don't have a user-replaceable battery system that requires authorized vendor replacement. Hail from Boca Raton!
Not sure how many years I’ve been using my computer. But am sure it has been more than 6 years . Never has it failed or died on a dive nether the transmitter or the pc it self
using mares quad air with transmitter, got it of sale for 285€ total, never has problem with connection and gas pressure (checked with backup pressure gauge) prob the most affordable rec diving computer with air integration combi
When i started my Divemaster / instructor career i thought that would be great to have the students or other divers air info available, sometimes they or dont remember to check or lie about it, so is a great feature, i guess thats why that garmin is so expensive, i'll better keep asking the diver jaja. Cool video!
My AI for my Teric is not mounted on the same side (my left) of my first stage as my console with SPG is connected there. I've never had an issue with connectivity with it mounted on the right side of the first stage.
Thanks James. I went with the Sheatwater because both the computer and transmitter have user changable batteries. My fear with the Garmin computer was forgetting the charger or adapter when oversea
I have the Suunto Eon Steel and Suunto says to use an authorize dealer to change the battery but it is a couple of screws and an o-ring so I do it myself. I always dive with an SPG backup.
@@mikkosport2300 Good point! Suunto has a Tank Transmitter and a Tank Pod! The Pod pairs with the D5 and Eon computers. The Transmitter pairs with the other D computers and Vytec and Viper computers.
I had my Eon Steel transmitter fail first dive after service and battery replacement. Service centre said it was two years old and had just died. I asked for it back opened myself and found water damage and the orang damaged. They replaced once I pointed that out. As I have a SPG didn’t ruin a dive but was still a little disappointing from a service point of view.
Just make sure you kit the proper kit. I have the old Cobra, I change my own batteries. It does take basic mechanical skill but no more the changing a faucet and a hell of a lot easier then changing a dishwasher or sink.
Bought a Suunto Eon Steel with AI Pod. Going to get a splitter and a hose for the Pod so I can route zip tie to either my inflator hose or SPG. Good point about backup SPG.
Hello James, I'm just upgrading to a Shearwater Teric Journey with a SWIFT Transmitter. I can't justify the cost of the Garmin, it has to many bells on it.
Thank you James, very valuable content as usual. I would like to leave an RFC this time and would be happy to get some input from any of you here. I am kind of new to diving, currently pursuing my open water diver and I come from an InfoSec background. I was hooked on diving since I was 12 Years old, but unfortunately never had the funds to actually dive the dive. So I am very confident that I will be diving a lot and I will want to work my way towards tech diving step by step. I find it a bit disturbing that Garmin does not specify the base of their Operating System on the MK2 properly. Usually no one writes this from scratch and it looks to me like some kind of android OS, even though they present it as their own Garmin OS. Brining the IT and OT world so close together opens up a whole new variety of failure points and attack vectors. We can all see that this is not far fetched in todays times where hospitals fall victim to ransomware and attacks vial e-mail and instant messengers are at an all time high. Not to talk about the nightmare of dependencies on external libraries and vectors like supply-chain attacks. I can not find any information on how Garmin dealt with those challenges and unfortunaltely I do not own a device myself to try and reverse it. Does anyone have more info on this? Currently I am feeling a strong pull towards the Shearwater Perdix AI. Am I getting the right impression that this could be my first and last dive computer I have to buy, no matter how far I want to go? Also can anyone tell me if the AI Sensor communications are in fact inaudible to humans for this device? Shearwater says they use a 38 KHz frequency, which should be inaudible to humans (too high) but most vertebrates will actually be able to hear this. Also can anyone share some experiences with marine wildlife when diving on a rebreather while still using an AI Sensor? Thanks in advance and cheers from germany, Rey
Most Tech divers and CCR divers, I believe, use the Perdix. Bought a used Suunto Eon Steel with Pod because I cant afford a prefix and will never need to capability.
I really do see the benefits of transmitters but not for added safety reasons. If you are not able to check your spg often enough, if you forget to check it etc, then you should probably consider if diving is for you. P.s love my Shearwater Perdix but since I dive sidemount I’ll keep using my old spg-s. Dive safe and often.
@@robdahler9608 Same goes for if your (single) SPG fails: The dive is over. AI Transmitters warn before dying. Normally. By using both you just introduce failure points
@@MartijnKlijnstra Say for easy maths your SPG and AI both have a probability of failing of 1% per dive. If you have both, the chance of one or the other failing on a dive is 2%, but you haven't lost the dive. To lose the dive you need both to fail, the chance of which is 0.01%. ie if you take both, despite having something else to go wrong the chance of losing the dive is one hundredth of that with just one.
@@timgosling6189 If thats true... Why wouldn't every (tec) diver dive with multiple SPGs? per tank? What is the biggest risk of failing? An O- ring. If that one fails, you end the dive. With either one or 2 (digital or analog) SPG's because you are loosing gas. Adding more O-rings increases the risk of needing to end the dive.
The Suunto transmitter battery is user changeable, you just remove the four small screws and slide the cover off. As with most o-ring sealed cases, it is always best to replace the o-ring at the same time. I think Suunto was just trying to give more business to the dive shop.
Hi Sean. I am brand new to scuba. I’ve been seriously thinking about a shearwater with AI even though they are expensive. Glad to hear you went BIG to start with. Sounds like no regrets??
@@berniekeene868 no regrets at all, the teric is awesome, it works for rec and tec. I want to go tec eventually so I spent a bit extra so I wouldn't have to buy a new computer when I do go tec
I managed to pick up two second hand Aqualung transmitters at about half price to use with my Perdix AI for sidemount. Currently trying it out on rec dives. Range is occasionally an issue between computer on left wrist and transmitter on right sidemount tank, but it doesn't lose connection for a long enough time to cause any real issues.
Certain equipment is great to pick up second hand, if you can. All my tanks are used, just get them shortly after they have been hydro-tested. Tanks can last decades.
I still dive with the Genesis react pro and an analog SPG. Like you mentioned I don't trust AI for my air pressure. There are failure points on SPGs as well, but if my analog fails I can spot it right away because I know my Sac rate and if I get a reading that doesn't match what I should see I know it's time to end the dive, With AI you may not see any reading at all or you may be picking up another divers reading.
Hey James! 👋🐠 I've got a Shearwater Teric paired with a Swift transmitter. When thinking about travel and packing weight, would you recommend still packing an SPG? And from a safety standpoint, what's your opinion on this? Always aiming for those safe dives! 🌊🤿🧐 Cheers!
I did I hear you say you like submarine movies? I spent six years on a sub, and I love them too. Two that come to mind - ‘Operation Petticoat” with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis, and ‘Ice Station Zebra’ with Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown. “Hunt for Red October’ is also very good.
I am fascinated by AI, however, over the years I have seen them repeatedly fail. Last month I saw a “helpful” buddy open the air valve on his buddy’s tank only to mistake the transmitter for the valve and have the transmitter fall off the 1st stage and bounce off the side of the boat into the deep.
Definitely a good point to make here for this situation: I ALWAYS recommend that the AI Transmitter is on a 6” (15 cm) HP hose for this reason so people don’t mistake it as part of the first stage/tank valve ; plus it’s easier to reach to on the 1st stage among other things.
Hello James, my wife has the Suunto transmitter and computer. Both are user changeable batteries. Also, one thing just to mention, I saw the white circle on the Suunto transmitter which means it's been updated by the factory. Maybe you can do another video about transmitters or just gear in general and how divers need to subscribe to their equipment company's newsletters and for goodness sake register their equipment so they get those important updates! Dive Safe!
There is a recall on the transmitter. Any authorized dealer can make the changes to the casing. The O indicates the update. Suunto says it is free. When I take mine in, I will have them replace the battery while open.
Great video as usual! :-) The only thing I would add is that the Perdix transmitters transmit every so many seconds and when you have two they can conflict. Turning the air on and off on that second bottle fixes the problem but it can be a pain to deal with. James, how do you handle that during your tech dives? I believe you can get a slightly different transmitter model that uses a different timing sequence but I have not been able to find one.
There are at least 3 different versions of the (Aquqlung) transmitter one of which is even oxygen clean. The difference is the transmitt cycle time so if there is a collision the followin transmisdion does not collide. I put the normal one to the diluent 1st stage of my ccr and the oxygen version to oxygen 1st stage. Haven't had any problems with my Perdix AI.
shearwater makes 2 transmitter models, with different intervals of sending signal. standard one is dark grey, the usually 2 transmitter is yellow. so no interfering and no need to play with opening and closing tanks
I use the scubapro G2. Love the computer and transmitter. I have only had one issue. If using a metal detector and you get it to close to the computer, it will lose connection.
Hi James great video as usual the shearwater computers are compatible with Aqua lung as well as oceanic both are cheaper than shearwaters own one hear in the uk Also your English there batteries not badderies 😂
I have been diving with a Mares Icon for years and love it though once in a while it will lose connection for 30 seconds or so. I will stay with the transmitter on next computer for sure.
I would love to dive with a transmitter, my "why not" is that I don't have enough money :D At the moment I'm saving money for a dry suit, maybe you are gonna make a video about that before I get one ^^
The Dry suit was one of my first purchases when I got started. You will be happy for the change when you can finally dive and stay dry and warmer. I had a 94 minute dive in 46deg water and was warm the entire dive. I have worked under boats for HOURS in the cold water with no scuba gear on just my dry suit, fins and mask I never got cold and actually got wet from sweat! Good luck on the new suit stimulus is coming perhaps you can get it then.
Suunto announces a recall of all Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitters and Suunto Tank PODs. Suunto has identified a potential safety risk affecting all Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitters and Suunto Tank PODs which wirelessly transmit tank air pressure to compatible Suunto dive computers. What can you say for this? Have they improved?
The Suunto transmitter only needs 4 phillips head screws removed to change the battery. If you are smart enough to dive you should be able to change the battery in that one as well. Very easy!
@@DiversReady What warranty? Mine is several years old and I would trust myself working on my own gear over any one else anyway. The one time I did have someone else change that battery they stripped out the phillips head screws. My life in my hands not some underpaid angry kid just waiting to mess something up. Never sent my transmitter in for a battery again after that incident.
I've got a Suunto Vyper Air. I still have a regular SPG of course on my left side, but I'm also a righty, so I wear my computer on my left wrist as well. As a result I had to use a HP port on the right hand side of the regulator, but I've had zero issues with signal and maintaining connectivity with the signal having to pass through my fat head (guess that tells you what really must be between my ears...a bunch of empty space!).
Forgot to mention - probably my favorite feature of air integration is how my computer's log now gives me a very clear picture of my air consumption on a dive. The free Subsurface program, which I use, interfaces with a large number of different dive computers and import their dive logs. It will show a graph of air consumption on the dive and calculate your SAC rate for you given the size of your scuba tank.
I think you missed fancy color coded Ratio Transmitters. It not only gives the current tank pressure on the Ratio® dive computer but also flashes green, yellow or red according to your tank's pressure during the whole dive. I guess this brand is not so popular in US.
Hey James, greeting all the way from Malaysia. Love your content and you are right about the pairing ability of certain Brand Pod Integration, I'm personally running Shearwater with Aqualung Transmitter. I have a question about hoses. How often should you replace the regulator/bcd hoses?
HI James...I wanted to add something from your video on the Garmin. I had never heard the chirp from the transmitter...even when it was supposed to do it when I paired the transmitter to the computer...until the other day for a brief moment I heard the little chirp. It was very quiet and almost non existent...so it definitely doesn't bother me on the dive at all.
Yes, and by "bike industry", I'm pretty sure you mean bicycle, not motorcycle. They are called "cone wrenches" and used for adjusting the "cones" on a bicycle axle. They come in different sizes and one should fit for your transmitter. The transmitter manufacturers want the final tightening to be done with a wrench and not by manually turning the transmitter to avoid damaging the transmitter.
Thanks a lot James!! What a great guide for AI and a great community complementing the information. I just have a question. Do you know where can I buy this splitter adapter? Any amazon link? I've been searching for it but had no luck.
I can always hear my dive instructor in my head who was very old school and said where’s your backup dive computer for the dive. Do y’all remember the buddy backup dive computer I think that’s what it was called
Great video! Very interesting thoughts about the tech involved. I agree: always use a SPG. But what do you think about the new fashion of digital SPGs? 🤣 I also love submarine movies! When will you do a video on your best submarine movies?
If I’m backing it up with an analogue SPG, I’m losing the entire point of having a transmitter. I’d rather cut my dive short (or revert to over-compensated dive table as a back-up) for the few occasions it might happen.
Hi James, thank you for all you do for the viewers. My question is in reference to the Garmin TX connecting to your HP extender hose. It looks like a standard 6 or 9 inch HP SPG hose. I use the same. In the video, I do not see the o-ring that comes on the Garmin when you show it connected to the hose. Mine gets pinched in the connection and sometimes fails when pressurizing. Did you remove the o-ring it comes with and use something else? Or, am I just using an inferior hose that does not allow for the seating of the O-ring?
I don't bother with an SPG on a recreational dive. If the AI craps out, I would just end the dive. With modern transmitters that tell you their battery level, the incidence rate of "failure" is pretty low, at least in my experience. Even for those that don't, just change the battery yearly (e.g., when you service your regulator), and you're probably going to be good to go. That said, however, I do have an SPG+hose in my save-a-dive kit, so I don't miss the next dive as well.
On point regarding back up SPGs. The number of guests I have had ready to splash and their transmitter is dead is absurd. None had a back up SPG so have to be switched to a rental reg (which also becomes a rental BCD if they have an Air2 inflator which isn't compatible with standard LPI hoses!) No surprise they all run out and buy an SPG that afternoon! It leads to the real question, if you need a mechanical back up, why spend 400us on a transmitter and 150us extra on the AI perdix? Personally, I don't see any point other than gathering digital data. I worked at a high end resort once where they had a computer that could handle 2 transmitters and they were connected to your 2 DSDs regulators so you could see their air instantly and get low air warnings. That was cool, but overkill. As a professional, I keep my equipment simple, lightweight, and well made. My computer is a Suunto Vyper Novo with a HelO2 as backup (matching algorithms which always provide less bottom time than my guests to prevent them going into deco). It is a cheap, reliable computer with gas switching and user changeable battery. The hoses are miflex and have survived over 4 000 dives paired with an Aqualung Titan LX Supreme - robust with long service intervals with cheap service kits. My SPG is Apeks Mini which has 3,000 dives on it (the original subject to a product recall due to bad glue) My BC is aqualung Axiom - well made, great for bad backs, lightweight, easily maintained. Looks brand new even after 2,000 dives (upgraded from a Pro QD) My point is this: invest in solid, reliable equipment instead of flashy gadgets. You'll enjoy your dives way more knowing your equipment won't fail and you'll have more money to spend on the trip itself!
@@sapperstang obviously it tells you more than your tank pressure. I have infact dived multiple times with Perdix, Teric and Petrel units and compared their performance against my Vyper. Keep it simple. Stick with gauges.
What is the protocol if say I have my own AI computer and I'm renting a reg from a shop. Are they generally accepting of personal transmitters or is it somewhat of a Taboo?
Hi James from Tasmania, I'm about to install my AI transmitter but the single hp port is on my left, i'd wear my computer on my right wrist. What do you think of the idea of using a long say 45cm hose and clipping it off on either my right or left shoulder d rings or do the transmitters have enough range just to be put on a 15cm hose? i'll also be using a hp splitter so i can retain my old spg.
Is it me or has the them tune gotten cooler ?! I’m in the market to replace my 2nd hand Cressi Archimedes (circa 2002), purchased off Facebook market place , just for my open water course . I’m new , like really new 25 dives post training new. The watch has worked but didn’t turn on when I replaced the battery . Then fired up (turns out it needed moisture) Is it worth investing in AI ? I’m hoping to expand my diving and suck less .
Hello there, I’m on the market for a new computer and I’m having some trouble deciding between the Shearwater Teric and the Garmin mk2i. I saw your review on the garmin and have one question: Is the transmitter sound underwater really disturbing and a deal breaker? If you compared both in terms of future proof and lifetime, which would be your recommendation? I am aware that the garmin does a lot of things besides being a dive computer, but if you compared just the dive computers, which one do you think is better and more user friendly? Many thanks and safe diving!
I guess this is more of a question than a comment, but I am just getting back into diving after ... a few years out. I was thinking about a new AI wrist computer (aqualung i470tc probably) and keeping my old suunto cobra as my backup pressure gauge/computer. I remember all the problems people were having pairing the original suunto and other wireless transmitters before a dive. This would really reduce the chance of losing a dive and I would need that hose attached for a manual spg anyway. There still is the issue with the right side HP port and left arm watch as mentioned above. Does anyone dive two computers like this? And this is purely recreational, so not worried about the suunto starting to beep uncontrollably...
Hi James do you had issues where some scenarios when you have transmitters on and scared all the marine life’s away? I had some really odd dives that practically the sites fishes all went into hiding until my dive master decided to take out his transmitter.
Just a smal detail but a 40 kHz (electromagnetic) signal falls under radio signals. IR signals start at a frequency of around 5e11 Hz or 500 GHz. So these transmitters don't even come close to the frequency of IR signals.
You are right. However, the IR remotes, like tv remote, uses 38kHz modulation carried by the IR signal. The modulation then carries a digital code telling which button was pressed. I was also a bit confused first about the claim by James but he meant, indeed, the modulation freqency.
im seeing some sidemount guys are ditching the spg and just opting for a Tx , because they like to keep the bulk down around the 1st stage , their argument is that you wouldn't back up your spg , ive only used ai in bkmount and hose routing and bulk wasn't an issue , im transitioning to sm and have been on the fence with ai over the spg .. any thoughts ?
I recently got a i770r on deal with a free transmitter lol. My question is do i need an "air spool" if I'm connecting my transmitter to a hose. Everything I've read online says yes. It seems to me that James does not use one, neither do the guys I dive with. Why is it some people say you must use one and others run a hose to transmitter setup without one and no issues? Thanks
I don't know about your transmitter specifically, but my Suunto D5 transmitter came with 2 spools depending on how it was mounted (direct to reg or on a hose). Upgraded to Teric with Shearwater transmitter. It didn't come with a spool at all. Installed straight to reg and it works great
What are your thoughts on the difference between the bar shown on the SPG vs the AI transmitters? I have a Teric and transmitter and the SPG is about 10 to 12 bar off, showing more air then the AI. Do others see this in theirs? Or does it suggest their is an issue with my SPG? The dive shop did some tests with their machines, and the AI in my case is the accurate one.
Generally speaking SPG's can be a few bar /psi off, in my experience more than AI transmitters. It is one of the reasons is why we dive guides/instructors always ask divers to surface with a sufficient reserve. Not only because you might need it for emergencies, but also because there is a chance that the SPG is overreading the tank pressure.
I've been working in tech for decades, worked in startups to aerospace to web applications to data telemetry. And I honestly will not be using anything wireless anytime soon when it comes to my personal diving preferences. There are just so many things that can go wrong with software. And I am not sure how much redundancy these systems have. In aerospace, there are double to triple redundancy within one system and exhaustive testing. Literally every international dive trip I've been on, someone will have issue with the transmitter (and usually only a couple people would be using them) But dive companies? Not sure if I would trust them just yet. I'm going to wait for at least 5 years.
It’s a nice feature to have for your dive logging on your watch but shouldn’t be relied on entirely. It shouldn’t stop you from diving if you have SPG working in parallel, so there’s nothing to be afraid of it. Your SPG should be treated as important standby instrument if all fails. Having two measuring devices is your redundancy in place, in fact better than single mechanical SPG.
The pod tells your DC what the pressure is in the tank, usually transmitting every 10 seconds or so. The DC displays this and can use this to work out your SAC and gas time remaining to a pre-set minimum. It won't be accurate if you are inflating BC/suit when descending but works well in steady state conditions.
I haven't embraced the wrist mounted computer yet you can't lose a computer when it's attached to a hose are there any competitive Hose mounted AI computers around?
@@toriless i was on a dive last fall where the DM thought he lost his computer or left it at the dock, only to find out after the dive, that he had put it on his wrist so he didn't forget it and it was inside the dry suit the whole time.
Has anyone else noticed that their preasue rating on their Shearwater Transmitter shows 300 BAR and 4000 psi? Yet 300 BAR is equivant 4350 psi. Shearwater told me that they don't make their own transmitters so couldn't give me a straight answer.
Pelagic Pressure Systems makes the transmitter and Computers for Oceanic, Aqualung, Aeris, Hollis, Tusa, and a few more. For Shearwater they just make the Transmitters. Aqualung bought Pelagic Pressure Systems around 4-5 years ago I believe. I have 2 Oceanic and 1 Aqualung Transmitters that I use on my Teric and Perdix AI. You should be able to ask Pelagic your question.
@@shuntao3475 Yes I am aware of that. Shearwater was not able to get a response from them on my behalf. I believe my transmitter was made for Oceanic originally but since Oceanic no longer sell a yellow transmitter, I'm guess Shearwater is receiving all yellow transmitter that are in inventory. I have two yellow transmitter that look different, the newer one mirrors the older yellow Oceanic Transmitter
@@WEAREPENNSTATE56 Shearwater could not get an answer from Pelagic, that seems jacked up. That would almost seem like a legal issue. Very interesting I must say.
Just to be clear, Bluetooth and Wifi are also both radio technology; it's just the frequencies they work at are too high to go far enough in water. And none of these LF AI systems are anywhere near Infra-Red. Shearwater do work at 38kHz, giving them a slighty better penetration than Suunto at 123kHz, but IR starts at 300GHz; well the other side of radar! You say these are line of sight, but in fact LF radio spreads pretty well in water; I have an AI pod on the right post of my twinset and although it's snuggled down on its stubby hose alongside the cylinder it has no trouble linking to the computer on my left forearm.
My Suunto DCs tell me when the pod battery is getting low with a graduated color scale on the paired cylinders page.
But agreed, a conventional SPG is useful redundancy; I always use one.
As to the hose, having seen it happen, an accidental clonk on the first stage when someone's manoeuvring a heavy tank can wreck a plastic AI pod. A 6" HP hose isn't that expensive and can save a world of pain. Oh and congratulations, that hose you showed was the stiffest I've ever seen.
Good notice. However the carrier frequency in IR remotes is (typically) 38kHz so the IR LED is modulated with 38kHz.
Re. frequencies, right -- that's wholly wrong. Also, the mention of incompatibility is correct but imprecise; it's not just a matter of frequency but also protocol. (By way of analogy, Pierre and I both speak audible syllables (frequency) but he speaks French and I speak English -- still incompatible.)
@@mikkosport2300 No, the modulation for a remote may by in tens of kHz but the IR carrier is definitely in the hundreds of Gigs.
@@lairdb @N N , I think I know, why everyone got confused with IR frequencies. Cause if you talk about IR transmission, there are THREE different frequencies at play:
1. The wave-length of the beam itself. ( Loosely, you can think of it as radio-frequency ) Usually, in remotes this number is just slightly off the visible light. Most popular are around 900nm but it doesn't have to match perfectly.
2. The carrier frequency, which is indeed often 38kHz, but it I've seen 54kHz and some other cases. This is a frequency IR LED blinks with.
3. The data transmission frequency. This is the frequency we're sending data at. Popular choice is 2.4kHz but it's a zoo. People use all kinds of things.
What is the frequency you use, for IR communication. The answer will depend on who are you talking to. From physics perspective, the carrier for IR communication is (1), but it's completely impractical in electronics, where different frequency is called "carrier" (2).
Now. In the world of radio, the frequency of the radio and carrier frequency is the same thing, but in IR it's not.
In IR you data is modulated with the carrier and the signal goes to LED, which kinda does a second modulation of the signal with much, MUCH bigger frequency. We can take a calculator and do the math, to figure out how STUPIDLY high this number is. Speed of light is 3×10⁸ and wavelength of common IR LED is 900mn, which is 9×10¯⁷, which gives us roughly 3.3×10¹⁴Hz = 3.3×10⁸MHz = 330 TGz. It's hundreds of terahertz range!!! Newer mention this kind of number to your fellow electrical engineer, they'll most likely punch you in a face or go into coma.
So while it's totally true, that carrier frequency of the IR in TV remote is 330 THz, you'll never see this number anywhere in the specs. In fact your circuit will not even know about that frequencies, cause IR sensor will demodulate it. This is exactly why, there's another much lower frequency used for signal modulation.
Actually, right now off-the-shelf IR receivers does second demodulation as well, that's why you can see numbers like 38kHz in the specs of the receiver.
Once you go away from 900nm waves of IR light to more reasonable millimeter range, you're getting into realm of traditional radio, where electronics can handle those frequencies and you don't need two layers of modulation.
@@VladAdamenko The bottom line is you can't use an IR link under water.
I know you are trying to limit time of video but I would think it’s worth mentioning some benefits of AI such as live tracking SAC rate and predicting remaining“gas time”. Also being able to review usage charts after the dive to help examine your consumption performance.
Great video. Love your work. Hope the ear is going to be OK.
Absolutely 👌
I recommend always putting a transmitter on a short hose. It's way too easy for someone else handling your tank to grab the transmitter and break it if it's just attached to the first stage directly. Bumps on the boat can also be more hazardous.
Question: Does the short hose have a special name or anything like that? I want to get an AI system but don't have the money yet, but really like your idea of putting it on a short hose.
@@Sicel1304 You need a high pressure hose and a swivel pin air spool. It's common for people to buy the hose and not know about/forget about the spool, a mistake I also made when buying my first high pressure hose.
I use 15 cm miflex carbon HD hoses for my AI units but there are other options including stainless steel and rubber.
@@psarmstr Thanks!
That is my thinking as well
@@psarmstr swivel pin air spool! That is why Suunto comes with one. Thanks
I used to think that the advantage was just that it was cool and could just check your wrist (or arm) mounted computer instead of looking down but there are 3 main advantages to me
1. Having gas pressure on your arm rather than waist means you check pressure more often.
2. Can monitor your SAC and be more conscious of your breathing
3. After dive data for your tank pressure and SAC means you have a record of how your dive was going and can learn any lessons from it too. (Ie were you working harder for some reason, or was there a place where you were over exerting yourself)
Teric for the win 🙌
I picked up the Garmin Mk2i. What a great piece of tech! I just passed my SSI Open Water Diver Cert. So, I am just starting out in my diving journey and find that this device is something that I will not out grow anytime soon. I made filling out my log book a dream. My buddy asked me for the information because the app made it easy to interpret. James thanks for making the video on the Garmin MK2i! It really made choosing that as my dive computer.
The Garmin Mk2i is an awesome bit of kit. That thing can do anything you might want it to.
I've dived with a Suunto d4i +AI for years and really appreciated it, but always took an SPG as well. These days my eyes aren't what they used to be so I struggle to read key details on the d4i screen. I'm switching to a Shearwater Peregrine (easy to read, but no AI) and will just stick with my trusty SPG. I know the Perdix has AI, but I'm fine to go old school again now and do without ;-). Great video James, as always, thank you!
Thanks for sharing! Cheers Nick!
I prefer the Galileo Hud over wrist computers, I find it extremely nice to just see it in my field of view vs on my wrist.
A backup SPG is essential! Technology fails, so having a backup is smart and safe diving!!
Same as any tool, always have screwdriver kit besides the drill set. I often start and finish screws by hand.
Love my transmitter on my shearwater. Lots of other great data is generated besides just your gas pressure remaining. My will also calculate a rolling average rate of PSI gas consumption which I have found to be useful in monitoring my activity level and helps me really notice when I’m sucking air back hard. It’s a good real time data point to remind me to slow my breathing and has been helpful in learning what is really effective and lowering my SAC rates.
Great review James, I have the Perdix AI, love it. But my question is about the 6" flexible hose. Looks like a great idea from keeping people from grabbing it like a handle.
Agreed, the hose also gives it some room to move rather than being broken if it takes a knock.
It is indeed. In don't dive AI because I'm cheap but I have friends that do and they all use the hoses to keep "helpful people" from using it as a handle
Wow, I only see positive reasons to put this on a 6" hose.
mate, I don't know anyone that DOESN'T use a 6inch hose on their transmitters, straight into the first stage is asking for trouble
My thought exactly
I used to have an Oceanic Pro Plus 2 console style computer, but eventually its air pressure sensor stopped working and since it was no longer supported I couldn't get it fixed. Luckily I was able to send it in to Oceanic for a cash credit to use to buy a refurbished OCi and transmitter from them. Great deal. Saved me a lot of money and the computer works great.
I cant such more thank you! This was great. Biggest take away, having the spilt HP cord for my standard SPG and computer as a backup. Second, making sure I don't have a user-replaceable battery system that requires authorized vendor replacement. Hail from Boca Raton!
Good vid! That Aqualung TX is also interchangeable with Shearwater and Oceanic computers and vice versa
Not sure how many years I’ve been using my computer. But am sure it has been more than 6 years . Never has it failed or died on a dive nether the transmitter or the pc it self
using mares quad air with transmitter, got it of sale for 285€ total, never has problem with connection and gas pressure (checked with backup pressure gauge)
prob the most affordable rec diving computer with air integration combi
When i started my Divemaster / instructor career i thought that would be great to have the students or other divers air info available, sometimes they or dont remember to check or lie about it, so is a great feature, i guess thats why that garmin is so expensive, i'll better keep asking the diver jaja. Cool video!
I’ve always used a transmitter love it
My AI for my Teric is not mounted on the same side (my left) of my first stage as my console with SPG is connected there. I've never had an issue with connectivity with it mounted on the right side of the first stage.
Thanks James. I went with the Sheatwater because both the computer and transmitter have user changable batteries. My fear with the Garmin computer was forgetting the charger or adapter when oversea
Very informative video and I really love your sense of humor James. Well done 🤿🐠🐙
I have the Suunto Eon Steel and Suunto says to use an authorize dealer to change the battery but it is a couple of screws and an o-ring so I do it myself. I always dive with an SPG backup.
Note than EON Steel uses different (incompatible) transmitters than (most) other Suuntos, like Vyper Air or D9.
@@mikkosport2300 Good point! Suunto has a Tank Transmitter and a Tank Pod! The Pod pairs with the D5 and Eon computers. The Transmitter pairs with the other D computers and Vytec and Viper computers.
I had my Eon Steel transmitter fail first dive after service and battery replacement. Service centre said it was two years old and had just died. I asked for it back opened myself and found water damage and the orang damaged. They replaced once I pointed that out. As I have a SPG didn’t ruin a dive but was still a little disappointing from a service point of view.
Just make sure you kit the proper kit. I have the old Cobra, I change my own batteries. It does take basic mechanical skill but no more the changing a faucet and a hell of a lot easier then changing a dishwasher or sink.
SONAR seems to be the Win! The capacity for 5 tanks can be FAMILY instead of students. Professional! Thanks for the great video J!
5 transmitters would be handy in case of tec dives when you have several stages.
@@mikkosport2300 I suspect it is what he uses but it is expensive, even for SCUBA gear.
Thank you for this James. I thought the AI for 'James' and 'Student' was spectacular. Very, very useful!
Also love your videos James I hope I can dive with you in the future.
Bought a Suunto Eon Steel with AI Pod. Going to get a splitter and a hose for the Pod so I can route zip tie to either my inflator hose or SPG. Good point about backup SPG.
Hello James, I'm just upgrading to a Shearwater Teric Journey with a SWIFT Transmitter. I can't justify the cost of the Garmin, it has to many bells on it.
Thank you James, very valuable content as usual. I would like to leave an RFC this time and would be happy to get some input from any of you here.
I am kind of new to diving, currently pursuing my open water diver and I come from an InfoSec background. I was hooked on diving since I was 12 Years old, but unfortunately never had the funds to actually dive the dive. So I am very confident that I will be diving a lot and I will want to work my way towards tech diving step by step.
I find it a bit disturbing that Garmin does not specify the base of their Operating System on the MK2 properly. Usually no one writes this from scratch and it looks to me like some kind of android OS, even though they present it as their own Garmin OS. Brining the IT and OT world so close together opens up a whole new variety of failure points and attack vectors.
We can all see that this is not far fetched in todays times where hospitals fall victim to ransomware and attacks vial e-mail and instant messengers are at an all time high.
Not to talk about the nightmare of dependencies on external libraries and vectors like supply-chain attacks.
I can not find any information on how Garmin dealt with those challenges and unfortunaltely I do not own a device myself to try and reverse it. Does anyone have more info on this?
Currently I am feeling a strong pull towards the Shearwater Perdix AI. Am I getting the right impression that this could be my first and last dive computer I have to buy, no matter how far I want to go?
Also can anyone tell me if the AI Sensor communications are in fact inaudible to humans for this device? Shearwater says they use a 38 KHz frequency, which should be inaudible to humans (too high) but most vertebrates will actually be able to hear this.
Also can anyone share some experiences with marine wildlife when diving on a rebreather while still using an AI Sensor?
Thanks in advance and cheers from germany,
Rey
Most Tech divers and CCR divers, I believe, use the Perdix. Bought a used Suunto Eon Steel with Pod because I cant afford a prefix and will never need to capability.
Lots of great info.
Thanks for the video.
Great video! Answered many of my questions
I really do see the benefits of transmitters but not for added safety reasons. If you are not able to check your spg often enough, if you forget to check it etc, then you should probably consider if diving is for you. P.s love my Shearwater Perdix but since I dive sidemount I’ll keep using my old spg-s. Dive safe and often.
That garmin is pretty incredible
Using a transmitter can be useful. But because it is smart to have an SPG next to it. you do get a possible extra failer point in your equipment
By just using AI you actually get rid of 2 o-rings :-)
@@MartijnKlijnstraa SPG as redundancy increases safety. if your AI stops working (empty battery) then the dive is over.
@@robdahler9608 Same goes for if your (single) SPG fails: The dive is over. AI Transmitters warn before dying. Normally. By using both you just introduce failure points
@@MartijnKlijnstra Say for easy maths your SPG and AI both have a probability of failing of 1% per dive. If you have both, the chance of one or the other failing on a dive is 2%, but you haven't lost the dive. To lose the dive you need both to fail, the chance of which is 0.01%. ie if you take both, despite having something else to go wrong the chance of losing the dive is one hundredth of that with just one.
@@timgosling6189 If thats true... Why wouldn't every (tec) diver dive with multiple SPGs? per tank? What is the biggest risk of failing? An O- ring. If that one fails, you end the dive. With either one or 2 (digital or analog) SPG's because you are loosing gas. Adding more O-rings increases the risk of needing to end the dive.
The Suunto transmitter battery is user changeable, you just remove the four small screws and slide the cover off. As with most o-ring sealed cases, it is always best to replace the o-ring at the same time. I think Suunto was just trying to give more business to the dive shop.
Go big or go home. When I bought my first kit it was shearwater teric with a pod
Hi Sean. I am brand new to scuba. I’ve been seriously thinking about a shearwater with AI even though they are expensive. Glad to hear you went BIG to start with. Sounds like no regrets??
@@berniekeene868 no regrets at all, the teric is awesome, it works for rec and tec. I want to go tec eventually so I spent a bit extra so I wouldn't have to buy a new computer when I do go tec
@@berniekeene868 Always buy the best you can AFFORD. Cheap fails quicker, quality lasts.
I managed to pick up two second hand Aqualung transmitters at about half price to use with my Perdix AI for sidemount. Currently trying it out on rec dives. Range is occasionally an issue between computer on left wrist and transmitter on right sidemount tank, but it doesn't lose connection for a long enough time to cause any real issues.
Certain equipment is great to pick up second hand, if you can. All my tanks are used, just get them shortly after they have been hydro-tested. Tanks can last decades.
I still dive with the Genesis react pro and an analog SPG. Like you mentioned I don't trust AI for my air pressure. There are failure points on SPGs as well, but if my analog fails I can spot it right away because I know my Sac rate and if I get a reading that doesn't match what I should see I know it's time to end the dive, With AI you may not see any reading at all or you may be picking up another divers reading.
You're unlikely unintentionally to pick up another diver's pod. They are individually paired to your DC.
@@timgosling6189 thanx Tim for clearing that up for me. I'M really not that up to date on technology, lol guess it scares me a little
Hey James! 👋🐠 I've got a Shearwater Teric paired with a Swift transmitter. When thinking about travel and packing weight, would you recommend still packing an SPG? And from a safety standpoint, what's your opinion on this? Always aiming for those safe dives! 🌊🤿🧐 Cheers!
I did I hear you say you like submarine movies? I spent six years on a sub, and I love them too.
Two that come to mind - ‘Operation Petticoat” with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis, and ‘Ice Station Zebra’ with Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown.
“Hunt for Red October’ is also very good.
Great content Big J. Thanks
I am fascinated by AI, however, over the years I have seen them repeatedly fail. Last month I saw a “helpful” buddy open the air valve on his buddy’s tank only to mistake the transmitter for the valve and have the transmitter fall off the 1st stage and bounce off the side of the boat into the deep.
The AI didn't fail. The buddy failed.
Definitely a good point to make here for this situation: I ALWAYS recommend that the AI Transmitter is on a 6” (15 cm) HP hose for this reason so people don’t mistake it as part of the first stage/tank valve ; plus it’s easier to reach to on the 1st stage among other things.
Hello James, my wife has the Suunto transmitter and computer. Both are user changeable batteries. Also, one thing just to mention, I saw the white circle on the Suunto transmitter which means it's been updated by the factory. Maybe you can do another video about transmitters or just gear in general and how divers need to subscribe to their equipment company's newsletters and for goodness sake register their equipment so they get those important updates! Dive Safe!
There is a recall on the transmitter. Any authorized dealer can make the changes to the casing. The O indicates the update. Suunto says it is free. When I take mine in, I will have them replace the battery while open.
I use one when I am diving a recreational backmount, when I dive sidemount I just use the SPGs. But I also have an SPGs backup for my AI.
Great video as usual! :-) The only thing I would add is that the Perdix transmitters transmit every so many seconds and when you have two they can conflict. Turning the air on and off on that second bottle fixes the problem but it can be a pain to deal with. James, how do you handle that during your tech dives? I believe you can get a slightly different transmitter model that uses a different timing sequence but I have not been able to find one.
There are at least 3 different versions of the (Aquqlung) transmitter one of which is even oxygen clean. The difference is the transmitt cycle time so if there is a collision the followin transmisdion does not collide. I put the normal one to the diluent 1st stage of my ccr and the oxygen version to oxygen 1st stage. Haven't had any problems with my Perdix AI.
shearwater makes 2 transmitter models, with different intervals of sending signal. standard one is dark grey, the usually 2 transmitter is yellow. so no interfering and no need to play with opening and closing tanks
I use the scubapro G2. Love the computer and transmitter. I have only had one issue. If using a metal detector and you get it to close to the computer, it will lose connection.
Hi James great video as usual the shearwater computers are compatible with Aqua lung as well as oceanic both are cheaper than shearwaters own one hear in the uk
Also your English there batteries not badderies 😂
Get him to say Aloomineeum.
you're*
I have been diving with a Mares Icon for years and love it though once in a while it will lose connection for 30 seconds or so. I will stay with the transmitter on next computer for sure.
I would love to dive with a transmitter, my "why not" is that I don't have enough money :D
At the moment I'm saving money for a dry suit, maybe you are gonna make a video about that before I get one ^^
The Dry suit was one of my first purchases when I got started. You will be happy for the change when you can finally dive and stay dry and warmer. I had a 94 minute dive in 46deg water and was warm the entire dive. I have worked under boats for HOURS in the cold water with no scuba gear on just my dry suit, fins and mask I never got cold and actually got wet from sweat! Good luck on the new suit stimulus is coming perhaps you can get it then.
@@Abyssdiver soon I will be able to dive with my wetsuit again so I can wait a bit longer ^^
love your videos
Suunto announces a recall of all Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitters and Suunto Tank PODs. Suunto has identified a potential safety risk affecting all Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitters and Suunto Tank PODs which wirelessly transmit tank air pressure to compatible Suunto dive computers.
What can you say for this? Have they improved?
Love my Shearwater Perdix and the APP ,did you mention the APP
Change a Suunto battery cannot be changed on first stage I will have to see if the screws are accessible when on a HP hose
The Suunto transmitter only needs 4 phillips head screws removed to change the battery. If you are smart enough to dive you should be able to change the battery in that one as well. Very easy!
Yes, it's easy to change, but if you do it yourself, it voids the warranty.
@@DiversReady What warranty? Mine is several years old and I would trust myself working on my own gear over any one else anyway. The one time I did have someone else change that battery they stripped out the phillips head screws. My life in my hands not some underpaid angry kid just waiting to mess something up. Never sent my transmitter in for a battery again after that incident.
I've got a Suunto Vyper Air. I still have a regular SPG of course on my left side, but I'm also a righty, so I wear my computer on my left wrist as well. As a result I had to use a HP port on the right hand side of the regulator, but I've had zero issues with signal and maintaining connectivity with the signal having to pass through my fat head (guess that tells you what really must be between my ears...a bunch of empty space!).
Forgot to mention - probably my favorite feature of air integration is how my computer's log now gives me a very clear picture of my air consumption on a dive. The free Subsurface program, which I use, interfaces with a large number of different dive computers and import their dive logs. It will show a graph of air consumption on the dive and calculate your SAC rate for you given the size of your scuba tank.
I think you missed fancy color coded Ratio Transmitters. It not only gives the current tank pressure on the Ratio® dive computer but also flashes green, yellow or red according to your tank's pressure during the whole dive. I guess this brand is not so popular in US.
Hey James, greeting all the way from Malaysia. Love your content and you are right about the pairing ability of certain Brand Pod Integration, I'm personally running Shearwater with Aqualung Transmitter.
I have a question about hoses. How often should you replace the regulator/bcd hoses?
Hoses are on the Quick Tips video list for the future!
HI James...I wanted to add something from your video on the Garmin. I had never heard the chirp from the transmitter...even when it was supposed to do it when I paired the transmitter to the computer...until the other day for a brief moment I heard the little chirp. It was very quiet and almost non existent...so it definitely doesn't bother me on the dive at all.
Why do you own these 4 different computers? What situations are each best suited for. What is your review of the Perdix AI
The bike industry uses narrow wrenches. if you ever need to get a new one look up park or pedro's bike tools
Yes, and by "bike industry", I'm pretty sure you mean bicycle, not motorcycle. They are called "cone wrenches" and used for adjusting the "cones" on a bicycle axle. They come in different sizes and one should fit for your transmitter.
The transmitter manufacturers want the final tightening to be done with a wrench and not by manually turning the transmitter to avoid damaging the transmitter.
Yeah, I have one with three sizes that came with mine but do not know of it matches.
Awesome content always! :)
Thanks for the visit
I use Suunto Vyper Novo dive computer and a transmitter for it. So far it shows everything correctly.
What transmitter are you using?
@@jeremygoldman10 Suunto wireless tank pressure transmitter
Thanks a lot James!! What a great guide for AI and a great community complementing the information. I just have a question. Do you know where can I buy this splitter adapter? Any amazon link? I've been searching for it but had no luck.
Amazon yes. scuba HP splitter
I can always hear my dive instructor in my head who was very old school and said where’s your backup dive computer for the dive. Do y’all remember the buddy backup dive computer I think that’s what it was called
Great video! Very interesting thoughts about the tech involved.
I agree: always use a SPG. But what do you think about the new fashion of digital SPGs? 🤣
I also love submarine movies! When will you do a video on your best submarine movies?
If I’m backing it up with an analogue SPG, I’m losing the entire point of having a transmitter. I’d rather cut my dive short (or revert to over-compensated dive table as a back-up) for the few occasions it might happen.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi James, thank you for all you do for the viewers. My question is in reference to the Garmin TX connecting to your HP extender hose. It looks like a standard 6 or 9 inch HP SPG hose. I use the same. In the video, I do not see the o-ring that comes on the Garmin when you show it connected to the hose. Mine gets pinched in the connection and sometimes fails when pressurizing. Did you remove the o-ring it comes with and use something else? Or, am I just using an inferior hose that does not allow for the seating of the O-ring?
I don't bother with an SPG on a recreational dive. If the AI craps out, I would just end the dive. With modern transmitters that tell you their battery level, the incidence rate of "failure" is pretty low, at least in my experience. Even for those that don't, just change the battery yearly (e.g., when you service your regulator), and you're probably going to be good to go. That said, however, I do have an SPG+hose in my save-a-dive kit, so I don't miss the next dive as well.
Most dive shops will default to changing the computers battery too unless you tell them not to.
Always I use SPG you can hardly go wrong
If you have AI and SPG you have redundancy
Could you explain how and when to install the Air Spool and Flow Restrictor kit that comes with the Garmin MK2i ???
James!!! What about the Oceans S1 ?!?!?!
Could you use that splitter block at the other end of hose? Then transmitter is closer to computer.
I don't think having your transmitter flapping in the breeze is such a good idea. SPG's get bumped around the boat more often than your first stage.
@@yasserhtd Shouldn't also be attached/clipped to the BCD at the shoulder and not flopping around? James?
Does the Garmin Sonar air integrated transmitter work outside water?
Why did he not have a dust cap thread protector on the DIN first stage?
I always put mine back on as soon as I remove it from the tank.
Great vidio and really informative. Now I'll just stick with an SPG and not have more xmas tree ornaments!
On point regarding back up SPGs.
The number of guests I have had ready to splash and their transmitter is dead is absurd. None had a back up SPG so have to be switched to a rental reg (which also becomes a rental BCD if they have an Air2 inflator which isn't compatible with standard LPI hoses!)
No surprise they all run out and buy an SPG that afternoon!
It leads to the real question, if you need a mechanical back up, why spend 400us on a transmitter and 150us extra on the AI perdix?
Personally, I don't see any point other than gathering digital data. I worked at a high end resort once where they had a computer that could handle 2 transmitters and they were connected to your 2 DSDs regulators so you could see their air instantly and get low air warnings. That was cool, but overkill.
As a professional, I keep my equipment simple, lightweight, and well made. My computer is a Suunto Vyper Novo with a HelO2 as backup (matching algorithms which always provide less bottom time than my guests to prevent them going into deco). It is a cheap, reliable computer with gas switching and user changeable battery.
The hoses are miflex and have survived over 4 000 dives paired with an Aqualung Titan LX Supreme - robust with long service intervals with cheap service kits.
My SPG is Apeks Mini which has 3,000 dives on it (the original subject to a product recall due to bad glue)
My BC is aqualung Axiom - well made, great for bad backs, lightweight, easily maintained. Looks brand new even after 2,000 dives (upgraded from a Pro QD)
My point is this: invest in solid, reliable equipment instead of flashy gadgets. You'll enjoy your dives way more knowing your equipment won't fail and you'll have more money to spend on the trip itself!
It is probably a good idea to have a pare in you save a dive kit too. A basic air only is pretty inexpensive.
Because the Perdix tells you far more than just your air pressure. Try one sometime.
@@sapperstang obviously it tells you more than your tank pressure. I have infact dived multiple times with Perdix, Teric and Petrel units and compared their performance against my Vyper.
Keep it simple. Stick with gauges.
Do you have to use one with the garmin
you dont.
can you pair a tank pressure transducer with a aqualung i300c ? thanks
What is the protocol if say I have my own AI computer and I'm renting a reg from a shop. Are they generally accepting of personal transmitters or is it somewhat of a Taboo?
Hi James from Tasmania, I'm about to install my AI transmitter but the single hp port is on my left, i'd wear my computer on my right wrist. What do you think of the idea of using a long say 45cm hose and clipping it off on either my right or left shoulder d rings or do the transmitters have enough range just to be put on a 15cm hose? i'll also be using a hp splitter so i can retain my old spg.
There is a recall on the Suunto Wireless Transmitter I just found when looking them up. James, did you check yours for recall?
First thing i purchased what is wet suit and snorkeling gear
Is it me or has the them tune gotten cooler ?!
I’m in the market to replace my 2nd hand Cressi Archimedes (circa 2002), purchased off Facebook market place , just for my open water course . I’m new , like really new 25 dives post training new. The watch has worked but didn’t turn on when I replaced the battery . Then fired up (turns out it needed moisture) Is it worth investing in AI ? I’m hoping to expand my diving and suck less .
Is a swivel pin required with the extender hose and transmitter?
I’ve got one with a hose,I didn’t want it direct onto the first stage as it don’t move and could get broken easier
Yes. It acts as a swivel seal and as a flow limiter.
Hello there, I’m on the market for a new computer and I’m having some trouble deciding between the Shearwater Teric and the Garmin mk2i. I saw your review on the garmin and have one question: Is the transmitter sound underwater really disturbing and a deal breaker? If you compared both in terms of future proof and lifetime, which would be your recommendation? I am aware that the garmin does a lot of things besides being a dive computer, but if you compared just the dive computers, which one do you think is better and more user friendly? Many thanks and safe diving!
It looks like the Shearwater guy, appears to have changed preferances. Looks like the Garmin has won.
It's a coin toss. I still prefer Shearwater for Tec for reasons I will go into in an upcoming video.
@@DiversReady ... I'm hoping for a Peregrine AI to be developed.
What brand of the splitter block do you use?
That was actually my friend's! It's an Apeks, I think.
Do the wireless transmitters ever have backup wired gauges? My worry is with faulty electronics how do you know your remaining gas
Lol I guess I asked too early in the video xD
I guess this is more of a question than a comment, but I am just getting back into diving after ... a few years out. I was thinking about a new AI wrist computer (aqualung i470tc probably) and keeping my old suunto cobra as my backup pressure gauge/computer. I remember all the problems people were having pairing the original suunto and other wireless transmitters before a dive. This would really reduce the chance of losing a dive and I would need that hose attached for a manual spg anyway. There still is the issue with the right side HP port and left arm watch as mentioned above. Does anyone dive two computers like this? And this is purely recreational, so not worried about the suunto starting to beep uncontrollably...
Hi James do you had issues where some scenarios when you have transmitters on and scared all the marine life’s away? I had some really odd dives that practically the sites fishes all went into hiding until my dive master decided to take out his transmitter.
Interesting. Was this transmitting SONAR version or the other? Pretty important point - nobody wants to scare away the animals you came to see...!
The transmitter is the usual suunto paired with d6i. It is really weird day that day. As if we were in an empty aquarium.
Hi made,
Do you know if a O2 transmitter can be normal used with air?
I want to purchase a transmitter suitable for air and nitrox.
Yes, they can.
Just a smal detail but a 40 kHz (electromagnetic) signal falls under radio signals. IR signals start at a frequency of around 5e11 Hz or 500 GHz. So these transmitters don't even come close to the frequency of IR signals.
You are right. However, the IR remotes, like tv remote, uses 38kHz modulation carried by the IR signal. The modulation then carries a digital code telling which button was pressed. I was also a bit confused first about the claim by James but he meant, indeed, the modulation freqency.
@@mikkosport2300 Thanks for clearing that up.
IR is also direction unlike RF.
im seeing some sidemount guys are ditching the spg and just opting for a Tx , because they like to keep the bulk down around the 1st stage , their argument is that you wouldn't back up your spg , ive only used ai in bkmount and hose routing and bulk wasn't an issue , im transitioning to sm and have been on the fence with ai over the spg .. any thoughts ?
I recently got a i770r on deal with a free transmitter lol. My question is do i need an "air spool" if I'm connecting my transmitter to a hose. Everything I've read online says yes. It seems to me that James does not use one, neither do the guys I dive with. Why is it some people say you must use one and others run a hose to transmitter setup without one and no issues? Thanks
I don't know about your transmitter specifically, but my Suunto D5 transmitter came with 2 spools depending on how it was mounted (direct to reg or on a hose). Upgraded to Teric with Shearwater transmitter. It didn't come with a spool at all. Installed straight to reg and it works great
What are your thoughts on the difference between the bar shown on the SPG vs the AI transmitters? I have a Teric and transmitter and the SPG is about 10 to 12 bar off, showing more air then the AI. Do others see this in theirs? Or does it suggest their is an issue with my SPG? The dive shop did some tests with their machines, and the AI in my case is the accurate one.
Generally speaking SPG's can be a few bar /psi off, in my experience more than AI transmitters. It is one of the reasons is why we dive guides/instructors always ask divers to surface with a sufficient reserve. Not only because you might need it for emergencies, but also because there is a chance that the SPG is overreading the tank pressure.
Does buying a transmitter make any sense if I have a compatible dive computer but I usually rent the rest of the gear when I travel?
I will answer your question in our channel update video this month!
I've been working in tech for decades, worked in startups to aerospace to web applications to data telemetry. And I honestly will not be using anything wireless anytime soon when it comes to my personal diving preferences.
There are just so many things that can go wrong with software. And I am not sure how much redundancy these systems have. In aerospace, there are double to triple redundancy within one system and exhaustive testing.
Literally every international dive trip I've been on, someone will have issue with the transmitter (and usually only a couple people would be using them)
But dive companies? Not sure if I would trust them just yet. I'm going to wait for at least 5 years.
It’s a nice feature to have for your dive logging on your watch but shouldn’t be relied on entirely. It shouldn’t stop you from diving if you have SPG working in parallel, so there’s nothing to be afraid of it. Your SPG should be treated as important standby instrument if all fails. Having two measuring devices is your redundancy in place, in fact better than single mechanical SPG.
Does AI affect the computer's algorithm or does it just tell you your air consumption?
It tells you your air consumption, some show you how much air time you have left.
The pod tells your DC what the pressure is in the tank, usually transmitting every 10 seconds or so. The DC displays this and can use this to work out your SAC and gas time remaining to a pre-set minimum. It won't be accurate if you are inflating BC/suit when descending but works well in steady state conditions.
Bro any diving job vacancy in your company
I haven't embraced the wrist mounted computer yet you can't lose a computer when it's attached to a hose are there any competitive Hose mounted AI computers around?
Back when I was getting certified the crappy dry suit they give you was so ill fitting that the sleeve would cover up any wrist computer.
@@toriless i was on a dive last fall where the DM thought he lost his computer or left it at the dock, only to find out after the dive, that he had put it on his wrist so he didn't forget it and it was inside the dry suit the whole time.
Aqualung i550
Has anyone else noticed that their preasue rating on their Shearwater Transmitter shows 300 BAR and 4000 psi? Yet 300 BAR is equivant 4350 psi. Shearwater told me that they don't make their own transmitters so couldn't give me a straight answer.
Pelagic Pressure Systems makes the transmitter and Computers for Oceanic, Aqualung, Aeris, Hollis, Tusa, and a few more. For Shearwater they just make the Transmitters. Aqualung bought
Pelagic Pressure Systems around 4-5 years ago I believe. I have 2 Oceanic and 1 Aqualung Transmitters that I use on my Teric and Perdix AI. You should be able to ask Pelagic your question.
@@shuntao3475 Yes I am aware of that. Shearwater was not able to get a response from them on my behalf. I believe my transmitter was made for Oceanic originally but since Oceanic no longer sell a yellow transmitter, I'm guess Shearwater is receiving all yellow transmitter that are in inventory. I have two yellow transmitter that look different, the newer one mirrors the older yellow Oceanic Transmitter
@@WEAREPENNSTATE56 Shearwater could not get an answer from Pelagic, that seems jacked up. That would almost seem like a legal issue. Very interesting I must say.
valiant effort of 12 ish minutes... lol