I had this computer for 3-4 years now. I find a computer extremely useful for free diving.
Unfortunately, a good number of the 'pixels' on the display are not working, making it nigh on impossible to use.
The rest works well.
Is this fixable? Did any of you ever had this and managed to get it sorted or should I just go and get a new one?
IMG_20191125_220135 by etienne spiteri, on Flickr
IMG_20191125_220121 by etienne spiteri, on Flickr
Last edited by buddy13; 26th November 2019 at 11:29.
I have had 2 Suunto computers and both died. I wouldn't recommend them on QC.
Even more of an issue is that for more advanced diving their use of a proprietary deco algorithm is undesirable. Other makers use open-source systems that can be scrutinised, even modified across the industry as new evidence on decompression physiology becomes available. Suunto prefer to run their own race and their deco algorithm is black-boxed.
But he's free diving, so I presume using only as gauge...
Suunto's work well for a large majority of divers, even if you're probably correct for advanced diving.
QC wise, I don't think they're any worse than most makes - We've a lot of Suuntos, both club ones and privately owned and we don't have a lot of issues. I know a couple of divers who've been diving on the same Suuntos for decades and they swear by them, partly because they've had great service from Suunto (the fact they're only 10 miles from here might be a factor!).
Me, I've got a German Heinrichs Weikamp computer - The display failed on it when I was in the Maldives last year, so I was glad I'd bought my Suunto along just in case.
For balance, though, HW were great and fixed my computer FOC and it's performed flawlessly since and the Suunto is relegated to the subs bench again.
M
I have been through quite a few different computers and still use Suunto for most of my diving.
The D6 (bought used on here years ago) is still going strong and is a great computer watch to take on a holiday with a bit of diving planned.
For most of my tec diving I use an Eon Steel, with an Uwatec timer as backup (with tables) and this setup works really well. I also have an old Scubapro Aladin Square that I use occasionally and it's a really nice computer but is limited to two gases which is a bind but fine for lake nd training dives.
One thing to be very, very careful of with Suunto is that their algorithm will lock you out if you blow a deco stop...it will not recalculate based on what you have available but will just lock you out and revert to gauge mode. This is a right pain in the ar$e in the event of an issue but you should always be backing up anyway.
The other irritating thing that all Suunto computers do is to use the set O2 % plus 1% for MOD and CNS calculations, which results in lots of alarms and beeping if you use the correct "best mix for depth" and ppO2 of 1.4 set...the alarms can be avoided by using 1.6 but it is still somewaht irritating.
The proprietary algorithm is very close to the VPM model but is significantly more conservative on repetetive dives, which is not in itself a bad thing but can become problematic over a period of days with multiple deco dive profiles.
Jason
Nice. You just listed exactly the reasons I don't use a Suunto :-)
My Shearwater warns me bluntly if I am being any kind of an idiot and then goes back to giving me the info I need to proceed as safely as possible from there....repeatedly, dive after dive. I don't think a computer should ever lock you out.