Oceanic Datamax Sport
TLeeMay
City, CA...
I'll let you know...
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ReefRoamer
used for the past four years without problem. You should be aware that
Oceanic has a new model, the "Prodigy", which I think essentially replaces
the Sport. The Prodigy has a user-replaceable battery and offers more
information on the data screen than does the sport. And, at the local dive
shop here in Houston, the Prodigy is priced at $259. I paid about $300 for
the Sport back in 91. The only minor drawbacks of the Sport appear to have
been corrected in the new Prodigy. These are: On the Sport, the current
depth and no deco time remaining are displayed most of the time, with
running bottom time displayed every 10 seconds. Also, you cannot find out
your max depth until you surface and wait 10 minutes for the computer to
enter the planning mode. On the Prodigy, more info is crammed on the
screen (which is same size as Sport), showing max depth and running bottom
time in smaller figures. There is a slight trade off since the numbers are
larger on the Sport (easier to read), but there is less data. Also, the
user replaceable battery may or may not be an advantage. I've never had
any leakage problem with the sealed-up Sport. Since the Prodigy model has
a user accessble battery compartment, it is possible to not get it sealed
properly and then have a flooding problem. I think this is pretty
unlikely, however. I've had the same battery in my Sport for 4 years and
it's still running strong. When it goes, I have to return it to the
factory. (It supposedly will give a low bat warning when there are about
20 dives left).
Finally, another minor drawback is that you have to remember to
activate the Sport/Prodigy just before your first dive ot the day. It is
NOT automatically activated by the water or pressure. Again, this is a
dual-edged sword. You just need to include computer activation in your
pre-dive run through on the first dive of the day. (I check activate mine
when I check the air gauge).
My experience is that there is NO perfect computer for me (or probably
anyone else). But the Sport has come very close. It offers everything I
need, has been reliable and is easy to use and read. Good luck.
dat...@magicnet.net
Hi. Would anyone who owns/uses an Oceanic Datamax Sport dive computer
please comment on how they like/dislike it.
I am specifically looking for the non air-integrated model for comments,
but please feel free to leave a msg on whatever one you want.
thanks!
ANDREW DAWSON
bought about a year ago has user-replaceable battery (I did it once already,
it was easy), and it displays max depth when it switches over to elapsed
bottom time. Sometimes I get annoyed waiting for it to display this, but the
"gas guage" approach to tissue loading makes up for it--much more intuitive
for dive planning as you go.
ASD
Chris Wilson
I have 2 regs, one with a Sport, my main one with the Pro (air integrated).
I love them both. They are easy to read, nice graphical display, tell at
a glance everything I need. Easy to learn to use, just keep everything
in the green. If yellow, you're doing to long or too fast. I have only
had one problem with the Pro, and that was right after a battery change,
evidently the unit flooded internally, but Oceanic fixed it free. It was
quite obvious it was malfunctioning, although the dive store staff
started running for cover when I walked in with my dive bag beeping real
fast. ;-)
Chris Wilson
cwi...@wilsoft.COM
Hans Luthart
with the "low battery" message and it stopped working. So no 20 dives to
go "warning" !. I brought it to my local diveshop and they had to sent it
to the dealer (in Holland) because they could not get it going after the
battery change. The dealer was also unable to fix it. In the end I got a
replacement (second hand) datamax of them.
Appart from this incident I'm very happy with the datamax sport.
Regards Hans Luthart
yolanda
>
> Hi. Would anyone who owns/uses an Oceanic Datamax Sport dive computer
> please comment on how they like/dislike it.
>
> I am specifically looking for the non air-integrated model for comments,
> but please feel free to leave a msg on whatever one you want.
>
> thanks!
I have a Datamax Sport, and like it a lot. It's easy to read. The newer
Datamax Sports (I think these have a blue activation button instead of a
black one) have user-replaceable batteries. The only think I don't like
about the Sport is the alternating screen...it can be annoying to stare at
my computer for about 10 seconds underwater until it gives me the
information I want.
If I remember correctly, the Aug94 issue of Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine
did a review of a bunch of non-air integrated computers (and the following
issue reviewed a bunch of air intergrated computers). I think the Datamax
Sport was on the liberal side for a single dive, but a little more
conservative for repetitive dives. Since this is what I wanted, I'm pretty
happy with my computer.
yolanda :)
Ray Lam
>Hi. Would anyone who owns/uses an Oceanic Datamax Sport dive computer
>please comment on how they like/dislike it.
>I am specifically looking for the non air-integrated model for comments,
>but please feel free to leave a msg on whatever one you want.
battery and temperature display. I have used the Sherwood Source computer
for years and love it. They are actually the same computer only
sold by diffrent companies. I decided to get the Datamax Sport instead
of the Prodigy that just came out because of lower close out price
and I do not like the icons display of the prodigy. I like words
display rather than having to memorize what the icons stand for. I am going
to sell my Sherwood Source because it was a hassle to have to send
the computer back to the factory for replacement. It took weeks for
it to come back last time I tried to replace it.
David Hopman
battery is not true- the next time I tried to turn it on after a dive
with low battery indicated it was completey dead. Haven't sent it in yet...
I only got about 40 dives in before it went dead.
dave
Eric Lader
Yup, my datamax sport came up with a lo batt warning after 7 months and
50 dives. It then crapped out on that very dive at 80 feet. I guess the
bit about enough power for the days diving only applied to the non user
replacable batteries. Luckily, the batteries are really cheap at Radio
Shack.
David Hopman
Mine was the non-user replaceable battery version.
Dave
Jeff Kell
pl...@netcom.com (David Hopman) writes:
>>>I have been really happy with my Datamax Sport, but the 20 dives on low
>>>battery is not true- the next time I tried to turn it on after a dive
>>>with low battery indicated it was completey dead. Haven't sent it in yet...
>>>I only got about 40 dives in before it went dead.
they die, they do so dramatically and very quickly. The low battery sign is
based on battery voltage. Lithium batteries retain their voltage right up
almost to the bitter end and will fail as described. There is simply no
easy way to detect when lithiums are about to go. They simply die.
[\] Jeff Kell <je...@utcvm.utc.edu>
Tom Bryans
Compared to the sport, I like that the prodigy does not alternate screens.
My dislike is that it does not display or keep track of temperature.
The red/yellow/green tissue loading graph is easy to read and understand.
Tom Bryans Ford Motor Co.
t...@tc1952.pto.ford.com Livonia, Michigan
==
Bernie Hirsch
with it. It's easy to use, and I would recommend it. It's also pretty
inexpensive. I don't mind not having a thermometer built in because I bought
the whole Oceanic console which includes a thermometer on the SPG.
Bernie Hirsch
BTW - does anyone know of some decent dive locations within 20 minutes of
Indianapolis? Have you gone diving at Geist or Morse reservoirs? How about
Eagle Creek? Thanks.
Ralph Allen
|> In article <3sanpo$3...@comet.magicnet.net>,
|> >
|> >Hi. Would anyone who owns/uses an Oceanic Datamax Sport dive computer
|> >please comment on how they like/dislike it.
|> >
|> >I am specifically looking for the non air-integrated model for comments,
|> >but please feel free to leave a msg on whatever one you want.
|> >
|>
|> I have 2 regs, one with a Sport, my main one with the Pro (air integrated).
|> I love them both. They are easy to read, nice graphical display, tell at
|> a glance everything I need. Easy to learn to use, just keep everything
|> in the green. If yellow, you're doing to long or too fast. I have only
|> had one problem with the Pro, and that was right after a battery change,
|> evidently the unit flooded internally, but Oceanic fixed it free. It was
|> quite obvious it was malfunctioning, although the dive store staff
|> started running for cover when I walked in with my dive bag beeping real
|> fast. ;-)
|>
|> Chris Wilson
|> cwi...@wilsoft.COM
My Oceanic Pro failed twice at 75ft. The first time it was temporay
and not obvious that I wasn't mis-reading the gauge. I live near
Oceanic, so I hand carried it in. They laughed and made a joke
about the instrument flashing. The repair was free, but their
attitude, especially that the problem may be common, didn't leave
a good feeling with me. I tried to make a point to them that they
should stress in the literature that a backup was a necessity, they
thought that was humorous also.