Dive Computer research

Is the Hammerhead's dive computer any better than the VR3 or He ?

The Hammerhead was designed to control a CCR (Closed Circuit Rebreather) and it costs more than twice as much ($2,995.00, plus shipping) as the other trimix computers. It comes with a rebreather head and two handsets, one primary and a secondary. The primary has a built in trimix computer, which gets input from the three oxygen sensors, and a pressure sensor, to calculate and display decompression information.

The stand alone computer functionality was designed for the ability to use it on an open circuit dive, because it contains your prior decompression information. It can be used as a bailout computer if you have a problem with your CCR.

The hammerhead's trimix computer currently uses Buhlmann with Gradient Factors for it's decompression model. It allows you to set the high and low settings for the Gradient Factor model, so you can tweak your decompression model. Kevin J. is planning on implementing other deco algorithms in the future in order to give users of the Hammerhead® a wide choice of decompression profiles.

The Hammerhead eats batteries very quickly! It not only has to calculate decompression, it also has to control a solenoid to inject oxygen. Another factor to consider is the foot print. It's bigger than the other computers.

If you own a CCR, then a Hammerhead is an option. If not, get a VR3, HydroSpace Explorer or a NiTek He.

[Walter Pickel]

I use a VR3 almost every week. At first I thought it would be hard to learn. However, I did not find that to be the case. It tells you what post (or both) to push for a function and whether it is a short push or a long push. I can't see where it can get any easier. However, if you do not dive very often I can see where you might forget where something is (e.g., temperature graph, O2 analyzer, etc).

My buddy got his upgraded to a color screen. It is easier to read and uses the unused pixels on the border of the LCD so you end up with significant real estate gains. I know VR3 is working on the ability to upgrade it via a web connection (etc.) so they are listening to their customers and did think the deisgn out (flash).

I did look long and hard at the HSE before I bought my VR3 but just liked the usabilty of the VR3 better. For comparison I have found that the VR3 deco profiles closely match that of V-Planner with a conservative setting of +2. This is total runtime not stops.

Just my .02¢

[jammer]

Go with the V-R3

Just a thought- Hammerhead is about to go through a revision, there a lots… of these units being replaced! Hummm, what are they going to do with all of the old units?!!!

Kevin J. upgrades the electronics (adds things to the circuit board). The Rev. C design will include metal housings for the handsets.

[crazyduck]

Just a thought- Hammerhead is about to go through a revision, there a lots… of these units being replaced! Hummm, what are they going to do with all of the old units?!!!

Kevin J. upgrades the electronics (adds things to the circuit board). The Rev. C design will include metal housings for the handsets.

Sorry for any confusion. ....

With the present value of the Pound Sterling to the Dollar (Ouch 1.85 to the Pound) you about doubling the price of English products.
Plus, is there a repair location in the US? Last I hear it was a trip to the UK and then to Hong Kong. (Yeow!)

HS is US product, and Gene is in Florida.
To all accouts I have heard he is very easy to work with and an outstanding company. Plus, it is the only full blown RGBM profile that I know of.

Diverite is an excellent product and for all accounts is great. I have sold about three of the HE models when I was helping out at a dive shop (no longer.) Shame they discontinued the NitekIII.
THe HE really needs a new screen after the release of the seiko product- Nitek Duo but that is just my opinion.

Andrew

[curtschu]

Question, Duck, you talked about the price with the pound to dollar rate, but the HS is at least $100 bucks more from all the info I have found.
I would love to buy American but come on lets see a better price. I don't think I'll be getting a Rebreather any time soon so that capability really is not a factor. TriMix is Definitely on the horizon.

With the present value of the Pound Sterling to the Dollar (Ouch 1.85 to the Pound) you about doubling the price of English products. Plus, is there a repair location in the US? Last I hear it was a trip to the UK and then to Hong Kong. (Yeow!)

I don't know about a repair location for the VR3 in the US. The external oxygen sensor port reading isn't working right on my VR3, so it needs to go back to the UK (I think they get fixed in the UK). It jumps to very high (unrealistic values) with and without an external oxygen sensor connected. The last problem / upgrade cost me about $400. The VR3 is an excellent trimix computer. It's based upon ProPlanner, but a VPM model should be released in the summer.

HS is US product, and Gene is in Florida.
To all accouts I have heard he is very easy to work with and an outstanding company. Plus, it is the only full blown RGBM profile that I know of.
Andrew

Gene M. lives in Saint Augustine, Florida. He services the HS Explorers in his workshop at his house. I had a problem with a capacitor on my older HS Explorer. He fixed it, for free, right in front of me at his house. He knows his stuff. I have since upgraded my HS Explorer to the latest model with an external oxygen sensor port.

I think the best way to evaluate these computers is to see them in person. It's nice to be able to push the buttons, to see how they work. I put some links to the simulators and manuals in the Blog. Check out the manuals to see how to operate the simulators.

[Jim Wyatt]

. I don't know when you'd use 7 gases on a single dive

Probably never. But when I dive with buddies who use different deco mixes than me I program their mixes into slots 4 & 5 and 6 & 7 -- That way if I need their gas for deco its programmed in already.

[normblitch]

Go with the V-R3

Jammer,

Next time I see you at Ginnie, how about giving me a show on the VR...

Norm