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Ron
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:26 am

Bill, you don't have any SMEs left somewhere, do you?


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antique diver
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 8:56 am

slonda828 wrote:Bill, you don't have any SMEs left somewhere, do you?


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I wish I did. I'll try to reach some old friends today that may have kept them when they upgraded to more modern computers, and let you know if I can rustle up one for each of us.
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captain
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:30 am

I always wanted to build a small pressure chamber to test and compare depth gauges and computers, never got around to doing it. Those simulators are cool, great piece of dive computer history.
The computer is the greatest piece of diving equipment invented since the CG 45 was invented. Everything else has just been modifications of existing designs.
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:56 am

captain wrote:I always wanted to build a small pressure chamber to test and compare depth gauges and computers, never got around to doing it. Those simulators are cool, great piece of dive computer history.
The computer is the greatest piece of diving equipment invented since the CG 45 was invented. Everything else has just been modifications of existing designs.
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the dive computer's place in the diving world!

I had this test chamber made in 1974 by a good friend who was a talented machinist with access to the machinery available to do this. It started as a piece of 6.5" ID steel pipe, and uses a 1" thick Plexiglass window in the top. I filled it with water and tested to 100 psi, over 200 fsw, and kept it to a max of 100 fsw for normal use. It's still a valuable tool. The window is beginning to concern me due to age, so I now keep the pressure lower. I may make some refinements, such as a smaller window opening made of Lexan.
test chamber.JPG
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:12 pm

Amigos,

I wrote an article for DAN back in the day when the EDGE and Suunto SME models were getting going on how dive computers were changing sport diving. As Captain says it truly is the ONE innovation that changed diving.

I recently gave away all the tables I had collected from my original Navy ones, Nu-Way tables. some Canadian DCIEM ones, plus iterations of PADI DSAT researched ones including their first sport ones and and yes, the Wheel :) LOL......

I still have a couple a book from the first industry manufacturers / researchers conference where dive computers were discussed. It's some pretty interesting reading.....

Time marches on......

David Haas
www.haasimages.com

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Ron
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:19 pm

David,

Would you be willing to share the titles to those books on dive computers? I would love to read them.

Also, thanks to Time2dive, I just scored a Suunto SME-ML! It will be cool to dive it, and see how it relates to the Edge and other computers of the early computer era.

In the interest of sharing data, don't spend more than pocket change on any of these older computers:

-Original model Dive Rite nitek
-Oceanic datamaster sport
-Sea to Sea profile 1000

I have had all three come through the shop. I have replaced batteries in all of them, only to have the ROM blank without any usable program in them. All of them use a smaller, watch style battery that is soldered to the main board to keep the volatile memory alive. All three of those had dead volatile memory batteries, so when I replaced the batteries for the operation of the computer itself, they were bricked. Just some data to share so you don't lose any money. If you come across them, and they do happen to have an intact volatile memory, then you would be good to go.
The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed. -JYC

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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:15 am

I may have been mistaken about the year the Suunto SME-ML came out. An old friend just told me he thought they came out in 1987, and he bought his from me around 91. Darn, I keep forgetting that my memory isn't as good as it used to be. :?

If anyone knows the actual intro date I would like to hear from you.
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:59 am

For those interested the three texts I still have are:

Proceedings of Dive Computer Workshop - The American Academy of Underwater Sciences, September 26-28, 1988 at USC Catalina Marine Science Center, Santa Catalina Island California
Michael A. Lang and R.W. Hamilton - Editors
Located here:
http://www.si.edu/dive/pdfs/proceedings ... puters.pdf


Microprocessor Applications to Multi-Level Air Decompression Problems by Karl E. Huggins
Michigan Sea Grant College Program -1987
Karl was one of the co-developers of the EDGE I believe doing most of the math work
Located here:
http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/michu/michut870 ... _intro.pdf

Diving with Dive Computers - Ken Loyst and Michael Steidley - 1989 by Watersports Publishing

For winter reading fun these all have some good insights into what went into making dive computers as common as a regulator like Capt. stated....

I still recall my buddy coming back from Cayman after using his EDGE on a trip. We proceeded to go to Little Cayman on a live-aboard and dive our brains out (since this new machine said we were OK, why not? LOL)

Over the years more safe practices of gaining bottom time and what a dive computer can and cannot do has evolved. I personally can't imagine diving without one today :)

David Haas
http://www.haasimages.com

*Admin note: I added links to the articles David mentioned that were available for download online. -Ron*

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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Fri Aug 22, 2014 5:03 pm

DSCN1073.jpg
DSCN1069.jpg
How about these?
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Over 400 vintage regulators in my collection

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Ron
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:19 pm

The Deco Brain! Does it work? Any idea how it works?
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sat Aug 23, 2014 11:47 am

The Farallon Decomputer was a piece of junk, worse than the Scubapro Bend-O-Matic.
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sat Aug 23, 2014 12:32 pm

captain wrote:The Farallon Decomputer was a piece of junk, worse than the Scubapro Bend-O-Matic.
For Tom to make a statement like that they must have been REALLY bad.....I worked in two dive shops that sold Farallon gear and I don't remember ever seeing one of those.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:16 pm

captain wrote:The Farallon Decomputer was a piece of junk, worse than the Scubapro Bend-O-Matic.
From my experience I'd say your assessment of the Farralon was kind! One hundred percent of about 8
we sold failed within days. Seems like it was about 1974 or 75.

I would compare the risk of diving with one to be on a par with making multiple deep dives with no watch and no depth gauge and no knowledge of dive tables. :shock:

I managed to dive an SOS/ Scubapro Bendomatic for 10 years with almost no ill effects. :|
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:29 am

I went through two of them in two dives.
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Re: Interest in computer forum?

Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:07 pm

slonda828 wrote:Captain Tom,

Mine is the very first version, without any mounting points or lanyards or anything at all. Got any idea? Mine literally looks like a brick, front and back. Interestingly though, mine came with a really fancy metal plate with the square o-ring molded into it instead of just the o-ring, which I have heard used to leak.

$_35.JPG
Hey Ron, still need a way to control your EDGE? Would a boot and hose clamps help? You could also use the boot with arm straps by making slots in the boot. Some divers used to tie a line to each side, and hang the Edge around their necks.
Edge hose clamps.JPG
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