Scuba Basics: Air Integrated Dive Computers

[@kdrewd]

I have the SCUBAPRO G2 with transmitter. I'm a HUGE fan of air integration and it's significantly improved my diving. I used to be a heavy breather. By logging my dives with the air consumption, I was able to look at my logs and see exactly when and where I was consuming the most gas. One of the first issues I noticed was that I burned a ton of gas on my descents. So, I worked on getting myself relaxed before descending and have dramatically corrected my breathing. 50 or so dives later, I've corrected my descent issue and a few smaller others so now I'm consistently getting to my NDL before running out of gas. So, instead of just being generically told I needed to "learn to breath better", I was able to see when and where I was consuming the most gas and able to target specific bad habits. If you can afford the computer with the transmitter, I can't recommend them highly enough.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Hello Kevin Davis, thanks for sharing.

[@ozzypirate]

Long time no see Mark... i miss listening to deco stop whilst working. 😁

[@BingSurjawan]

OMG. That short hose and swivel pin answers my worries whenever the boat crew help me with boarding the rib or boat. I have seen the short hose in the shops but never thought about using it. Many thanks.

[@mafrli]

First of all I want to thank you for the video, it's great and I'll keep watching your channel which I just found today :) Second I would like to correct one of your statements: I have a Suunto transmitter and even if you screw it directly to the first stage you have a little pin, which you have to put in the hole of the transmitter. It is no swivel pin, but it is a pin with a little hole in it, so I guess the pressure gets a little reduved before entering the transmitter. I think this is important to know, 'cause without this information some people can believe that they don't need any pin at all when they attach the transmitter to the first stage and in that case I guess the Suunto transmitter gets broken. Kind regards from Austria!

[@glenncook9829]

I bought my first dive computer a Suunto D4i in the sale at Mikes Dive store they virtually gave me the transmitter for an extra tenner in the sale. Brilliant I thought, but that was early April and lockdown 2 days after I got it. 7 months later it got its first outing in the pool and I loved it. On Saturday it gets a proper outing at Stoney Cove so very excited to give it a real test.

[@grsmustard9139]

So how did that go?

[@michaelchristenbury552]

I have been using wireless air integrated dive computers since 2000 and love them!

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

+Michael Christenbury I couldn’t be without mine, although still have an spg as a backup

[@fotismanolopoulos4354]

Excellent info. Thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge. All the best

[@kurtsteiner8384]

Yes good point mark. I do have a suunto vyper air computer the original version. But only went air integrated some years later. I still have gauges for back up pressure and depths. So if you change your dive computer to a different make, you also need the transmitter to be of that make too. And can't use say a suunto transmitter with a tusa computer or with an aqualung. Just so it's clear as I was wondering about that.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Hey Kurt Steiner, glad you enjoyed the video.

[@alchong0675]

Hi Mark. Thanks for your videos, I highly appreciate all the really good tips you share. I have a question regarding the transmitter. Should you always leave the transmitter connected to the first stage, assuming you are storing well your regulators. Or should you disconnect the transmitter and store it separately after every dive?

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

I’ve never taken mine off and it’s not been an issue.

[@louwgreeff6591]

Good info. I own a mares puck air. What a pitty i get zero post sale feesback. I have a simply question how do i see avarage depth after a dive so i can calculate my sac rate? Cant find it anywhere in dive log and it is pretty much useless i.m.o if it cant even do such basics? Or am i missing something

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

+Louw Greeff I would imagine that is a basic function. Have you not got the manual still? Maybe a quick google search for it might help.

[@jushyd6734]

I love that shirt Mark. Do you cave dive?

[@MikeColes]

The Ratio iX3M series can handle up to 10 transmitters. I think that'd be beneficial to keep transmitters on different regs. Has anyone used anything from Ratio in that series?

[@Yggdrasil42]

No experience with Ratio computers but I know multi-transmitter computers are sometimes used by sidemount divers to monitor their independent tanks.

[@FocusKato]

Whats your thoughts on the new Garmin Descent mk2i and T1 transmitter?

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

We quite like it, but you can check out the two videos we've done on it and see for yourself. Transmitter video to come when they arrive.

[@Vasilis_Chatzis]

Hi Mark great video Recently I read about Ratio deco and I don't understand it .Could you explain it ?

[@Justins-Adventures]

AFAIK it's an easy way to calculate deco stops (without using a computer) when using certain gas mixes. It provides a profile similar to bubble models if I recall correctly. Some DIR divers use this method because historically computers could be unreliable

[@leopoldbloom4835]

This vid comes at the perfect time, as I have to replace my DC. The problem: My DC of choice will do everything I could reasonably need and I won't ditch the safety of an analog pressure gauge. Still, the airtime in minutes is a cool gimmick of the wireless integrated version of the same line - which comes at quite a price. Guess I'll have to keep fighting my inner man-child for a while.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Why not both? Plenty of technical divers use air integration for ease of use with an SPG as a backup.

[@leopoldbloom4835]

Yggdrasil42 Right, redundancy rules. That’s why I keep my analog gauge and think only additionally about a wireless air integration. I wouldn’t trust my safety to two battery powered devices and a bluetooth connection. Far too many failure points.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

We always dive with AI, a back up and an SPG.

[@leopoldbloom4835]

Scuba Diver Magazine Regular people call it „over-equipped“, divers call it „redundancy“. 😉

[@DD-gi6kx]

the backup just in case trend in diving can get ridiculous