In Reply to: Dive Computers posted by Darren on January 21, 2006 at 16:21:38:

I have a Cobra and like it (but I already own it) - reliable and good battery life, so if you really want air integrated, I'd recommend it. An air integrated does tell you how long you have left on your tank, so that is a plus.

Downside: It locked me out for a week of diving due to a first day deco violation that would not clear for 48 hours, so I used it guage mode for the rest of the week along with good old tables which I always use anyway. Yes, I could have removed the battery to reset it, but that's cheating. Was 48 hours a valid safety interval? Probably, so I made sure my subsequent dives were conservative (extra slow ascent rate, mid table).

Is an air integrated worth the extra $$$'s? Definitely not (unless you like to spend money). Reasons: 1. you can't take it into the galley to download to your log between dives (unless you get a quick disconnect, a.k.a. another point of failure); 2. monitoring your SPG tells you about the same information (and the air integrated is based on your air usageto that point in time - a return trip may have a totally different air consumption rate); 3. an analog SPG is much less likely to fail.

I like my wife's Dive-rite Duo which she can wear on her wrist / arm and her back-up guage mounted Oceanic (inexpensive). If I had to do it again, I'd go analog SPG with her set-up....she won't trade it to me, bu has lent me her computer ;-)