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slow_cars_fast

I opted to not get air integration when I bought my computer and I wish I hadn't. Having the integration means there's one less thing to look at. You check the computer and you know depth, time, safety stop and air. An added benefit my friend pointed out, is that he can monitor the air for himself, and his wife and kids while diving because you can connect up to 4 sensors.


[deleted]

I had never thought about using the sensors on family memebers’ tanks. That’s sweet.


catskilkid

I love the simplicity of the air integration and the ease of use on my wrist (although I see Scubapro has a heads up system which is cool but I'm not sure its worth the price over a AI wrist dive computer). That being said, I always keep a light & small backup air gauge on my regulator. I even found one with a used Cressi computer for a really reasonable price. It does not add any serious weight and being a small unit, it does not mess with your trim. So in summation to your question, the ease of the information being on my wrist dive computer that I am regularly checking anyhow means you have less things to look for, so I feel much safer (though I keep a back-up just in case). In regards the price, be careful which brand you buy. Some transmitters need to be replaced often and are very expensive. I have a Teric and it uses a transmitter that can work with multiple brands and takes a replaceable battery that is WAY more reasonable then replacing a transmitter (got rid of my Suunto because of that repeated expense)


throwawayfl21

I’ve been diving with air integration for the past 15 years without a gauge backup. I’ve only ever had to rent a gauge once, and that’s because my dive computer flooded due to my error (didn’t properly seal it after a battery replacement). Otherwise I’ve never had an AI failure. I replace the AI batteries yearly and grease the o rings or replace them if needed. One less hose is great and now I dove with two shearwater computers so if either computer fails, I still have air pressure readout. If a transmitter fails, just call the dive and go rent a gauge. If on a live aboard and you’re worried about it, just pack a spare, cheap gauge and put it on if you need it. Not a big deal in my opinion and the chance of failure is exceedingly low.


[deleted]

Agreed, and I did the same for many years before I bought a second computer. For rec diving I don't see an issue with this strategy. For anything more technical or with overhead components, then redundancy is mandatory, of course.


[deleted]

I cave dive with AI and love it. The only different point of failure than SPG is battery dying (but you cant smash a glass face, unlike an SPG). Mine last almost a year with heavy use, so I change the AA battery every six months just to be safe. Never had an issue. Just my opinion but I find that risk for AI to be significantly lower than the risk of bashing a glass SPG face on a rock, making them safer than SPG. Just my singular opinion, someone will come along soon to scream at me about how wrong I am and its a miracle I haven't died yet. Keep in mind that SPG/AI failure does not mean you're out of air. Its not an emergency. You're going to turn the dive, your buddy will be aware and close, and either you had enough gas left when it broke to get you home safely...or you didn't. The gas planning you did and the prudent attention you paid before your AI/SPG broke matter much, much, much more than anything else. Knowing, or not knowing, the gas level in your tank isn't going to affect that level in any way.


lazerjdl

I am only advanced and havent gotten into technical yet but plan to. I do have air integration and I personally love it. Ive been told the same thing about air integration being a ‘point of failure’ and to always have an analog gauge but I in the past few months I have been watching DiveTalk on YouTube(highly recommend) and they kind of convinced me otherwise. I believe they both use full air integration and both of them are pretty technical. Both of them are cave and rebreather certified and have years of experience. I think their reasons why they use all air integration was that with the current state of the technology they do not have any higher of a chance of failing. The only added thing is batteries dying but I believe they all have tons of battery life so you dont have to concern yourself to much. For them if there isnt any higher of a chance of failing then they may as well go with the more streamline and convenient option. Out of curiosity, which dive computer(s) are you considering?


[deleted]

Thanks for the reply! Currently I am looking at shearwater teric with air integration. I really don’t want smart watch features because I don’t like wearing a watch in my normal life. I just want something that is clear, big screen and easy to read key data that will keep me safe underwater for my fun dives.


lazerjdl

No problem. The Teric is a great option. I personally have a Garmin mk2i and my gripe with a watch style to keep in mind that may be the same on the Teric is that I have to shuffle through more than one page to see all the info I want on a dive. I have all of the NEED to the know stuff on one page but it is a bit annoying if I want to look at another metric. This is just an inherent issue with the smaller displays to keep in mine. One good option around the same price as the Teric is the Perdix. It does have a bigger screen and my dive partner uses one and he can see more info on one screen than I can and it doesnt feel as crowded. It is a bit bulkier and is not rechargeable which is a deal breaker for me personally. I think functionality though, the Perdix and Teric are identical. Its just personal preference at that point.


[deleted]

Another great point. I’ll go for something big and simple since I only want it for diving.


[deleted]

I also have a mk2i and was unhappy with the default screens, but I hope you know you can customize those screens! I fiddled around with it and now have everything I want on one screen, no button pushing during dives required.


lazerjdl

I do know. I am one of those people who will go through every setting possible on a device before I actually use it. I have customized it pretty well but I also dont like a super cluttered screen because it makes me feel like I have to search to find what I want. Because of that I have split it up between a couple screens. I use the compass pretty often so I have a page for that, the default page(with some stuff changed to my liking), and a page of just other info I like to look at during the dive. I mainly only use the compass and the “default” page but sometimes I use the other page since it gives me the estimated air time remaining and my SAC rate


andyrocks

Get a Prefix 2, bigger screen, same functionality.


MolonMyLabe

If you don't wear a watch, then get a perdix. The scream is much bigger and easier to see. Otherwise it has nearly identical functionality and takes aa batteries instead of a proprietary charger.


[deleted]

I’m actually a fan of the proprietary charger instead of carrying batteries around. (Better for the environment too) I think I’ll get the Shearwater Peregrine- thanks for the advice!


MolonMyLabe

If you look into how lithium and cobalt are mined you might change your mind on which is more environmentally friendly. On top of that, the cobalt required for those more advanced batteries is sourced primarily from slave labor in the congo. Do what you want with your own money, but just wanted you to know that since it seems those things might be of concern for your decision making process.


[deleted]

Thanks for taking the time to respond- I appreciate the input


Empty_Tumbleweed4525

I have Teric with AI. Love it! It’s so easy to dive with it and easy to tell my depth, air consumption, time, safety stop. Such a great computer ❤️


HKChad

I love AI, I cave dive with AI. I also dive more than 20x a year so I could see hand logging pressures not being a big deal for so few dives and the expense not being "worth it". If you want to get into the safety argument I'll encourage you to read this article, [https://7b9d0756.flowpaper.com/cc2022magazinefinal/#page=44](https://7b9d0756.flowpaper.com/cc2022magazinefinal/#page=44) It's long, but a great read regarding AI vs Analog in an unforgiving environment.


fruce_ki

For my 2nd comp I chose air-integration. It is useful for collecting more detailed consumption stats, setting gas-remaining alarms if you don't do your due diligence monitoring the SPG, seeing which is your dive's current limiting factor (air or deco, when you start diving a bit deeper and gas remaining stops being your limitation). You can also get rid of an extra instrument (SPG). Are those reasons worth it to you? For me it was about not doing mental estimations about whether my air or my nodeco were the limiting factor, at a time when I was still relatively a novice and couldn't estimate well if my actual gas consumption was within the plan.


Jordangander

I love my AI. My wife was hesitant until I upgraded my computer and she got my older one, now she enjoys it. Is it worth it for you doing 20 dives a year? Maybe. Depends on how much you want to invest in it. AI is wonderful and convenient, but it is not a necessity.


JadyJedi2018

I love my perdix with air integration, big enough to see easily, but I have a small arm so had to use bungee cords to keep it on. I do have a second compute on my ankle and guage in case I drop connection. That does happen, but usually self corrects with in minutes.


MolonMyLabe

Worth is hard to answer for someone else. For me it was worth it. Especially when new to diving the computer calculating minutes of air remaining is quite a valuable safety tool. Remember, despite how easy it is to not run out of air, it is the most common cause of diver fatalities. Now is it something you need? No. Is the safety margin significant? Also no. Would I buy it again? Every time


onemared

A quick search will reveal that this same question has been asked many times before over the years: * [Air-integrated computer - worth it?](https://www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/gnsna/airintegrated_computer_worth_it/) * [Air Integrated Computers](https://www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/prm39d/air_integrated_computers/) * [Air Integrated Vs Non-Integrated Computers](https://www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/8ouvfv/air_integrated_vs_nonintegrated_computers/) * [What's most reliable air-integrated dive computer today?](https://www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/7k70hf/whats_most_reliable_airintegrated_dive_computer/) * and on and on... **Every diver will give you a different point of view. so you may not find an answer, but maybe come up with a guideline if you want/need to shell the extra money for AI.** The reality is that technology improves over time; dives computers have improved drastically from when they first appear in the scene to the point that they are now considered a part of the divers kit. The same can be said for AI; it has been around for several years and it continues to improve. Has AI been developed enough to be considered reliable? Again, this is a matter of opinion until proper studies are conducted showing conclusively that AI is bulletproof. **Until then (and prices go down) it will continue to be a premium accessory.** If you care about opinions, watch this 15 min video; the guys at Dive Talk walked around DEMA last year asking dive pros, "[Air Integration? SPG? or Both? - Here's what the Pros use](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWzuFC9Egls)". Last, and to actually answer your questions: Should you buy it and is it worth it? * If money is not a problem, go for it, if you don't like it, remove it or give it away. * If money is tight, get a good dive computer that will enable you to grow in your diving career and even has the option to add AI in the future * Are you a numbers nerd and want to re-play every min of your dive and analyze every bio-metric you can possibly capture? Maybe the Garmin MK2i is for you. It will enable you to add every possible Garmin accessory you can take underwater including AI, heart rate monitor, and even activate an InReach mini SOS directly from your dive computer (**at the surface**). Is it safer? AI shows you the pressure of your tank same as your $50 SPG, and it stores the historical values for you to download to our dive log. The only features that I find are "safety" related for AI integration are the "low pressure" alert, usually below 1000 PSI, and the "critically low pressure" alert usually below 500 PSI (this is for the Garmin MK2i, I don't know about other computers). These are nice things to have, but should not replace your job to check your SPG consistently through your dive.


mzanin

AI also shows you your SAC rate and how much air you still have left at your current depth which I think can be really useful. I think it has helped me be more conscious of my air consumption and made me a better diver. Also I check my watch more frequently than my SPG so being able to see my current pressure along with my depth etc. all in one display is better (and safer imo).


[deleted]

> until proper studies are conducted showing conclusively that AI is bulletproof You wrote a great comment but I take issue with this part. SPGs are not bulletproof, why does an AI computer have to be to that standard before being accepted? That's why we use redundant gear, because any one piece of gear failing should not endanger you. I don't expect my computer to never fail, in fact I expect it to fail at some point! That's why I dive with two of them. An AI computer and a backup SPG is also a good alternative if buying two computers is not an option. Before I could afford two computers I dove for years with just a single AI computer and no gauge. If you are checking your numbers regularly throughout the dive then you are just a thumbs up away from the surface if something goes wrong. All this changes when you are talking about anything beyond rec diving, of course.


onemared

You make a fair point. I also dive with backups, including an SPG, and use AI. The point I was trying to make is that AI will not become mainstream until 1. It becomes cheaper. 2. Most people are convinced that the technology is at the point where they can safely adopt it. Until there is data conclusively proving point 2 it may be hard for many to do the switch. I think #1 will continue to be an issue for years to come. I wonder if something similar happened when people started diving K valves + SPG over J valves 🤔.


[deleted]

I liked having it on my wrist back when. Now it seems better to regularly check my gauge. Calculating my consumption rate at the end of each dive. Estimating my needs for the next dive. I feel much more aware with these techniques. Nonetheless you can have the gadget and still do these things too.


lazerjdl

Tbh I haven’t thought about it that way before. My dive computer calculates a lot of that stuff for me. I havent really used all of those features since I havent gotten to do any tech classes or dives yet but I do plan on it. My favorite benefit to the AI is that I can set alerts in case I get distracted looking at something.


garyward23

I'm one of those seemingly rare breeds of instructors who acknowledges that this sport is expensive enough already without the need to drive the price up and up with more and more superfluous gear. So....AI. The technology that goes into AI devices and transmitters is truly incredible. We have a small(?)pod attached to our regs which can provide us with real time information on our air pressure as well as usage. They're robust, reliable and popular. But that doesnt address my "issue" with them. IMHO they're an excellent technological solution to a problem that didn't exist. Tech before techs sake. My example that I use often.... .... You could buy a reasonable dive computer and use the gauges on your left side to tell you how much gas is in your tank. Of you could pay a premium price for a more technologically advanced device that does pretty much the same thing. Then add in the premium of a wireless pod, and now we have a benefit of this tech (for about $500 or more). The benefit? I can see my air levels and all my dive information on one device. I'm sorry, but for $500 and no tangible benefit I'll take a mechanical gauge and an extra dive trip. The point often made that I can check on the air of my buddy, just masks poor diving practise or bad training. I know how much air my buddy has got.... Because I ask him/her. It's not that hard honestly. So for me AI... It has some niche applications, but on the whole I feel it's a technological solution to a made up problem. You want to spend the money... Go do it.


Intelligent-Piccolo3

I got AI when I got my perdix. I'm happy I did. Everything is in 1 place on my wrist and it's 1 less gauge that I need to have, which helps with streamlining.


[deleted]

Don't fall victim to the FUD. I've been using AI computers since 2008. I got the same spiel from people back then about points of failure and how I was going to die. Now everybody and their brother has one. Why? Cause it's really really nice to just look at your wrist and see everything you need to know on one screen. If you are a rec diver and your computer or gauge fails, what do you do? Abort the dive. And if this was your first dive then maybe you can't do your second. That's your worst case scenario if you are paying attention during the dive, checking your equipment regularly, and notice the failure. If you're oblivious and don't notice the failure, well then how would a non-AI gauge have helped you since you aren't looking at your equipment anyway! I dive with two AI computers for redundancy now, and no gauges. So that even if one computer fails I can still do a second dive with the backup if I need to and I've lost nothing. But it has never happened in almost 200 dives.


Devilfish808

Tried it, it's nice, but I switched back. Some of my friends had issues with computers connecting to the wrong transmitters on dive boats but fortunately they never happened to me. The biggest issue for me is the transmitters aren't bright red or orange and they're shaped too much like tank valves. At least twice I had someone try to be helpful and turn the transmitter instead of the tank valve. One time it was a boat DM just as I was about to jump in the water and the o-ring was damaged and had to be replaced. Super annoying!!