9 replies to this topic

[rekdivr]

Hello everyone, i would love to grab anyones opinion on the VR3, i have been diving it for a little over 4 months, and it certainly has proven to be a challenging learning curve. I chose to get this computer due to its ability to function with both trimix and CCR. I just completed several dives at 40 fathom gratto on Ocala ( if anyone enjoys swamp diving, 40 fathom is the place for you), and kinda got the hang of it by the end of my 16th dive. Its not difficult to use underwater, i just found that scrolling through the settings and understanding what mode you were in was the issue. I know i know i know, stinking Course Direcotr cant use his dive computer!


I also feel that the manual that comes with it, and i dont usually read manuals for dive gear, was almost useless, except for the pretty pictures.

So if anyone has any suggestions on how to become more familiar with it before i use it as a paper weight and resort to the Nitec HE, which i know doesnt do CCR. I would be much obliged.

I hope everyone is out diving this nice saturday on the east coast, as i am stuck working our store.

Chris

[Diverbrian]

Chris,

I dive the VR3 for the same reasons that you mentioned. I will be looking at CCR one of these days and wanted something that could function in those regards when I get there.

To be honest, I like it. It is a steep learning curve and some things take a little doing to figure out, but once you figure out what the graphics mean and figure out that it's menus are icon intensive rather than relying on words, you are on your way. Keep in mind that there are only a maximum of four options that you can drive through at any one time. Figure out what the icons mean that are highlighted in the options menu and it helps. That is where the instruction manual is handy. I also did my usual routine of trying out new dive computers in bed with the "simulate dive" mode to get a feel for the display. That helped immensely as well.

When I first started to dive it, I felt that it was overly complicated, and that was among the nicer things that I thought. My VyTec is still easier to mark my gas switches with, but can't be reprogrammed underwater and more importantly has no Helium capability. But, now that I am used to it, I feel that it is one of the best on the market at this time. I do wish that it would retain a record of the water temp like my Suunto's but we can't have everything .

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask. I don't believe that I am the only diver on this board using the VR3.

[PerroneFord]

I dove a VR2 for a while (same crazy learning curve). I gave it back to my instructor. He has 7 or so VR3's. It was too much for me. Left me longing for a BT/Depth Guage.

[phree337]

I just don't get it.... My friend gave me one of his backup VR3s to try out on a dive in Little River. I skimmed the manual during the 2hr drive from Jacksonville, set up two gasses on OC (EAN32 & O2), and did an nice 90 minute dive on it with gas change at 20' for deco. Of course I did blow the first deep stop at ~60' because of not being used to looking for a stop that deep from my VEO 200, but I got back to depth in time to correct the oversight (thanks buddy!). I think I blew another deep stop on another dive also, now that I think about it.

I will agree that these things are monsters and have almost too much information to show you (and the whole reprogram underwater bit is a little insane), but I didn't think the curve was that bad. Keep in mind I work on computer automated production systems, so I tend to have a knack for figuring these things out faster than your average bear.

[PerroneFord]

Manual? There's a manual? I got 30 seconds of "push this, push that, now push both", and off we went!

[ScubaDadMiami]

A lot of the more complex computers (that have the capability of being used for CCR diving) do have steep learning curves. They are capable of doing so much that they are all like this.

My introduction was similar to PerroneFord's: "Just make sure you practice playing with the computer before the first session." Then, in class, we spent a few minutes going through the basic screens. At first, I didn't get it. After a while, I understood the basics. Now, I am finally starting to go beyond this but I am still learning new things.

Unfortunately, there isn't much of a short cut with these things. If you try to cover it all at once, it is too overwhelming. So, you learn the critical basics, and then you play with the computer while checking the manual, increasing your knowledge base until you are an expert. It takes time.

[BlckShadow]

Mine took me awhile to learn. At first I did not like it and it died on the third dive. I sent it back to the manufacture and did not use it for quite awhile. I switched back to my Cochran and was going to sell the VR3. I finally had someone sit down with me for about half an hour and show me how to use it. I love it now.

Its probably the best CPU (except for maybe an integrated one, which I don't like any of the current ones out) for CCR use. If you have to go to your bail out you can switch gasses on the fly. You don't even need to have them turned on or programmed in ahead of time. The major drawback of them is everyone I know who has one has had to send it in for repair at some point.

[webhead]

I think the biggest issue with the VR3 is that it has only 2 buttons. Delta P has done some clever work with just 2 buttons but it is not a mouse and takes a few time thru to see what the buttons do.

On the Delta P website, there is the manual and a simulator that lets you do a dive and virtually work the buttons to help learn how to change/check things underwater. Unfortunately, nothing is the same as the real thing. So give it a workout in the swimming pool. Better yet, become friends with someone who has a VR3 and get some personal tips. :-)

If you are considering Trimix and/or CCR diving, I highly recommend getting this computer sooner rather than later. Once you master it, I think you'll appreciate what it can do for you.

[peterbj7]

I've had several VR3s and generally like them, though I usually only use them for CCR diving or exceptionally for OC trimix. I find the display rather hard to read and the computer itself heavy and bulky, and the finish doesn't stand up to Belizean waters too well. I find the two button operation quite complicated and wish they spread the functions over four, and on one dive one of the buttons came off and was lost. I find I usually miss the first deep stop and the display then shows "use tables", but very usefully it continues to give its "best guess". I find the manual unreadable and wrote my own summary. I've done a fair number of long dives with it, relying on it completely, and never had a DCS problem. I'd give it 8 out of 10.

[texasdiverdude]

I dive a VR3 as my main computer and it definitely provides good information, but is also not as user friendly as some other computers and has caused me to pull hair out on more than one occasion. I also dive a Tusa IQ700 (as my backup) which is simpler and more user friendly and covers 90% of the diving I do. It shadows the VR3 profile for all the air/nitrox dives I've used it on (Truk and Bikini) very closely except for the deep stops. I bought it because of the potential it has for CCR, but mostly because I was ready for a multi-gas computer at the time. It was double the cost of anything else, but it also did twice as much so I went with it. I have no buyer's regret and the extra money spent is a drop in the bucket compared to my annual dive vacation bill.

Regardless of what computer you get, read the manual, dive with it, and understand what it tells you because it won't save your life for you.