Nice article. If I read this section correclt
"Scubapro also insisted that divers would be perfectly safe using this
computer as long as they initiate an ascent as soon as a level stop advisory
appears. This may be good advice for anyone who owns a SmartCOM or SmartPRO,
but it is troubling that the current manual for this computer contains no
suggestion that a level stop advisory should be interpreted as an
instruction to begin an immediate ascent and abort the dive."

What UWATEC/SCUBAPRO is saying is that 19 minutes into the planned 33M dive
(when the 1st alert appears) one should start one's ascent. I'm sure that
given that conservative a profile, not many consumers will be lining up to
make a purchase.  Might be some dive operators that want short dives they
could sell a load to. 'Oh senor, the computer says it is time to go up.'

CH
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Delfs" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2002 2:09 AM
Subject: [SCUBA-SE] Uwatec SmartPro/SmartCom Review


> I recently purchased a new Uwatec "SmartPro" computer to replace the
> nitrox wrist computer I lost in Palau, and took it on a trip to get in
> a few dives over Easter at Puerto Galera in the Philippines.  The
> experiences I had experimenting with the new "bubble suppression"
> feature alarmed me.  On returning to Hong Kong, I contacted the editor
> of dive magazine (which shall remain nameless) and offered to write a
> review, which would be critical of the way this feature was
> implemented.
>
> There was a clear understanding between the editor and myself from the
> outset that "higher level" powers at the magazine might be
> uncomfortable publishing a critical review of a new product from an
> important advertiser.  None the less, we both felt it would be worth
> trying to get this information out.
>
> In writing this article (see link below), I tried to be as objective as
> possible. In fact, I think I skewed the article too far in a positive
> direction in the hope of getting it past a nervous publisher.
>
> In the end, a decision was made to "embargo" the Review. I would like
> to stress that I have absolutely no direct information to suggest
> Scubapro did or said anything to keep this review from appearing.  In
> the course of writing the article, I had several conversations and
> exchanges of email with Scubapro executives regarding my concerns about
> this computer.  Scubapro was aware I was preparing an article for
> publication, our discussions were uniformly cordial and cooperative,
> and I have cited some of their responses in the article.
>
> Last week I resubmitted the piece to another dive magazine based in the
> UK which I know to be fearless about advertisers when it comes to
> equipment reviews, I learned that their regular equipment review
> correspondent had already written a review of the Uwatec Smart
> computers, and that his article raises some of the same concerns that I
> had.  (That article will appear in August.)
>
> In the meantime, I've decided to post a link to the revi
> here:
>
>         http://www.tabula-international.com/Misc/SmartPro/SmartPro1.html
>
>
> This is the same draft and illustrations that were submitted, without
> any subsequent changes.  I'm afraid that you'll have to read down well
> into the story (about 12 graphs) before there is any mention of the
> problems that I encountered with this computer, and why I feel that
> this computer could in some circumstances increase the risk of DCI for
> some divers.
>
> I have no plans to submit the article anywhere else, but I thought the
> points I raised here might be of interest to some people on Scuba-SE.
>
> Robert Delfs
>
> Robert Delfs
> Reply to:  <[log in to unmask]>
> Tel:    +852 2812-6290
> Fax:   +852 2812-6970
>