Automatic dive mode

I still don’t understand why the descent is in automatic dive mode all the time.

Every other dive computer that I know of has to be turned on before going on a dive. So I don’t see the big deal in having people manually start the dive activity before getting into the water, it’s just like turning on the power on any other dive computer. People have been saying it’s a safety thing but I think it’s ridiculous that people should expect their computer to start recording their dive automatically with out checking that their computer is on, running and ready to start recording.

Not to mention that this auto on all the time has been causing a bunch of issues with people’s watches when pressure changes are rapid, in the water or not... I also see a big waste of battery life... if your watch is constantly pinging the pressure gauge to find out if you are diving or not then for sure it will reduce battery life.

I feel like Garmin should give the user the option to keep the diving modes off until a dive activity is selected. If you start a dive then the computer should stay on in the background even if the user switches to off again (after the dive) until you are completely desaturated.

The method of selecting another activity before swimming to make sure your dive computer doesn’t start by accident is a waste of time, the watch should only start recording an activity when I want it to. Imagine every time you sprint to catch the bus your watch records another run workout automatically

I really hope the developers have been addressing this.

Cheers

Since the Descent Mk1 can be used as an everyday watch and also for other activities then driving, the automatic dive mode is there for safety and to benefit to the diver.

Since the Descent Mk1 can be used as an everyday watch and also for other activities then driving, the automatic dive mode is there for safety and to benefit to the diver.

With all due respect Heath, if you wore this every day then you’d understand why the user should have the option of turning off the dive mode when they want. I suggested months ago having the option of turning off the dive mode for a period of time, only to have it automatically re-enable after a period of time...1,2 or 3 hours could be a good compromise.

Its a complete oxymoron to sit here and say that this is being done for safety, yet if you have another application running like Open Swim, Boat, SUP, etc and you forget to turn it off and then go for a dive, that the dive mode won’t go into effect.

All Garmin would have to do to cover their collective butts is have some kind of warning, a warning similar to the warning given when you disable “Deco Lockout” where it states “Warning: Disabling deco lockout may increase DCS risk” and then it asks you to “Accept”. That is how Garmin can make their customers happy AND cover their butts at the same time.

Every other dive computer that I know of has to be turned on before going on a dive.

I guess you don't know of many dive computers.

My Oceanic Atom 3.0 works exactly like the Mk1. It is a watch until you dive. There is no on/off. It is always on and it automatically starts dive mode when you descend.

Both my old Citizen dive watches were the same. Always on and automatically entered dive mode.

For my Shearwater Perdix, you can turn it on/off (mostly to preserve the battery) but if you don't turn it on, it will turn on automatically once you hit 0.9m (seawater) and go into dive mode.

I'm pretty sure this is exactly how every other dive computer works. If they don't start dive mode automatically (by default) when descending they belong in the garbage.

Every other dive computer that I know of has to be turned on before going on a dive.

Further... many dive computers have wet contacts that automatically turn the computer on as soon as they get wet and then they enter dive mode on descent.

Further... many dive computers have wet contacts that automatically turn the computer on as soon as they get wet and then they enter dive mode on descent.

I was going to say the same thing. I understand both sides of this debate, and I think that a dive computer should go into dive mode automatically when a diver descends. However, I would like to see a feature where the auto dive mode can be disabled for a period of time the user defines, and then after that time has expired goes back into auto mode.

Not having the computer go into dive mode could result in a diver descending and then realizing later that the computer is not in dive mode and not having an accurate data on their CO2. Granted we teach students that in the event their computer fails on a dive, they should immediately ascend and their dive is over. But in the real world there are far too many divers that would ignore a failed computer and just follow their buddy. I also would like to see the Descent over-ride other activities and go into dive mode should the diver descend. I tested this out when using Surface GPS Navigation mode and then descending, the computer stayed in GPS Nav mode for over an hour underwater. I view this as a safety issue that needs to be addressed.

Mark Exactly. I suggested a few posts ago about having the option of turning off the dive mode for a period of time, only to have it automatically re-enable after a period of time...1,2 or 3 hours could be a good compromise with a disclaimer like the deco lockout option.

Also, if Garmin was TRULY was concerned about someone doing a dive and having the computer work, then you’d have to have the dive mode override ANY activity currently running.

I agree a temporary override for the automatic dive mode makes sense for this particular dive watch/computer because it is generally worn 24x7 and people don't always dive with it on.

Unfortunately companies like Garmin do not listen much to needs and suggestion in a forums like this.
But I hope they implement some kind of feature to be able to disable the dive mode when not used for diving, since many people have it as an all around sports watch. I do. And it is annoying to get several dives in the log when just jumping into the water for swimming... Yes they can be deleted in the Garmin app, but that seems annoying to have to that everuntime after swimming. And they can not be deleted on the watch, so the dive log gets cluttered with faulte “dives”. Not so nice.
The suggestion so far from Garmin is to start another activity to prevent the watch to go into dive mode. And yes it works, but just seems to be an ugly hack to use..

Unfortunately companies like Garmin do not listen much to needs and suggestion in a forums like this.

I used to think that before I got my Mk1 based on my experience with a number of previous Garmin devices. Since the Mk1 and this forum I have seen some suggestions and discussions implemented in later versions of the firmware so I am hopeful that any suggestions will be considered.

And they can not be deleted on the watch, so the dive log gets cluttered with faulte “dives”.

Sure they can. Connect the Mk1 to the your computer in Mass Storage Mode and you can see all the activities as FIT files and delete the ones you don't want.