flipper - did you decide on a new computer?
i had a look at the liquivision the other day .... **drool**

i need a new computer to use as a primary - and i would love to be able to plan my dives and then upload the dive plan + 3/4 alternate plans based on a little more depth or a little more time.

milky - this is where uploading your dive plan to your computer becomes beneficial (but also having those plans printed and laminated in your pocket should your equipment fail). if you are looking to do this sort of diving you need to work out whats absolutely required for you to complete the dive and then how to get yourself out of the poo if it fails. and i am not talking about poo as in pupuke.

Sounds pretty dangerous to me. You want to have 3 or 4 dive plans loaded and change between then during a dive?

What happens if the computer fucks out? Will you have back up slates for all those dive plans?
NO? how will you know what deco plan to follow?
YES? Then what benefit is there in having it in the dive computer as well when the actual result the computer will give you for deco will be different unless you have followed the plan exactly which hardly ever happens.

To me on the face of it, it just seems like a fairly useless feature. Im more than happy to be convinced otherwise though.

yes - 3 or 4 dive plans (on slates of course!!)

no - i'm NOT planning on changing during the dive for any other reason than if something goes pop and i have to change.

Anyone had their comp die and been separated from dive buddy and had to use their back up table? Or gone out to the dive site and just about the get into the water and the dive comp gone...beep....dead, what you do then? Stick close to your dive buddy? Did you have a backup comp or bottom timer?

Sorry PH if this is a hijack :0

yup.
battery was so low that dive computer wouldnt kick in.
i dived on tables.

DM why would you want to switch to a plan instead of just following the computer if something went pop? The computers profile would be more acurite than a preloaded plan.

gas calculations are based on the plan(s) before i get in the water

So? What differance does that make? Chances are the dive was turned due to an air leak so now those pre dive plans are junk.

So? What differance does that make? Chances are the dive was turned due to an air leak so now those pre dive plans are junk.

or ... longer time photographing something

I'm interested. What problem is uploading dive plans to a dive computer, aimed at solving?
I can't see any benifit at the moment. What am I missing.

Then why not just go off the calculated profile on your computer? Once again its going to be more acurate than a preloaded plan

you asked why people might like to use it and i just gave you some suggestions

Its a solution in search of a problem.

or its redundancy.
what happens if you drop your slates?? and your other dive computer falls off your wrist??
its just a feature some people might like - obviously not you.