suunto gekko - "super bright phos. display?!"

[NickBCotswold]

recently qualified OD diver here (novice!) - about to go on holibobs for a week and planning to fit in 6-7 dives so opted for a gekko rather than vyper (thought long and hard and couldnt justify the extra dosh as I wont really get much use for the download function from a vyper) - however the only other difference i can see is that a vyper has a backlight and a gekko has a:

Quote: "super bright phosphorescent display that can be charged with a dive torch. This ensures that you can easily view the display in dark conditions for extensive periods of time"

(according to suunto's marketing!)

well i took it in the pool for the first time last night and couldnt see any difference to a standard LCD display - - got home late last night when it was dark, tried "charging" the screen by holding it near a 100w light bulb for 30 odd seconds - no difference either!!! - whereas my illuminous hands on my dive watch light up for ages!

How come I cant see any difference in the display on the gekko?? Dont think I have to do anything, certainly nothing in the manual - in fact, doesnt even mention the display! Any thoughts or experience with this??

cheers!

[Nick Kay]

Strange!

My son dives with a Gekko - I personally prefer it to my Cobra

When I've borrowed his Gekko as a 2nd computer and done night/dark dives, all I've had to do is shine a torch on it for 5-10secs and it seems to stay readable for the next 10-15mins

I think for night diving its easier to shine a torch at it each time it starts to go dark then try and rememebr which button to press on the cobra to get the backlight to come on

My old suunto favor was easier - you just tapped it on the r/h side and on came the backlight

[IainC]

Just for clarification..

Did you turn the light out afterwards and look at it?
It won't make much visible difference unless it is pretty dark already.

Iain.

[Michael Purcell]

And just a note...
You can download from the Gekko as well...

(Turn it over and look at the pins...)
The software is available for free on the Internet...

Sorry can't help with your problem...I know many of our club members use the Gekko and haven't heard any complaints...

[Bryan Harrison]

I use my Casio Triple Sensor Sea-Pathfinder dive watch as a back-up for my Suunto Vytec. It has depth (down to 30m, then it just reads DEEP!!!), time and temp display.

It also has a great feature that if you activate this function, when the watch senses the light level is low and you tilt the watch beyond 45° from the horizontal, the back light comes on automatically! No buttons to press, no phosphorescence to charge; just tilt your wrist as you would to read the dial anyway.

If only this feature could be built into a dive computer :)

[NickBCotswold]

Hi Guys

many thanks for the replies......situation now resolved!!!!!

I think the Gekko I bought must of been locked up in its box, then buried in a very deep hole for about 100 years 'cos I I tried leaving the screen close to a very bright bulb longer and longer, trying it each time until I got a result following a 12-15 min charge - and it now works and shines quite brightly.....reckon it needs some residual charge for it to work......when I first got it I thought it would be a bit like my illuninous hands on my dive watch, which "charge" within about 20 seconds!!!

cheers!

onwards and upwards! (well, downwards, but you get my drift!!!)

[Richard Whitcombe]

The gecko display i hated. Required constant charging and then didnt last long enough for a night dive or dark dive. Much preferred the vypers selectable time back light.