Alti-2 Neptune or Pro Track

[Terminal-V 0]

I have read a few posts from my searches and have found some negative post about the pervious softwares. does anyone have the newest version Neptune and if so have you had any problems (bugs). does the average speed fall into brackets (12,9,6,3 Alt) or is it an overall average speed. Also has anyone used the paralog or Jumptrack and if so which one is better. Thanks guys and girls, I am trying to figure out if I want the Neptune or the Pro Track for Christmas.

[KrisFlyZ 0]

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I have read a few posts from my searches and have found some negative post about the pervious softwares.

Either should work. I have had a Neptune since jump 2 and I have had no issues. I think the version that they had back then works well enough. The question is do you want to pay $400 for a protrack plus jumptrack or $300 for a neptune plus paralog.

Kris.

[AggieDave 6]

Both are pretty good to say the least, both do their jobs well and with the newest (non-beta) software the Neptune does as good as the ProTrack with the speeds.

It really comes down to which one would you rather have. They both have some goods and bads, but both are good at what they do. I have a protrack in my helmet and a neptune on my wrist. I'd probably have a neptune in my helmet if I hadn't have bought this protrack a couple of years ago.

On the upside the Neptune will be ever changing to meet skydiver's needs, where as the Pro-track is harder to upgrade and to my knowledge it has only been upgraded once so wingsuits wouldn't trick it.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[diablopilot 2]

I recomend the ProTrack. I've had no problems with mine other than I was clumsy once and broke the read out on mine. L&B replaced it at no charge. It's been with me for over 3000 skydives and is still the best data logging audible I've used.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[dropzonefool 0]

I've had two problems with my neptune in 30 jumps.
I still like it better over the protrack. Ofcourse I have both, the protrack in my helmet for an audible, and the neptune as a wrist mount.
After my first jump with the neptune it wouldn't reset, or go back in to normal ground mode, it turns out it was a "static charge" on dead battery, but the unit showed a full life on the battery prior to my first jump. The second was a cracked screen, which Alti-2 replaced for free. Alti-2 rocks!!

I like the neptune cause it tells you climb rate, switches between freefall and canopy mode automatically, tells decent rate under canopy.
I perticularly like the canopy mode cause I learning to swoop, and I can tell how fast different turns are on my canopy.

[op5e 0]

I am also looking at buying an audible alti soon and hence would like to get as many responses as possible. The advantages I see with the neptune is the easly upgrade, no extra cables, waterproof, canopy mode, can also be used as a wrist alti. The only disadvantage I have heard is how soft the beep is, as alti-2 is concerned about hurting peoples ears. Can anyone confirm if the beeps are too soft, also has anyone got it heaps wet or found any of these "advantages" are not quite so good.

Btw you may also (if you have not already) want to check out the reviews of the neptune on dz.com.
http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Detailed/425.html

[Tonto 1]

I'm going Neptune mainly because the Pro Track won't do over 119 seconds... which sucks for Birdman.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[bclark 0]

I went against my rule of "never buy anything the first year it's out" and got a Neptune. I have had a couple of problems with it. First, I had older version software, and it would stop logging jumps when the battery got low. Second, it was going through a battery about every other week.

Thankfully Alti-2 is an awesome company, with great product support. I purchased a $30.00 USB / IR adapter, and updated the softward for FREE. This not only solved my logbook problems, but it also took care of the battery issues. However, Alti-2 went ahead and sent me a new Neptune, in the same color, once again for FREE! WOOHOO!

All in all, I love my Neptune, it is cheaper than a Pro-Track and does more stuff. More stuff is good. I use mine as a visual, so I don't know about the loudness of the beeps. They do seem a little quiet.
It does bracket your freefall speeds into 12000, 9000, 6000' etc... I love it when I take fat tandems, I can look at it and say, " look man, we were doing 146 mph in droguefall!" Other people I know have had minor problems with theirs, but they have always been solved by an upgrade.

[padraigbrowne 0]

I would recommend the Neptune ,I have put about 250 jumps on my Neptune and 350 on a pro-track ,the Neptune is way better .it is years ahead of anything out there , its cheaper , and their customer service is fantastic ( I also had a cracked screen replaced for free )
had a couple of little teething problems at the beginning but the newer software versions are bullet proof !
it records speed at 12 ,9 ,6 ,3 and overall average .the recording altitudes can also be changed by an alti2 service rep

[MWGemini 0]

I have a Pro-Track and I update my logs on the computer every weekend using their Jump-Track software. I have not fully explored all its features yet, but I really like it. I've also jumped a Neptune once or twice and I REALLY liked it and will eventually purchase one to use as a wrist mount. I have not used the ParaLog software, however, nor do I know of anyone who has.

Mike

[IanHarrop 37]

I have used a Neptune for about 100 jumps and in my opinion the issue regarding the loudness of the beeps is not really an issue at all. You just have to follow the instructions (1) put the neptune in your helmet so that the back of the unit is towards your ear (2) make sure that the hole where the sound comes out is un-obstructed. Doing step (1) is easy and I've never had a problem with step (2).

I use the latest software and am extremely impressed with the service and support from Alti-2. Updating the software is easy and has allowed them to implement new features like Swoop mode.

I am very glad I made the decision to buy a Neptune.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[pilotdave 0]

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I use mine as a visual, so I don't know about the loudness of the beeps. They do seem a little quiet.

My neptune is so loud, I have to make sure the speaker faces AWAY from my ear or it hurts.

The protrack is solid and reliable, but limited. The neptune is new and more likely to have issues, but it has a lot more capabilities and can be continually modified through software updates. Customer service is great too. I'm an alti-2 field service member... it's a great program. I've got a kit full of spare parts in case anything breaks, including galaxy and altimaster 2 lenses, just in case. I can upgrade the software, and alti-2 even provided a couple spare batteries that I can use for the upgrade so I don't waste the owner's battery. And if something really goes wrong, I can use their special software to dump the data off the neptune into a diagnostic file to send to alti-2 for analysis.

And the neptune is less expensive.

If the neptune and protrack were AADs, I think I'd be buying a protrack. But since a failed audible is just an inconvenience, not a safety issue, the neptune is the way to go. And of course the problems that people have had have mostly been fixed with software upgrades anyway.

Dave

[skyhighkiy 0]

I haven't jumped a pro-track myself, but I absolutely love the Neptune.

I've had 3 problems with it in 90 jumps. at one time, it didn't automatically switched to freefall mode, so I just pressed the button in freefall to switch it, another time, after a hard landing on a windy day I shouldn't have been jumping, it wouldn't turn on (fixed by re-starting) and I had a button rip off due to my own clumsiness.

Other than that, everything's worked great, Alti-2 replaced my neptune within a week, NO SHIPPING OR ANY OTHER FEE all because I had a button ripped off.

two things to note about the Neptune. I also jump a skytronic, sometimes I have a hard time hearing the beeps, but when I was wearing the Neptune, I NEVER missed a beep.

another thing is that I found it to be damn near impossible to see the digital readout while your canopy is opening....for that reason, I'm going to pick up some kind of alti with a needle soon. I wonder if anyone else has had this problem?

BE THE BUDDHA!

[pilotdave 0]

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another thing is that I found it to be damn near impossible to see the digital readout while your canopy is opening.

I always have trouble reading mine...course it's inside my helmet...

I'm not sure why you're worried about reading your altimeter during opening... I mean if the canopy keeps snivelling for more than a few seconds, I'm having an emergency. I dunno if I can read my altimaster 3 during most of the opening.

Dave

[AggieDave 6]

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another thing is that I found it to be damn near impossible to see the digital readout while your canopy is opening....for that reason, I'm going to pick up some kind of alti with a needle soon.

Firstly, watching your alti is exactly the wrong thing to be doing during opening. Watching your canopy or watching around you for traffic is MUCH more important. Having your head down watching your alti will cut down on your response time to a malfuction or if you and someone else had an off heading opening, you may only have a split second to react to prevent a collision. Both things I've experienced and was quick to react due to watching my canopy and watching around me.


Secondly, I've had no problems reading my neptune during opening before.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[dbattman 0]

I do not know your current experience level (profile says student) but please seek instruction and qualified council before adding an audible. There are both benefits and risks of which you must be aware.

[Ron 7]

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If the neptune and protrack were AADs, I think I'd be buying a protrack. But since a failed audible is just an inconvenience, not a safety issue, the neptune is the way to go.

That pretty much sums up my opinion.

I don't buy new toys. The Neptune has proven itself to me, and the service has been good.

reference this post about it. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1210982#1210982

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhreeZone 15]

You know the best thing about both companies is that neither one rests on its laurels. They both strive to make every customer happy. They both have designs that are excellent at what they do and both are always working to make their products better.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

I don't know, but thought i'd post that I had version 2.025 (I think) and sometime between Saturday and Sunday ALL of my logs mysteriously erased themselves. I don't care too much because I use it as an altimeter because I have a protrack and like it better for logging, but, I hope that whatever caused that is not in the newest version.

For an alti, get a neptune! It rocks!

But, for logging, I much prefer the Protrack. Not only because it seems to be more accurate, but mostly because of ease of use. Yes, the Neptune menu is more intuitive, but it takes a lot longer to get all of the info you need for each jump (select jump 300, read info, page down, page back up, go back to jump screen, go back a jump, select jump 299, repeat). Protrack (mode, mode-hold, mode, you are now viewing on one screen your last jump, press set and you can see the jump before it, repeat for each.) I just think it is a lot easier for logging.

jmo, I am not knocking alti-2, because I do LOVE the Neptune AS AN ALTIMETER!

-A

[thelem 0]

I've gone for a Neptune for three reasons:
1. It has menus with up / down / select buttons, rather that the protrack's rather weird system of holding down buttons until the right numger comes on the screen.
2. It has the flexibility to be used as either an audible or a wrist mount and will be useful if I decide to take up swooping. When used as a wrist mount is is also convenient - no need to remove it from the helmet.
3. Its a bit cheaper than a protrack.

Alti-2 and L&B both have good reputations for service, so that wasn't really an issue.

[pilotdave 0]

Tried replacing the battery yet? Some people have had their logbook reappear with a new battery.

Dave

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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Tried replacing the battery yet? Some people have had their logbook reappear with a new battery.

Dave

Nope, haven't replaced the battery. Also, no indication that it needs replacement.

Additionally, replacing a battery should not be a risk to the data, and if that is the case, they need to look into that!

Mine, no explanation. On Saturday morning I checked my logs and had 298 jumps. On Sunday morning I checked my log and had no logs available. The unit works perfectly otherwise, but no explanation for the erasure of data.

-A

[AggieDave 6]

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The unit works perfectly otherwise, but no explanation for the erasure of data.

Send it in, email [email protected] she'll direct you to how, what and where.

I've seen it happen once before, the unit had commited suicide internally.

I've seen a pro-track do the same thing before too, though.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

I REFUSE to be without this unit, sending it in is NOT an option unless it will not work as an alti. I will e-mail them to let them know, but I will not send this thing in and be alti-less.

-A

[AggieDave 6]

E-mail her, she might have a loaner she can send out to you, you never know.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."