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diogoliveira

Audible Altimeter

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Hello y'all!

I'm rookie in the sport but looking to buy my first audible altimeter. Safety first that is for sure.
I have no real target in what will be my kind of jumps in the future but my mind is set to Formation skydiving and Wingsuit flying.

Through the forum just found old information and very apart, so ask you skymasters to give an help.

Just have around 50jumps I was waiting to buy the Dekunu alien thing but goog people offered me the L&B Viso 2+. I found myself marveled by the speed, altitude, time registry on the altimeter.

Now I am searching for an audible altimeter with no consistent opinion yet.
For this I would ask you opinion on such, so I can build my own based on your insight.

I was fully mindset to buy from L&B but found 4 there!
Optima II, Solo II, Quattro and Protrack II
being something that is long lasting and I thought Protrack II would be great recording each jump data through USB to the PC.
The remaining ones, I just believe Solo II to be outdated and could undestand quite well the difference from Optima II to Quattro...
So I got stuck between Protrack II and one of those two remaining.

After some search, I found also AON2 Brilliant Pebbles. Without the LCD display nor any fancy show around stuff, it is so much cheaper! However I am not sure it get any jump information in its memory, when comparing with the L&B altis.

Another important input is that I am in Portugal (EU), importing stuff from Australia or US has many times significant costs.

So, in the end. For sure I wish a accurate audible altimeter for safety purposes.
But the I would like to keep info on the jumps, it would be great to download it.

If you could share your experience and knowledge, I would be so much thankful!

Blue skies!
Diogo

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Brilliant Pebbles has a basic jump counter. And works great for audible alerts. The X2 digital they are developing will have more jump info tracking abilities.

Audibles should be considered back ups and waiting for beeps is no substitute for using a visual altimeter, training your eyeballs and being altitude aware.
diamonds are a dawgs best friend

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I could be wrong, but isn't L&B in the EU?

Wouldn't that make taxes/duties/ect cheaper?

FWIW, I have a ProTrack and have had it for a long, long time.

It works well, suits my needs and I have no plans on replacing it unless something happens to it.
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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Many get a unit that records detailed data for download thinking they’ll use the data, but it is only interesting at first, then stop paying any attention to it. Just consider that possibility if price matters.
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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Optima2.

I run an Optima, and a Solo with the same freefall alarms in my other ear, but the addition of multiple profiles and canopy alarms on the Optima (even if youre not doing HP turns) is invaluable. For an extra $80(? Or not much) I'd get the Optima.
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sundevil777

Many get a unit that records detailed data for download thinking they’ll use the data, but it is only interesting at first, then stop paying any attention to it. Just consider that possibility if price matters.



I have a Protrack and a Pebble from AON2 (two audibles are valuable if you decide to start freeflying, though not strictly necessary unless you start doing head down). Both are great. The screen on my protrack broke about a year ago, so I can no longer read the data from each jump. It doesn't bother me that much.

In my personal opinion, if I was flat flying and setting up from scratch, I'd buy a decent digital wrist-mounted alti and a Pebble as an audible. You will get the jump logging from the wrist-mount (L&B are great, Dekunu and X2 unproven but interesting, though I don't like the data harvesting on Dekunu).

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maxhogg

***Many get a unit that records detailed data for download thinking they’ll use the data, but it is only interesting at first, then stop paying any attention to it. Just consider that possibility if price matters.



I have a Protrack and a Pebble from AON2 (two audibles are valuable if you decide to start freeflying, though not strictly necessary unless you start doing head down). Both are great. The screen on my protrack broke about a year ago, so I can no longer read the data from each jump. It doesn't bother me that much.

In my personal opinion, if I was flat flying and setting up from scratch, I'd buy a decent digital wrist-mounted alti and a Pebble as an audible. You will get the jump logging from the wrist-mount (L&B are great, Dekunu and X2 unproven but interesting, though I don't like the data harvesting on Dekunu).

Data harvesting from some digital wrist altis' sucks. Viso II included. A good audible with a logbook and computer connection is worth it.

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Quote

Data harvesting from some digital wrist altis' sucks. Viso II included. A good audible with a logbook and computer connection is worth it.



I had no idea the Viso did it too. That sucks. Worth reading this: http://www.aon2.co.uk/the_fine_print. I'm increasingly thinking this might be my next purchase...

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I heard on a Podcast that AON2 is developing a newer audible altimeter with bluetooth capabilities. This was you can set up the altitudes with your phone and no need to carry an extra cable. I have the Pebbles and really like it but since it's so cheap it doesnt hurt to have it as an extra once the new one comes out.

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maxhogg

Quote

Data harvesting from some digital wrist altis' sucks. Viso II included. A good audible with a logbook and computer connection is worth it.



I had no idea the Viso did it too. That sucks. Worth reading this: http://www.aon2.co.uk/the_fine_print. I'm increasingly thinking this might be my next purchase...



The Viso does a playback of the jump, but does not "download" the data in the sense that download is usually meant.

The Viso engineers were especially stupid in how it has 3 digits in freefall (ex: 5.94) which of course is stupid as the 10s place value is a distraction as it changes constantly. All of the Neptune altis would display just 5.9
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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sundevil777

The Viso does a playback of the jump, but does not "download" the data in the sense that download is usually meant.

The Viso engineers were especially stupid in how it has 3 digits in freefall (ex: 5.94) which of course is stupid as the 10s place value is a distraction as it changes constantly. All of the Neptune altis would display just 5.9



Thanks sundevil. I've realised Leeroy and I were talking at cross purposes I think. By 'data harvesting' I was referring to Dekunu's requirement that you upload data through wifi to the company's servers, which they keep and may sell/use in other ways. I think Leeroy is referring to the user getting data from the alti for their own records.

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Hi Diogo,

You might also take a look at the features of our new audible altimeter, SonoAlti. It has Bluetooth capabilities and logs some data on jumps. Check out the info here:

http://freefalldatasystems.com/sonoalti.php

In Europe, they are available from Basik Air Concept.

Best,
Casey (Owner of Freefall Data Systems)

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I agree with you. I have myself a Protrack for many years and it works perfectely every single jump. I use it for my logbook backup, total accumulated time, number of jumps...etc.
Larsen & Brusgaard, the manufacturer is also fantastic whatever you ask them, they are the fastest to be back to you.

I have also another beeper, a TimeOut for more than 20 years and still working. I wear them both in my helmet. I recommend this to all cameramen.
Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

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landersohn

The Brilliant Pebbles IMHO is a piece of junk. I just got one and not one of their software versions connects, neither on Android, Windows 7 or Windows 10. In addition, the download link to the linux version points nowhere.
Do not waste your money on this



no issues with mine whatsoever :|

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landersohn

The Brilliant Pebbles IMHO is a piece of junk. I just got one and not one of their software versions connects, neither on Android, Windows 7 or Windows 10. In addition, the download link to the linux version points nowhere.
Do not waste your money on this



So because you don't know how to connect it, it's junk? Have you even tried contacting them for support?

Bought mine 2 weeks ago. Connected to my PC (Win 10, 64bits) without a problem, setup was a breeze, love the configuration options.

Both a $4 OTG USB connector and plugged it into my phone yesterday, popped up immediately as "AON2", accepted the access and was able to configure it from my phone without a hitch, obviously it read the settings from the device instantly.

Am yet to jump it due to an injury, but first impressions on this little gem are really good.

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Received mine yesterday but am having the same issues: Neither on a Windows laptop nor on a Mac the software is able to connect.
I emailed the support, they replied immediately. They asked me to try a different cable as the one shipped with the audible, but this did not help.

So they now will send another device to me, hopefully this one will work.
At least their support is really quick...

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Both your replacements are now on the way. We're quite sorry to landersohn but he emailed us at 3:52am and 4:02am this morning, then an hour later started posting...by the time we woke up there was this post and a 1-star review...we need to sleep too :D if there are any issues please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] :)

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I got my pebble earlier this month and finally got to jump it this past weekend. Definitely works, was loud, and accurate. Coming from no audible to this is a definite upgrade.

I had a couple of issues setting it up. First was the defective white cable that came with it wouldn't connect, 2nd was my work laptop didn't have a high power USB port, so I had to wait to get home to plug it into my PC, which had a 5V USB port.

Once I got past those two things I had no issues.

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I went with the Pebble for my first audible since I'm not exactly swimming in cash, and I'm super happy with it. It's pretty basic, but it works well, is accurate and does exactly what I need it to do. Let me know IT'S TIME TO PULL!!!!

I had the same issue at first with the defective cable that came with it, but I just swapped it for a spare Samsung cable I had lying around and it works just fine. The app works well and I like being able to plug it into my phone.

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Thank you all for your brilliant inputs!

I've bought a Brilliant Pebbles, it suits me well for a big time, I hope.
As I have Viso II, I already record some basic information, the other L&B devices would not add much to it.
If I am to be more accurate, I will buy a AON2 X2 or a Dekunu in the future.

Meanwhile, I've used the the Brilliant Pebbles for 2 or 3 days now and it is really great. I hear it quite well during freefall and being the first times, I always forgot I have it, it really worns me at the altitude Viso is showing (checked it both while climbing and while going down).
Also the interface with the pc is great as you don't need to install anything. My laptop is from the company with a lot of restrictions on install any software and it just simply works.

I have a Phantom XV helmet, which I love, and it really fits well. I don't even feel it going against my ears.

Blue skies for y'all!

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Diogo,

I have supported AON2 in both the pebble and X2, but I wouldn't suggest the pebble as a primary audible. An Optima would be my go to choice. Here's a rundown and my opinions:

1. AON2 pebble is a cool toy. If your choice is pebble or solo I'd seriously consider pebble. But it doesn't have canopy alarms. I doesn't detect and differentiate fall rate. I mainly use mine for waypoints for WS. You also have to configure it, which is kind of a pain in the ass because you have to attach it to some other device. You have to turn it on every day, which is a pain.
2. Solo. It's basic but not bad. The default settings that come with it are reasonable, and the sounds are well calibrated to what you would expect.
3. Neptune. In my experience (between the wife and I we own 3... don't ask... I use one as my primary visual altimeter...) these can be glitchy at times. And expensive for an audible. Batteries tend to die quicker than average. Best used as a visual altimeter.
4. Optima. It has good canopy alarms. It is well calibrated. The inputs you get from it are simple and make sense. Batteries last forever and can be replaced (i.e. don't have to miss jumps waiting for altimeter to charge... happened a few times with my neptunes...). Definitely top of the game in my opinion.
5. Quattro. Never owned one, but my understanding is it's an optima with an extra alarm.
6. Protrack. Like an optima but with logging.

In short if I were to have one audible, it would be an optima, quattro or protrack. If you want a second audible for better altitude awareness and wingsuiting/angle flying etc. Pebble works well.

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