Newsgroups: bit.listserv.scuba-l
Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 13:36:00 EDT
From:         Large Nassau Grouper Reef Fish <RFLNG@CLEMSON.BITNET>
Subject:      Orca Dive Computers and EIT

Orca's EDGE was a great computer ... until Orca went belly-up and the
company was taken over by EIT (Electronic Instrument and Technology Corp.)

I own the latest model (Version VI) of the EDGE (which has two battery
terminals so that batteries can be changed while it is operating during an
extended dive trip without losing the cumulative information in the computer).
Some moisture (not flooding) got into the battery compartment of my EDGE,
corroded one of the terminal wires, so that only one of the terminals is
operating.

I read an item in the March 1992 Issue of Undercurrent about "ORCA Repairs"
resuming its operation under the management of EIT, and so I called the
Manager of the Service Center (215-444-9080), Joan Newlin, about repairing
or replacing the one battery-terminal wire.

"$150, pre-paid, charge cards not accepted," she said.

"WHaaat?" I asked.

To summarize a long phone conversation, she basically said $150 is the
MINIMUM (and ordinary) charge to do ANYTHING on the EDGE -- a lot of labor
to open up the computer, and once opened, they'll check everything (including
an upgrade of the computer software to Version VI.  "But I already have PAID
for my Version VI upgrade," I said.  It doesn't matter.  Oh, by the way, she
said EIT now recommends an annual "service/checkup" at the same cost.

Great|  Talk about MONOPOLY and what EIT is doing to Orca customers.  Now
you pay about $800 for the EDGE; pay $150 for each annual maintenance; and
an additional $150 each time anything is wrong in-between; and they'll sell
you two 9v lithium batteries for $25 (about double the price I previously
paid).   As much as I liked the EDGE for its graphical display and reliable
and time-tested operation, I'm seriously considering let it die a natural
death and switch to some other computer on the market.  I use it as my
"backup" computer anyway, using only the graphical display of the nitrogen
content in the 12 "tissue groups".  Otherwise, its software is identical to
the much-cheaper Skinny Dipper Mark II, which I use as the primary.

Below are some information owners/potential-buyers of other Orca (EIT)
products may be interested:

Delphi:  EIT will not repair it.  The Phoenix, which will retail between
         $670 and $795 will be offered to current Delphi owners for $250
         in exchange for their old Delphi, according to Phil Mays, EIT
         Marketing manger.

         I would ask about service and repair charges before buying.

Skinny Dipper, SD Mark II, and the Marathon:  EIT will now provide
         service and repairs to them.  I suspect the cost will not be
         cheap.  The last set of batteries I paid for the SD was $37+,
         about twice the cost Orca was selling the same thing.

I suppose EIT is taking advantage of its monopolistic position on Orca
products to levy heavy charges for its services, repairs and products with
the intention of making a hefty profit and not have to fold like Orca
Industries did.  However, as an economist might say, Orca-product owners
may not be as price-inelastic as EIT owners think, and their new policies
may very well dive away existing customers as well as potential, new
customers.  We'll see.

Let the new buyers (and current owners) of EIT (old-Orca) products beware.

-- Bob.
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