Catalogue

As was mentioned above Tusa Talis IQ-1201 has 4 buttons: Mode, Select, Light, and Advance.

Dive computer has two bar graphs to display nitrogen loading and ascent rate:

1. Nitrogen loading bar Graph (NiBG), located at the top left side of the display layout – shows you no-decompression and decompression status: when you go deeper and dive time increases, segments will be added to NiBG, and when you ascend – amount of segments decreases therefore giving you more time to stay underwater; NiBG is devided into 3 zones: No-DECO (normal zone), Caution zone (No-DECO zone), DECO (danger zone); 4 segments represent still  No-Decompression status, and when all 5 segments filled up – it indicates that you are in Decompression mode;
2. Ascent Indicator Bar Graph (ASC), located at the bottom right area of the display layout – represents your ascent rate at certain depths

Display is devided into 3 areas: top, central, and bottom. All data is well structured and self-explanatory, so even novice divers will read it easily. Digits, symbols and text messages are sharp and well-visible at any angle.

Before diving I had to set desirable parameters, of course. As Tusa Talis IQ-1201 dive computer made with standalone digital watch functions, so the first parameters I set were digital watch parameters. It is really easy, I just followed easy to understand user manual - when and for how long press certain button and all the sequences! Digital watch parameters listed below:

• main time;
• dual (alternative) time – maybe time zone of the next travel destination;
• daily alarm;
• countdown timer;
• chronograph;
• date & hour formats;
• select default time (which time to be displayed as a primary)
  

All parameters of Tusa Talis IQ-1201 are divided into 3 Groups where you may set FO2, variety of alarms for Normal (Air/Nitrox) (for FREEdive you will set alarms separately and they are accessible from FREEdive Mode menu), and number of utilities. Here you will really need to practice with user manuals to get familiar with buttons combinations, because it may be confusing since the beginning!

Below is a summary of what you may set for Normal (Air/Nitrox) mode:

• Dual gas mix: Gas 1 FO2 – Air, 21% - 100%; Gas 2 FO2 – Air, 21% - 100%;
• Depth alarm: 10 - 100 m;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT) alarm: 10 - 180 min;
• Nitrogen Loading Bar Graph (NiBG) alarm: 1 - 5 segments;
• Dive Time Remaining (DTR) alarm: 0 - 20 min;
• PO2 alarm: 1.0 ATA – 1.6 ATA in 0.05 ATA increments;
• units;
• wet activation;
  
• Personal Conservative Factor - ON/OFF;
• Deep Stop - ON/OFF;
• Safety Stop - ON/OFF;
• sampling rate: 2/15/30/60 sec;
• backlight duration: 0/5/10 sec

Also at this stage I could plan my diving. Tusa Talis has standard function - Dive Planner with the range 9-57 meters. Dive Planner allows a diver to see for how long he/she may stay underwater safely and at what depth, according to current nitrogen or oxygen accumulation. Planning is calculated only according to FO2 set point for gas #1.

As a dive computer, Tusa Talis IQ-1201 operates in 3 modes:

1. NORMAL Mode – when you set it for Air or Nitrox;
2. GAUGE Mode – in this mode computer functions as a depth gauge and timer only and doesn’t perform calculations for nitrogen absorption and oxygen accumulation;
3. FREEdive Mode

Tusa Talis IQ-1201: Diving With Air & Nitrox

That's a good practice to set Wet Activation to ON. It will activate dive mode when dive computer senses depth of 1.5 meters.

When I set Talis for Nitrox, I had get following dive data on main and two alternative displays during No-Decompression mode.

Copy this Tusa Talis IQ-1201 No-Deco Displays Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!

Dive computer gives a choice to a diver to set ON/OFF to Safety and Deeps stops. Safety Stop factory preset for 3 min and depth 5 meters, and Deep Stop is factory preset as well for 1/2 max depth of the dive and for 2 mins.
With those functions set to ON status, dive computer would definitely give me a Safety and Deep Stop prompts upon reaching appropriate conditions during No-Decompression dive. Besides to all above-mentioned dive data displayed during No-Decompression dive, Talis will show me required depth for stops with countdown timer. There is no any penalty applied if we miss Deep and Safety stops, because they are recommended and not compulsory. But it is a good idea to follow computer's advices just to be on the safe side!

Tusa Talis IQ-1201 allows using 2 Nitrox gas mixes, we may swap mixes during a dive, of course, if we set 2nd gas mix. It is an easy procedure and works only from the Gas Switch Preview display. If you want to change to a gas mix with higher PO2 than allowed – dive computer will activate High PO2 alarm. It is still possible to switch to a tank with prohibitive gas mix only if in the tank in use is not enough gas to complete a dive.

During ascent computer gives an Ascent alarm (audio, message ‘SLO’, and flashing ASC bar graph) if my ascent rates is higher than allowable at certain depth. This function is pretty sensitive, so diver needs ascending smoothly.

As other scuba computers, Tusa Talis constantly monitors our O2 exposure and PO2 level. If you reach depth where PO2 level will increase to 0.2 ATA less than of the PO2 Set Point - dive computer will give you High PO2 alarm. Computer gives a High O2 warning when oxygen toxicity reaches to 80% (240 OTU) and alarm when O2 hits 100% (300 OTU) with all vital data displayed.

Tusa Talis IQ-1201 activates Decompression mode, if I exceeded No-Decompression Limits (NDLs). Upon entry into this mode you will hear a loud audio and applicable dive data will be displayed: UP arrow, Stop Bar icon and flashing NiBG with full 5 segments. From this moment all calculations will be made regarding to Decompression mode.

Following information will be displayed at this moment on the MAIN DECO DISPLAY:

• Total Ascent Time (TAT) – time required to reach surface safely;
• DECO Stop Depth and Stop Time;
• current depth;
• tank in use;
• full NiBG

Decompression display has main and alternative screens. To move around displays – use A-button to see following information as a summary:

• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• time and temperature;
• max depth during a dive;
• FO2 set point (if dive computer set for Nitrox);
• current PO2 (if dive computer set for Nitrox);
• %O2 (if dive computer set for Nitrox)

During decompression, diver may create, so called DECO Violations, which happen if he/she ascends shallower and stays for some time above the displayed decompression stop depth, or diver may descend deeper than Maximum Operational Depth (MOD), or decompression requires stop depth range between 18 m and 21 m deep. In this case scenario Tusa Talis activates appropriate Violation mode and manages it to help us safely perform decompression in those situations.

Tusa Talis IQ-1201: Diving In GAUGE Mode

Next dive mode of Tusa Talis IQ–1201 is GAUGE. Dive computer doesn’t perform any calculations of nitrogen and oxygen loading and decompression. It can be used as a depth gauge and timer only. As with other dive computers, after diving with this one in GAUGE, diver needs to wait 24 hours before it may be used for diving with Air or Nitrox.

Display shows dive data similar to listed below and it is a summary from main and alternative displays:

• current and maximum depth;
• time and temperature;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• ASC (if ascending)

Tusa Talis IQ-1201: FREEdive

In a FREEdive mode Tusa Talis works as a depth gauge and calculates nitrogen based on the default FO2 of Air and the amount that you may have after previous dives from the last 24 hours. For freediving dive computer has special set of alarms that you may access from Free Surf Main screen. Below you may find brief descriptions of them:

1. FREE Countdown Timer;
2. FREEdive Elapsed Dive Time (EDT) alarm is different from EDT alarm in Air and Nitrox modes and you may set it to ON/OFF; this alarm will goes on every time when 30 seconds elapses;
3. FREEdive Depth (FDA) alarms – you may set 3 depth alarms, each at progressively deeper depths at a range 10 - 100 meters; and then dive computer will beep on you when certain depth reached;
4. NiBG alarm - this function calculates any residual nitrogen remaining from previous dives and this one; it has two cautionary levels: Caution and DECO; if nitrogen level increases to DECO level - dive computer gives an alarm and locks for 24 hrs with Violation GAUGE mode;
5. entry into DECO mode alarm

During freedive I had main and alternative displays like that:

• NiBG, if you have residual level of nitrogen from previous dives;
• current depth;
• No-Decompression (NDC) Time Remaining;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• Countdown Timer status display;
• applicable icons;
• temperature;
• time

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After the Transition Period of 10 min I could access following modes:

1. Pre Dive Planning mode - plan No-DECO time and depth;
2. Time to Fly Countdown Timer;
3. DESAT mode - desaturation countdown timer;
4. NORM/GAUGE Log mode – it stores data of your 24 most recent dives (battery removal does not make any affect on logbook memory);
5. History Mode – accumulates information, like number of dives, number of dive hours, and Max depth achieved from all your previous dives, lowest temperature recorded, etc. (battery removal does not make any affect on History memory);
6. PC/Mac upload/download mode – this function allows a diver to upload and download data from Tusa Talis IQ-1201 to PC or Mac by using special cable and software

Tusa Talis IQ-1201: What Divers Say

As you may see, Tusa Talis IQ-1201 may be recommended dive computer for the beginners, advanced recreational and free divers. It offers range of functions, which will easy satisfy demands of these categories of divers. Also should be mentioned improved and user-friendly interface with step back feature and it’s all in one small package of the size of wrist watch – and that is the main benefit for us!

And it looks just "cool" on you wrist, as you may wear it as a watch – I got few nice compliments of people onshore about it!

I didn't find any difficulties learning this dive computer - user documentation was structured very well and thanx to that and user-friendly interface of Tusa Talis, I really liked setting this thing up and diving with it! During test dives I was very pleased with performance of this dive computer - very easy readable display, easy to change mix, perfect Safety & Deep Stops and DECO mode management.

Price of this dive computer may be considered as a moderate and aligned with other similar scuba computers, like Sherwood Amphos, Oceanic GEO 2, and Tusa ZEN IQ-900.

Tusa Talis IQ-1201	Dive-Computer-Wizard Rating

If you are a novice or recreational diver who doesn't need air-integrated instrument to fully enjoy diving and want to have reliable, friendly and multifunctional dive computer that will cover wide range of your diving activities and allow you to grow as a diver without needing to buy additional dive instruments and save money - Tusa Talis IQ-1201 is for you!