Ortovox S1 & Mammut's Barryvox Pulse

[Jonathan S.]

I added #s to the original q's:

1) Encode the identity of the received beacon signals, broadcast that to the other beacons with one tagged as as that particular beacon's search target. 2) What is the range of the radio link? 3) What frequency does that operate on? 4) I wonder if there will be a professional rescue version that actually quantify vitals instead of just showing yes or no. I am very curious what they consider "positive vitals information."

1. That feature got dropped from this year's version, but is expected to be added to next year's (with a software upgrade for beacons purchased this year).
2. I haven't tested that yet.
3. Manual says 916-926. But if you visit Europe, you need to have it temporarily switched over to 869.8 (although Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are the same frequency as us). And if you visit Asia, it's prohibited entirely!
4. That seems impossible, since it just measures very small vibrations.

[SDW]

Jonathan S. - I've reread and now see what you were getting at. That's why I tried to compare what the two had in common, and only make reference to the unique features (+ more on these in the linked seperate reviews).

As these guys come out with more and more unique features, it'll be increasingly hard to make direct comparisons - for instance, how can one compare the DSP's ability to adjust its pulse rate with the Pulse's ability to transmit and record "vitals"? Both cool, possibly important features, but unique.

As the basics get perfected (including reliability), the big selling points will likely become all these bonus features that most of us probably never even knew we needed, but that may prove quite useful.

It'll be very interesting to see how these bonus features become adopted as standards (if any do) - licensing? reverse engineering? courtrooms? competing and incompatable tech?

[cmor]

4. That seems impossible, since it just measures very small vibrations.

I saw a demo last year where a mammut prototype gave a quantifiable heartrate (i.e 76)

[Core Shot]

Buuuump

for anyone that's been lucky enough to use an Ortovox S1 this year.

Sounds like there may be a few beta testers out there.

Any feedback? Problems? Durability? etc.

[cj001f]

Apparently there are 3 versions of the Barryvox Pulse - N. America, Europe and Asia. Asia has the Pulse feature disabled. Europe and N. America use different, incompatible, frequencies.

[Jonathan S.]

re S1, my understanding is that the beta testers in the U.S. were treated only to an in-person demo, at which they could look but not touch, literally (by contrast, lots of beta Pulse units were available last season for long-term use); a small production batch this fall was delivered exclusively to guide services, SAR teams, etc., and apparently only in Europe

re Pulse, apparently the W-Link vitals transmission frequency can be switched over by Mammut between North American and Europe, although exactly how many service centers are available to do this is rather vague in the user's manual (perhaps a work in progress?); by contrast, a Pulse user going to Asia and wanting to be in compliance with the FCC-equivalent there can easily turn off the vitals transmit feature temporarily

[Toby]

Apparently there are 3 versions of the Barryvox Pulse - N. America, Europe and Asia. Asia has the Pulse feature disabled. Europe and N. America use different, incompatible, frequencies.

For someone who was in North America last winter, Europe this winter and probably Asia next winter this would preclude me getting a Pulse.

[Jonathan S.]

That would certainly complicate and/or compromise the use of the vitals transmit feature, but buying the Pulse mainly for the vitals transmit feature seems unlikely (despite the model name that draws attention to that one single feature among so much other technological wizardry).

[Toby]

Yes, but I wouldn't want to pay for a feature I wouldn't be able to use . I've got a Pieps DSP anyway so it'll be a while before I upgrade. I'm just sayin'.

[cj001f]

Yes, but I wouldn't want to pay for a feature I wouldn't be able to use .

Exactly. I've been in all 3 in the past month. Sending it in to a service center before every trip would be retarded.

Having played with a Pulse... the vitals feature is the only reason I'd buy it, whether or not that's "approved"

[Jonathan S.]

re Pulse, apparently the W-Link vitals transmission frequency can be switched over by Mammut between North American and Europe, although exactly how many service centers are available to do this is rather vague in the user's manual (perhaps a work in progress?); by contrast, a Pulse user going to Asia and wanting to be in compliance with the FCC-equivalent there can easily turn off the vitals transmit feature temporarily

Correction: Pulse units sold in Europe can be switched back and forth between the European and American vitals-transmit frequencies by their individual owners. A Pulse unit bought in North America though must be switched over by a Mammut service center. (And then presumably it could be switched back & forth by the user in the future, although I'm not 100% sure on that.)

[chorne]

Does anyone know if the upgrade to 3.0 is worth the $30 upgrade from a dealer?

[Jonathan S.]

Does anyone know if the upgrade to 3.0 is worth the $30 upgrade from a dealer?

Info sprinkled throughout here on 3.0 changes:
http://www.wildsnow.com/1729/barryvo...beacon-review/

[summit]

There shouldn't be a $30 charge to upgrade your beacon!