DiveRecorder, End of Life

Having exceeded by some margin the UK male life expectancy it seems only responsible to retire from my single handed development and support of the suite lest its users wake up one day to learn of my demise and that it no longer exists or works in the middle of some important Meet. Accordingly, back in 2022, I let it be known that I planned to retire at the end of 2025. But nobody took any notice for a couple of years.

So what happens next?

At the end of December 2025, my DiveRecorder website will close and all its functionality will cease. Users with copies of the DiveRecorder software components they use, can continue to use it locally but none of the Internet features such as online divesheets will function. So if you are only involved in running local diving events you may be able to continue using DiveRecorder as a stand-alone system. Otherwise you should be exploring other options.

Options

In practice your options boil down to:

Some options are summarised below in no particular order.

DiveRecorder (Next Generation)

(name yet to be finalised)

There is a small project group which plans to launch a new website providing appropriate functions together with new software installers for a near copy of the DiveRecorder suite of programs. If they succeed then this will be the easy option and if your club and country all take this route the switch over should be fairly simple and capitalise on your existing knowledge. Whether this project will include all the existing functionality of DiveRecorder and whether it offers additional functions will not be known until later. The downside is that this project is intended as an interim extension of life and may only postpone the eventual need for you to adopt new software.

Divecalc

Divecalc was originally developed in Finland and has been available since 1996. It supports World Aquatics rules 2024 and is now free to download and use. It will run on any computer supporting Java version 8 or later so it is not limited to Microsoft Windows.

For more information, browse to Divecalc

Dive Live

Dive Live is the new kid on the block in the USA and has been developed with the aim of replacing the multiple software systems previously used there by a single one based on mobile technology. It runs in the Cloud using iOS, Android or any device with a web browser. Users must register (free) under an appropriate user-type such as Coach, Diver, Parent or Administrator. There is an optional, annual 'Premium Subscription', popular with coaches and enthusasts, which provides access to additional features. But even the free registration allows Administrators to create and run Live Meets. Effectively, every Meet will be 'Live' for any registered user with an Internet Connection and a copy of the appropriate Dive Live app. A potential snag in countries with poor or patchy wifi coverage is the need for a decent wifi signal at the Meet venue. With poor wifi it may be necessary for Administrators to run Meets locally and only update to the Cloud at the end of a day or whatever proves necessary.

But that's enough from me. You really should browse to the home page Dive Live, or to its Tutorial Videos to see how it works.

DiveMeets

DiveMeets is the Meet Management system used by USA Diving. It is a business funded by charging divers an 'administration' fee per event entry. All divers, coaches, officials, teams and meet directors must register (free) in order to use the system. Meet Directors send the Meet details and conditions to DiveMeets who then publish the Meet for entries and dive sheet submissions. On the eve of the Meet, the Meet Director downloads the latest software and the database ready to run the Meet. After the Meet the database is uploaded to DiveMeets who then publish the results.

For more information, browse to DiveMeets

Scoreboard Hardware Suppliers

Colorado, Daktronics and some, but not all, other electronic scoreboard suppliers sell diving display systems. Modern venue scoreboard displays are usually colour video capable and in such cases your choice of diving software may generate a scoreboard image which you can then feed to the display without purchasing the scoreboard supplier's specific diving software. If you wish or require to use the scoreboard at a particular venue you should make sure it will be both possible and practical as I have had experience of suppliers claims, while being true, proving to be impractical for one reason or another.

So what do I think you should do?

Well that is easy for me to say but a lot harder for you to do! You, your club or your country should make the best of this unwelcome news to clear your mind(s) and perform a complete review of your requirements and expectations.

Think very carefully!
Adopting new software will often involve changing procedures or even reviewing Meet conditions and competition structures. You will probably want to agree your preferred choice with other users in your country and beyond in order to simplify entries across the Meets in which your divers will wish to compete.

Personally I suggest switching to Dive Live as it does almost everything that DiveRecorder does (bar one feature used by a single country). But it does even more and does it better although differently by using modern technology. Note, however, that as of August 2025 it does not yet support AQUA synchro judging rules but the lead programmer tells me that requirement has already been 'ticketed' and is likely to be implemented by October 2025.