PM5: Bluetooth & ANT Connection Drops

[stego]

Postby stego » April 9th, 2017, 4:55 pm

I have the exact same issue as you describe!

Only difference is I'm using a wahoo ticket.

I pair the tickr x to the pm5 using ant+...Then pair my ergdata on my Nexus 6p, then launch the wahoo fitness app which pairs to the strap over Bluetooth.

Everything works for a bit, but then I notice the ergdata on my phone freezes, then he data on the pm5 is frozen.

I also get a pop-up on the ergdata app just before it freezes asking if my workout is finished...I click no, and it freezes.

Workout is not logged in my logbook so I have to everything manually. Very annoying. It seems random... Happens after a few minutes, or longer..I may have had maaybe 1 workout that logged ok?

Im not sure if the issues started after I updated to Android 7.1.2...Or when I started pairing the wahoo tickrx.

I'm also running latest pm5 firmware (v22)...

I've never had this happen before with dozens of workouts logged since Feb 2017.

I could try another workout without pairing the chest strap to see if it occurs again... Could be ant+ and Bluetooth pairing simultaneously.
stego

Stego- suggest you try updating to the latest beta firmware via the C2 utility- should be v22.023 C2JonW

Ok thanks, I'll look into that. A little hesitant to install beta firmware. If it fails or my monitor performance is worse can I reinstall v22?

[seashell82]

You can go back to the stock (non Beta) firmware...

[stego]

Fyi...Rowed for 40 minutes straight last night with no drop outs...

One difference is I paired my ergdata app to my pm5 first, then a few minutes later, paired the chest strap.

[seashell82]

Fyi...Rowed for 40 minutes straight last night with no drop outs...
One difference is I paired my ergdata app to my pm5 first, then a few minutes later, paired the chest strap.

Unfortunately, I can't confirm this... mine lost its connection today after a few minutes in the training although I had paired ErgData first.
Only thing missing to test for me now is to row with the HRM-Tri alone and check if that connection is stable.

If that's the case, I'm very sure that the "double connection" thing bluetooth and ANT+ -at least with my devices- is not working properly.

[seashell82]

After many trials... I'm now pretty confident that the drops only happen when 2 devices are connected at the same time.
With the HRM or ErgData connected individually, I don't have any connection crashes...

[seashell82]

... what seems to help for me as a (temp.?) fix is:

- Beta firmware for PM5
- Connect the ErgData App
- Let the heart rate belt connect automatically and don't actively connect it via the menu...

But it still seems to work somehow by coincidence.

Ciao,
Chris

[DNA_Rower]

I have the exact same issue as you describe!

Only difference is I'm using a wahoo ticket.

I pair the tickr x to the pm5 using ant+...Then pair my ergdata on my Nexus 6p, then launch the wahoo fitness app which pairs to the strap over Bluetooth.

Everything works for a bit, but then I notice the ergdata on my phone freezes, then he data on the pm5 is frozen.

I also get a pop-up on the ergdata app just before it freezes asking if my workout is finished...I click no, and it freezes.

Workout is not logged in my logbook so I have to everything manually. Very annoying. It seems random... Happens after a few minutes, or longer..I may have had maaybe 1 workout that logged ok?

Im not sure if the issues started after I updated to Android 7.1.2...Or when I started pairing the wahoo tickrx.

I'm also running latest pm5 firmware (v22)...

I've never had this happen before with dozens of workouts logged since Feb 2017.

I could try another workout without pairing the chest strap to see if it occurs again... Could be ant+ and Bluetooth pairing simultaneously.

I had the same issue yesterday using the Wahoo TickrX. It was the first time trying to connect the HR monitor to the PM5. I also get the "are you finished" message when a rest interval starts, and I am pretty sure it was as one of these intervals that the ErgData app seemed to stop working.

Not sure I will be able to try updating the PM5 firmware as it is a gym erg.

[DNA_Rower]

Has the same thing happen today. No intervals though - just a 10k piece.

Bit of a pain as I pulled a nice PB and wanted to rank it verified. It just stopped midway - the app on my phone froze and the PM5 lost my Wahoo connection.

I should have checked what version firmware the gym erg is on but forgot.

[seashell82]

... short update on this:
Since I have been using the BETA firmware for the PM5 and the newest Android app, no crashes have occured.

Let's see if this fix is permanent .

Ciao,
Chris

[Oldplodder]

Hi guys, this is happening to me as well. I have a PM5 and I've tried everything, new battery's in the PM5 and heart monitor. A factory reset, two sepperate heart monitors (Garmin HRM Run & HRM Tri), .beta firmware and on an iPad and my iPhone 5S.

This is a real issue for me, as I am recovering from adreanal fatigue and I need to work in specific heart zones.

Is the cable an answer? Because I've even tried using the HRM with just the PM5 and I still get the HRM dropping connection and not re-connecting during a row..

[vk2gwk]

I use the same combination; BT for the connection between my iPhone and the PM5 and a Garmin HRM (strap on model) with ANT+. Apart from that I listen (via another BT) link to music sent from my desktop iMac. So lots of RF traffic going on.
I notice that interruptions occur:
1. when te battery level on the PM5 is low or the battery level on the HRM is low.
2. When my wife uses the microwave to heat something up.

Most incedental interruptions are not caused by software but by interference. Once a connection is lost it usually needs a manual reset/reconnect (although my HRM usually reconnects itself after 20 - 30 seconds when it drops out)
We nowadays live in an environment where numerous RF signals in the same part of the spectrum used by the PM5, HRM and phone are constantly present with varying field strength. So there is a good chance that at unpredictable moments there'll be some unexplained interference....

[DNA_Rower]

I wasn't using the HR tracker today, but I lost the connection between Ergdata iPhone app and the PM5 - or at least it crashed.

I "saw" it happen this time - I got the "are you finished this workout" message on my iPhone screen whilst rowing and although I managed to tap "no" the app stopped recording anything. I had not stopped rowing at any point.

Only extra thing to note is that I am erging in a gym next to 3 other C2 ergs with PM5s and I have probably connected to all of them at some point. Is it possible that the other ergs interfere with the signal?

Also possible that Apple's wonderful iOS11 update is having an effect (since it has screwed up most things).

[jackarabit]

I wasn't using the HR tracker today, but I lost the connection between Ergdata iPhone app and the PM5 - or at least it crashed.

I "saw" it happen this time - I got the "are you finished this workout" message on my iPhone screen whilst rowing and although I managed to tap "no" the app stopped recording anything. I had not stopped rowing at any point.

Only extra thing to note is that I am erging in a gym next to 3 other C2 ergs with PM5s and I have probably connected to all of them at some point. Is it possible that the other ergs interfere with the signal?

Also possible that Apple's wonderful iOS11 update is having an effect (since it has screwed up most things).

Yes, the rf jungle has been with us for several yrs.; ios 11 for pads and blab slabs has not. Still on ios 10.10.3 and having no connection problems with bt to ED and ANT+ HRM to monitor signals.

[lcantey]

Also possible that Apple's wonderful iOS11 update is having an effect (since it has screwed up most things).

FWIW: I've been running iOS 11 for quite awhile (pre-release) and haven't experienced any BT drop outs.

[DNA_Rower]

again this morning on a different erg at the same gym. I was apparently connected, the Ergdata app showed the piece I was about to do, but when I started rowing nothing happened on the app. Again no HR monitor today.