PM5: Bluetooth & ANT Connection Drops

[seashell82]

Hi there,
I have been using my Indoor Rower for quite a few months now - great experience. I have the PM5 attached to it and use an Android-based phone (Android 7.1.2 operating system) as well as a Garmin HRM-Tri ANT+ heart rate monitor.

When I do exercise, I pair the ERGDATA App with the PM5... and also the HRM. So far, this setup works fine, giving me all the data incl. the Stroke Graph for upload to the Logbook.

However, I experience frequent loss of connection of the ERGDATA app to the PM5... as well as dropping connection to the HRM. I can't reproduce it, sometimes it happens after 5 min, sometimes after 30 without any visible pattern.

I've reset my phone, the ERGDATA app, I've tried the upgrade from the .22 firmware of the PM5 to the Build .23 Beta but it all doesn't help.

Any ideas?

Thx,

Chris

[Citroen]

First thing to do is upgrade the firmware on your PM5.

[seashell82]

First thing to do is upgrade the firmware on your PM5.

Well, I did... as written in my post. I tried the latest .22 as well as the beta that was offered via the Concept2 Utility.

[Citroen]

Does your Garmin have upgradable firmware?

[seashell82]

Does your Garmin have upgradable firmware?

Yeah, it's the latest. Version 4.3. Works reliably with my other devices...

I wonder if it's about the combination of having an ANT+ and a Bluetooth device paired at the same time to the PM5

[Citroen]

Maybe you should try connecting the phone and the PM5 with a USB OTG cable.

[seashell82]

I'll try to narrow it down further (e.g. does it happen with only one device connected...) and get in contact with the C2 Support team.

Maybe someone else on here has a similar issue?

[stego]

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.

[seashell82]

Hi stego,
I'm very happy to read that someone else has the same issue.
And it's very interesting to hear that it also seems to happen with a different kind of HRM - so I'm sure now that it's not related to the specific Garmin HRM-Tri which I'm happily using and don't want to exchange .

Regarding the Android system: In my opinion this behavior has already occured before updating to Android 7.1.2 (I had 7.1.1 before...)... at least to me. Since the Pixel I'm using is very "clean", I'm sure that the issue is not related to any 3rd party software on the phone.

So we really seem to have a problem here with the PM5 that obviously randomly loses the connection if paired to BT and ANT+ in parallel.

What I'll try probably tonight is using only ERGDATA w/o the HRM (so kind of stand-alone) to see if it also happens. Problem is that the timing is unpredictable. Can happen after 5 or after 50 min - it definitely is annoying though.

I hope the the Concept 2 support team can help us :-/.

Ciao,

Chris

[Citroen]

You'll need to write to them rowing@concept2.com or call them at 1-800 245 5676 as they don't always follow this forum.

[seashell82]

You'll need to write to them rowing@concept2.com or call them at 1-800 245 5676 as they don't always follow this forum.

Thx for the hint - I've written already and tried to describe with as many details as possible since I think this might be related to software versions and combinations of firmware PM5 and smartphone OS

[stego]

Fyi...I did a 30 minute workout last night, continuous, without my wahoo HRM. No dropouts whatsoever.

I also did a 5 minute warmup prior to that, and no issues there either.

I'll try emailing support to see what they say.

[seashell82]

... without my wahoo HRM. No dropouts whatsoever. ...

I'm pretty sure that this is the only work-around for now - Will try the same tonight.

Ciao

[seashell82]

Well, as expected - connecting only the ERGDATA via bluetooth w/o using the HRM in the PM5 works... no connection loss.

However, I realized some other bugs related to my issue today when playing around and trying to figure out the logic behind this error:

- For example, it is not possible to connect the ANT+ HRM after the ERGDATA is connected via bluetooth... just doesn't work.
- And: Once you have connected the ANT+ und ERGDATA (in that order it works...), you are not able to disconnect the ERGDATA via the PM5 menu any more.

this whole "one ant+, one bt device simultaneously" doesn't work reliably for me... I'm writing with the support team of C2, but no solution so far.

[c2jonw]

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