Ergdata doesn't fetch exercises from PM5

[bestusugan@wemel.top]

I have a problem with a new Concept2 Model D with PM5. I connects via Bluetooth with my Android phone (Nokia 6). But during each exercise it drops the connection – I don’t mind this since I can see the ongoing exercise from the PM5 monitor. But after the exercise, even if I reconnect, ErgData doesn’t fetch the exercise data, to sync it to the online logbook. No amount of pushing of the Sync button in Ergdata helps.

How to force Ergdata to sync the exercise data from PM5 to the Online Logbook?

Android is version 9.1. Ergdata version is whatever is the newest available today. PM5 has the newest currently available firmware.

[surfnrad]

I also have had many BT drops (Android on a Note 4) and lost workouts, so I've given up on using the BT connection. Instead I connect my phone via cable. As far as transferring of data goes, if I don't use ErgData during the workout then I afterward I have to connect the PM5 to a laptop with a USB cable and then use the Concept2 utility to upload the data to the logbook. I have noticed that the ErgData app does eventually pick up the workout after my next use and sync. Not sure if it is finally getting it from the PM5 or from the logbook where I had previously uploaded the data. I suspect the latter.

[FRiC]

ErgData is designed to record the workout in real time and upload to the online logbook. It's not designed to fetch workouts stored in the internal memory of the PM5. Also, the workouts stored in the memory have only the summaries and not detailed stroke data. In the online logbook workouts recorded with ErgData will be complete with graphs.

This said, I "think" one of the reasons Ergdata with BT is somewhat unstable is because the phone is too busy doing so many things. I have a dedicated (old) phone for running ErgData and I rarely had problems. After the firmware updates in the middle of the year followed by ErgData updates, I've not had a single crash or lost connection.

[Allan Olesen]

It's not designed to fetch workouts stored in the internal memory of the PM5.

...and yet I have seen it do exactly that...

It has actually been an annoyance to me, because I would connect ErgData to the PM5 to do a rowing session in our rowing club, and then another rower's sessions would download to ErgData from the PM5 before I started my own session.

[bob01]

I always use a cable.. £1.37 on eBay.

[bestusugan@wemel.top]

I always use a cable.. £1.37 on eBay.

Cable, in 2018. A cable which you have to purchase separately. Doesn't come with the rower, really.

Hopefully, whenever a PM6 comes out, it will connect via WiFi, be configurable with an easy-to-use, modern phone app, and will upload automatically to the online log.

[bestusugan@wemel.top]

Damn. Just learned it's not a standard USB cable, instead some printer cable?

Two things wrong here: there cable did not come with the rower. And it's not a standard USB cable.

[Allan Olesen]

In defence of C2:
The printer cable was the most common USB cable, back in the days when we got USB in our computers.

[bestusugan@wemel.top]

Yes. 15 years ago

[Allan Olesen]

Yes. 15 years ago

Yes, and Concept2 has used this plug for all those 15 years.

Which is a good thing, because it means that you can always use the same cable for a Concept2, no matter if it has a PM3, a PM4 or a PM5.

[Citroen]

How to force Ergdata to sync the exercise data from PM5 to the Online Logbook?

That's completely undesirable. I use Ergdata with a gym machine. I don't want any of the other workouts downloaded to my logbook, that would be illogical - they don't belong to me, I've not rowed them.

If Ergdata fails, I'll revert to pen and paper or a photo on my phone's camera (assuming it's not the phone battery going flat that caused the failure) to capture the details of the workout to log it at https://log.concept2.com by hand.

[estragon]

This probably won't help as it's so obvious, you've probably done it already. I too have had a number of syncing issues recently when trying to update the logbook using a wireless Ergdata-PM5 combo. Then a week ago I had the genius idea of logging out of the logbook in Ergdata, restarting my iPad and Ergdata, and signing on afresh to the logbook in Ergdata. Result? No issues whatever for the last 5 or 6 sessions. All workouts have been instantly recorded and visible in the logbook. I'd been looking for the tech explanation when all it needed was a fresh start. The logbook had been linked and logged in on the iPad for about 18 months solid before that. This may not cover your issue but might just help someone else.

[bob01]

Use a cable