New Computer Ready To Go ... I Hope

[old] Chip M · Post by **[old] Chip M** » December 1st, 2004, 12:15 pm

I have a new computer Pentium 4 plenty of ram, memory and graphics with windows xp. I have a PM2+ and would like to run erow and rowpro but have not downloaded anything yet. Any suggestions before I begin that may help everything run smoothly.

[old] michaelb · Post by **[old] michaelb** » December 1st, 2004, 12:55 pm

With a new computer, I have a hard time seeing a reason to use erow over rowpro, since rowpro also offers a much better setup for all of your offline rows. Except for the initial price of $100 (compared to free). Do new computers really still have serial ports? Otherwise, you will need a card or a usb to serial adapter to run the PM2+. Online rowing with rowpro is still really just starting, and hasn't really got off the ground yet. I don't have access to the erow server, but I get the impression there is not that much activity there either. So we may have to wait a few weeks or maybe a month or two before we bring the two together and see more workouts and races posted.

[old] Chip M · Post by **[old] Chip M** » December 1st, 2004, 1:45 pm

Yes its a brand new Dell with one serial port. There is some stuff on the erow server that I like to do. I dont know if bringing the two together is a erow vs rowpro thing or rarher the erow server or rowpro server thing. Can you do a erow server race from rowpro program?

[old] michaelb · Post by **[old] michaelb** » December 1st, 2004, 2:02 pm

As I understand it, you can't see the erow server from rowpro, but you can see the rowpro server from erow. So erowers can join with rowproers, but not the other way around. The old guard is holding out and still using the erow server some of time, until the rowpro server is stable enough to do everything. I will admit the rowpro server has most of the time been an exercise in frustration, and I don't think I have seen any big race (with more than say 3 rowers) go off without a hitch. Smaller rows are easier to manage and for some reason they sometimes just work perfectly.

[old] Ikabob · Post by **[old] Ikabob** » December 2nd, 2004, 12:22 am

OK....then why use RowPro???? Why not stick with e-row and have the best of two worlds??? I just don't see why people think we need to switch. If it aint broke why fix it? Just more moolahrooshkii. No?

[old] Canoeist · Post by **[old] Canoeist** » December 2nd, 2004, 9:25 am

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE (Ikabob @ Dec 2 2004, 04:22 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'> then why use RowPro????  </td></tr></table> When Concept came out with the model D in August 2003, they also came out with a new monitor - the PM3. The PM3 will not work with e-row. Also, Concept no longer manufactures or sells PM2+ monitors. If anybody bought an erg after August 2003, they can not row on-line with e-row. RowPro allows rowers who bought ergs after August 2003 to row on-line with rowers who bought ergs before August 2003. Cheers, Paul Flack

[old] Ikabob · Post by **[old] Ikabob** » December 2nd, 2004, 2:59 pm

Not to belabor the point...and much respect for Concept2...but why didn't Concept 2 create the PM3 to work with e-row too??? I like the PM3 but wish it would work with e-row. Thank you for your thorough answers Paul.

[old] Canoeist · Post by **[old] Canoeist** » December 2nd, 2004, 3:33 pm

I think it comes down to "you can't have everything in life" and the fact that computer technology is evolving so rapidly. Concept would have liked to have the best of both worlds, but in the end had to choose the newer technology when they came out with the PM3. They couldn't be held back by a small bunch of on-line rowers. One employee from Concept told me two years ago that it would be more cost effective to pay every on-line rowers $1,000 to get lost and be quiet, rather than to continue their support for e-row. In the end, it just didn't make economic sense at the time. Maybe if thousands of rowers adopt RowPro as their primary off water exercise, and if thousands of couch potatoes stop playing "Doom" and convert to on-line racing, then Concept will be more interested? Cheers, Paul Flack

[old] Ikabob · Post by **[old] Ikabob** » December 11th, 2004, 6:50 pm

OK...I now use RowPro (and as you can see above, I was skeptical for change,too) and even though the online rowing isnt perfected yet, the entire program of RowPro is AWESOME. The technology that is there is really great. It motivates me to erg more often. I am training now before I enter a race for beginners plus. Chip M try RowPro...it is GREAT ( and I dont have stock in RowPro) .

[old] Slowboat · Post by **[old] Slowboat** » December 11th, 2004, 9:33 pm

Hi Ikabob, Welcome aboard, glad you have got RowPro up and running. Look forward to seeing you online, join RowPro Rowers, we need all the help we can get to catch the Ancient Mariners. Regards Paul.