Card reader...is it necessary?

[onekgguy]

I'm about to put in my order for a Concept 2. I have a question about the card reader...is this a worthwhile expense? Is it a proprietary sort of thing which will be difficult to find elsewhere should I feel I need one? Does the monitor easily detach from the unit so I can bring it to my laptop for uploading or do I need to bring my laptop over to where the rower is? Can the numbers be added manually to my laptop rather than direct from the monitor/card? Thanks for any clarification you can offer.

Kevin g

[Snail Space]

I'm about to put in my order for a Concept 2. I have a question about the card reader...is this a worthwhile expense?

Definitely. It makes logging your sessions simple and convenient. All I have to carry around is my logcard; the reader is permanently connected to the PC. Omnikey sell a PCMCIA card reader, which is not mentioned on the C2 site, but which I am told works with the C2 logcard.

The logcard allows me to record rows on machines on the rare occasion that I use ergos away from home.

Is it a proprietary sort of thing which will be difficult to find elsewhere should I feel I need one?

You can order them online from Omnikey.

Does the monitor easily detach from the unit so I can bring it to my laptop for uploading or do I need to bring my laptop over to where the rower is? Can the numbers be added manually to my laptop rather than direct from the monitor/card?

All these options are relatively simple but inconvenient, which means that I would probably not do it reliably. As it is I have recorded every metre rowed since I bought my ergo. This then allows me to play with spreadsheets to my hearts content (thus manifesting my quintessentially geeky nature!).

Cheers
Dave

[onekgguy]

Great. That's all I needed to hear. Thank you.

Kevin

[badocter]

I agree UNLESS you have your C2 directly connected to PC by the USB cable -- in that case you don't need the reader... For those of us using Rowpro, the PC has to be connected.

[Citroen]

Definitely. It makes logging your sessions simple and convenient. All I have to carry around is my logcard; the reader is permanently connected to the PC. Omnikey sell a PCMCIA card reader, which is not mentioned on the C2 site, but which I am told works with the C2 logcard.

There's also an Athena card reader that works with the C2 LogCard and LogCard Utility software.

The logcard allows me to record rows on machines on the rare occasion that I use ergos away from home.

The ergos I use are three miles away from home, so I use a logcard all the time.

Is it a proprietary sort of thing which will be difficult to find elsewhere should I feel I need one?

You can order them online from Omnikey.

They turn up on eBay occasionally, as long as it's OmniKey 3121 / Athena III (or directly compatible) it will work.

Does the monitor easily detach from the unit so I can bring it to my laptop for uploading or do I need to bring my laptop over to where the rower is? Can the numbers be added manually to my laptop rather than direct from the monitor/card?

All these options are relatively simple but inconvenient, which means that I would probably not do it reliably. As it is I have recorded every metre rowed since I bought my ergo. This then allows me to play with spreadsheets to my hearts content (thus manifesting my quintessentially geeky nature!).

The monitor is held with a 9/16th nut&bolt, so you'd need a spanner to remove it. It may be easier to buy a cheap WinXP/Vista laptop which you can connect to the internet with WiFi and leave permanently connected to your ergo. That will mean you can run RowPro.

The LogCard can only be read by running the C2 LogCard utility or RowPro with either your PM3/4 connected or with LCU and a card reader. The details of the data on the card are not published by C2. The data in memory can only be read by moving it to a LogCard first.

The LogCard utility/RowPro will upload metres to http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/log.asp and it will also write the data as an *.CSV file that can be read using MS Excel or OpenOffice Calc. http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/log.asp allows for manual input of workouts, but it's a whole bunch easier with a logcard and the LCU doing it automatically. There's no other way to add unlogged workouts. Once your workouts are on the website you can download them as *.CSV from there (my records on the website go back to May 2004).

[Sheepster]

I'm about to put in my order for a Concept 2. I have a question about the card reader...is this a worthwhile expense? Is it a proprietary sort of thing which will be difficult to find elsewhere should I feel I need one? Does the monitor easily detach from the unit so I can bring it to my laptop for uploading or do I need to bring my laptop over to where the rower is? Can the numbers be added manually to my laptop rather than direct from the monitor/card? Thanks for any clarification you can offer.

Kevin g

I'd like to say the longest USB cord I've ever seen came with the concept2 making it much easier to connect a computer. If you are able to connect a laptop/computer without too much trouble then I don't think a card reader is a necessity. On the other hand if there's no way to connect your computer to your concept2 or it would be a terrible inconvenience, then a card reader would be handy.

I have no issues with connecting my laptop to my PM3 monitor, so a card reader is a unnecessary luxury item for me. There are times I could imagine using one, but it is definitely not needed at all.

Edit: I'd just like to add that if I didn't own an erg and if the gym I used had more recent models than the Model C/Pm2 - the card reader would be much more useful, because it is quite convenient using the logcard and uploading one's workouts. I never record as much info by hand. I'd consider getting one under those circumstances.

[onekgguy]

Thanks for all your replies. I ordered the card reader with my order. I think that in the long run I'll be glad I have it.

Kevin g

[Cazneau]

You've ordered one, and I'm sure it will make things a little easier. I don't have one, and my computer is in a different room from my rower. I don't find detaching my PM4 difficult at all. It is held on with a plastic nut that is tightened and loosened with a finger. It takes me 15 seconds or less to detach and re-attach.

[BrianStaff]

USB cables can be daisy-chained together. I have an extension added to my C2 USB cable for it to be about 16' long and it works for me.

[Citroen]

USB cables can be daisy-chained together. I have an extension added to my C2 USB cable for it to be about 16' long and it works for me.

Strictly that's only possible with powered hubs. The specification for USB sets a limit of 5 metres (~16ft). You can run up to 127 USB devices from a single port by daisy chaining 8-port hubs. So the theoretical limit is 80m (~261ft).