Newbie Info Plz "Software Choices"

[JadeMerrett]

Hi all, just purchased a Concept2 with PC5 and looking for some advice on third party software.

What's everyone's preference i.e. RowPro, e-Row etc and why/benefits etc?
OH and obviously software that's compatable with the PC5!

Thanks so much in advance!

Cheers Jade

[DavidA]

I have used both RowPro and LiveRowing.
I like both of them.
I got them both last rowing season and they were both dangerous ( ) for someone like me - addicted to numbers, and competitive, even if just with myself!
I had my fastest mean split time in 16 years! (And was doing longer rows than then.)

RowPro allows a number of pace boats, or you can race live against many other people. (I have not tried the live racing.)
It has nice graphics, and I definitely enjoy using it.

LiveRowing only has one other racer/pace boat, but having an app is nice.
It also allows you to race others at any time. You don't actually have to be rowing at the same time. It will record a row, and then play it back in real time whenever you, or someone else to whom you give access, wants to race.

They each have a number of extras, as far as other data collected, logs, etc. They also both can sync to your C2 log to upload your rows.

David

[Carl Watts]

RowPro allows a number of pace boats, or you can race live against many other people. (I have not tried the live racing.)
It has nice graphics, and I definitely enjoy using it.

RowPro is not racing, 99% of the rows set-up are just for training, the same as you would do on your own without the software.

Mention racing and it puts just about everyone off the Online rowing, when in fact this is the best feature of the software.

You just join others or set something up you would usually do at a time that suits you and others may join in.

Pace boats are boring and predictable, its not until you row live you don't know what your missing.

If however you have the mentality its all about racing and having to come first, then your going to have a problem because chances are your not always going to "Win"

My hope is the software moves to totally online only. You can still row by yourself or if you really are unsociable you can set-up a row and make it "Private" so no one else can join in. People can contact you via the software and request to join your private row if you wish and you can then add them manually to your row. The flexibility is already there in the current version to do all this.

RowPro is only going to be really successful when it gets the numbers online to the point you can row with others if you choose any time of the day or night. It needs 10 to 20 people in the chat room that are logged in ready to row 24/7.

[JadeMerrett]

Thanks for the replies all, thinking RowPro setup as cordless as possible.......
Given this would require a little more investment to setup I'm going to start with LiveRowing app while giving some thought to my cordless options with RowPro!

Thanks again for the information provided!

Cheers Jade

[Carl Watts]

Thanks for the replies all, thinking RowPro setup as cordless as possible.......
Given this would require a little more investment to setup I'm going to start with LiveRowing app while giving some thought to my cordless options with RowPro!

Thanks again for the information provided!

Cheers Jade

The next software release for RowPro should be the Android and iOS App. I would start using something else in the meantime as this could take a couple of years. Personally I have no trouble with using a USB cable as the set-up I have is permanent with a dedicated Windows 10 PC just for RowPro. Its reliable and the USB cable means I need to replace the batteries in the monitor like every 5 years. Wireless is great but is always more trouble than a cable. My experiences with Bluetooth have ranged from great to hopeless connectivity. If you have problems with what your trying to connect its really hard to try and fix it.

[Carl Watts]

The next software release for RowPro should be the Android and iOS App.

Are you communicating this to the RowPro guys as well? Must be the 50th time I've seen you write this here...

http://www.digitalrowing.com/pricing/index.html

It all depends on your definition of "COMING SOON" for some people thats next week, however based on the time it took the Mac version to be released and now factor in they have to maintain both a Mac version and the PC version now with any OS updates, it could be years.

They are no doubt monitoring the uptake of the new Mac version. The more licences they sell the more resources they can put into software development. There were loads of people moaning there was not a native Mac version available but how many of those people have gone out and got the software now ?

Personally I would have skipped the Mac version. Those people who were really keen went out and got a PC or ran it on Parallels or the like and I would have got straight into the Android development.

It also looks like getting RowPro up and running on a new OS is not that bad, its the Online component that takes a lot of work and testing so expect it to come out first in a preview version with no Online feature. New OS platforms make it really hard for Digital Rowing to keep up. Yes they sell a few licences but from where I'm sitting its currently more of a hobby interest than a business. They need Android and a monthly subscription type set-up to start making some decent money to cover the years of effort they have dedicated to this software.

[lcantey]

They are no doubt monitoring the uptake of the new Mac version. The more licences they sell the more resources they can put into software development. There were loads of people moaning there was not a native Mac version available but how many of those people have gone out and got the software now ?

It was late, had a number of issues (while I was evaluating), and originally seemed to be available only through the subscription model.

I'll probably give it another go around at some point but there a numerous alternatives now especially if you aren't doing online rowing. It was the only game in town for quite awhile which helped it on Windows but the landscape is changing.

[Carl Watts]

I'll probably give it another go around at some point but there a numerous alternatives now especially if you aren't doing online rowing. It was the only game in town for quite awhile which helped it on Windows but the landscape is changing.

Agreed plenty of choice if your just after data and are happy watching yourself row but if you want to get online then there is only one option. Unfortunately when it comes to online you need the numbers and there is no room for multiple software packages or you find yourself rowing alone. What has surprised me most since I started using this 6 years ago and in fact since I first bought a PM2+ in 2001 so I could get online with E-Row and row with others is the very low uptake in this type of software. It appears you need to be of a certain personality type and by all accounts it appears to be a fairly rare type of person who is keen to do everything online, which is a real shame, I would love to be rowing with all 16 lanes full every day of the week.

[DJL]

If you have lots of extra cash, I think this is the future of rowing or any indoor fitness software...VR
http://www.holodia.com/solutions/fitness/

[Carl Watts]

If you have lots of extra cash, I think this is the future of rowing or any indoor fitness software...VR
http://www.holodia.com/solutions/fitness/

I don't agree, with the price of a big panel TV coming down and 4K and eventually 8K resolution a huge panel is the way to go or even multiple panels. You already have the technology option if you want to throw enough money at it, just get a triple head video card.

You simply cannot row hard with that stuck on your head, anyone that sweats will find it impossible to row with. Perhaps a really light row with severely limited heartrate and for me that would have to be lower than 145bpm maximum, i.e basically a recovery row at FM pace.

I agree though it will be great for those with lots of money who like "Toys" and are just playing on the rower. Probably great appeal to video gamers and geeks who are not serious on the rower.

Once you get the software you realize its not about the high tech stuff anyway, or even flash graphics, its all about the number of people using it online and the online community that makes you stick with it year after year. Technology alone will not keep you motivated, its real people that keep you motivated.

[DJL]

Yea... I'm thought about getting sweaty under that hood, but who knows where the tech will be in a couple of years, apparently for that $11,000 you get the concept2 thrown-in . I think it is meant to be a medium for interacting with other rowers, but I'm not about to toss that much cash down and on something that has the potential to get boring in a few weeks. It does look pretty cool tho, gotta admit

[RoidbotPR]

The VR headset would be a novelty only. I own a Vive. It is amazing, but you get sweaty just playing a simple game. Besides that, a Concept 2 rower coupled with a gaming rig? You would be unable to use the VR for anything other than rowing (unless you want to move your rower around your game room...)

To break down the price:

Good gaming rig: 2k
Concept 2: 1k
Vive: about 1k.

So they are charging 7k for a rowing app in Unity???

If you don't want to spend ANY money, go ahead and grab my Deltarower. It's unfinished, but it's FREE. It has more scenery than rowpro. And now that I know PHP, if enough people start asking for online, I'll finish the multiplayer. I started multiplayer using .NET, but it costs $40 a month to host that. With PHP, I can host it for next to free. Deltarower isn't vaporware, it's collecting dust-ware. I came out of the woodworks when I saw the outrageous price that company is charging. Granted, it is very niche, and they probably are factoring in the cost of developing it with the reality of selling it to very few people. Lesson learned by me, is to research the market. As Carl points out, there are very VERY few people who use the computer with their rower.

[kdahlhaus]

DynRow (free and open source) has more interesting pace boats. You do have to manually install Python to get it running though.

https://github.com/monsdar/dynrow

Video of an older version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSOZzBt7R0g

[kd_cooke]

Does anyone have a more concrete timeline of when Digital Rowing might be available for the iPhone?

The next software release for RowPro should be the Android and iOS App.

Are you communicating this to the RowPro guys as well? Must be the 50th time I've seen you write this here...

http://www.digitalrowing.com/pricing/index.html

It all depends on your definition of "COMING SOON" for some people thats next week, however based on the time it took the Mac version to be released and now factor in they have to maintain both a Mac version and the PC version now with any OS updates, it could be years.

They are no doubt monitoring the uptake of the new Mac version. The more licences they sell the more resources they can put into software development. There were loads of people moaning there was not a native Mac version available but how many of those people have gone out and got the software now ?

Personally I would have skipped the Mac version. Those people who were really keen went out and got a PC or ran it on Parallels or the like and I would have got straight into the Android development.

It also looks like getting RowPro up and running on a new OS is not that bad, its the Online component that takes a lot of work and testing so expect it to come out first in a preview version with no Online feature. New OS platforms make it really hard for Digital Rowing to keep up. Yes they sell a few licences but from where I'm sitting its currently more of a hobby interest than a business. They need Android and a monthly subscription type set-up to start making some decent money to cover the years of effort they have dedicated to this software.

[Citroen]

Does anyone have a more concrete timeline of when Digital Rowing might be available for the iPhone?

If past history is anything to go by then don't expect it in this decade.