RowPro 5 - starting & stopping errors

[jla956]

I had a situation start during yesterday's row and then it occurred again during today's. I set up my rows with a 100 meter warm-up and a 1 minute cool-down. Always in the past I would hit start on my laptop and get the normal 30 second countdown for the warm-up. Once I completed it then it would automatically stop and then start another 30 second countdown for my row. The row would automatically start and then when it was over it would automatically stop the row once I completed the distance I had set and then go directly into the 1 minute cool-down.

Starting yesterday everything started off the same but at the end of the warm up it never stopped and went into the countdown for my row. It just stayed in the warm-up mode and started showing negative meters as I rowed. I stopped the row, reprogrammed it and tried again. Same results for the next three times I tried to fix it. So, I did away with the warm-up and just programmed in my row and cool-down. When the row ended it didn't automatically stop it - the clock just kept going. Today - I set up just the row... no warm-up or cool-down. Same thing when the row ended - it didn't stop automatically. You have to get off the rower and hit End Row on the computer to get it to stop.

Nothing has changed from what I've been doing. Also, I'm running the most recent version of RowPro 5 on my MacBook and my PM5 has the latest updates. Thanks in advance for any help with getting this issue resolved.

[Citroen]

You need to report your problems to Digital Rowing at http://www.digitalrowing.com/support/

[Carl Watts]

Update your monitor firmware.

Reset the monitor to the factory default.

If this still doesn't help.

Toss the Macbook in the bin and buy a decent laptop.

[paul_a]

I'm seeing the same issue - latest firmware, new PM5. I'm on Windows using the 5.5.1 release of RowPro so it is not just Mac.

I have exchanged emails with Pete @ RowPro, hope to get a resolution soon.

[Carl Watts]

Thanks for the clarification on the version of Rowpro being used I will stick to 5.4.0 and not update it.

No serious issues with this and you dont want any if your setup also includes an ANT+ HR strap and Ergdata as the setup time is quite long if you have to restart the whole thing.

[jla956]

I have been contacting RowPro (Digital Rowing) on a daily basis but have received no help as of yet. They must be having a huge problem because when I called today I reached a Call Center in New Zealand who has been brought online to assist the US staff. They said that only the US based staff can address or resolve the issue so to keep calling back until I got through to someone here in the US. I have tried back several times today but always reach a different support person in NZ. They said that they are totally overwhelmed right now and don't know when anyone will be able to respond.

I have also written multiple emails to DR over the past five days and no responses to any of them. They are usually very good about getting back the same day, but not this time. Based upon the above posting that states this is happening to other people too, I'm assuming (never a good thing to do) that they did a software update that created this problem and they're trying to figure out how to fix it. Perhaps there is a way to download a previous version of RP5 and see if that resolves the problem until they get it fixed?

[Citroen]

I suspect it's because the North East has been hit very hard with Covid19.
https://www.google.com/search?q=covid19+boston

[Carl Watts]

To be honest I try and resist updating to the latest version if the current version has no issues that affect me.

What usually ends up happening is the constant Windows 10 updates end up creating a problem so at that point you update to the latest version of Rowpro in the hope it fixes it.

What you have these days is a setup thats harder to keep stable when in the past it was possible to go a whole year without a crash.

[daveymarsh]

I have exactly the same issue.

Had this two years ago but solved it by having a very specific sequence of setting up a row. Anything less than this specific set of sequential steps resulted in a never ending never recorded row. ( exactly as you describe ).

It’s infuriating that Row Pro is the best online rowing software and so damn 1990’s clunky. I use it for setting up structured 8 week training plans. If I could find any other provider to do a good job of this I’d dump Row Pro. As it is I guess I just have to be part of the frustrated, long term guinea pig subjects that has to help DR diagnose and sort their mess out. So tedious, so much time

Is there an alternative out there for structured training plans that you don’t have to make custom rows for 8 weeks and load them in??

[daveymarsh]

I got this reply from the team at Digital Rowings...

OK we know a lot more about it now; I recommend the following:

As a first step you should do a hard factory reset of the PM5. To do that, hold down the Units and Display buttons and press a pen tip into the recess on the back of the PM5. Continue holding the Units and Display buttons down for at least 7 seconds or until the display briefly flashes ‘Setting Factory Defaults’. Then release the buttons.

Also, please make sure of the following points in your setup that could be causing problems:

• You definitely must not have the C2 Utility and RowPro running at the same time – that just won’t work.
• You definitely must not have any apps like ErgData for instance connected to the PM5 via Bluetooth at the same time as RowPro is connected to the PM5 via USB – again that just won’t work.
• You should always connect the PM5 via USB before starting RowPro.
• You should not press buttons on the PM5 while it’s connected to RowPro, otherwise RowPro will lose control of the PM5.
• If you’re connecting the PM5 to your computer via a USB hub, especially one that’s got other devices like a mouse or keyboard connected, please try it with the PM5 connected directly to the computer’s USB port, even if it’s just once to prove whether that’s the issue.
• Also for the record, we recommend not to have a USB drive plugged into the PM5 while RowPro is running, so if you have that, please remove it, even just once to prove whether that’s the issue.

Finally if you still have problems after all the above, can you please click Tools | System info on the RowPro main menu and send that to me?

[Rwidebody]

Davey Marsh. What sequence of steps did you use to get the training session to work as designed? I am having the same problem. Sometimes it works, but not always.

Ron

[Carl Watts]

I got this reply from the team at Digital Rowings...

• You definitely must not have any apps like ErgData for instance connected to the PM5 via Bluetooth at the same time as RowPro is connected to the PM5 via USB – again that just won’t work.

This is not correct. It depends on your hardware.

I was not really having major problems with my setup using the Version 1 PM5 on V30 firmware but I purchased a Version 2 PM5 and updated the firmware to V168.

RowPro knows your connected to a Version 2 as down the bottom its changed from PM5 to PM5v2.

With a decent PC (HP Z240 with 16Gb ram) there are no issues with running RowPro via USB, ErgData to an Android phone and an ANT+ heartrate strap simultaneously.

All the Comm's can be quite demanding but the PM5v2 can handle it.

[jamesg]

I knew the erg is an instrument of torture, but always thought this was limited to muscle and suchlike. Have fun all.

[CooksonS]

I have similar issues.

Is it possible to go back to a previous version and if so does anyone know how please?

[quickref]

i have purchased Rowpro recently and i had the same issue with my first SLT training. I have removed the usb stick from my PM5 monitor and switched the usb cable from a hub to a port on my laptop. This fixed it. I'm runnig the latest Rowpro sw version 5.7 and PM5 firmware Version 169