Questions about RowPro

[sylco]

Hi,

1) I have two users setup on a single log card with two distinct Garmin heart monitors that are “remembered”. Will that be a problem with RowPro? I mean, will the heart monitor detection still be automatic? Actually, does RowPro use the PM4 users, or do you need to create users in RowPro?

2) What would be the best screen ratio for having the best RowPro experience?
4:3? 16:9?...

Also, I will probably setup a laptop on a table besides the C2; is it problematic to put the screen off-center? Does it cause an imbalance in the stroke since you would constantly slightly move the head to one side. Sorry if this sounds like a silly question, I just started rowing a few days ago and I have no clue...

3) Will a stable 10 Mbps upload, 2 Mbps download Internet speed be enough for online racing?

Thanks!

[Citroen]

The PM4 stores the ANT+ HR serial number on your logcard. It will automatically pair if the logcard is inserted when it powers up. Or when the logcard is inserted.

RowPro gets ALL data from the CSAFE interface using the USB cable that includes HR data, if available.

[Slothful1]

Hi,

1) I have two users setup on a single log card with two distinct Garmin heart monitors that are “remembered”. Will that be a problem with RowPro? I mean, will the heart monitor detection still be automatic? Actually, does RowPro use the PM4 users, or do you need to create users in RowPro?

2) What would be the best screen ratio for having the best RowPro experience?
4:3? 16:9?...

Also, I will probably setup a laptop on a table besides the C2; is it problematic to put the screen off-center? Does it cause an imbalance in the stroke since you would constantly slightly move the head to one side. Sorry if this sounds like a silly question, I just started rowing a few days ago and I have no clue...

3) Will a stable 10 Mbps upload, 2 Mbps download Internet speed be enough for online racing?

Thanks!

I stand to be corrected, but I think the screen adjusts to fit the aspect ratio of your monitor. I use 16:9 currently, and vaguely remember preferring this when I switched from a 4:3 laptop years ago. The key factor is a graphics card with decent specs (although my onboard Intel graphics on an Asus Zenbook are giving 60 frames a second, although I haven't tested this in a big online race with multiple competitors).

Your internet connection is more than enough. I used RowPro online years ago with dial-up!

Cheers
Dave

[sylco]

The PM4 stores the ANT+ HR serial number on your logcard. It will automatically pair if the logcard is inserted when it powers up. Or when the logcard is inserted.

RowPro gets ALL data from the CSAFE interface using the USB cable that includes HR data, if available.

Yes, we have the two ANT+ HR automatically detected and “remembered” for the right user on the PM4 right now. I was just wondering how RowPro would deal with that. Thanks.

I stand to be corrected, but I think the screen adjusts to fit the aspect ratio of your monitor. I use 16:9 currently, and vaguely remember preferring this when I switched from a 4:3 laptop years ago. The key factor is a graphics card with decent specs (although my onboard Intel graphics on an Asus Zenbook are giving 60 frames a second, although I haven't tested this in a big online race with multiple competitors).

Your internet connection is more than enough. I used RowPro online years ago with dial-up!

Cheers
Dave

Thanks for the info.

And what if the graphics card is not up to specs? What are the symptoms? Lagging graphics? Is there a way to set RowPro to use less demanding graphics, like less resolution, no rendering... so that the software still provides rudimentary graphics and data?

[Citroen]

RowPro gets the HR data from the PM4.

The PM4 does all of the interface pairing.

[sylco]

RowPro gets the HR data from the PM4.

The PM4 does all of the interface pairing.

Yes, thanks Citroen! Your explanation was clear the first time.
Sorry if my second post made it look like I was still asking the same question, I was just trying to explain why I was asking this question in the first place.

[sylco]

I tried the RP trial version on a laptop I could put my hands on for a few hours and it turns out that if you have more than one user on your logcard (my case) you need to create the same users in RP. Then, you select the same user in RP and on the PM4 and the user specific HR monitor will be automatically detected and the HR data passed to RP.

I think RP should have added a utility to automatically link RP users to users on the logcard to eliminate that extra step everytime.

So far, I find RP useful, but rather weak in the data analysis department. I might analyse the data myself... Anyone knows how to export the stroke data to any basic usable format? I tried the export function, but it does not seem to work... Maybe there is something I am not getting...

[Slothful1]

Thanks for the info.

And what if the graphics card is not up to specs? What are the symptoms? Lagging graphics? Is there a way to set RowPro to use less demanding graphics, like less resolution, no rendering... so that the software still provides rudimentary graphics and data?

Yes, if things get a bit choppy on the screen with a low quality card there are various settings to dial back the quality of graphics of the 3D view, or even revert to a 2D view. On the digitalrowing.com site there is a small tool to test the video card's capabilities.

On the data analysis, if you export an entry in the logbook to a text file (by right-clicking the entry and choosing export and then choosing the CSV option), you can get a lot of detail into Excel. The session needs stroke data saved (an option at the end of a row usually) to be able to see the full stroke by stroke detail.

[Carl Watts]

Yes the newer large wide screen monitors are the best or a 16:9 TV works fine. I got given an old 42" Plasma that was getting thrown in the bin so I put it on the wall and am using the VGA input so its just 800 x 600 but its okay. Obviously something 1080 full HD would be better but the RowPro graphics are a bit chunky anyway so its not a massive improvement

You do need a decent graphics card in your PC for frame rates in the 50 - 60 region and I would not run it on a laptop unless its a pretty new one. Any old desktop from 2005 onwards works fine with a decent graphics card in the PCI-E slot. The "Live Water" 3D mode is far more demanding that it looks for the card. I use a HD6670 and would not get anything lower spec than this if you have to buy one.

[sylco]

Thanks for the right-click trick Slothful1. I was using the export button in the upper left corner of the analysis window and no format option there was actually saving stroke data. I am still somehow disappointed with the level of stats that is available in RowPro. This software should be packed with all sorts of plotting and views of all the different parameters. And I don’t think added stats should come with much added cost since it is rather trivial to add code to perform simple graphing and stats.

As for graphics limitations, if I can go to 2D, then I might set this up on an older laptop as I don’t mind missing out on the scenery and “Live Water” effects... although I certainly see how better graphics can add to the “reality feel” and the “experience”...