PM5 is here ...

[Hollywood_Kuma]

Then one day the biggest news hit the state since they built the Hoover Dam ... the Arizona quints was born.

And then, ever bigger news, the PM5 was released:

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/p ... e-monitors

[dsissitka]

PM3 vs PM5 comparison:

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/p ... rs/compare

[Bob S.]

My PM4 seems to have been assigned to oblivion.

Bob S.

[Hollywood_Kuma]

My PM4 is being thrown into the fires also (though I'm sure it will be supported for many years to come - C2 still support the Model A, after all).

The PM3 is going to be discontinued also - C2 say it will only be available until their inventory runs out.

It makes a lot of sense to eventually have just a single (PM5) monitor across all machines and product ranges. The logic of having both the PM3 and PM4 monitors was questionable - the PM3 may have been a bit cheaper, but having just one monitor will in future provide greater production economies of scale and lower support costs, which should offset the cost advantage of a second (reduced functionality) basic monitor option.

I will probably pay for the retrofit when it becomes available (if it is reasonably priced ... say $150 or less). I really want the backlight functionality.

Personally I'm pleased that they haven't changed very much in the monitor, because the PM3 and PM4 have always both worked really well for me. It seems the major changes in the PM5 are:

+ backlight
+ bluetooth
+ USB stick support

- goodbye log cards
- giodbye Polar support
- goodbye PM4 rechargeable batteries

For me, the addition of the backlight would make the retrofit worthwhile, as I like to row at night by the light of the moon (and soon now with a little help from the PM5 backlight's LEDs).

I will miss the logcards, which worked well, and mine proved indestructible despite being placed accidentally in the wash many times. I find it convenient to keep my log card in my wallet. With the PM5 I think I'll be using a USB stick at home, and the log card at my rowing club (which uses PM3 monitors), which will mean my that log card won't accurately record "lifetime metres" unless I manually amend this. Personally I would have preferred C2 to stick with the log cards, but I guess moving to USB drives down costs a bit, and it makes life somewhat easier for consumers (they don't need a log card as a non-standard storage device, and they don't need to pay up for a card reader to update their log book online). But, as someone who already has the log card and the card reader, I'm sorry to see this change.

I find the move away from the PM4-style rechargeable batteries to be disappointing and more questionable. Replacing batteries is a pain for individuals, and a maintenance overhead for professional gyms. I guess this was done just to drive down the cost of the monitor.

All in all, though, I'm excited at the prospect of the PM5 because of its backlight. Let's hope the retrofit arrives soon and is not too expensive.

[Carl Watts]

The PM4 rechargables never really worked that well anyway and lasted perhaps 3 years in your typical PM4 that was never connected to a PC or USB charge pack via the USB cable. The run and standby current will be very low on the new PM5 so a set of "D" Alkalines could potentially last a couple of years. The backlighting will however chew some power but while rowing this can be supplied by the tach sensor.

Shame about the Polar as I'm setup with a few sets of this already, but with a PM4 and a couple of spare PM3's I will not be changing very soon unless RowPro suddenly looses USB support to the PC which isn't ever likely to happen.

The LogCard suffered from not storing enough information and my hope is that with the now unlimited storage with a USB stick that the data is far more comprehensive and accurate with a better average heartrate and way better average SPM for the row down to 1/10ths of a SPM. Still recon they should incorporate a fitness test into the Firmware and also run a 1minute or 2 minute timer at the end of the row for working out your heartrate recovery time and fitness level.It would be great if you could just enter your age , height and weight etc and you could track your progress with the reult stored on your USB under a profiles setting.

I expect the USB memory to open up alot of potential and the Bluetooth to enable Apps to run like RowPro to run on tablets and iPADS so everyone in the worl can get the connectivity they need to row online with one another. Its like 1995 and the start of the internet all over again for Concept 2.

[lcantey]

The LogCard suffered from not storing enough information and my hope is that with the now unlimited storage with a USB stick that the data is far more comprehensive and accurate with a better average heartrate and way better average SPM for the row down to 1/10ths of a SPM. Still recon they should incorporate a fitness test into the Firmware and also run a 1minute or 2 minute timer at the end of the row for working out your heartrate recovery time and fitness level.It would be great if you could just enter your age , height and weight etc and you could track your progress with the reult stored on your USB under a profiles setting.

In complete agreement with every suggestion you made.

[Carl Watts]

Would consider upgrading or at least trying a PM5 if Concept 2 added a whole pile of functionality.

I have suggested it before but perhaps they should offer different versions of the firmware or a hidden menu with options to cater for the massive variation in the users from gym use to Elite level use in the same monitor. Elite rowers could then actually use it as a performance comparison tool without the need 3rd party software. For Gym use the functionality of the PM2 was more than adequate and the firmware could always be upgraded if it wasn't.

Would like to get my hands on one to see whats new so perhaps anyone here on the forum who gets one should post some feedback on what its capable of now down to the nitty gritty details.

I hope the LCD default contrast setting is also user defined via a hidden menu because this was a real pain when you changed the LCD on the older monitors as well.

[eleanorsbee]

so what heart monitor will be best for this then

Seeing that I have an iphone 5s, would I be better off going for a bluetooth smart option over the ANT+ option ? so something like this :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Bluetooth ... ooth+smart

its the Polar H7 .... says :-

The Polar H7 heart rate sensor is compatible with Bluetooth Smart ready devices that support heart rate service

[Citroen]

The PM5 will get BTLE (Bluetooth Low Energy, aka Bluetooth Smart) in a future firmware update. It already has ANT/ANT+ just like a PM4.

Polar analog HR is dead because it was never reliable with the PM2/PM2+, PM3 or PM4. You got interesting effects (doubled HR) if two Polar belts were both in range of the Polar dongle (because it didn't do Polar Coded).

[Carl Watts]

Yeah but nothing wrong with the Polar at home, the belt has improved over the years and now the battery is replacable, it works flawlessly as long as you wet the belt a little unless your prepaired to row for a few minutes and have the sweat kick it into action. The Polar bluetooth has potential but I still forsee conenctivity issues even after things have been paired up. My Garmin GPS is a bit random in conencting up with my Sony mobile on a hands free. Will stay with the old Polar set-up until it dies.

If the PM5 had a few of the functions I have been wanting and Concept 2 made some changes to thier website that reflected that your using a the PM5 and uploads are automatically verified either directly from the monitor or when you stick the USB stick into a PC and there was no provision for manual metre entries anymore then I WOULD buy one tomorrow.

[jamesg]

What kit's needed to put a PM5 on a C with PM3?

[lcantey]

The PM5 will get BTLE (Bluetooth Low Energy, aka Bluetooth Smart) in a future firmware update. It already has ANT/ANT+ just like a PM4.

Really? I think the PM5 overview page is a bit misleading then.

"Wireless Heart Rate Monitoring

The PM5 supports ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart for wireless heart rate monitoring. To use this feature, you will need a chest belt that supports one of these transmission technologies. Please note that the PM5 supports Bluetooth Smart, not Bluetooth, which is a different technology."

[Citroen]

What kit's needed to put a PM5 on a C with PM3?

Nothing more than a PM5 configured for the model C tacho. Unscrew the PM3, mount the PM5. Row, eat, sleep, repeat.

[c2jonw]

PM5 supports both Bluetooth Smart and ANT- both of which are working. Personally I've been testing the Bluetooth for some months and it works great. Retrofit PM5 for A-C will be available in the near future as development time permits. C2JonW

[c2jonw]

Let me just clarify my last post:

PM5 supports both Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate belts and ANT+ Heart Rate Belts both of which are working. Personally I've been testing the Polar H7 for some months and it works great. Retrofit PM5 for A-C will be available in the near future as development time permits. C2JonW