Battery alternatives for power hungry PM5s?

[jackarabit]

Might want to check those high quality batts with a multimeter when the supergeniac says they're discharged and need replacing. In the gym use scenario that I've witnessed, that warning comes up with such frequency that 900$ worth of batteries per year could be the only consequence of conscientious batt replacement. Jack

[mwalsh]

Quick question for Carl Watts - does amps output matter when using a 5v USB adapter to power a PM5? I know there is probably a minimum requirement and my current (no pun intended) choices would be a Kyocera phone adapter @800mA; iPhone adapter @1A; or iPad adapter @2A. Environmentally opposed to using alkaline batteries if there are other options, but also don't want to blow up a $180 PM5!

[Carl Watts]

Any of those will work.

It appears that the USB stick may have some quite high current peaks, even so the max out of a standard USB2 port on your PC for example is 500mA which is enough.

The monitors themselves use next to no current. To be honest if the monitor itself can store up to 1000 rows I wouldn't even bother putting a USB stick in it, sounds like too much hassle to me.

Pretty much all you need to be able to store is all the results for one season, which unfortunately a single LogCard in the PM3 or PM4 cannot do. This then gives you a great "Summary" for the season and then you just delete all the results ready for next season.

You want to upload all your results to the Concept 2 Website as this is like the cloud, the results never get lost.

[bisqeet]

how weird.
i have the pm5 plugged into a thin clien (running rowpro/plex/c2 utility) - which is in standby, when not rowing.
the powersupply supplies 5v to the pm5 even when the pc is in shutdown - thus the pm5 is always on.
not sure i like that too much...but it does avoid battery changing - i have no heating in my fitness room and temps in the room in winter are about 2°C or lower.
I have had to change the batteries in the bluetooth keyboard twice since october.

[Carl Watts]

Older PC's turn off the USB ports when you shutdown and thus the PM3 and PM4 then shutdown a short while later.

The Firmware changed on the PM3 and PM4 and now in fact they shutdown rather quickly if nothing is happening even with USB power present, this can be a bit annoying also as you have to open RowPro to keep it alive before it shuts down on you. No good powering up the monitor with RowPro already open, you have to exit and turn the monitor on first.

Short of yet another menu on the monitor like "Power Options" to change delays etc its going to be hard to please everyone.

[jag]

Pretty much all you need to be able to store is all the results for one season, which unfortunately a single LogCard in the PM3 or PM4 cannot do. This then gives you a great "Summary" for the season and then you just delete all the results ready for next season.

Do you know a way to delete all the results? I couldn't find a way to do it.

[Carl Watts]

Pretty much all you need to be able to store is all the results for one season, which unfortunately a single LogCard in the PM3 or PM4 cannot do. This then gives you a great "Summary" for the season and then you just delete all the results ready for next season.

Do you know a way to delete all the results? I couldn't find a way to do it.

Tell Concept 2, sounds like it needs an option like my phone has for text messages, you need a delete all option as well as a delete one at a time option.

The PM4 can delete one at a time from the LogCard or you can format the logcard in the PM4 via the hidden menu to clear everything.

[Citroen]

Pretty much all you need to be able to store is all the results for one season, which unfortunately a single LogCard in the PM3 or PM4 cannot do. This then gives you a great "Summary" for the season and then you just delete all the results ready for next season.

Do you know a way to delete all the results? I couldn't find a way to do it.

You may be able to do it with the factory reset dance.
http://www.concept2.com/service/monitor ... s-odometer

[jag]

Pretty much all you need to be able to store is all the results for one season, which unfortunately a single LogCard in the PM3 or PM4 cannot do. This then gives you a great "Summary" for the season and then you just delete all the results ready for next season.

Do you know a way to delete all the results? I couldn't find a way to do it.

You may be able to do it with the factory reset dance.
http://www.concept2.com/service/monitor ... s-odometer

Thank you! That looks like it will work. I'll give it a try and report back if it doesn't work. I wonder if factory reset also resets back to starting firmware - I'll assume not.

[Citroen]

The reset simply clears memory, it doesn't clear firmware.

[jackarabit]

Deja vu all over again, Remi.

[jackarabit]

Like beta-ing one's head against a wall! Fortunately, for the--uh--crufty old feller that I am, I have a perfectly functional PM3 in a box and a faultlessly reliable PM4 on my machine at home.

[Citroen]

Yep, so annoying I have to ask every couple of weeks

Maybe I should try downgrading.

Try writing an email to rowing@concept2.com and see what advice they give.