Do not Update the PM5 to V22 firmware for RowPro

[Carl Watts]

Posted by Pam from Digital Rowing in the scheduled rows...

"Dear Rowers, we've had a problem reported with the latest PM5 V22 Firmware update. If you are using Online Rowing can you please hold off updating until we have a chance to look into this. Thanks so much and happy training, Pam"

[Carl Watts]

Does this mean Digital Rowing doesn't test their product against the beta firmware prior to new releases?

I think Digital Rowing has more important things to worry about than getting the PM5 to work correctly. The PM3 and PM4 have not had a problem since the V101 firmware was released for the old PM3, what like 7 or 8 years ago ? Pretty much what I have said earlier, give the PM5 the swerve for a few years if you want a bullet proof solution with the added complexity of third party software thrown into the mix. Nothing drives you nuts quicker than a bit of hardware stopping you doing your almost daily training.

[Citroen]

Does this mean Digital Rowing doesn't test their product against the beta firmware prior to new releases?

It means Digital Rowing do what every software company does, they field test their code with the help of their users. Software QA costs too much when you're competing in a market with freeware.

[Joebarbs]

I just bought my first Concept 2 rower used. The Model D with PM5. The previous owner never updated the firmware and it was on firmware #15. I didn't see where I had any other choice but to download #22. Hopefully things will get sorted out ASAP as I was looking forward to trying out RowPro.

[Carl Watts]

I just bought my first Concept 2 rower used. The Model D with PM5. The previous owner never updated the firmware and it was on firmware #15. I didn't see where I had any other choice but to download #22. Hopefully things will get sorted out ASAP as I was looking forward to trying out RowPro.

Concept 2 should keep the previous version available for download on the Website.

I rolled back V108 to V105 when certain hardware versions of the older PM3 on a Model C has 3 or 4 strokes during your 30 minute at a really fast pace when you were rowing at a constant pace.

Was really weird for the update utility to handle it, what you did was drag the file icon onto the update utility icon because there was no "import" or selection method from within the utility to be able to choose, it just goes off to the C2 website and gets the latest version.

Scott Hamilton at C2 kindly sent me the V105 file.

[bisqeet]

just read this - updated earlier this week, no problems yet.

[Carl Watts]

just read this - updated earlier this week, no problems yet.

Tried to row Online with Mark McVinie last night and he was having all sorts of problems with his PM5 on V22. Couldn't even successfully complete a 100M test row.

Perhaps C2 need to make it easier to rollback a firmware version in the Utility. Maybe they have but I only use the really old Utility as the newer ones just don't seam to work for me. Version 6.53 is faultless for updating the PM3 and PM4 monitors.

I believe this applies only to Online rowing and so with most people not doing any online rowing it doesn't really affect them.

[Joebarbs]

Any idea of when you think this will get fixed? I really want to try the free trial of RowPro but doesn't make sense for me to try it now if it doesn't work with my firmware 22.

[Carl Watts]

Software QA costs too much when you're competing in a market with freeware.

Then I guess Digital Rowing's future is not so bright. Regardless of the business model, they cant afford NOT to test. Its a major showstopper when the software cant communicate with the only thing its supposed to communicate with.

Err well it clearly was working on earlier firmware versions so Concept 2 must have changed something so not really Digital Rowings problem unless they were requesting some sort of firmware change to bring in some new feature into RowPro. Digital Rowing physically had a PM5 monitor before it was even released so they would have been using it for testing. I guess sooner or later there are going to be glitches, you have to expect that if you want to stay on the cutting edge of technology. From personal experience its better to hang back and let the other people be the Guinea pigs. Could someone please let me know when all the problems with the PM5 have been sorted and then I will buy one.

[DJL]

I can't use my garmin watch (ant+) and rowpro computer connection at the same time since the upgrade, it only shows seems to allow one type of connection?

[Joebarbs]

Are both RowPro and C2 aware of these issues? I really want to try out RowPro badly but not until it's working correctly. If I try it out now, I'll have no idea if what I'm seeing is normal or not since I have never used this program.

[Joebarbs]

FYI I used RowPro tonight first the first time ever. I have firmware v22 on my PM5. And it worked perfectly. Now keep in mind this is the first time using this program, so I'm not sure how it exclacrky it should look and feel. But it did everything I expected it would do. I did a 30 minute session. Only hiccup was it said my results was a DNF. But I think it's because I hit the stop button immediately after the 30 minutes ended and it was in a cool down mode.

[Carl Watts]

The guy I rowed with using a PM5 and V22 just on a 100m row didn't register him as finished. He got a DNF.

Have a look in your RowPro Logbook, did the 30 minute show up as completed ?

Nothing stopping you using RowPro for everything else but online and just get familiar with it. Try a set-piece, this may work fine, I have had to use this in the past when the online server crashed.

All else fails just download and use the preview version.

I'm sure they are working on a fix.

[domi26]

Is it fixed now?

Or there will be a new firmware?

Dominique

[domi26]

Hi,

Any news?

I have never rowed online, I don't want to finish my first experience with a DNF...

And I'm a bit afraid of going back to version V20 (I don't want a firmware crash during downgrade)...

Dominique