Upload rows from old USB stick?

[LtMandella]

Hi,
After updating my PM5 firmware, I started using a new USB stick, and I notice it uploaded my recent rows to the online log. VERY COOL!

Now how do I get all the rows from the previous USB stick into the online log? I really, really, don't want to enter them all manually.

If I start using the old USB stick again temporarily (which did have some issues working reliably with the PM5) would the previous rows on that old stick get uploaded automatically?

If now, how do I get them uploaded?
thanks!
LT

[Citroen]

Try it. There's nobody on here who knows the ins and outs of how the USB stick support works.

[JaapvanE]

Now how do I get all the rows from the previous USB stick into the online log? I really, really, don't want to enter them all manually.

If I start using the old USB stick again temporarily (which did have some issues working reliably with the PM5) would the previous rows on that old stick get uploaded automatically?

Easiest way is to use the Windows C2 utility. When you install it and insert your old USB stick, you can select the sessions to be uploaded to your logbook.

[LtMandella]

tried C2 utility again just now after fresh reinstall on win10 machine, i7, 16gb ram. As always before when I tried to use it, as soon as I open the app on windows it goes into never, never land. Windows always reports it is unresponsive - this time I waited it our for about 15 minutes, then finally it shows "connected" to the USB stick. 15 minutes to see a usb drive? You gotta be shitting me.

Maybe it does something stupid like trying to inventory all the disks on the machine (I have terabytes).

Anyway it still won't upload any data. After getting id from concept2 site it now says there are no workouts, but I just plugged the USB stick back into the PM5 to check and it shows months of workouts logged.

I will de-install the utility again and won't reinstall. It is just too - shall we say (being kind here) - difficult to work with...

[Tsnor]

Hi,
After updating my PM5 firmware, I started using a new USB stick, and I notice it uploaded my recent rows to the online log. VERY COOL!

Likely you connected Ergdata to your PM5 and used Ergdata to do the firmware update. Ergdata connected to your PM5 is how the data is getting sent. The PM5 sends data to Ergdata. Ergdata automatically syncs it to your log.

Ergdata captures data in real time and only uploads data it captured. I don't think Ergdata will upload anything from PM5 memory or from a PM5 attached USB drive.

If you are using Ergdata to send data to your log you should remove the USB flash drive from your PM5. Concept2 support says "When the USB is being used simultaneously with Bluetooth, it can overload the PM5, and the Bluetooth can start having issues sending data. It's recommended not to connect the USB stick if using Bluetooth." Some people report success doing this, but you don't need the stick so why run in a config that C2 says will have problems. https://help.erg.zone/article/207-pm5-t ... %2C%202024

[LtMandella]

@Tsnor, thank you, that info is helpful!

[LtMandella]

[[ON RANT]]

and I will add that issue is just one more sad "gotcha" with their software (or firmware or PM5 hardware).

Now I remember why for all the years I have been rowing on my much loved Model D, I never adopted use of the online log or software. Waaayyy too much hassle. For years I just rowed with the PM4 and logcard. WHY did they feel the need to eliminate the logcard support from the PM5?? (another gotcha...) One thing is for sure, if they had ASKED users if they wanted the logcard support on the PM5 eliminated, we all know the answer would have been NO. They removed that support for their OWN benefit, not their users...

Even now what I would like to do is have the rows logged and uploaded automatically online, but I also want to use youtube on my IPAD while rowing (for the related vids). Seems like that won't work either since I am assuming ergdata and youtube in browser won't run simultaneously on my IPAD...

[[OFF RANT]]

I still have my PM4, I am VERY seriously considering selling the PM5 and going back to the PM4 with the logcard.

[Sakly]

Probably I don't get the problem with PM5 and online log or the big advantage of the log card, as I never used it (same applies to the USB stick stuff).
I switch on the rower, start my smartphone device and am ready to go within ca. 20-30s, when my belt is auto-connected. After finishing the row, I press save and show log on the device and it's already in the log. Takes 10s, if at all.
No hassle at all and very user friendly, so I would assume C2 did it not for their own benefit, more to provide a good, integrated solution.
I think, if anything from the stuff is off the rails, then you can start to think this way, but I never faced any issue, so their concept with online log and ErgData is working absolutely fine for me.
If I wanted to use a tablet for watching video, I would do so and use a dedicated device for ergdata. I think everyone has a phone too, so there is no problem to run that for ergdata and the tablet for any video stuff you want to watch.

[LtMandella]

so let's see, phone for ergdata, pm5 for data capture of erg, and Ipad for graphics. all for one row.
and you don't see the ridiculous complexity of that?

[MPx]

This is coming across as finding issues due to a change without trying or looking at what the software actually does well/better. I've got a drawer full of cards - useless without the PM3 as you can't buy a third party reader that will read the C2 cards. Each card would hold less than a season of workouts. I had to manually upload all my workouts to my log using the C2 utility - took ages. The online log is way better than the cards. Can see all history a season at a time. With the PM5 and Ergdata I dont have to upload anything - when I finish my session I just hit the menu key and it does it all automatically in the background. So I've got a local copy in Ergdata on my phone and the main copy in my log online just by hitting one key. The online log automatically includes my sessions in any of the competitions or events I want to join - again I don't have to transfer any data. Seems pretty neat to me - but then I've not asked it to synch my session with music or give me a tape backup - I guess it would suck at that.

[LtMandella]

the other thing the software suite sucks at is uploading previous row data recorded on a previous USB stick - as per the OP.

After many attempts, I last night finally gave up on my 500,000+ meters recorded on my previous USB stick - the C2 utility in windoz refused to ever see them when I tried to upload, although when I plug the stick back into the PM5 they showed up immediately.

And I do love the ERG. But after 20+ years as a programmer, I can tell when software is basically a "one man shop": i.e. "hey it worked on my development machine, so I don't know why it doesn't work on yours", or "I do this specific (very limited) scenario and never had a problem".

Admittedly, it takes a LOT of time and money to really debug and cover all the use cases on a piece of software that will be used by so many people in so many configurations, interacting with many different devices, for all the varying functions.

On the other hand, anecdotes from the few people who have mastered all the idiosyncracys, all the gotchas, and all the tricks and pitfalls of the software, doesn't really count in my book for saying the software is robust, great UI, reliable, broadly functional, etc.

And as I said, I gave up anyway. My 500K+ rowing records over the last year (would have been twice that but I had hand surgery) or so are lost forever. I don't care that much, what counts is the physical health benefits I get from my Erg - which are fabulous.

Likely going forward I will just ignore the accumulation of detailed data and just count total meters using internal memory. I am confident the PM5 can handle that reliably.

[Sakly]

so let's see, phone for ergdata, pm5 for data capture of erg, and Ipad for graphics. all for one row.
and you don't see the ridiculous complexity of that?

So let's see:
- PM5 for basic data capturing to give metrics and results during and after the row -
- individual external device (everyone has in the pocket nowadays), able to be connected to any PM5 on the world, to log the data and results captured by PM5 to a personal logbook, keeping all data history over years (I am using 3 different machines, don't want to imagine what it would mean to use log cards and an external utility tool to sync) -
- using a tablet for videos, which have nothing to do with rowing whatsoever, no connection to rower, PM5, personal log -

To be honest, I cannot see any flaws in all this.
Trying to sync stuff from old, deprecated technical stuff into the new world can be difficult and give you some hassle, but that's often the case (even if it shouldn't). If there is a new "world" of data capturing and storing, I wouldn't put so much power into the old stuff to get it working for all of the different setups. PM3/4 are already so old, i can absolutely understand support is no longer given.