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Reading Live HRM on iPhone from Vivosmart HR...Is this at all possible with any app?

I have recently purchased the Vivosmart HR with the prime intention to know who's calling and any urgent Viber messages when I'm riding my motorcycle, between one customer and another. For my fitness I used to use a Nike Triax C5 with a chest strap. It's kind of oldish tech but it did the job pretty well for the past 8 years. I have since realised that wearing two wristwatches is not for me, so I ran a few trials with both units while on the trail (I was into cross-terrain walking). Well, to cut a long story short I have found that the Vivosmart HR, when worn with the sensors facing the lower part of the wrist and a tad tighter than usual it gives the same readings as the chest strap...more or less. So with regards to reliability in readings I am very very happy with it. Now I am considering handing over the Nike Triax to a friend who right now cannot afford to invest in an HRM unit. The only issue I haven't figured out yet is how to read the current HR readings from the Vivosmart onto my iPhone. I miss the beeps on my Nike indicating if I'm lower or higher than the set target zone. This helps as I don't have to keep looking at the watch. Now, I would like to know if I can get something like this from an app on the iPhone.
I have tried RunKeeper, Strava, Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal...no luck so far. They all sync data after the session and that is brilliant but no On The Fly HR reading so far...sadly!

Can anyone help on this, please?

Thanks a lot and a Happy New Year to everyone in here....I'm a newbie :)

0 Danborg79 over 9 years ago

Is there anybody out there?

0 pshare over 9 years ago

The VSHR sends an ANT+ signal so if your phone will receive ANT+ it will work. That's the good news. The bad news is that, although many android phones (like mine) natively will receive ANT+ signals, the iPhone apparently needs a dongle or accessory.

0 Danborg79 over 9 years ago

Thanks a lot Phil. I had this impression about the signal it broadcasts but so far haven't managed to find an app which successfully reads it when VSHR is connected to iPhone :( Which in turn brings me to the next question...which devices is VSHR +ANT signal is meant to connect with? :-/
There are plenty of iPhones out there...and many are used as a multi purpose tool, like I do. I would sincerely love to have a notification while on training that I am outside my HR zone.

Thank you for your reply once again!

0 pshare over 9 years ago

If you are connected by bluetooth, it's not the same as being connected with ANT+.
Bluetooth is just for syncing and notifications.
ANT+ is pretty much the standard way to transmit HR or bicycle cadence these days.
In my case, that's what I use it for.

For the iPhone, you'll still need to add ANT+ hardware.
Also, in order to receive the HR signal, your VSHR needs to be in broadcast mode.

0 Danborg79 over 9 years ago

Oh now I got it. Sorry the first time round I didn't quite understand what you meant. Never realised iPhone requires an ANT+ receiver :(

Thanks a lot for your reply!

With kind regards.

0 fallingrock over 9 years ago

There are BTLE sensors available ... Wahoo makes a very good line of sensors that transmit in both ANT+ and BTLE (TickR and BlueSC).

Garmin bike computers (currently) only receive sensor data via ANT+ ... but there are a number of apps available for mobile phones that receive BTLE sensor data.

Garmin sensors only broadcast in ANT+.