It appears that Garmin Connect is putting a strangle hold on my data. I use SportTracks on my personal computer to analyze the data I collect on my Garmin devices. However, since replacing the ANT Agent with Express, Garmin has been making it increasingly difficult, and now impossible to get MY OWN DATA for analysis on MY OWN COMPUTER! The mechanism which previously worked for pulling my data from Garmin Connect now gets a 403 server error. Here's an article about the fortress that Garmin is building around our own data: http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/06/counterpoint-garmin-sync-api.html
You know that Express leaves copies of the FIT files on your hard disc when it uploads via ANT, and you can read them into sporttracks? support.garmin.com/.../case.faces
That's not to say that I think Garmin's approach to the API is the right one, just pointing out that you do have access to your own data.
As of a few days I am getting the same 403 server error as SAMCCAULEY when I try to import my activity data from GC into SportTracks.
I truly hope this is only a temporary glitch on the GC side and resolved quickly.
However, it would be a deal breaker for me to stay with Garmin products, if the reason was in fact Garmin's move to lock down their previously free API to GC and the access was blocked permanently.
My wife and I have been using Garmin top of the line sport watches for years and have been frequently upgrading to the latest FR. Now my wife is due for a new sports watch again. Thus far she was thinking of getting a FR620. Based on these latest developments, she will hold off for now and see how this issue shakes out. Along the same line, at this point I am also considering returning my recently bought Fenix2 to the store for a refund. It seems like it is time to check out the offerings by Suunto and others...
You know that Express leaves copies of the FIT files on your hard disc when it uploads via ANT, and you can read them into sporttracks? support.garmin.com/.../case.faces
That's not to say that I think Garmin's approach to the API is the right one, just pointing out that you do have access to your own data.
This is no longer an option for the newer Garmin watches, like FR620 or Fenix 2. It's WiFi/BT only straight into the cloud.
...and no, having to physically plug the watch into a computer via USB to pull the data is not a viable solution for me; particularly, since Garmin already established that it can be done without the need for cables.
1) I certainly agree Garmin is making life more difficult than it needs to be (as pointed out in my original post). 2) I'm not sure there's a substantial realistic difference between an ANT+ USB stick in a computer, and plugging in the unit to access the raw .FIT file data. 3) Sport Tracks could indeed pay the $5K fee (+ legal implications). I know they've looked at it, but haven't decided on whether to move forward yet. 4) I assume you know that with Suunto the story is slightly worse because you have to not only plug it in via USB, but also first upload to online portal (then you can grab the files)
One tip: If upset with the changes then I'd be sure to make Garmin aware of that in a trackable manner. Meaning - support tickets. Things like Facebook, Twitter and the like are nice, but ultimately aren't tracked. Even posts here aren't really tracked.
I'm always a little surprised that people automatically blame Garmin. The original error is a 403, which is a web server error. The error could mean there's something wrong at SportTracks.
Second, I don't have a device that syncs by ANT+, but as I understand it YOUR OWN DATA is sitting right there on YOUR OWN COMPUTER, since it keeps a copy before sending it along. Search the forums; the cause for most of the complaints is that Express keeps this data in a different place than ANT+ Agent, and there's a simple solution using what on OS X is called an alias and on Windows a directory junction (?). Garmin could end a lot of noise in these forums by putting out a final Communicator Plugin that looks in the right places, but this is a solvable problem. And there's always manual uploads (at least I would hope SportTracks accepted uploads in the usual formats). When someone made a similar claim about Strava, I signed up and was using Strava within minutes with my Edge 800. Garmin didn't prevent me from doing that. Garmin (with Communicator Plugin) made it possible.
Finally, on every individual activity page on Garmin Connect there still an "Export" link. When that disappears, then Garmin will be "locking up your data". Until then, it's all accessible to you, and you can download it and do whatever with it. Tedious and slow if you have a lot of activities to do, but still doable.
"I'm always a little surprised that people automatically blame Garmin."
Umm...it broke a bunch of apps over the past few days. No doubt they were using 'unauthorized' (in Garmin's eyes) methods, but, at the end of the day they were broken by Garmin. Sport Tracks was just one of those apps that broke the past few days.
As I noted in my original post, Garmin can certainly believe they are in the right here - and that's fine. But the rest of the industry is going a different direction. And if Garmin believes they'll be able to beat Apple and Google, they only need to remember how that worked out for car GPS units. Thus, I would think Garmin would bend over backwards to keep people attached to the platform and increase 3rd party integration. After all, that's what every other successful IT platform in the world does.
