vivoactive hr not starting the optical sensor for CIQ apps

Hi Guys

I have a report from a vivoactive HR user about and issue with the HR sensor

Here is part of his mail.

"I took a short run today and tried some.
During the first 2km I used the Garmin app without problems. The sensor seems active all of the time (green light on)
Then I used the Genius app. After a short time the HR did not show and the green light was off. It came back for two short times.
I also lost GPS three times, the running was in the woods surrounding our village. I normally don't loose GPS signal but it could be just bad luck.
Then again a short run with the Garmin app. I didn't wait for the HR to show but it came visible after a minute or so. No GPS problems.
And at last a short distance with the Genius app. After a short while the green lights went out and according to the watch I died of heart failure."

This was the second time he tested the app for me and in the first one he had the same results.

The strange part of the report is that the optical sensor turns off. Im my app I never disable the sensors. I enable them all when the app starts and thats it.
Another important point is that during the workout, eventually the sensor turned on, he picked the hr info and turned off again.

Based on the description seems that the sensor is not being enabled by the app, and the sporadic readings are happening when the device turns on the sensor to acquire the 24/7 hr info of the user
Or maybe the app enables the sensor but the reading for the 24/7 monitoring is incorrectly turning it off
(I'm just guessing here)

This can be a bug in the firmware, or can be a device configuration.

The core part of my app is running in other devices and I tested it in fenix3, vivoactive (non hr) and fr235 real devices, so I believe it's not an issue in my code.

I still dont have a vivoactive HR myself to test it, so I would appreciate if someone could install my app and see if the sensor simply turns off after a minute or two.
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/08509d99-62a8-46a0-b01f-6f22e6ff431e

Anyone else received this kind of user complaint?

Cheers,

Robinson

Brandon.ConnectIQ over 9 years ago

I just spoke with the device team about this moments ago. We had thought the issue was addressed in 2.60, but there was another issue the first fix uncovered. That fix has been made, so it will be available in a future firmware release (I don't know exactly which release will receive the fix).

geniuswrist over 9 years ago

Thanks Brandon.

jim_m_58 over 9 years ago

Hi there,

Just tried with Workout Genius (VA-HR FW 2.60) and sensors still not working (HR and tempe).

I've had no problem with the Tempe on the va-hr.

I haven't used Workout Genus, but does it try to use the Tempe as a standard system sensor, or is it making direct Ant+ calls? (the permissions will include something like "ability to access 3rd party Ant+ sensors). That could be a difference.

Is it that you're never getting the data from the Tempe? It may appear slow, as it can take up to maybe a minute to get the first reading, and then readings only change every minute.

geniuswrist over 9 years ago

I've had no problem with the Tempe on the va-hr.

I haven't used Workout Genus, but does it try to use the Tempe as a standard system sensor, or is it making direct Ant+ calls? (the permissions will include something like "ability to access 3rd party Ant+ sensors). That could be a difference.

Is it that you're never getting the data from the Tempe? It may appear slow, as it can take up to maybe a minute to get the first reading, and then readings only change every minute.

No fancy ant+ coding in my app Jim. I am simply using setEnabledSensors passing the array.

I have a lot of complaints regarding various sensors. I cannot be sure if they are user anxiety or real issues.
Unfortunately considering the history of issues in CIQ when releasing new hardware and firmware, I am forced to take the user complaints as real problems.

Probably this week or the next my own vahr will be in my hands and I will do the tests myself.
Then I will update this thread.

It would be really nice if Garmin could provide some differentiated treatment to developers regarding access to new hardware.
I really would like to receive the first production units of the devices and have the chance to test them before the majority of the users.
Of course I would gladly pay for them.

Cheers,

Robinson

jim_m_58 over 9 years ago

I have two apps that use the Tempe and use one of them pretty much every day on a va-hr.

Do you make a single call to setEnabledSenors with everything, or separate calls for each sensor? (I have one call with all the sensors)

geniuswrist over 9 years ago

One call with all sensors.

The part of code responsible for capturing sensor info and activity info is shared among all device models and it is working properly.

As I said, I will test it myself this week or the next.

WizardSleeve over 9 years ago

hMMM

so does it look like this is going to be fixed any time soon?

I want to use this app: https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/65a44a9d-465d-4e76-a866-c0667e51cf98 on my rest days from the gym but the HRM bit doesnt work so its not counting calories.

jim_m_58 over 9 years ago

There was a new drop of beta FW for the va-hr yesterday (2.65) and this is fixed in that beta! I tested it this morning.

Former Member over 9 years ago

I found as well .. that in my Drop application, that it works properly in the Vivoactive HR 2.65 beta firmware. Leaves me smiling. :)

Brandon.ConnectIQ over 9 years ago

Thanks for your patience! I know it's frustrating when things aren't working properly, but we're doing our best to get these issues addressed. :)