can any watchface or widget keep an ANT+ connection extended (like HRM)

Garmin seems to refuse to give users any option for extended ANT+ connections, trying to close them as soon as possible, I guess to save power.

On devices like the HRM-Pro-Plus with an easily changeable battery this is especially annoying where instead of using the far more accurate straps it wants to change back to the optical sensor as soon as possible, I've even seen that behavior post-activity when it is estimating recovery time based on EPOC and just disconnects the HRM strap in just a minute only to try to connect it later.

So if watchfaces can cause battery drain, can they purposely poll specific ANT+ connections to keep them alive?

Can a widget if it is not currently selected?

Garmin's own HR monitor widget won't even connect to the HRM-Pro and just lazily defaults to optical so I have no idea what is possible or not.

jim_m_58 19 days ago

The only real way to keep the connection is to have a device-app and keep it running. With something like a widget, it can stay open while the widget is open, but they generally time out after minute or two. Otherwise, you can use a background service that connects and reads the data every 5 minutes at most,

As far as battery, you need to think about the battery in the Garmin. Consider a Tempe sensor. It sends data 24/7, and with this, I get about a year of battery life, but staying connected will drain the Garmin.