Freediving Depth Data Field

Former Member over 8 years ago

Recently I noticed that the very useful freediving data field called "Depth" has disappeared from the Connect IQ Store. I have no Idea why and I also don't remember the author of this data field. Because I need this data field and because I want to be able to record the data, I now try to code it myself. Only problem is that I currently run into some difficulties:

-There seems to be no way to get the pressure reading from the barometer into a data field, because it would use the Sensor module which is not allowed to be used for a data field, only for an app (Gives error when put in manifest file).
-And taken that it could be done anyhow, it most likely could not be done with Info.pressure because according to the API documentation this would return a pressure value corrected with the current altitude, whereas I would need the raw value to calculate the diving depth.

So, my big question is: How did the author of this freediving depth data field achieve this??
Can anybody give me a hint with this?

PS: Yes, I know that there exists a diving computer app at www.diveiq.com. But it’s quite expensive and not ideal for freediving. What I really want is just a data field to show me the current depth, which creates a FIT-File to show the depth as a graph in Garmin Connect.

Top Replies

jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to 6301387 +1

Don't confuse the water rating (how deep you can take the watch) with what pressures you can read with the watch. If I recall, some devices max out pressure readings at a depth that would work for…

All Replies

jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

You may want to check this sticky thread, as this is why the DF is now gone.

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?362498-Diving-related-Apps

Former Member over 8 years ago

You may want to check this sticky thread, as this is why the DF is now gone.

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?362498-Diving-related-Apps

First thanks a lot for the quick answer. I was already expecting something like this.

Honestly I think that’s a really bad decision made by Garmin here. Isn’t it each user’s own responsibility whether he wants to risk damaging his watch or not? I mean he bought it didn’t he? Ok. I see the point, that Garmin does not want to get sued, by users who “accidentally” destroyed their watch while using a diving app, but is banning all the diving apps really the way to go? Wouldn’t it be enough to make it mandatory to display a big fat red warning message when installing diving apps, which the user has to confirm? Then it would be 100% his own fault, if he broke his watch.

This being said, could anybody help me with my coding related questions?

travis.vitek over 8 years ago

You might be able to use the altitude value provided inside the Activity.Info. If you go to 5m below the surface, the altimeter will show A. At 10m, it might show B... If you take measurements at various depths, you can establish a function that takes the altitude returned by the device and converts it to a depth. It would take a lot of testing to verify the correctness, but it seems that it might be a reasonable approach.

Of course you could always try go contact the author of that original data field, and find out how he did it. Given that his data field was removed from the app store, he's probably going to be willing to share the source code with those that are interested.

Travis

Niall over 4 years ago in reply to travis.vitek

Depends on which watch you're developing for. For fenix 5 you can read raw pressure. I built exactly this data field today. Pop me a pm if you're interested. Cheers

Jmerino20 over 4 years ago in reply to Niall

Hi Niall,

I'm interested in this data field.

Can you help me, please? Thanks

hnunes88 over 3 years ago in reply to Jmerino20

Hi, have you had any luck?

Miguel_Herrmann over 3 years ago

Hi Marphy43

I know that it is now 5 years since you asked this question.

But I accidently saw your question just now. I were the author of the Depth gauge and the Max Depth gauge datafields that were on Connect IQ for a while.

The data fields were intended for use for fun when freediving etc.

I originally made it for Fenix3 and it were compatible with a few more devices. As I recall it, they were active for about a year and there were more than 3000 downloads and a lot of great reviews and no complaints.

I were working on other datafields for freediving like eg. surface time, time of last dive etc.

But, then one day I received a email from Garmin, stating that the Fenix3 and other compatible devices were never supposed to be used as a watch for diving and that the datafields were now removed from connect IQ.

It even stopped working on my own watch :-)

So yeah I spend time and effort on something that were loved and used by a lot of users, but it ended up being banned.

I used data from the altimeter to measure the depth. I wrote in an old thread how I did it here:
https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/f/app-ideas/974/freediving-depth-meter-surf-time

6301387 over 3 years ago in reply to Miguel_Herrmann

That's really sad, to hear.
I was Hopping to Cross load this feature to the Instinct 2.0...

It shows just how much Garmin tries too squeeze every Cent of its End User which Software Upgradeable Features that could and should be Free on a +400€ Watch...

Want a Diving Feature? Nah, just buy another Watch for 800€...
Want VO2Max? We could Software add it but nah, New Model for additional 400€
while Dropping the Worth of your 2-Year-Old Watch by 60% without warning...

I would say its about Time to Create an Open Source Rugged Smartwatch alternative that's Freely Configurable to your Needs.

Will be Interesting to see, how long till this comment gets Taken down...
Sorry for the Rant

jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to 6301387

You want to check out the App Approval Exceptions: https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/w/wiki/10/app-approval-exceptions

Extreme Sports

Apps designed for scuba diving, free diving, skydiving, base-jumping, and extreme flight sports will not be listed on the app store for the following reasons:

The diving features available on the Descent Mk1 are the only Garmin features intended for underwater diving use.
The altimeter/barometer feature available in some Garmin devices is intended to be used for general altitude reference only, and is not intended to be used for extreme sports such as skydiving, base-jumping or other activities that require the use of equipment that is designed and intended for such use. The Jumpmaster feature on the Garmin tactix Bravo watch is intended to be used for skydiving activities by experienced skydivers. This is the only Garmin feature that is intended for use while skydiving.

6301387 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Thanks for your Answer,
About "[...] or other activities that require the use of equipment that is designed and intended for such use."
the Instinct Tactic Series has also an Base Jumping Activity.
And I doubt that the Barometric Sensor differs across the Series.

The Instinct is Rated for 10 Bar, so technically a depth of 100m.
Normal Scuba Diving goes to ~30m, 50-60m at max. so the Specification would suffice.
For Apnoe it's Technically Possible, but i doubt that even a dwindling Minority can surpass a depth of 50 m.
I know that for Scuba Diving Watches of 20 Bar are recommended as minimum Requirement.

So technically this is right. But you could Inform the User about that and let him Accept an Agreement, like with the aviation-specific apps if thats a Problem.
Like "Not Intended for Usage as Reference, only for Data Recording additionally the Watch is not Intended to be Used for this Use Case"

Your Answer got my Hope up, that it might be Possible to get that App from other Sources, if you know what you are doing?
Because it Technically says "will not be listed" not that its not allowed...
Assumed Cross Loading is Possible.

Could you Point me in such Direction?
Or could you @Miguel_Hermann post it even on a Github Repo, so not everyone has to Recode it himself?