Application .. HR Always

Now available in the Garmin Store .. HR Always

https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/8...e-8ba8d55a5978

Now Available in HR Always .. Time in Zone data on Summary Screen. User setting in Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express.

*** For the Vivoactive HR ***

HR Always has been tested with VivoactiveHR firmware versions 2.60, 2.65 beta, 2.71 beta, 2.74 beta, 2.80, 2.90, 3.30 ... 3.90

For those that want it all the time. Yes .. HR and Zone data and a summary. At least while you have the application running. It will use Optical Heart Rate .. as well as accept an Ant+ HR chest strap if desired.

But beware .. your battery may not love that green light, so you get a battery gauge as well. But I do not expect you to leave it on that long.

So .. enjoy knowing it all. Thank you
VivoactiveHRGuy

*** FULL CHANGE LOG ***

[Version 1.53] June 7 / 2017

- Fixed a bug where the app will crash with the new VivoactiveHR firmware. It was my fault .. and I do apologize for any inconvenience.

[Version 1.52] May 26 / 2017

- Changed screens to be all swipe capable (up / down) while retaining right button press to switch main screens. This is more in line with my other applications.

[Version 1.51] January 17 / 2017

- improved sensor handling upon exit.

[Version 1.50] December 14 / 2016

- allow selection of default startup screen .. via user setting in Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express. Default is normal HR / Zone data screen, but Minimum / Maximum (Average) screen as default can now be selected.

[Version 1.48] December 14 / 2016

- added vibrate on right button press before HR reception.
- added screen refresh to right button press.

[Version 1.47] December 14 / 2016
- added ability to show Average HR data display to minimum / maximum screen. It will display in place of the MAX HR value if desired. Setting in Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express. Default is to show Maximum HR value.

[Version 1.46] December 7 / 2016

- make current HR value on minimum / maximum screen white
- make min HR and maxHR text green to be same as HR values

[Version 1.45] Skipped

[Version 1.44] December 1 / 2016

- zone data is now calculated off of user profile data, the one with the heart on Garmin Connect Mobile. Zones are set when the HR Always application starts and as there is no maximum HR value user setting, it will not change any zones while application is running.

[Version 1.43] December 1 / 2016

- HR Always will now get your maximum HR value from your user profile. Zone data calculations will remain as normal.

[Version 1.42] Skipped

[Version 1.41] November 29 / 2016

- cosmetic changes only

[Version 1.40] November 28 / 2016

- made Version 1.39 change optional via user setting.

[Version 1.39] November 28 / 2016

- added display of Zone data (based on max HR entered) on swipe of screen. Tap screen to get back to normal screen.

[Version 1.38] November 12 / 2016

- Removed Zone 6

[Version 1.37] November 11 / 2016

- Slight screen formatting improvements

[Version 1.36] November 9 / 2016

- Allow display of percentage of max HR on normal screen. Setting in Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express. Default is to NOT show this item.

[Version 1.35] November 7 / 2016

- Added Time in Zone data on summary screen. Default is to show Time In Zone data .. as compared to Percentage Data previously. User setting in Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express.

[Version 1.33] October 27 / 2016

- Allow app to show 0 HR values (no HR being received) if you need to remove VivoactiveHR during application use.

[Version 1.27] September 27 / 2016

- added Current HR display to Minimum / Maximum screen on middle left side.
- improved formatting vs version 1.26

[Version 1.26] Skipped

[Version 1.25] September 26 / 2016

- Added Average HR to summary screen
- Fixed issue where if you go to Min / Max screen, percentage information on summary screen was not correct.

[Version 1.24] September 23 / 2016

- adjusted layout of min / max HR screen for better visibility.
- adjusted color for min / max HR data to green for better readability.

[Version 1.23] September 23 / 2016

- added minimum / maximum screen with right button press. Toggle between normal and minimum / maximum screen.
- added minimum / maximum HR summary data on exit.
- added RHR setting in Garmin Connect Mobile / Garmin Express - minimum HR will not go below the set RHR value. Default is 0 and will accept all HR readings.

[Version 1.22] August 16/2016

- improved time display on screen.

[Version 1.21] August 15/2016

- added seconds as requested.

[Version 1.20] August 14/2016

- changed show time setting in Garmin Connect Mobile to be easier to use. Now .. a selection of on / off for show time.

[Version 1.17] August 13/2016

- Added time support as set in Garmin Connect Mobile.
- Added 24 hour time support. As set in settings in your Vivoactive HR.

[Initial Version]

- Continuous HR display during use
- Continuous Zone display during use
- No GPS needed.
- Uses OHR (Optical Heart Rate) or Ant+ HR Strap.
- Displays Battery Status gauge during use, displays in red at 20%
- Displays Maximum Heart Rate during use as set in Garmin Connect Mobile. Default 180 bpm. Valid range 100-250 bpm
- Displays Zone summary with percentage on exit.
- Tap to turn on back light.

VivoactiveHRGuy over 8 years ago

Here is some information on the Zones. I know the purists will say that there is no Zone 0 or Zone 6. But .. we need something for the couch potato people (yes even yours truly has done it) .. or the downright go getters (been there too).

Zone 0 - anything less than 50% of your MaxHR
Zone 1 - 50-59% of your MaxHR
Zone 2 - 60-69% of your MaxHR
Zone 3 - 70-79% of your MaxHR
Zone 4 - 80-89% of your MaxHR
Zone 5 - 90% and above

Former Member over 8 years ago

Best App so far!

I just got my Vivoactive HR, with chest strap, and this seems to be the only way to get an actually continuous HR reading without activating GPS... It also seems to be the only (or at least lowest battery usage way) passive way to keep using the chest strap for HR monitoring, am I wrong?

Is it possible for this functionality to be in a widget or a watchface? The only downside to this app is that I can't do anything else and keep this going, like look at the heart graph (or any other widget) or see notifications, etc...

If not, I think a great addition to this would be a tap to see a heart chart (like the heart widget from garmin) where you can cycle through time ranges (ie:last 4hr, 1hr, 15min) with additional taps then finally back to the main screen or something.

I have an intermittent heart arrhythmia, and am using this to help me know when my heart is acting up, so really thanks for this @vivoactivehrguy!

-= Tim

VivoactiveHRGuy over 8 years ago

No you cannot do it with a watch face .. as the data is only updated once per minute (or a 10 second period with a detected gesture). A widget .. also has issues as a widget is for short term display only .. and your VAHR will go to the watch face screen after a short period of time. So an application is the only way to show your HR data continuously.

I have no intention of changing HR Always as really I would likely upset as many people as I pleased with any change.

VivoactiveHRGuy over 8 years ago

New version of HR Always likely tonight .. after testing.

It will display time in Zone Information on the Summary Screen .. Zones 0 - 5.

The default will be to show Time In Zone on summary, but if you want percentages instead, you can deselect 'Show Time In Zone' setting in Garmin Connect Mobile
or Garmin Express.

Just as a note .. I have tested with a stopwatch, and the times are accurate. ;)

VivoactiveHRGuy

SHPRUNG over 8 years ago

not broadcast

I have my HR sensor setting to "broadcast in Activity" but running this app is not broadcasting.
so I end up with : I have to start the running app or the cycling app (which include GPS) to get my HR into my Garmin 820 and I hate it...
Any idea if app like yours can broadcast the HR ?

VivoactiveHRGuy over 8 years ago

I have my HR sensor setting to "broadcast in Activity" but running this app is not broadcasting.
so I end up with : I have to start the running app or the cycling app (which include GPS) to get my HR into my Garmin 820 and I hate it...
Any idea if app like yours can broadcast the HR ?

No it will not do that, cause it does not start an activity (create a fit file).

Dr Phil over 8 years ago

Here is some information on the Zones. I know the purists will say that there is no Zone 0 or Zone 6. But .. we need something for the couch potato people (yes even yours truly has done it) .. or the downright go getters (been there too).

Zone 0 - anything less than 50% of your MaxHR
<SNIP>
Zone 6 - 100% or above of your MaxHR. Yes .. you can do it. It is tough and you deserve an extra zone. ;-)

If you exceed your max then it either wasn't set correctly in the first place or you were not fit enough to reach it. If you do exceed the max HR you have set, then that becomes your new HR max and the zones need to be reset.* There is nothing gained by simply having a zone greater than HRmax.

As for Zone 0, it's meaningless. Zone 1 is anything from HRrest to the upper limit that you decide to set. The lower limit will be your average RHR calculated as a percentage from HRrest/HRmax * 100%. This will likely be around 20-30% for trained folk but could be 30%-50%+ for untrained, sedentary couch potatoes anyway.

*220-age is a useful tool to determine a HRmax before you exercise. Once you exercise, you need to determine what your true HRmax is. By definition, HRmax is the maximum HR you can achieve. You can not under normal circumstances exceed it unless it was not correctly determined in the first place.

SHPRUNG over 8 years ago

No it will not do that, cause it does not start an activity (create a fit file).

got it. Do you mind to open source your app (git, zip, etc) and share it with the community. We can create a version that do create a fit file
I want to beleive that with no GPS we will be able to run the app for more hours; at the current apps (run/cycle with the GPS), the battery life is not too good and after a century on the bike, the watch is 'out'...

VivoactiveHRGuy over 8 years ago

Sorry .. releasing my source is not in the cards.

Re adding a FIT file, I can do it (several of my other apps do), but in this app there is no desire to do so.
The reason .. is that it would mess up the app, unless I forced the Fit file to be saved at the end as adding a menu to
save / discard / resume (an I would normally do) would make it a mess and was not in the scope of what this app is supposed to do.

Just a hint .. maybe my app Push It Gym (non GPS app) or Minutes Gym (also non GPS app) would work for you.

Take care ..
VivoactiveHRGuy

SHPRUNG over 8 years ago

github.com/.../garminIQ_HRonly

Sad that you don't want to open source your app but I get it
Thanks for the info. I solve my needs by programming my own app.
I put it for the developers as open source here:
https://github.com/shprung/garminIQ_HRonly
It works but it look like I need to start/stop the watch broadcast in activity once in a while or it will not send the data