Application: Elliptical

How To, Comments and Bugs Thread for Elliptical Application

Elliptical App Store Link

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Full Version : Full Version Click HERE for information how to get the FULL Version
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How to Use (Please Read):
1.) Watch must be worn on your wrist!
2.) Watch hand MUST be on the MOVING Elliptical Arm.
-- i.e. your hand and watch must move with the elliptical or the app will not work.
3.) Hold the elliptical arm with your watch hand 'loosely'. This allows your watch to have more sudden movement.
For example, when you pull the elliptical arm, allow your watch hand to pull away from the handle (1/2 inch or 1 cm) and when you push the elliptical arm, your hand will quickly push against the elliptical handle. This sudden movement is needed for the watch to interpret a revolution.
4.) Adjust distance and speed.
--Configure in watch, use menu button, while in activity. (VAHR long press screen)
--Configure in connect app or Garmin express https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?332843-How-to-App-Settings
-The default "Stride Length" is for a Sole E20.
-Every elliptical brand/model reports distance differently, so configuration is necessary.
-The default will provide distance and speed for other brand but values will differ.
-The easiest way to adjust is to A.) workout for ten minutes, B.) the adjust Stride Length until the watch distance matches the elliptical value.
5.) Chest HRM (3, red or blue) will give improved results.
6.) Bike Cadence Sensor with HRM gives the best results.

Requirements:
- IQ 1.3 or higher
- Activity Tracking Steps: ON
-Optional: Chest HRM and Bike Cadence Sensor (best accuracy)

Known Deficiencies:
-(Garmin Bug) 'Main' Distance field and Garmin's Main Speed Graph are not reporting in connect.garmin.com or connect app.
--I cannot change this, it a Garmin thing, however values may show in third party site. i.e. strava, etc.
-Workaround: Both of Distance and Speed are shown as an IQ data field or as an IQ graph.

Displayed connect data
--Speed as mph/km/h or Steps per Minute
--RPM
--Distance
--Momentary Energy Expenditure graph (https://www.firstbeat.com/en/consumer-products/features/#4)

Displayed watch data
-Speed, Distance, RPM, Calories, Heart Rate, Average Heart Rate, Elapsed Timer, Time of Day
-Heart Rate is completely configurable and color coded.
-Configure Heart rate zones in Garmin Connect or Garmin Express using the generic
-Battery meter uses the entire screen for reliability and acts as a divide to help focus one the upper fields.
-All Displays in ether statute or metric
-Fields are auto-adjust for all data ranges for maximum readability through out your entire activity.
-Second page of data, 11 different fields to choose in configuration.
--Speed, Distance, Elapse Timer, Calories. Energy Expenditure, heart rate (color), avg heart rate (color), RPM, Avg RPM and temperature.

Start Display Abbreviations
cad = cadence ready. (displays last value)
b = connected to phone with connect app running
hr= Heart Rate monitor sensor detected. (displays last value)
temp= temperature sensor detected. (displays last value)

In Development: Ant+ Speed Sensor input, distance reporting as meters
Current Release:
v1.2.1 Better and more accurate cadence with watch only configuration.
v1.2.0 may contain cadence display issues with watch only configuration
v1.2 Corrected: Cadence from watch only, Semi-round watches HR display now working,
-Added: (experimental) Ant+ Speed Sensor and can be view on second page.

connect app
data average rpm is ok
graphs are not labeled and data looks ok.
There is a distance graph, needs removed.:rolleyes:

connect.garmin.com
6 APRIL 2017 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1661740413
all data and values 98% accuracy with distance.

Reporting Errors and Ideas
In order to correct the problem please send/post the following:
-error description
-give watch model, firmware & iq version
-configuration info
-if "!", please send the error log(s). Connect your watch to a PC and it is It's located at {watch}\garmin\apps\logs. Copy file and attach to post or email me the info and log.

All my Apps
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/developer/4ca4351d-f24c-40e0-bc3e-b187972a7526/apps

F3b Software (Brian) over 7 years ago

I have tested all three and the difference is:
The new builtin apps are the Cardio App, that was renamed without GPS. These built-in provide timer, heart rate and calories (Floors Climbed adds floors but is not adjustable). No Distance, Speed, Cadence, Steps, Activity Steps, Steps per minutes, floors per minute Training Effect and Energy Expenditure.

glista over 7 years ago

thanks for making this app!

Quick question - how are the calories calculated when I use HRM and bike cadence ? Is it more accurate than the cardio apps ? It still doesn't know anything about the resistance of the elliptical

TheSalamander over 7 years ago

I've been using the elliptical app on a VAHR and really like it. One thing I have noticed though is that I don't get any confirmation of my external chest HRM being connected. With the native VAHR apps I do. Is this something that can be added or is it a limitation of 3rd party Connect IQ apps?

thanks

Alex

F3b Software (Brian) over 7 years ago

@TheSalamander, I think you are correct, this is a limitation of 3rd IQ apps. At this time i cannot determine where the heart rate comes from.

Former Member over 7 years ago

Hello,
I just purchased your 12 app pack and used the Elliptical with my Vivoactive 3 - great app on the watch!!

I did several 5-10 min trials as I tweaked the stride length. It seemed to match my Elliptical distance quite well - I have an Octane Fitness QX31 with a 20.5" fixed stride length.

But after ending each activity and saving it, and syncing it with Garmin Connect on my Android phone, when I view the Elliptical Activities which are all there, I don't see any distance reported in the Circle in the middle of the Time and Calories report. Even if I click on the sheet of paper icon, I don't see any distances. Finally if I check on my PC's web browser I also see no distances for the elliptical activities

Any idea what is going on?

Thanks,
Gary

Former Member over 7 years ago

Thanks for getting back to me!
In the Connect App, if I click on the Calendar to get to the days I Ellipticalled (not sure that is even a word!!), I see my list of elliptical activities (5 in all that day). If I select one (doesn't matter which), I see time, 0 distance, calories in the circles with -- avg speed and -- elev gain.

If I click on the paper icon (2nd from the left) I see no entries for avg spped, 0 min/km pace, a total time amount and heart rate and calories numbers. After that is a list of temperatures with no data and that is it. There is nothing beyond the Temperature section.

The graphs icon shows me a heart rate (bpm) graph with data, a Speed IQ graph, a Cadence IQ graph, a Momentary Energy Expenditure IQ graph, and a Time in Heart Rate Zones graph.

Nowhere do I see any of the data (eg. distance) that the watch itself summarized when I ended the activity.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?

Cheers,
Gary

Former Member over 7 years ago

I've been using this app successfully for months, but started having an issue this month. The first thing I noticed is that my distance was 2x what it should be. Then I noticed that the RPMs were 2x. No changes to settings had been made by me between when it was working fine till it wasn't. I have since gone in and tried changing settings. I'm using a Wahoo RPM cadence sensor, but the sensor divide by 2 settings doesn't see to make a difference. I've also noticed that the cadence listed on the start page is correct, but once I start the activity the Average RPMs is 2x.

Any things I should try? Is there a way to be sure that it is using the cadence sensor?

Update: Looking at my previous exercise records, cadence is always correct. On my Jan 25th Elliptical record cadence ~ Average RPMs, but on my Jan 27 elliptical record Average RPMs is 2x cadence.

F3b Software (Brian) over 7 years ago

Tom_Goetz, This is corrected. V2.3 corrects the problem and is avaiable in the app store.

BTW, thank you for the amazing blog entry:)
http://blog.tom-goetz.org/2017/04/tracking-elliptical-workouts-with.html?m=1

TheSalamander over 7 years ago

Hi,

I've been using the app for a long time, and upgraded to the paid version a while ago as it is a great app. However in the last few weeks I've noticed that my Wahoo Heart Rate strap can take 3-10 minutes to get picked up on my VivoActive HR when using the elliptical app. I thought it was the batteries so replaced these, and even tried a different Heart Rate strap. From what I can tell from some tests, if I use an inbuilt VAHR app e.g. Cardio, then my Wahoo HR strap is picked up almost immediately, however with your Elliptical app it now takes several minutes. Is there any possibility that a change in the CIQ version or something else would be causing your app to take so long to pick up and connect to my Heart Rate strap?

thanks

Alex

Former Member over 7 years ago

Tom_Goetz, This is corrected. V2.3 corrects the problem and is available in the app store.

BTW, thank you for the amazing blog entry:)
http://blog.tom-goetz.org/2017/04/tracking-elliptical-workouts-with.html?m=1

Used it last night and it is working for me again. Thanks! Sorry for the slow response, it took me a while to test it due to unforeseen circumstances.

BTW, I'm parsing FIT files (https://github.com/tcgoetz/GarminDB) generated by your app and I notice that you have used a number of different field names and values over time: total_distance, User_distance. Would it be possible for you to tell me the dev field names and units for the fields you've used?