Fenix 5S/5 - 2.72 Beta Release

Hello Fenix 5S/5 users,

Thank you to everyone for the tremendous response that we've already received this early in the Fenix 5S/5 launch. We are very excited to finally see the Fenix 5S/5 in the market for all to enjoy!

We appreciate you, our customers, who pursue similar passions to our own, and share those stories with us. Not only do you share your stories, but your feedback makes an already fantastic product even better. This we appreciate more than we can express.

Because of our wonderful community we are officially kicking off the Fenix 5S/5 beta program today. We have this program so that we can offer added features, improvements, and bug fixes to our most loyal fans as soon as possible. Please read the 'notes' and 'installation instructions' in the 'Updates and Downloads' page found in the links below for your specific device.

This beta is a public release candidate and our hope is that next week we can make this build public. We look forward to your feedback

Fenix 5S: http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=11661
Fenix 5: http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=11663

In this beta software there is a GPS update. Before use, we recommend that all users allow their device an opportunity 'soak' and acquire GPS at least 15 minutes, with an open view of the sky, to rebuild ephemeris data

Please send all bug reports to [email][email protected][/email].

Note: Please allow for the updates to propagate across all servers. There is no need to post that the link does not work. It will after a bit of patience. :)

2.72 Change Log Notes:

Added support for GroupTrack with Livetrack. (Garmin Connect Mobile > Menu > Livetrack > GroupTrack.)
Added support for Bontrager bike lights.
Added support for 'Countdown Start' when using Pool Swim. (Settings > Activities and Apps > Pool Swim > Pool Swim Settings > Countdown Start)
Added support for recording FIT files with Golf activities.
Added instructional tips for the Training Status page and Performance widget.
Added support for CIQ apps to access Bike Light features.
Added support for Running Dynamics Pod.
Fixed an issue with Virtual Partner not displaying time ahead/behind information correctly.
Fixed an intermittent issue where the Fenix device won't auto connect to the Mobile app after powering up.
Fixed a couple of scenarios where the 'In-activity' backlight settings were not being respected.
Fixed an issue where the device could crash while creating custom alerts for 'Other' apps
Fixed an issue where Wi-Fi was still offered as a Hotkey on non-WIFI devices.
Fixed a potential issue with Portuguese and Hebrew keyboards.
Fixed a potential issue where LiveTrack does not stop after ending an activity.
Fixed crash that could occur when course files with special characters were loaded.
Made general improvements to increase product stability.
Improved messaging for when a course exceeds the device's course point limit.

Send all bug reports to [email][email protected][/email]

0 ChevronLugs over 8 years ago

Installing now! I'm getting good tracks with a replacement F5, so I'm excited to see if this cleans it up even more.

0 webvan over 8 years ago

Will be updating ASAP to see if it brings the F5's GPS performance on par with the FR235's !

For reference this is what I have before the update :
Software : 2.40
GPS : 4.20
CIQ : 2.2.3
WHR : 20.03.19
ETE : 4.8.23.1
THA : 1.0.0.4

As a side note it takes 30 seconds to download the live ephemeris data from a satellite AFAIK so 15' will give a lot of margin ;-)

EDIT - Updates done :

Software : 2.72
GPS : 4.22
CIQ : 2.2.3
BLE/ANT/SNS : 2.70 (had I missed that line before ?)
WHR : 20.03.19
ETE : 4.8.23.1
THA : 1.0.0.4

0 chimpware over 8 years ago

Stryd Footpod Drop Outs

Will any of this fix drop out issues experienced with Stryd foot pod? Note I can confirm this issue and DCR already mentioned it in his testing on Strava as well.

If not, this may be a quick deal breaker for me, hate to say.

Also Why is Garmin not natively supporting Running Power yet??? It is getting a little ridiculous.

0 chimpware over 8 years ago

Seems issue with instructions:

Download and unzip fenix_***Beta.zip
Place the gupdate.gcd file found in the System_v*** folder in the \GARMIN directory --> Fine
Place the gupXXXX.gcd file found in the Sensor Hub_v*** folder in the \GARMIN\REMOTESW directory --> Fine
Place the gupXXXX.gcd file found in the GPS_v*** folder in the \GARMIN\REMOTESW directory --> File name in this directory in the Fenix 5 download is GUPDATE.GCD, not GUPXXXX.GCD
Place all files found in the Text_v*** folder in the \Garmin\TEXT directory --> Fine

Is this a mistake in the instructions or is the wrong file included in the Beta file?

0 meste7 over 8 years ago

Did the update, going out for a trail run for a test...

0 Chris.J.Hart over 8 years ago

As a side note it takes 30 seconds to download the live ephemeris data from a satellite AFAIK so 15' will give a lot of margin ;-)

That's just ephemeris though. The full almanac is transmitted repeatedly over 12.5 minutes by each satellite.

0 webvan over 8 years ago

The almanac data is not used for navigation purposes, it was useful for low sensitivity receivers that had trouble locating satellites in the sky (remember when Garmin systems asked you to input your location ?) and then be able to download the ephemeris data to start navigating, this has been taken care of since at least SiRFStarIII in 2005 ;-)

0 Chris.J.Hart over 8 years ago

The almanac data is not used for navigation purposes, it was useful for low sensitivity receivers that had trouble locating satellites in the sky (remember when Garmin systems asked you to input your location ?) and then be able to download the ephemeris data to start navigating, this has been taken care of since at least SiRFStarIII in 2005 ;-)

Surely though the quick to achieve ephemeris data is only for a single satellite (each satellite transmitting its own data)?

Doesn't the almanac data contains info for all the satellites and allows the receiver to generate a list of which satellites should be visible based on position and time allowing for a more rapid accurate fix?

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

Are other people still finding that alarms and settings entered on the watch are still being over-written by the older settings in Garmin Connect after sync? At first glance I thought 2.72 had sorted this, but after a few syncs my new alarms and settings had been changed for the older ones in Garmin Connect.

0 webvan over 8 years ago

Surely though the quick to achieve ephemeris data is only for a single satellite (each satellite transmitting its own data)?

Doesn't the almanac data contains info for all the satellites and allows the receiver to generate a list of which satellites should be visible based on position and time allowing for a more rapid accurate fix?

Almanac data that was only useful in "early generation" receivers that had limited CPU power and sensitivity, ever since SiRFstarIII in 2005 (SiRFstarII was already a huge progress compared to the Garmin receivers used in say the FR201) the scanning for satellites in the sky is done pretty much instantly. Interestingly the downloading of ephemeris data has remained somewhat of a challenge because it requires a good signal (hard to get with tiny "antennas") and has to go uninterrupted for 30 seconds. That's why things like AGPS (network required) or EPO (download of canned ephemeris) were developed. The problem is that they are going to be less accurate than actual live ephemeris data.