Fenix 5/5S - 4.16 Beta Release

Hello Fenix 5S/5 users,

We have new beta software ready for your upcoming adventures!

Please read the 'notes' and 'installation instructions' in the 'Updates and Downloads' page found in the link below. We look forward to your feedback.

Fenix 5S: http://www8.garmin.com/support/downl...s.jsp?id=11661
Fenix 5: http://www8.garmin.com/support/downl...s.jsp?id=11663

Please send all bug reports to [EMAIL="[email protected]"][email protected][/EMAIL], and indicate which model of the fēnix 5 series you have in the subject line.

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.

4.16 Change Log Notes:

Fixed a potential issue where the data field page may have ghost lines when visiting the DogTracker page during an activity.
Fixed an issue where the gesture backlight was not working as expected during Do Not Disturb.

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

To help explain some beta observations reported that may just be the way things are supposed to be, my long term observations of VO2 Max/LTHR/FTP on the Fenix 5 are:

VO2 Max for running requires HR from chest strap or wrist OHR over a steady 10 minutes at some point during your run (from chest strap or wrist OHR, so heart rate variability (HRV) is not required in the calc)

VO2 Max and FTP for cycling require both Power Meter and HR from a chest strap (so power and HRV seem to be used in the calc)

LTHR for running requires HR from a chest strap and won't work with HRV from Wrist OHR or OHR from another source like Scosche Rhythm+ (so HRV seems to be needed in the calc)

Running VO2 Max and LTHR are not calculated when using the Trail Run app (this is by design and stems from the Fenix 3 beta development days where people got fed up with spurious VO2 Max calculations after a Trail Run over hills)

LTHR (running) and FTP (cycling) are only calculated if your activity achieves certain HR/Pace/Power parameters for given time periods; so generally best to do the built in guided tests (but note that hitting the parameters requires you to push very hard for several minutes, so a steady state run/ride simply won't cut it!)

Your current VO2 Max, for cycling or running respectively, is sometimes (but not always) shown in the activity summary and 'Achievements' once the activity is saved. This happens even if a new VO2 Max is not calculated (it just repeats the existing VO2 Max). For instance I always get the old cycling VO2 Max, calculated 3 weeks ago on an indoor wattbike ride (power and chest strap HR), shown in every activity summary since when I finish my commute to/from work using the MTB app (just using wrist OHR). That said, I'm not certain if VO2/Max or FTP will get calculated during a MTB app activity if connected to a power meter and HR chest strap (just not had a chance to test it yet).

There have been odd bugs in previous software versions where running VO2 Max was shown at the end of a bike activity or cycling VO2 Max was shown at the end of a run. This is pretty rare though, and I've reported to the beta team when I've seen it. If you see it and have a hot key configured for screen shot, then do capture the summary screen and email your observations in to the beta team.

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

.....continued from above (it seems my post was too long to fit in one reply)

I've not seen a LTHR value calculated on my Fenix 3 get transferred across to my Fenix 5 (I often get LTHR calc on the Fenix 3 as I use a chest strap, but not on the Fenix 5 as it's recording wrist OHR). That said, I'm less sure whether VO2 Max calculated on one Garmin device (saved to the same Garmin Connect account) can sometimes be synchronised across to another Garmin Device. For example, if I got a new VO2 Max calculated on my Fenix 3 for a run not recorded on the Fenix 5, could that VO2 Max eventually get synced across to the Fenix 5? I'm pretty sure it doesn't, but it might explain the initial 52 VO2 Max that nmyeti observed, despite not having done a bike ride with power and HR strap on the Fenix 5 unit in question. Another explanation could be the bug I mentioned above, where running VO2 Max is sometimes displayed in error at the end of a bike ride (or vice versa)

0 NoTex over 8 years ago

That said, I'm not certain if VO2/Max or FTP will get calculated during a MTB app activity if connected to a power meter and HR chest strap (just not had a chance to test it yet).

I can confirm, that VO2/Max and FTP get calculated with the MTB app activity if you are using a HR chest strap and a powermeter.

0 nmyeti over 8 years ago

I do not have a power meter. I did ride with a chest strap. I've only done 1 MTB activity and no cycling activities with either of my Fenix units. Should I be seeing an FTP value on Connect? I suspect I shouldn't. ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1231547.jpg

0 chunkywizard over 8 years ago

I believe there is a default value based on your weight and your standard but unless you have power you won't get the right value.

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

nmyeti. Any chance you could switch to the cycling FTP and VO2 Max graphs on Garmin Connect (last 4 weeks one is best) and hover your mouse over any points where values have been plotted; a specific date for that point is then shown on the 4 week graph. That would allow you to spot if there is a rogue activity FTP/VO2 Max was calculated in, then you could even email the specific activity fit file to the beta team if you still have it. If there isn't a specific date your cycling VO2 Max and FTP were calculated, then it may well be as CW describes.

0 nmyeti over 8 years ago

nmyeti. Any chance you could switch to the cycling FTP and VO2 Max graphs on Garmin Connect (last 4 weeks one is best) and hover your mouse over any points where values have been plotted; a specific date for that point is then shown on the 4 week graph. That would allow you to spot if there is a rogue activity FTP/VO2 Max was calculated in, then you could even email the specific activity fit file to the beta team if you still have it. If there isn't a specific date your cycling VO2 Max and FTP were calculated, then it may well be as CW describes.

See the picture attached. The only activity i have that week is the MTB ride that I referenced in my original report to the beta team. This is the MTB ride that showed the crazy Vo2 max (without notification). As mentioned above. I do not have a power meter, only a heart rate strap.
ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1231607.jpg

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

That's pretty clear. If you can get the 9 July activity .fit file off the Fenix 5 and email it to the beta team [email][email protected][/email] with a summary of your observations, they can start the investigation in to what caused this rogue calculation of cycling VO2 Max and FTP.

0 nmyeti over 8 years ago

That's pretty clear. If you can get the 9 July activity .fit file off the Fenix 5 and email it to the beta team [email][email protected][/email] with a summary of your observations, they can start the investigation in to what caused this rogue calculation of cycling VO2 Max and FTP.

I've sent the .fit file already. I have also updated them on my observation that i have an FTP value in Connect. What is interesting is that i do not have a cycling Vo2 max, only a running Vo2 max. So from what I've read, even if i had a power meter on my old MTB, FTP shouldn't be calculated until after Vo2 Max is established for cycling.

On the notification of Vo2 Max I'm starting to understand that we are not expecting notifications for the value going down (mine is down to 48 from the 52 that popped up after that MTB ride). James just asked me for any .fit files where the value went up and I didn't receive a notification. That would only be the same odd MTB ride.

0 Crispin_Ellisdon over 8 years ago

OK, sounds like you've given them all you can for the time being. My experience of the beta programme on the Fenix 3 and now Fenix 5 is odd things happen occasionally, but unless they are repeatable or there's an obvious fault captured in a fit file or errlog file on the watch, then it just remains a mystery to all and nothing can be done. If it happens again do let them and us know.