Garmin Fenix 5x Altimeter/Barometer Widget - (Auto Mode) Total mes.

Former Member over 7 years ago

I am using Fenix 5x with firmware version 6.0.

In the altimeter / barometer widget, in the barometer settings, in the Watch Mode options, I chose the "Auto" mode.

I think that through this option, basically, when you are in motion, not excluding other variables, the clock algorithm classifies changes in the measured pressure as changes in altitude, on the other hand, when you are not moving, not excluding other variables, the changes in measured pressure are classified as changes in atmospheric pressure.

Until yesterday, I have never had serious problems with the altimeter in this "watch auto mode". I used to leave my apartment (5th floor) and go to work, up and down floors in the office building, come back home and check all the altitude variation. The widget used to show the same altitude at home (in the morning or in the evening). During the period of working, basically all the time in the same floor, the Fenix 5x, as excpected, used to show no variation in altitude, even in rainy days.

However, since yesterday, the weather in my town is total mess. Unfortunately, the altimeter is being influenced, as it is measuring absurd altitude changes totally non-existent. I remain sitted in my office and the altitude goes down and goes up like 15 meters.

The altitude remain constant only if I change the watch mode, in the widget settings, to "Barometer".

I do not know if this is the a defect of version 6.0 or if the algorithin of the "Watch Auto Mode" needs to be revised to work propertly on bad weather days, I just want the auto mode working again.

Anyone else facing this problem?

0 mcalista over 7 years ago

A post in another thread from one of the Garmin mods:

Hi everyone,
Either from the ABC widget or from the Barometer widget, under Barometer settings you will see "Watch Mode." There's three options here: Auto, Altimeter, and Barometer. Altimeter will assume that changes in pressure measured by the barometer are because of altitude changes. Barometer will assume that changes are less related to altitude, and are because of weather changes. The Auto setting will do it's best to guess which changes are happening. If you'd like your watch to be more sensitive to storm alerts, chose the "Barometer" setting.

Thanks,
Mel
Garmin Outdoor SW Quality Team

0 sis651 over 7 years ago

I experienced the same with Fenix 3 too. I think Fenix'es have some fixed limit value, where if pressure change is faster than that value, it immediately records it as altitude change. I remember Fenix 3 flied me 20 - 30 meters above even though I was in bed and calibrated it many times, so altitude change was reaching to at least 60 - 70 meters at least.
Fenix 5X is no different, except it's accuracy is worse than Fenix 3. I have fenix 3 with me too, but its in the drawer. At the same night, Fenix 5X changes my altitude but Fenix 3 keeps it still. Yeah, my arm can move and the watch may think I'm active but what can I do so much when I'm sleeping?..

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

A post in another thread from one of the Garmin mods:

"The Auto setting will do it's best to guess which changes are happening. If you'd like your watch to be more sensitive to storm alerts, chose the "Barometer" setting."

In fact, I want the clock to be as accurate as possible in relation to altitude variation, which means that it should not assume that the changes in pressure (when I'm not moving at all, even the wrist) are somehow related to altitude. I think movement is the key to auto mode.

I think this would be the so-called automatic mode, whereby the watch does "the best to guess what's happening"

And the clock did right for long time, but recently it became caos.

0 sis651 over 7 years ago

Then you can try barometer mode in barometer settings. That translates changes into pressure change.
It did good for a long time because weather was more stable in summer. But winter means more temperature changes, more humidity changes, more pressure changes. And if you're in a stormy area, even all modes can make wrong assumptions.

0 WolfieTheRoadrunner over 7 years ago

Is there a patent on this silly idea or why isn't anyone implementing this?

The watch already has a weather widget, so in most cases when it's connected to the phone it has the official weather stations' barometer measurements. Why can't it just adjust its own barometer reading to this weather data and be altitude accurate all the time?

0 sis651 over 7 years ago

I'm not sure it gets data from weather stations always or everywhere. Some phone apps just get data from weather models which displays the prediction of a model but not the exact weather at that time. I don't know how Fenix weather widget works or where it gets data from.
It's theoretically possible to auto calibrate with a weather station. It needs ambient and sea level pressure data with elevation of weather station. Then it can calibrate itself. But weather stations are not frequent everywhere and pressure can be different depending on the geographical structure and weather circumstances. Also for example storm comes from north and the weather station is in your south side. Then your watch will face the pressure drop and storm before the weather station, but your watch will calibrate itself according to the station and then it'll have wrong altitude again...

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

Then you can try barometer mode in barometer settings. That translates changes into pressure change.
It did good for a long time because weather was more stable in summer. But winter means more temperature changes, more humidity changes, more pressure changes. And if you're in a stormy area, even all modes can make wrong assumptions.

Yes, I surrendered and adopted this option.

Basically, for two reasons:

1) the storm warning becomes more accurate;
2) I am not active precisely because of storms, so the altitude remains constant as it should to be.

I must note, however, that when using the barometer mode, contrary to this statement

A post in another thread from one of the Garmin mods:

"...Barometer will assume that changes are less related to altitude ...."

the barometer will assume that changes are not related to altitude at all.

Then, when I use the stairs for excercising, in these days, I'm changing the mode to altimeter or even auto, and then, back to barometer mode.