Fix gd OHM and few other features !!!!!

Seriously Garmin, you are charging $500-800 and advertising it as Sport watch with OHM?
OHM is sooo bad I can't even rely upon it even a little bit!!! As soon as pulse going above 100bpm, it is soooo off for like ~30 pbm which is BADDDDDD it could be absolutely different HR zones.

(Some smart asses please don't say use chest monitor, bla bla bla)

I do use chest most of the time. But I'm talking about product itself as advertised for which I paid for all the futures that advertised and sometimes when I use it I want rely on it!!!!
No where said - Garmin Elevate

wrist heart rate monitor - error margin ~30%. I paid for a product, I want it to work!!!
Also, don't tell this technology is not there yet - I tested Polar, Apple watch, Fitbit (all have decent OHM and you can rely even so it pick up changes in 15-20 sec) bpm is really really close to reality! [TABLE="border: 1, cellpadding: 0"]
[TR]
[TD]Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Barometric altimeter[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Accelerometer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gyroscop[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

all these are inaccurate!!!! especially after last update.
But OHM was since day 1. If bpm going up, Garmin 5 pickup like 30-45 sec later and still not right one..
the only accurate reading if you sit still - this called multi-sport watch? really?

(I'm not saying Garmin 5 is bad watch) No, it is nicely build watch, lot of features, battery holds longer than any other, decent mobile application.. but please fix features that are important and not working correctly! Because it is code issues and not hardware.

0 openbox9 over 6 years ago

What activities are you having issue with? I find that running tends to work fine with OHM and correlates reasonably well with my chest strap HRM. Anything other than running and I wouldn't even begin to think about using an OHM on my wrist.

0 bjrmd over 6 years ago

Wrist heart rate accuracy breaks down with both motion artifact and high intensity exercise related cardiac output redistribution (low arm perfusion). No device will be accurate. However,forehead OHM can be very precise and I have tested it against the Hexoskin with excellent correlation

0 AshotJP over 6 years ago

I have issues with OHM in general! I tried just no activities just regular walk, I use activity - walk, run, bicycle - all is not show even decent result. as soon as bpm passing 100 watch is way of if you moving if you stand still it might in half a minute get anywhere close but not happen often. As I said if it is my physiology or something else, I've tested other brands and OHM working much much better. I just like Garmin build, functionality and wish OHM would be fixed to have at least 5% error or less.
Of cause when I do serious training I use chest monitor. So hope Garmin hear it and try to do something about OHM accuracy and faster adjusting for heart rate changes.

0 mcalista over 6 years ago

I'm probably not the only one who is wondering how you are assessing the performance of the accelerometer or gyroscope. Or indeed how you claim to have moved through so many other OHRM devices so quickly.

But when it comes to OHRM, the most common cause of problems is poor watch positioning and placement. Specifically, the watch should be positioned on the fleshy part of the wrist, well away from the wrist bone. And the band needs to be snug to prevent external light entering the sensor and giving misleading readings - I find that I need to have the band one notch tighter for accurate HR measurement while running, than I do for 24/7 monitoring. The F5 is a larger and heavier watch than many of the other devices you mention, and therefore more subject to "bounce" on the wrist if the band is loose.

If you are having issues, then I would strongly suggest looking at watch positioning and placement. Personally, I find if the band is snug, the watch does pick up increases in effort in the 15-20s timeframe you mention.

0 AshotJP over 6 years ago

"But when it comes to OHRM, the most common cause of problems is poor watch positioning and placement" please don't think I'm an idiot. I tried everything before I write something about it and as I said I compare with other brands and of cause to get correct to know what should be I use chest hrm. As I said for ME PERSONALLY and perhaps there are others, after 100-100 bpm the watch is not showing correct numbers, sometimes even 30 and more pbm gap!!!! And not G F5 is not adjusting in 15-20 sec. sometimes not adjusting at all, sometimes keep showing like 105 and I have 150... but if I stand still or sit or lay and just walk slow - it is showing correct or almost correct.
I bet it is not strong light or something with program logic that read hr

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

please don't think I'm an idiot.

No one said you were an idiot. It's a common oversight with people with your issue. You're anonymous and no one knows if you checked this or not. You stated earlier you didn't want to hear from "smart asses" about chest straps vs the shortcomings of the oHRM. Are you looking for assistance with your post or not? If you don't want to hear from people you think are "smart asses" and people who you think are calling you an idiot, your narrowing your audience who may be able to help.

0 Dr Phil over 6 years ago

fix features that are important and not working correctly! Because it is code issues and not hardware.

And you know this because?

There are for more issues that affect the detection of heart rate on your wrist using optical sensors than code or hardware. Yes, hardware is likely to play a part - Polar have 9 LEDs I think on their new Vantage. While that might present better data in some cases, it certainly is not 100% reliable and accurate for all users. Coding too might affect the readings as the watch tries to determine what is a change caused by a pulse beat and what is not.

But you also have factors like temperature (blood vessels reduce in size when cold). skin colour (darker skin 'hides' the changes in colour caused by blood pulsing through the veins), blood vessel position (we all have blood vessels in different positions, not always directly under the watch LEDs), skin markings such as tattoos, band tightness etc.

It's not simple otherwise all manufacturers would have had this sorted by now. They haven't.

0 AshotJP over 6 years ago

TMK17 - I'm not an anonymous! and by "smart asses" I mean, please don't give an advises that I already know or try and don't tell me it is working for you so I'm wrong. I hope to get thru to Garmin itself is this product is not working correctly for everybody! I know there are others with similar issues here on forum and on web as well. (didn't want to upset anyone, just want my watch to work as it is intended, 'cause I love everything about it except...)
@philipshambrook- yes you right there are many components involve in producing HR - physical, hardware and software. BUT I won't complain if it will be common among all similar products, however as I mentioned other products from several big brands working decently close to reality and since F5 even more $$ than lets say Apply watch or others, I expect it to produce similar or better results. I'm not expect perfection of OHRM, I know it is not the case but at least decent result. and when company release product to the public it should provide similar result to all users!!!!

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

I'm not an anonymous! and by "smart asses" I mean, please don't give an advises that I already know

When I say anonymous, I mean we only know you by user name. I have no idea if you're male or female. If you're in your 20's, 30's, 40's, etc. So, no one knows how you're using your watch or if you were aware of the oHRM shortcomings and that a chest strap works much better. Why would someone be a smart ass if they brought it up without knowing anything about you?

0 Dr Phil over 6 years ago

This topic has been done to death. Garmin, along withALL other manufacturers using optical heart rate technology, are well aware of the limitations. Some do indeed have better results than others but not one of them is successful at producing accurate and reliable outcomes for all users.

Little point in continuing your tirade about the failings of optical heart rate technology on wrist-worn devices.