Wrist HR misreading after 19.10 firmware update

Former Member over 5 years ago

Although the 19.10 firmware update description doesn't mention any HR related changes, the fact is, after that update, the HR measurements I've been getting during running activities, are even far from accurate. Since the update, the readings seems to be a result of a sort an average of readings. The values along running activities now show slower variations (as they are being buffered) independently of the change of effort on each moment.

The readings - comparing with a chest HRM and a 20USD monitor wrist band - have, at leat, a 1min lag, which didn't occur before the 19.10 update.

I've decided to restore to the 15.10 firmware.

Is there a setting that I am missing? Does anyone experiencing the same issue?

0 KSodhi over 5 years ago

Do you have a link for the 15.10 firmware?

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to KSodhi

No, I haven’t.
The Garmin support team told me to reset the watch. They justified the anomaly was due to third party software.

The first time I used the watch after the reset the readings were acceptable, but after installing some Garmin watch faces it seemed to revert back.

Do you have the previous firmware? How do revert to a previous firmware?

0 KSodhi over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Reverting it requires a factory reset, which can make it a chore. I'll have to check and see what FW I have copies of - but for the most part they would be BETAs.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago

Commenting as I seem to have a similar issue and interested in seeing any response. I've had my Fenix 5 for just over a year now and had no issues to date.

For the past week however, my HR seems to be way off on cardio activities. Pre-issue Avg HR around 130+ now I can rarely get above 100 doing similar activities. Sometimes even dropping down to almost my resting HR despite doing something quite strenuous.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Do you have any watch faces, or widgets to monitor your HR?

Try to reset the watch by turning off the watch, then press START-STOP + BACK LAP. Then, keeping START-STOP + BACK LAP pressed, press LIGHT. When the Garmin symbol is shown, release LIGHT. After a first beep, release START-STOP and at the second beep release BACK LAP.

Be aware this procedure will reset the watch and will erase all work plans, favourite activities, GPS data and user settings and will have to pair it again with your phone (to do that you'll have to remove the watch from the CQ).

After reseting do not install anything (even from Garmin) until testing it.

As I mentioned above, in the first try the HR readings seemed close to the other monitor I used to compare, but after installing some watch faces - with HR data display - the HR problem returned, even if less evident.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

I've not really added anything to the watch since I started using it. It's essentially straight out of the box.

I'll have a look at doing the hard reset and see if that makes any difference.