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Instinct - 18.01 Public Release Candidate

Luke_ODQA
over 1 year ago

Hello Instinct customers,

Please read the instructions below to update the software for your Instinct device. We've made some changes to how we deliver beta updates for our customers, so this forum post is now the primary resource for reading the change log notes – they are not available on another webpage. We look forward to your feedback!

18.01 Change Log Notes (changes since 18.00):

  • Improved altimeter performance.

New Software versions listed are in red.

  • System Software: 18.01
  • BLE/ANT/SNS: 1.60 

Instructions for updating software:

  • Download the .zip folder containing the update HERE
  • Connect the watch to your computer.
  • Unzip and copy the included gupdate.gcd file to the Garmin folder on your watch.
  • Disconnect the watch from the computer and it will prompt you to update software.

For any issues that you encounter, please send an email to [email protected]. In your email please include the software version, and a detailed description of your issue, along with any steps to reproduce. Please note that you may not get a response to the email unless we need more information on the issue you report.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to thomass001

    in the barometer diagnostic screen the "Base P" is 1012

    seems correct

    "local P" instead is totally wrong, 860 while ti should be 100 more.

    this is generating the altitude error

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    They don't take us seriously if good 15.81 could be done. This is a clear aging of the product then i2, f7 will come.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to bandit_74

    thanks Bandit for your tests !!!
    but I don't know how to get into the software so much how can I do?
    I really hope that Garmin will release an update and that everything will be automatically solved

    Gabrio

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    @Luke_ODQA   

    Luke do you foresee an update to be able to solve the problem automatically?
    I really hope so because not everyone including me is able to enter the software and modify them

    thank you
    Gabrio

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Hi,

    I gave it a try by going back to sensor hub 1.5 and system software 14.4
    unfortunately, the barometric diagnostic screen is always wrong, it marks an incorrect altitude of almost 900mt, so the error is already there.
    my conclusion is that there is an error in the altitude calculation algorithm, perhaps at the sensor hub level.


    In older versions of the system software (<16.5) the calibration algorithm was still able to compensate for it, and the error is evident only when the watch is restarted; after the first calibration, for example when starting an activity, the calibration works and is maintained.

    With versions after 16.5 the calibration is different and does not compensate for the error, after a few seconds the altitude value is the one calculated by the barometer, in my case much higher than reality.
    when I start an activity auto calibration is done and after a few seconds the altitude goes up and offset both altitude and elevation difference.

    However, I noticed that, even with the latest version, if you use only the barometer, turning off the altimeter, the pressure value is correct for many hours (I compared with another watch).
    on the other hand, if you leave the sensor on auto (altimeter and barometer), the pressure also change a few seconds after calibration and continues to vary. these continuous variations result in the errors in calculating the altitude gain during activities.

    now the word to garmin engineers, I have run out of ideas...!

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    hi Luke
    here are my final notes after the tests done, for your engineers (if they want to contact me I am available)

    - barometer diagnostic screen, tested on
    sensor hub 1.5 and system-sw 14.4
    sensor hub 1.6 and various system-sw from 12.xx to 18.01
    I did not detect any substantial difference, at my home I am at about 350mt  (I'm 50km far from milan) and I read:
    (valid)
    localP: 86908.23
    BaseP: 101200.49
    Local Alt: 1265.74
    Temp (C): 29.85

    as you can see the altitude is greater than about 900mt

    - barometer and altitude values
    if system-sw <16.5 with AUTO sensor mode:
    at each power on the altitude is about 1260
    after gps calibration it becomes 350 and is maintained
    manual calibration is also maintained
    by logging a few bike rides I notice that the accuracy is low, the altitude fluctuates more than it should and falsifies the elevation gain  value.

    If system-sw >=16.5 with AUTO sensor mode:
    at each power on the altitude is about 1260 
    after gps calibration it becomes 350 and is held only for about 5 seconds then rises tback to 1260
    manual calibration to 350 is not accepted
    recording a few bike rides the elevation gain in the first few seconds is about 900mt due to auto calibration (350mt) and the following adjustment (to 1260)  after a few seconds.
    even thereafter the elevation values are still unstable and distort the total elevation gain.

    - pressure values, barometer mode
    tested on system-sw 18.01
    test performed at sea level, on the beach, comparing values with amazfit GTS (barometric) and gtr2
    Initial pressure was 100mbar higher, then I performed barometer calibration with altitude (5mt) and pressure at sea level (1008mbar), the value remains correct for some hours, in line with amazfit's and without any strange fluctuation.

    - pressure values, auto mode
    tested on system-sw 18.01
    test performed at sea level, on the beach, comparing values with amazfit GTS and gtr2
    performed barometer calibration with altitude (5mt) and pressure at sea level, the value starts to fluctuate after a few seconds and deviates significantly from the amazfit one.

    that's all

    ciao

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Hi, I tested this version again in Montserrat mountain, Catalonia. Combined Hike&Run... & pauses for watching panoramic views.

    Garmin Instinct Standard Version with 18.01 TrailRun activity vs Garmin eTrex35t Hiking activity (in backpack):

    T.Distance = 14,69 km vs 14,19 km

    Av.Pace = 13:27 vs 12:11

    Av.Mov.Pace = 10:08 vs 11:51

    Av.Speed = 4:50 vs 4:40

    Total Time = 3:17:32 both

    Mov.Time = 2:28:44 vs 2:48:16

    T.Ascend = 1299m vs 1110m

    T.Descend = 1721m vs 1113m

    Min.Elevation = 349m vs 350,4m

    Max.Elevation = 1117m vs 1101m

    Strava (Ulefone Armor X5):

    T.Distance = 15,6 km

    Moving Time = 1:55:43

    Elevation Gain = 1081m

    Max. Elevation = 1091m

    I hope new software version that improve my Insctinct experience soon.

    Thanks for your hard work.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to bandit_74

    , have you tried testing at another location with known altitude? You say you are at about 350 m, but the watch reads 1260. However, 1260 feet is about 380 meters, an 380 sounds very close to reality. Could it be that they have mixed metric and imperial system? As far as I remember miles and kilometers were mixed up in the Steps widget, so... who knows...

    Besides that, I reckon the unstable readings, that change every couple of seconds, are a separate problem that needs to be addressed on its own. I suppose it is related to the recent changes (in v17.00 or 17.50?), where they changed the way they filter extreme pressure changes. I have no clue about that, though.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to sspanak

    Hi,

    Now I'm on vacation, on the beach, sea level.

    I set to feet and ran GPS calibration; in 5 sec it moved from 36 to 2618 feets in auto mode.

    Same test in meters, 1mt, 799mt in 5s.

    What is strange is that even the diagnostic screen is reporting a wrong altitude..

    Thanx!