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Screen dimmed automaticly while cycling (Epix on the handlebar)

Gergely
over 2 years ago

I think this is not a BUG, but Garmin didn't count with the usage described in the title.

Settings: workout - max brightness and AOD on. Gestures on or off, doesn't matter.

Previously I used all of my Fenixes as a bike computer too, attached to the handlebar (Garmin has 2 kind of mounters for this purpose, so the watch "officially usable" for this).

After 8-15 seconds of no touch (and no gestures), the screen dims and if the sunlight is strong, I can't see anything on the display. If the sky is cloudy then I barely see the datas, but nothing as close as with my previous Fenix6.

Can you suggest something to change this behaviour? I want a bright screen for the whole workout.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to JoseR

    I think many of us do the same. (would do with Epix too...)

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Gergely
    Gergely said:
    It is a problem that Garmin needs to solve. I hope that they will catch this topic and add a function for this at the next update.

    I don't see how this is a big deal.

    I know the watch doesn't behave the way you would prefer, but rather than whine about it and plead for the manufacturer to change the design of ALL watches, I prefer to think about how I can change my actions (which I control) to see if I can make the use experience better.

    If the dimmed screen is not bright enough for you, under certain lighting conditions, then you have at least two options (which I use) to alleviate the "problem" as follows:

    1. You can set an Alert for the Activity that trips periodically.  Every time an Alert trips, the screen returns to full brightness and remains that way for the Timeout duration you have set.  In my case, I set a Distance Alert for every 0.5 Miles. At 15 mph, this activates full brightness on the watch display for 15 seconds (my set Timeout duration) every 2 minutes. The Alert timing can be set even shorter, if set for every 0.25 miles then the screen would return to full brightness for 15 seconds every minute. You can experiment with this even further if you like. For example, it might be possible to set the Alert timing to every 0.20 miles (apparently the shortest possible) which would trip every 48 seconds for 15 seconds.

    2. If you don't like that, then enable Touch during the Activity and every time you swipe the display from left to right, the display will return to full brightness for the set Timeout duration.

    If neither of these options are acceptable to you, then perhaps the epix Gen 2 is just not the watch for you.

    HTH

    P.S. Happy New Year!

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Gergely

    Wow, that's something unexpected and that they did not advertised!

    I really planned to use the watch on my handlebar, that was a part of the reason I bought such an expensive watch and not 2 different devices (like a fenix 6 and a 830 for example) .

    I hope they'll find a solution!

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to gaijin

    Wouldn't it be easier to add a setting (by Garmin) to disable the dim?

    By the way your solutions unfortunately don't solve my problem, but at least those can be solutions for somebody else. (So thank you.)

    For example if I am doing intervals, I need to see my power and cadence at the whole time of the ongoing interval which is 20 sec to 5-6 minutes. But it is just one scenario there are many more where I need to see the display constantly. (Varia radar's info for example. The new Stamina feature which is also available for bike rides an other where you need to see the display quite a lot.)

    Please don't forget that if something is not relevant/important for you, it can be very important for other people. I feel that in this case it is relevant for almost the whole cyclist community (atleast for that part which thinking to change the Fenixes or Forerunners  to an Epix.)

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to OlivierGironde

    They don't want. At least the rep. from the support team wrote me that this is a planned behavior (to safe battery). But thank you very much, I can decide if I want to save battery or not. My feeling is that Garmin afraid of the possibly screen burn because i. reality this screen is not able handle the always on mode just with tricks like this. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Gergely

    Sounds like your best course of action is to return the epix Gen 2 and move on.

    HTH

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Gergely

    This is how amoled screens are designed. It is intentional especially if you aren’t wearing it. Prevents battery drain and burn in. It’s not specific to Garmin and nobody is going to change that and rightfully so. Suunto 7, Apple watch, Samsung watches and any others with an amoled screen do the same thing. That’s why they kept the Fenix line also. It’s either more of a fitness watch or a smartwatch depending on the model. Sacrifices are made one way or the other.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 8032019

    iam not liking these answers. I ordered one and also use it on my handle bars and would want the display to always be on. what good are maps for navigating a course on the bike if you can't see the map? Must be fixed and probably need another setting for activity for display to always be on, or how it functions now. Otherwise this is not a Multisport or any sport watch.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to avikoren1

    Please report this error to the support team at Garmin.com website. If many people report it, they need to do something.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I already have a Lezyne bike computer to view basic stats.

    I placed the Epix on the handle bar just so that I could see alerts from the Varia Radar.

    Whenever there was a car approaching, which was quit often, the Epix screen brightened up.

    Also, I havent tried this myself, but I wonder what would happen when actually navigating, as opposed to just having the maps viewable?

    I am thinking the screen would brighten at each turn ?

    Going forward I think I will just purchase a Garmin Edge to see stats and the Varia alerts instead, and just put the watch on my wrist to record the activity, with AOD off which I have for done for other activities, it is a watch after all, at least then it would save battery on the Epix.

    I think I would rather do this as I am liking the Epix a lot.