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Altimeter performance test

Data
1 month ago

Update: Another day, another test, and completely differemt results. All three watches showing the same erratic drift. I should not have posted about results of only one test. The original text of my post is below here. 

I set the Sensor Mode to Barometer Only now and ignore the altimeter. The Auto setting just doesn't work very well while the weather is so variable. 

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I was running with three devices today (testing a repaired Fenix). The run is visible as the dip in the graph on the two Fenix-es. But what's up with the Forerunner? It seems random.

The FR955's altimeter was always climbing or descending steadily during sleep, but now it has lots of variation all during the day and night. As a result, the barometer graph is just a blocky thing that isn't easy to interpret.

I think this might be a bug.

  • 0 19 days ago in reply to hpaixao

    Really intresting. Either I'm a especially lucky user (like already speculated) or there are different hardware revision on the market which are more or less stable.

    Only one idea besides left is, that there are really some software inferferences. I did not install one single app or watchface or modified anything except of some basic setting or datascreens.

  • 0 19 days ago

    After performing a calibration using DEM before starting (using already 21.22 firmware), I reviewed the altitude data recorded during my activity.

    Is this data accurate? I ran from point A to point B (flat terrain), staying alongside the ocean, and the altitude readings appear completely unrealistic.

    This is my second Forerunner 955 Solar. I returned the first one to Garmin due to a "possible barometer malfunction," and now, after a year, this unit seems to be experiencing the same issue.

    Remember, this is a watch that cost arround 700€  This should be one of the priorities 

  • 0 1 day ago in reply to hpaixao

    I appreciate the silence from Garmin on this matter.
    It’s no surprise that others have started to distance themselves from the brand.

  • 0 7 hours ago in reply to Stefan

    I can confirm that in my case I am also very satisfied with the altitude measurement of my FR955 (contrary to the Solar Instinct I owned before) - also just a few meters (typically < 3 to 5 m) difference when returning to the starting point. What I always do is manually setting the altitude to the known value when going out for a run (at home that´s easy as I know the exact value...). I have been using this device now since Nov. 2023 (activities almost on a daily basis).

  • 0 5 hours ago in reply to TomL

    I don’t doubt you, but as I mentioned, this is my second Forerunner 955 Solar, and the data speaks for itself—running side by side with the sea, yet the altimeter registers -50m.

    Seeing that, and just to be ironic, I decided to test the watch’s 5ATM water resistance limit… and well, it worked.

    Dear God.

  • 0 4 hours ago in reply to hpaixao

    I also do not doubt the problems with your device, but I just wanted to express that it does not seem to be a general problem of all watches, but seems to differ from device to device (which makes it even more difficult to determine the real reason...)

  • 0 4 hours ago in reply to hpaixao

    Can you plot the fit file of your run with the FitFileViewer. FIT File Viewer

    There should be a signal called gps elevation and one with enhanced elevation. There you can see where the signals are running apart.

  • 0 3 hours ago

    I am almost sure that's a bug... just looked and my watch is showing -41m. I did set the altimeter before starting a run this morning (using DEM) and it is now showing 19 floors up and 33 down. The course was out and back and almost flat... 

    To be honest I never found a Garmin with a good altitude/barometer sensor...

  • 0 2 hours ago in reply to Stefan

    After analyzing the FIT file, I can confirm that the watch can handle 5ATM above sea level Joy

    However, it started registering below 0 altitude at: