Related
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Accidental sensor pairing -Race season time/comment to show Garmin this matters

LeanMeanGreen13
over 9 years ago
My wife uses a Forerunner 235. On numerous occasions her watch has accidentally paired to multiple kinds of sensors. So far: tempes, cadence (cycling), heart-rate straps, and foot pods.

Most Garmin devices need to be told to "pair" before they hook up with random sensors. Not the 235, he hooks up with any sensor close enough to smell.

I called Garmin and let them know that my random pairing issue was not just localized to me, below are three threads I've found that show the same issue:

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?343746-How-to-avoid-chest-band-pairing-with-FR235/page3&highlight=sensor+paring
https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?343687-Maximal-heart-rate-correct-with-Forerunner-235&p=806527#post806527
https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?344123-How-to-avoid-pairing-with-footpod-with-235

Garmin stated that this auto-pairing issue was a feature to allow users easier pairing with their sensors. They said the watch needs to be within a few centimeters to pair, but I know that two feet was close enough. The tech support rep also said that this issue was not highly prioritized for the programmers either.

I'm concerned that race season is here and too many 235 owners are going to be at the starting lines fighting with their optical sensors getting trumped by other racers' heart-rate straps or foot pods.

If you read the other threads there is a fix, after your watch has mischievously paired with something it shouldn't, you need to enter the sensors settings and tell the 235 to disconnect, but don't unpair the unwanted sensor or the 235 will just re-pair with it.

If this thread gets enough visibility and comments then I'll report back to Garmin and see if the programmers won't add a user requested pair option to the sensors menu like most their other watches vs. the "auto-pair".

Please comment if you have had this issue, or if you plan to use your 235 in a race and are concerned that this issue will affect you.

I ask if an administrator would make this a sticky thread please. I want to help garmin and the 235 users before they are overwhelmed after race season starts.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 9 years ago
    Garmin is working on improvements to the proximity pairing feature of the Forerunner 630/235/230. The improvements are designed to help prevent the devices from pairing with the incorrect HRM. I do not have a release dates for any new changes, but they are being worked on. As others have suggested, in the meantime, disable any incorrect HRM that may have paired with the device to ensure that the preferred strap or OHR sensor is used.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Garmin is working on improvements to the proximity pairing feature of the Forerunner 630/235/230. The improvements are designed to help prevent the devices from pairing with the incorrect HRM. I do not have a release dates for any new changes, but they are being worked on. As others have suggested, in the meantime, disable any incorrect HRM that may have paired with the device to ensure that the preferred strap or OHR sensor is used.


    That is nice to hear. Thank you!
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Brilliant, Thx for the info!
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Hi Jim,

    it does actually pair. The pairing is through proximity though, so you have to get the watch within an inch of a HRM for a second or 2. I think Garmin don't think you will be that close to people. If you are, you find the sensor in your sensor list and turn it off. It's not ideal, but I have yet to happen to me and I've been in race conditions loads of times since I got the watch.

    HTH

    CW

    I can't see how people get that close to others' foot pods, but getting your wrist close to other HRM seems like a pretty likely frequent occurrence at larger events where you're packed into corrals!
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    I can't see how people get that close to others' foot pods, but getting your wrist close to other HRM seems like a pretty likely frequent occurrence at larger events where you're packed into corrals!


    But at that point the watch shouldn't even try to pair! It's like it saw a HRM and started to use it, even though it's not a paired HRM

    ("pairing" and "connecting" are two different things. You should only be able to connect to a device that's been paired. This seem to be the watch connecting to a sensor that's not paired, but then showing it as a sensor and using it's data!)
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    This seem to be the watch connecting to a sensor that's not paired, but then showing it as a sensor and using it's data!
    That's exactly what the FR235 does. Just to reconfirm it is still the case in firmware version 4.20, I removed all entries in ‘Sensors and Accessories’, such that it said ‘No Sensors Paired’, and then returned to the watch face and pressed to get the watch prepped for tracking a Run. I then put on my Wahoo TICKR_X, and within seconds I got a ‘toast’ notification at the top (temporarily obscuring the GPS signal, heart, Bluetooth and battery icons) saying ‘Ext. HR connected’. Exiting from the prep step, and going back to ‘Sensors and Accessories’ in Settings, I can see an entry for the external HR sensor.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Good to hear a fix is being worked on and the issue is admitted...

    And indeed, as ASmugDill describes it this is waaaaay unwanted behavior.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    My FR235 also has paired to strangers in the two races I have raced with it...

    and when the strap it has paired to then is out of range, the optical wrist sensor does not turn back on :-(
    (also happened during training - but there I have mental capacity to run through menus and disconnect "strangers heart rate strap")

    Really hope this is solved before my A-race in three weeks time - but doubt it :-(
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    and when the strap it has paired to then is out of range, the optical wrist sensor does not turn back on :-(
    (also happened during training - but there I have mental capacity to run through menus and disconnect "strangers heart rate strap")

    Really hope this is solved before my A-race in three weeks time - but doubt it :-(


    I also, had an issue with the 235 switching back to the optical sensor after it grabbed someone's hr-strap.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 9 years ago
    Does it definitely not turn back on or does it take a while? After I have done an activity with a strap it does seem to take a good couple of minutes for the OHR to kick back into life again after I have stopped the activity and removed the strap.