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

Force 935 to alert when pairing with external HRM (or other ANT+ device)?

My Garmin "premium (soft strap) HRM" doesn't always pair with my 935 quickly. Since the oHRM isn't always reliable, I'd like to know the watch is pulling HR data from the strap rather than the optical sensor before starting my activity. (Without trying to look under the watch to see if the LEDs are on.)

Is there a way to force the 935 to vibrate/sound when it pairs or unpairs with an external ANT+ device?

0 2goBeyond over 6 years ago

there is no VISUAL way to tell your chest strap is paired.

There is a visual (External HR Connected) alongside the vibrate/beep. Here's the thing about it:

-It will show only when you go into the activities menu*
-It will show only when you are within a chosen activity (you may see the blinking heart for a moment; that is the watch trying to establish the Optical HR only to then give the visual "External HR Connected" when it finally connects to the strap)*

*None of these are consistent. Either the vibrate/beep goes off and you might get a nanosecond of a visual or sometimes you get no visual at all, sometimes you get both. It is just not consistent and that might be the reason you don't catch it.

What makes this worse is the visual they should just have on the screen somewhere (and static) is a visual marker stating what you ARE currently connected to. If you paired the strap and you started the workout with it connected--say it's connected the whole way through. If you get disconnected, say it is disconnected. Currently, you have no idea while working in an activity you've lost the connection until you get the visual "External HR Connected." You didn't know it was disconnected in the first place or for long it was.

The best I can offer as a way to track if it's connected is to use the Graphic HR data screen (Made by Garmin)during your activities. Usually when the watch loses the HR Strap I see a big square-space in the graph (and the normal 70-72 BPM placeholder the OHRM defaults to when it's trying to establish your HR). In a few seconds though, i'll get the visual queue that it has returned to the strap.

0 brianrenaud over 6 years ago

There is a visual (External HR Connected) alongside the vibrate/beep. Here's the thing about it:
...

Thanks for the details, they seem to correspond to what I've seen. I was naively expecting the watch to react to the external HRM pairing like all the other Garmin watches I've had. It sort of makes sense that it wouldn't. I agree with TMK17 et al. that an indicator for HR source would be nice.