Heart rate monitor...ug...

[SkydiverTilt]

Any tips on getting the heart rate monitor working better? Mine always reads terrible. Either the old move up your wrist no reading message or about 20-30bpm low.

So any tips? Flip it to the other side if the wrist, make my arm wet, tape it to my neck???

 

[Greymire]

Any tips on getting the heart rate monitor working better? Mine always reads terrible. Either the old move up your wrist no reading message or about 20-30bpm low.

So any tips? Flip it to the other side if the wrist, make my arm wet, tape it to my neck???

Turn it off and on.. If that doesn't help do a full reset with the buttons. A reset done in settings probably will not help.. That is a partial reset. Basically you turn the watch off. Turn in and when screen comes up you continually hit the power button until the boot menu comes up. Then with too button select reset.. Then hit the bottom button.. It can take a few times to get it.. If you hold the power button too long it bypasses the reset and does a normal boot.

 

[skatergirl]

I have found that "misbehaving" apps on my phone have interfered with my step tracker. This might not have anything to do with your problem but you could try force closing all your apps and then checking your monitor. The apps that interfered with my tracker were apps that were not even opened but crashing anyway. I force closed one app and uninstalled another.

 

[jgreg02]

Speaking as an S3 owner for now over two years, heart rate measurement requires sensors on the back to have continuous contact with your skin while it is doing the measurement. when exercising or running it is possibly bouncing around.

Otherwise, contact Samsung. there may be something wrong.

 

[Greymire]

Update today has heart rate fixes. We will see how it does

 

[EMGSM]

Installing now. Then I'll see about the improvements.

 

[Doug507]

The update made a world of difference for me. So far, after a day and a half, it is tracking correctly. Before the update it was completely sporadic.

 

[sonnnet]

The update made a world of difference for me. So far, after a day and a half, it is tracking correctly. Before the update it was completely sporadic.

When you say tracking correctly, have you seen an improvement in heart tracking during exercise, eg while running with S Health?

 

[Doug507]

I based that on working out with the watch on, and on the other wrist my Garmin Fenix 5 paired to a Polar H10 chest strap. The difference was no more than a beat or two. This was a cardio workout, I'm sure weightlifting would have a bigger difference due to the wrist movement.

 

[sonnnet]

Ah, excellent. I wasn't sure if you just meant heart rate while resting/ walking about. I'm still waiting for the update so it's great to have some feedback.
So, apart from the actual rate (which sounds very accurate from your comparisons), have you noticed any improvement with heart rate constantly tracking during your workouts. For example, no drop outs when it loses the pulse for a short while, resulting in flat lines on the graphs. And do you still have to wear it extremely tightly?

 

[Doug507]

No drop outs during cardio, but I'd expect it during HIIT or weightlifting due to wrist movement. I still wear it tighter and a little higher than normal during workouts.

 

[sonnnet]

That's great re cardio. Even running the 'old' software, I've found a bit of a sweet spot where I get good results most of the time, but I also have the odd frustrating occasions where it drops out. At the moment, I'm focusing on cardio, so your findings so far are potentially good news for me.

It will be interesting to see how it fares if/ when you do a weights or HIIT workout. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised... Please let us know how it goes if you do.

If the Galaxy Watch turns out to be a serious fitness companion, combined with all of its other areas in which it excels, it will blast virtually all the competition out of the water.

 

[Doug507]

I just wish it would pair with a chest strap.

 

[sonnnet]

Ah, but will it need to....? That's meant to be a bit tongue in cheek by the way, I agree with you, that would be a great feature to have.

 

[chas1723]

Downloading the update now. Hope it fixes my issues of heart rate tracking inconsistencies. Seems mine gets stuck on one heartrate and takes quite sometime to start reading again.

 

[sonnnet]

Downloading the update now. Hope it fixes my issues of heart rate tracking inconsistencies. Seems mine gets stuck on one heartrate and takes quite sometime to start reading again.

Are you using map my run or UA record by any chance? If so, they appear to stick at one rate but I think really, it's the same issue as In S Health, where it in fact drops out.
Anyway, after the update, hopefully things will improve all round.

 

[sonnnet]

I just wish it would pair with a chest strap.[/QUOTE @Doug507,

I just downloaded Gear Tracker, it's a paid app, but so far for me, well worth it. GPS tracking is highly accurate compared to S Health. Anyway, in the settings, it seems you can add a BLE device for HR tracking. I don't have a chest strap anymore, so I can't test it for you, but you might want to check it out.

 

[chas1723]

So far after the update my heart rate tracking has worked much better. I hope it stays like this.