Archive for the Heart Rate Monitors Category
r-r intervals - Polar RS800 - Suunto T6C
17/06/2008 by Tris.
A useful question asked today by a customer regarding Polar RS800 and Suunto T6C and their use of, and analysis of R-R heart rate data - with regard to heart rate variability.
I have been looking at Suunto T series because of the R-R facility. (1) How does this compare to Polar’s R-R facility.(2) How does the software differ between T6 and T3 (not really interested in T4 Coach system).
Thanks for the mail regarding R-R analysis.1) The big difference is that the RS800 Pro Trainer software gives you ACCESS to the R-R data - so you can extract the RAW R-R information
The Suunto Training Manager does NOT
<<CORRECTION>> it IS possible to extract the RAW R-R data from a T6C or Memory Belt using TRAINING MANAGER software, please see the COMMENTS posting by our kind contributors. I stand corrected - thanks JamieB 
(10-07-09)
HOWEVER….
Suunto analyses the R-R data it has stored and outputs TRAINING EFFECT and EPOC data to give the user a very clear understanding of the WORK LOAD.
That means you have TRAINING EFFECT data for EACH and EVERY session you perform, so it is clear to see when you are over training
The Polar has the OWN OPTIMISER test. This is performed voluntarily and, upon completion, gives the user an idea of their current wellbeing - over trained, under trained, balanced training state etc.
Both are GOOOD.
For the average user, TRAINING EFFECT is useful and gives immediate review of progress and workload
The Polar RS800 is possibly better suited to the purist, the user that wants access to the RAW DATA.
2) Please review the SCREEN GRABS on these pages:
Suunto TRAINING MANAGER software with TRAINING EFFECT and TIME versus HEART RATE curves
Suunto TRAINING MANAGER LITE software - does NOT give time versus heart rate curves
The T3/4 does NOT give a TIME versus HEART RATE curve.. the T6 does
www.heartratemonitor.co.uk
Hope we can help
Suunto - Total ascent / total descent
02/06/2008 by Tris.
We had a mail from a customer about Suunto T6/S6/X3HR altitude data.We thought it would be useful to publish this:Many thanks for the email.
The first two figures are, as you suggest, the MAX and MIN heights, above sea level, from a session. This figure is based on barometric pressure changes. It relies on an accurate setting of start altitude. It seems that these were pretty close, so no problem there. These are simply the HIGHEST and LOWEST points within a session
The other two figures are TOTAL ASCENT and TOTAL DESCENT heights.
While you are cycling you are either
On the flat, thus no climb
Going uphill, thus ASCENDING
Going downhill, thus DESCENDING
If ascending at a rate of 3 m/min for 6 minutes… the x3HR would put 18m to TOTAL ASCENT data (3m/min x 6 mins)
If descending, steeply, at 20m/min for just 30 seconds.. the x3HR would put 10m to the TOTAL DESCENT data (20m/min x 0.5mins)
This is done throughout the ride….
If you’re ride was pretty flat, the total ASCENT / DESCENT heights would be low
If the ride was hilly… it is represented by a high total ASCENT / DESCENT height
Normally, ASCENDED and DESCENDED totals will be quite similar… but not always identical.
Your two rides look very different… one very FLAT with on a 15m climbing and 9m descending
The second ride was pretty hilly… with climbs approaching 1000m
The max/min (start / finish) heights do not have any impact on ascend/descend figures.
Hope that makes sense
Suunto heart rate monitors with ALTITUDE ASCENT / DESCENT
Garmin Edge 705 IN STOCK
19/03/2008 by Tris.
We are pleased to say that BHIP Ltd now have stock of the fitness monitoring GPS with auto routing for cyclists etc - the NEW GARMIN EDGE 705 BUNDLE with HR and pedal CADENCE - Garmin Edge Bundle with HR and CADENCE 010-00555-31
Polar USB IR problems
19/03/2008 by Tris.
One of the questions we get a lot of at www.heartratemonitor.co.uk is with regard to Polar USB Infra Red stick.
Some general pointers would be - with Reference to problems with the Polar RS800/RS400/CS400/CS600
If it looks like this :
good - this is the new one - if it nothing like this.. sorry… this information won’t help…..
1) Have you got latest version of PRO-TRAINER - www.heartratemonitor.co.uk always supply the latest versions available on CD ROM with the product, BUT it is not always the VERY latest version …. sometimes it’s just worth checking www.polar.fi then DOWNLOADS and SUPPORT area. There are also some USB.exe files to download and correct USB driver issues… This is particularly so for Windows Vista 2) www.polar.fi has an extensive knowledge base with keyword search, so it’s worth spending 10 mins there. If you are getting a specific error message - try entering the main terms in the KEYWORD SEARCH field. Go to the GLOBAL SITE then bottom left, support and download… there is LOADS of info there. This is normally where Polar UK or Polar Finland will send you first….
3) In the settings of your PRO-TRAINER interface, make sure you have OPTIONS - PREFS - HARDWARE set to “IRDA” and NOT “USB” - this is quite a common mistake
4) Make sure you have the unit VERY CLOSE to the USB IR stick. I normally suggest just a few mm. The IR contacts on the watch are the small 2 x white LED’s between the Polar LOGO.. it is NOT the big red button.. another common mistake
5) I always recommend simply putting the watch in to CONNECT MODE then do the rest from the PC - press the GREEN “TRANSFER DATA” icon - third from left.
If it still doesn’t work, and you’re a customer of ours, contact us via the website - www.heartratemonitor.co.uk . If you didn’t buy it from us, contact Polar via your LOCAL website, found through www.polar.fi
Tris