Suunto Smart Heart Rate Belt keeps losing connection to the watch

Marcelo Mönch

@Calando Why is a chest strap necessary? Beat-by-beat data: ZoneSense uses a proprietary physiological algorithm (DDFA) that analyzes Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to determine stress and intensity levels.
Optical limitations: Optical sensors (OHR) cannot reliably measure RR intervals (the exact time between heartbeats) while you are in motion. They are only accurate for this metric when you are at complete rest, such as during sleep.
When pairing a chest strap, your watch will automatically disable the optical wrist monitor to ensure the data source provides the necessary accuracy for functionality.

2b2bff

@Marcelo-Mönch said:

When pairing a chest strap, your watch will automatically disable the optical wrist monitor to ensure the data source provides the necessary accuracy for functionality.

It will disable the optical sensor of the watch, but not for the reasons you stated. Suunto just can’t work with multiple sources. On the plus side the disabled sensor will save you a bit of battery…

Sixeela29

Ça va faire un an que j’ai ce problème là.
Ça a commencé avec ma ceinture Polar H9.
Suite à ça j’ai pris une ceinture Suunto neuve et même problème. Je suis très déçu que Suunto n’est jamais résolu le problème …

Ecki D.

Same here with the 9PP after the last firmware update. Since then it happens regularly and as it isn’t reliable anymore I stopped using it regularly.
Anyone tried to go back to another earlier FW?

Kevin Major

Is there any movement on this issue, or is Suunto just sweeping it under the rug?

I went on a 5 hour bike ride today, and the first 30 minutes of my heart rate was measured. Upon completion of the ride, none of the data was synced.

The battery was replaced two weeks ago and still reports 100%, the old battery reported 80%, but after ongoing problems I changed it to eliminate a variable.

The fact that there is no way to force a reconnection to a bluetooth device during an activity is a serious problem. The same thing happened with my favero power meter pedals. I stopped for 20 minutes, the bluetooth turned off, and I couldn’t reconnect it. Thankfully I am able to change the sleep setting for the pedals and haven’t had an issue with them since.

I know this is the Race S board, but I’m on the Ocean and having the exact same issue.

Ocean 2.51.28

elbee

@Kevin-Major

Suunto support told me not to expect a firmware update with a fix very soon.

And personally I don’t think it will be ever be solved. From the conversations I had with suunto support I don’t get the impression they are actually working it.

sindavide

@Kevin-Major
Are you sure it is not the hr sensor? I have been using them for over ten years, and they are not durable at all. I think that on average i champnged at least one per year

Kevin Major

@sindavide It very well may be the sensor itself. If they are meant to be disposable then they should be priced accordingly without a replaceable battery. Prior to this my old garmin sensor worked for years with my edge 800.

Calando

@Kevin-Major See my posts above in this thread. In the meantime, I got a new sensor from Suunto, worked again but was also a bit unstable. I left it sitting in my drawer for now; use my Polar H10 still without any problems. The Suunto Smart belt will be a last resort only if the H10 does not work (which seems to be extremely unlikely up to now).

This implies that I also think it’s a sensor problem, not a (watch) firmware problem.

sindavide

@Calando
I use my race S with other sensors as well (polar H01, Coospo). The only ine with problems is Suunto Smart Sensor, meaning that it is the only one (and had many of them) that looses connection and acts funny.
I keep on using the suunto “smart” belt for three reasons 1) exceptional battery duration 2) swimming, as it is the only that memorises HR data to send them to watch after session is stopped 3) when it works and until it dies prematurely, it works well

elbee

@sindavide

My polar oh1+ and polar h9 and my stryd looses connection.

Suunto support confirmed from the logs, the devices disconnected/connected several times until it didn’t connect anymore and the stryd was not to blame (don’t know how they came to that conclusion)

sindavide

@elbee
Ok, then it’s the watch. Did Suunto offer any solution?
By the way, while the Smart Sensor is being repaired i got another one, used yesterday for biking and today for swimming, seems fine, no disconnections

elbee

@sindavide said:

@elbee
Ok, then it’s the watch. Did Suunto offer any solution?
By the way, while the Smart Sensor is being repaired i got another one, used yesterday for biking and today for swimming, seems fine, no disconnections

They told me not to expect a fix by a firmware update anytime soon.

During my training yesterday I also didn’t had a disconnect. Have to say, only the heart rate sensor was connecten. The battery of my stryd was empty (after my vacation I didn’t check). And I started with frequent reboots, also to see if that mitigate the battery drain problems. (after a forced reboot due to a complete empty battery after a hike caused by the battery train, my battery usage is quite okay)

Petr Dubský

On Thursday, I recorded an ice hockey session using a new Suunto strap, following the instructions exactly; I left my Race S watch in the locker room, and after the session, I stopped the activity and waited for the data to sync to the watch. Upon checking, I found that the heart rate graph only starts at around the 50-second mark of the activity. This also happened during my previous session when recording to the Suunto Smart HR memory. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you.

elbee

The new run 2 got a firmware update (https://www.suunto.com/en-nl/Support/Software-updates/Release-notes/suunto-run-2-software-update/)

One of the things in the release notes:

Improved Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection stability

Have to say, I doubt this needed improvement will ever end up on the race s.

elbee

Got a reaction from suunto support on my question about the run 2 got a firmware update with a bluetooth fix:

“ Regarding your other question about the Race S and the Bluetooth connection stability improvement mentioned in the latest Run 2 software update, we understand why this caught your attention. At the moment, however, we do not have any confirmed information or timeline regarding whether the same improvement will be introduced to the Race S in a future update”

What I read is, suunto is not working on a firmware for the race s and the Bluetooth problems will not be fixed.

Egika

@elbee now you wrote the same statement in two threads. I answered to the other one.

elbee

@Egika said:

@elbee now you wrote the same statement in two threads. I answered to the other one.

Yes. There are multiple threads about this serious issue. Some people might read only 1 thread so I write it in all I participated.

Let me be clear: I’m doing all I can to push Suunto into doing a better job. I think it’s really needed.

Egika

@elbee said:

@Egika said:

@elbee now you wrote the same statement in two threads. I answered to the other one.

Yes. There are multiple threads about this serious issue. Some people might read only 1 thread so I write it in all I participated.

Let me be clear: I’m doing all I can to push Suunto into doing a better job. I think it’s really needed.

This is one way to frame it.
I just read a (wrong) speculation (which I tried to correct).

Mff73

@elbee said:

Let me be clear: I’m doing all I can to push Suunto into doing a better job. I think it’s really needed.

Sending everyone to support is one thing (it is fair, as support is there officially for supporting). But forum is still a community and “be assured” that active readers have understood your pain with your issues . But, spreading pain everywhere will lead to other feelings.