#1 Reason you should "not" buy a polar HRM

Giovanni_P
Giovanni_P Posts: 107
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Because everbody has one. Everbody!
Imagine being at the gym, trying to determine your heart rate, and the people on both sides of you are wearing their polar hrm's also. Us that your heart rate, or your neighbors?

Replies

  • Mollydolly10
    Mollydolly10 Posts: 431 Member
    Many HRMs are "coded," that way they don't interfere with other peoples. And by "many," I don't mean the $30 HRMs, you gotta shell out more money than that
  • jrbanta
    jrbanta Posts: 4,376 Member
    I don't have one but was thinking of getting one. How does it pick up other's heart rates?
  • MissTomGettingThin
    MissTomGettingThin Posts: 776 Member
    I agree with the first reply.
    They're coded so will pick up themselves, no one else.
    And they're good.
  • awelch79
    awelch79 Posts: 233 Member
    I dont have one yet, but was planning on getting one...Im confused. I thought that they read your HR and got a calorie count from your wrist and heartbeat...how could you get your neighbors...or are you being sarcastic!?! I can NEVER sense sarcasm over the Internet! ;)
  • Erindipitous
    Erindipitous Posts: 1,234 Member
    I have a Polar FT7 and it is also coded.. One of the best purchases I've made this year! :)
  • LaDiablesse
    LaDiablesse Posts: 862 Member
    :laugh: I have a polar HRM, but I workout in my living room. So I don't have that problem, but the one I have is supposed to be coded to reduce "cross talk".
  • lukybug
    lukybug Posts: 209
    I have a Polar FT4 and I LOVE it. It's coded so it only picks up your heart rate. One of the better/smarter purchases I've made LOL
  • quara
    quara Posts: 255 Member
    The HRMs have a "transmitter" on the chest strap that transmit the heart rate info it's recording to your watch. So it's being suggested that someone else's heart rate could transmit to others' watches, but as others have noted, they're coded so that this doesn't happen.
  • Charli666
    Charli666 Posts: 407
    To explain to the ppl asking, Heart rate monitors generally have a chest strap that reads your heartbeat, and then a wrist reciever that picks up this reading.

    Most Polar HRM's (upper range) are coded, meaning you can't pick up others reading, so there wont be an issue of picking up someone elses reading
  • CarolynnW
    CarolynnW Posts: 35 Member
    I have the Polar FT7 and have never had that problem!
  • rockabyesarojane
    rockabyesarojane Posts: 471
    my polar FTF4 is coded to avoid cross talk.
    get whatever you want, but don't be afraid of them as long as you get a coded HRM.
    :?p
  • Mollydolly10
    Mollydolly10 Posts: 431 Member
    I have the Polar FT7 and have never had that problem!

    Yours is coded :) so you will never have that issue!
  • fasttrack27
    fasttrack27 Posts: 324
    I dont have one yet, but was planning on getting one...Im confused. I thought that they read your HR and got a calorie count from your wrist and heartbeat...how could you get your neighbors...or are you being sarcastic!?! I can NEVER sense sarcasm over the Internet! ;)

    The monitor is on a chest strap, then it sends a wireless signal to the watch. That is how it could feasibly pick up a neighbor's signal instead. Like others said, the 'better' one's have a coded signal to avoid this problem. I have been 3' away from others using a HRM in spin and kickboxing and never had a problem with this. I have a Polar FT40.
  • DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo
    DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo Posts: 296
    Does anyone have trouble with their HRM interfering with their ipod??

    and does anyone use the polar site to track progress??
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
    My Polar has never had an interference and I am usually at the gym when its the busiest...
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    I have a cheaper Polar that isn't coded. BUT if you read the instructions it clearly says that if you are working out in the gym to put the strap and wrist band on privately in the changing room and get it recording your heart. Once it is tuned in it won't randomly switch to another device unless you turn it off and on again so you're good to go :)
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
    I've never picked up a stray signal with mine.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I think what the OP is referring to is the transmittal from the chest strap to the machine you're using, not your wrist unit.

    I'm having to explain all the time to people beside me that, no, your heart rate isn't 50, that's just a weak signal from my transmitter making it over to your machine - sorry!
  • Giovanni_P
    Giovanni_P Posts: 107
    I dont have one yet, but was planning on getting one...Im confused. I thought that they read your HR and got a calorie count from your wrist and heartbeat...how could you get your neighbors...or are you being sarcastic!?! I can NEVER sense sarcasm over the Internet! ;)

    No I am serious. I have a polar ft4. The guy on the elliptical next to me has a polar ft7. (I'm still at the gym) I'm just standing here, not exercising at all. But my hrm is telling me my heart rate is 138, and I'm burning about 13 calories per minute. His hrm is telling that his heart rate is alternating between 140 and 83.
    So where can I go get this coding you all are talking about? This guy thought his was coded too.
  • em_lou007
    em_lou007 Posts: 117
    HI!!

    I exercise in other ways so never looked into this, your post got me wondering......... I have a polar FT4 and mine is coded and it was 1 of the cheaper polar HRMs at just over £50.

    I have heard loads of great reviews about Polar and would recommend them to anyone but it is worth checking if it's coded before you buy it if you are off to the gym

    have fun with your HRMs everyone :wink:
  • WrenLynn
    WrenLynn Posts: 213
    MIne has never interfered with others or my ipod.
  • rockabyesarojane
    rockabyesarojane Posts: 471
    I dont have one yet, but was planning on getting one...Im confused. I thought that they read your HR and got a calorie count from your wrist and heartbeat...how could you get your neighbors...or are you being sarcastic!?! I can NEVER sense sarcasm over the Internet! ;)

    No I am serious. I have a polar ft4. The guy on the elliptical next to me has a polar ft7. (I'm still at the gym) I'm just standing here, not exercising at all. But my hrm is telling me my heart rate is 138, and I'm burning about 13 calories per minute. His hrm is telling that his heart rate is alternating between 140 and 83.
    So where can I go get this coding you all are talking about? This guy thought his was coded too.

    WELL IN THAT CASE: I AM STUMPED. :(
  • cjnorman
    cjnorman Posts: 93
    From the Polar Website:

    "In case of false readings with a coded transmitter and unit, check if the code has been locked. After a successful code search, a frame will appear around the heart symbol on the display (apart from Polar FT40, FT60 and FT80 display). If the frames around the heart cannot be seen start the measurement again and check that you are not near other heart rate monitor users, because they may interfere the code search. Also, high voltage power lines, televisions, mobile phones and other sources of electromagnetic disturbance may interfere with the code search, as well as keeping the unit too close to the transmitter."

    I haven't investigate how to lock the code yet.

    Actually I think this is when you hit start and it starts clocking trying to find your heart rate. If you do this at the gym near other HRMs maybe it doesn't lock.
  • SunLovin1
    SunLovin1 Posts: 682 Member
    My HRM is set to prevent cross talk. It was about $100 and worth every single dime. I'll never be without again!

    I use mine in the gym all the time around others and there is zero interference. Mine is about a month old, so I can't speak to the older ones.
  • thcri
    thcri Posts: 459 Member
    I dont have one yet, but was planning on getting one...Im confused. I thought that they read your HR and got a calorie count from your wrist and heartbeat...how could you get your neighbors...or are you being sarcastic!?! I can NEVER sense sarcasm over the Internet! ;)

    No I am serious. I have a polar ft4. The guy on the elliptical next to me has a polar ft7. (I'm still at the gym) I'm just standing here, not exercising at all. But my hrm is telling me my heart rate is 138, and I'm burning about 13 calories per minute. His hrm is telling that his heart rate is alternating between 140 and 83.
    So where can I go get this coding you all are talking about? This guy thought his was coded too.

    I am not familiar with the Polars. I bought a Garmin so I could use it with my bike also. From what I read in my search there is this pairing issue you need to do to prevent crosstalk. You need to pair them in a place where no other devices are at. Once you pair them then they won't look for other devices. If you are successful in the pairing then just make sure in the future when you turn your device on that your HRM is close so it finds it right away. If it does not find it right a way it may go out and look for other devices.
  • jenluvs2sing
    jenluvs2sing Posts: 50 Member
    I have an F6 that I'm very happy with. I love that you can transmit the info from the unit to their website so you don't have to manually input anything. And I just read the user manual and even though it is coded it does say not to be within 3 feet of another unit. Good thing I work out at home! :)
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