Connecting Garmin heart rate monitor to computer/iPhone?

maryjaquiss
maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys

I've got a Garmin Forerunner and heart rate strap and I'd like to be able to connect just the heart rate monitor to my laptop or iPhone so I can get an accurate calorie burn when exercising indoors. I can't find a way to do it online (although my Googling powers may be deserting me - feel free to call me STOOPID if so) so I was hoping some of you clever people might be able to help!

:happy:

Replies

  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    I don't understand why you want to connect the strap. The information is in the watch.... The strap is merely a transmitter.

    You can use the 'indoor' setting on the watch, if you're not using the GPS.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Hmm, I tried to do that but it was just reading 0 calories all the time - I was "glowing" like a pig and working hard so that can't have been right. Maybe I'd set something up wrong! I have been known to be wrong in the past :tongue:
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Sounds like you have done something in the set up - or you're not wearing the hrm right? Do you have issues with the HRM when you're exercising outdoors? (Is it capturing data from the heart rate monitor, or just using your distances to estimate burn?)

    I'd work on getting the watch set up right, though - trying to plug the HRM itself in is definitely the wrong tree. :-)
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Yeah, I reckon I've ballsed up somewhere! It's picking up my heart rate when running so maybe it was just a one-off moment of fail... I was just wondering if there was any sort of USB receiver or something that would pick up the signal from the HRM but I will try with the watch again!
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
    Mine did this too. I had to reset it and now it shows my calories burnt. There is no way to connect just the HRM. The info is stored in the watch, if it's not in the watch it doesn't exist.

    Some other things to try are making sure your profile is correct, turn the watch off then on, reset the watch or replace the profile on the watch with a profile from the training centre software. After doing these things mine calculates calories no problem. It seems to be a common problem with this device.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Mine did this too. I had to reset it and now it shows my calories burnt. There is no way to connect just the HRM. The info is stored in the watch, if it's not in the watch it doesn't exist.

    Some other things to try are making sure your profile is correct, turn the watch off then on, reset the watch or replace the profile on the watch with a profile from the training centre software. After doing these things mine calculates calories no problem. It seems to be a common problem with this device.

    Thanks :smile: I'm relieved it isn't just me!

    (I do realise that I can't plug the HRM in by the way! Sorry, I didn't explain that very well in my initial post :ohwell: )
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Which forerunner are you using?

    Several forerunners cannot give calories inside because the equation is based on distance.
    My 405 is like this while the 405cx would be able to do what you want.

    If you are running inside you might need a footpod, if it is general gym work you might be SOL.

    To see if yours will work in the gym, go to the garmin site and look at "Heart rate-based calorie computation:" Yes or No?

    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11039 -- Mine says "No"

    I have a different HRM device for the indoors because of that.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Which forerunner are you using?

    Several forerunners cannot give calories inside because the equation is based on distance.
    My 405 is like this while the 405cx would be able to do what you want.

    If you are running inside you might need a footpod, if it is general gym work you might be SOL.

    To see if yours will work in the gym, go to the garmin site and look at "Heart rate-based calorie computation:" Yes or No?

    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11039 -- Mine says "No"

    I have a different HRM device for the indoors because of that.

    Ah. As does mine. New HRM it is!
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
    Which forerunner are you using?
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Which forerunner are you using?

    The 305
  • macdiver
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
    Before buying a new heart rate monitor, you can use a program like runkeeper and pair it with your existing chest strap. The strap is an ant+ device.

    I'm not sure if runkeeper tracks calories indoors since it is a gps type app. It may have an indoor mode. If not, there are other apps which might work for your iphone. Probably cheaper than a new hrm.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    Before buying a new heart rate monitor, you can use a program like runkeeper and pair it with your existing chest strap. The strap is an ant+ device.

    I'm not sure if runkeeper tracks calories indoors since it is a gps type app. It may have an indoor mode. If not, there are other apps which might work for your iphone. Probably cheaper than a new hrm.

    That's the sort of thing I was thinking about, but do you know if that will allow the chest strap to be picked up by my phone/computer?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    You'll need an ANT+ adapter for the phone like the garmin or wahoo (has more apps). And check the software to see if it does a calories calc based on HR only.

    http://www.wahoofitness.com/Apps/Apps.asp
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    You'll need an ANT+ adapter for the phone like the garmin or wahoo (has more apps). And check the software to see if it does a calories calc based on HR only.

    http://www.wahoofitness.com/Apps/Apps.asp

    Wonderful - you're a star! :drinker:

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