Heart Rate Extremely Inaccurate, Microsoft Says Band is Entry-Level Device

[Joe920]

And there's the problem. Why can't it? Why should we haul something else for "real time"? That's a major issue that I hope gets fixed in the next gen.

During the transfer of my uservoice pages for the "microstrap" I got to exchange a couple of emails with a Band team member, and I asked if it could in principle connect to a bluetooth heart rate strap for more accurate readings. The answer was that the hardware could in principle do that, but that it was not being considered. It's a missed opportunity in my mind, I'd like to have a watch that I can wear during the day and that can provide accurate HRM readings during exercise.

 

[Snoke]

It's a missed opportunity in my mind, I'd like to have a watch that I can wear during the day and that can provide accurate HRM readings during exercise.

Using a strap is (will soon be) obsolete. IMO. Wanting to have MSB use a strap instead of continuing to develop and improve OHR technology is asking for the wrong thing.

 

[Joe920]

Using a strap is (will soon be) obsolete. IMO. Wanting to have MSB use a strap instead of continuing to develop and improve OHR technology is asking for the wrong thing.

Well, we can definitely ask them to bring OHR measurement up to the level of chest straps, but clearly it's not an easily solved problem!

In the meantime I'd really like to use a single watch for daily notifications and accurate 'live' heart rate readings during a workout. It shouldn't be too hard either, "just" pick up some bluetooth LE timing info and using that data instead of the OHR data.

 

[orenk]

I have a rather peculiar issue with my band. Had it since launch and the HR readings were just fine, during rest as well as hiking and running (both outdoors and on a treadmill). For the last few weeks (maybe since the last update) it just went crazy. I get erratic readings during sleep (resting HR went up from an average of 53 to 70) and while training (used to run in the range of 130-160bpm and now it shows 190+ most of the time... Even at the beginning when I still don't break a sweat...). This is frustrating. Is anybody else having the same issue?

 

[DroidUser42]

For the last few weeks (maybe since the last update) it just went crazy. I get erratic readings during sleep (resting HR went up from an average of 53 to 70) and while training (used to run in the range of 130-160bpm and now it shows 190+ most of the time... Even at the beginning when I still don't break a sweat...). This is frustrating. Is anybody else having the same issue?

I haven't seen any sign of it on mine. You might want to do a reset. It might have gotten some corrupted data.

 

[orenk]

Thanks.. I did a factory reset yesterday.. No joy.. Is measuring Ok part of the time and then loses its lock and starts showing very high numbers. To be sure it's not me.. I've also did a manual count while it's locked on my HR. Something is wrong with the band :-/.. I guess I'll have to contact support on this and see if they can fix it or something. Might be the hardware...

 

[masaoota]

A wrist strap can be as accurate as a chest strap. Both have their issues and can from time to time spike or drop out. The quality of the wrist monitors however does vary a lot and most tend to be good at either all day monitoring or workout monitoring but not both.

 

[TiBall]

First: I love my band!
However, yes I?m also facing great inaccurances with hartrate monitoring. E.g. on my last bike ride (easy pace, 2,5h) I compared the band to my chest strap:
Band: 156bpm avg
Chest Strap: 122bpm avg

Most times I check, the band seems to be off by 20bpm.
Is there any way to gauge the values?
Any other tricks or advice to get more accurate values?
This really messes up my hartrate zone statistics :-(

 

[DroidUser42]

Any other tricks or advice to get more accurate values?

Try wearing it different ways. Display in/display out. Different tightness. Different spot on the arm. Maybe even the other arm. Or how you hold/move your arm (although with a bike ride I don't think there's many options.)

 

[Will Gilliland]

Try wearing it different ways. Display in/display out. Different tightness. Different spot on the arm. Maybe even the other arm. Or how you hold/move your arm (although with a bike ride I don't think there's many options.)

I'd add to that list, rotation. That seemed to make the most difference to me with the Band 1. I have tried all positions, tensions on my wrist, shaved my wrists, you name it. The only thing that permanently cured my lack of HR lock was getting the Band 2.

I wear my Band 2 display up and consistently get a lock and they are accurate according to my Garmin chest strap.

 

[Kevin Greenan]

I have experienced similar wide variations in heart rate accuracy- whether on the elliptical, playing racquetball, hiking. I could understand this from a v 1 product, but not the v2 band. Seems Microsoft used more on the design and less on the performance and accuracy.