Optical Heart Rate Sensor

[DezoRK7]

Hello everyone I am a new owner here of the MB2 for just over a week now. Very nice device I like it a lot. I have a few questions regarding the heart rate readings.

I understand that the sensor tracks every minute during exercise, and every 10 minutes during rest..if I'm not mistaken. Whenever I look at the Home Screen, with the HR displayed next to clock, sometimes the heart icon is transparent, and sometimes it's filled/white.

Would I be right in assuming that the transparent heart means last HR recorded within last 10 minutes? I know that the filled heart is present time tracking.

Lastly, when I command for HR check (by selecting the Home Screen, then swiping all the way to HR), it usually does a good job at finding the HR. However, I've noticed that at times it can instantly get a higher reading than expected, then it will gradually count down to my actual resting HR, which can take approximately 5-10 secs. Also, when it does manage to get my actual HR, at times it will stay constant, then for a second or two it will spike to about 10 bpm over, then quickly jump back down to my actual HR.

My concern is if this is a normal functioning behaviour of the MB2? Are any others experiencing the same behaviours as such or should I be worried about a defective unit and seek a replacement?

 

[Nate Silver]

Basically, the transparent heart indicates that there is no lock. Once the heart is full, it has a lock. When taking a reading, for it to initially show a higher than expected reading, then settle down, seems fairly normal. Some momentary spikes of 5 to 10 bpm are pretty normal as well. You can find lots of conflicting beliefs as to whether these are anomalies, or actual fluctuations. The only way to tell for sure would be to do a side by side comparison using a heart rate strap. My own opinion is that some fluctuations of 5 to 10 bpm are nothing to worry about. I'd be more bothered by a consistently high reading when a strap is showing much lower, or much larger spikes. I think what you are seeing is pretty much par for the course, in my experience.