Garmin GLO accuracy

2

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  • edited December 2013
    shayno: The 5-10 Hz changing is to be expected with Garmin GLO. I see this issue with every Android 4.x device I have when used with GLO. According to my tests it the quality of data is EXCELLENT despite losing an update here and there. This slight problem is caused by Garmin GLO's high output rate, and the fact that there is some flow control issue between the device and Android OS.
  • Hi guys,

    New here. I'm having something strange happen. Got a Garmin GLO for Christmas, immediately got it connected to my phone (Galaxy S3 running a 4.2.2 Rom) and Racechrono showed it reading at 10hz with jumps down to 5hz for a split second every so often which sounded like normal GLO behavior with RC. Found out there was a firmware update for the GLO

    Changes made from version 2.30 to 2.40:
    - Add support for four simultaneous Bluetooth connections.
    - Turning GLO on now requires holding down the power button for one second.
    - GLO will turn off automatically after five minutes with no Bluetooth connections.
    - Improved GPS performance.

    Did the update, worked fine. Then later, playing with Racechrono, I noticed it was only showing 1.0hz, no matter what. Not sure if this change coincided with the firmware update, but I'm assuming it did. The only other app I can find that shows the refresh rate is Harry's Laptimer. It's showing a consistent 5-6hz (brief drops to 3hz sometimes).

    Couple of questions: Is anyone else seeing similar behavior? Is there any other app that I can check the GLO refresh rate with?

    I even tried updating to the Rachrono 2.45 beta, but it's the same thing still, 1hz only.

    Ideas?
  • edited December 2013
    Hi Spring, are you sure you have the Garmin GLO still configured as the GPS receiver in RaceChrono settings (and not the "Internal GPS")? 1 Hz sounds like internal GPS to me.

    Update: Tried to upgrade mine through my MacBook and it failed, the receiver is a brick and needs service. So not recommended to update at least using a Mac... :)
  • Yep, I'm certain. The only device I have Racechrono configured to use is the Bluetooth GPS Receiver: Garmin GLO. Internal GPS is turned off, and Racechrono connects to the GLO just fine, showing the same satellite info as Harry's Laptimer, but with the difference just being that Harry's shows 5-6hz whereas Racechrono is now showing 1hz only (before it showed 10/5hz).

    Wow, that sucks to hear about the update bricking your receiver. I didn't have any trouble when doing mine with Webupdater on Mac. I've even re-installed the firmware update a few times just to check and be sure there wasn't a problem with the GLO's firmware flash or something.

    Like I mentioned, it was seemingly working when I first tried it, and as best as I can tell, it was only after the firmware update that I noticed it was only showing 1hz now.

    How does Racechrono read and report the refresh rate? i.e. can Racechrono show intermediate values between 10hz and 5hz, etc., as Harry's Laptimer seems to? Is it possible the GLO's refresh rate reporting has changed somehow, and now Racechrono can't interpret it correctly, so it just says 1hz regardless of what the GLO is refreshing at (presumably around 6hz)?
  • RaceChrono doesn't average the update rate, it's just the time difference between last two updates. I think I need to improve it. Let's continue via email and let's try to figure this out. Don't worry about the receiver, I'll have Garmin fix it :)
  • edited December 2013
    WARNING: DO NOT UPDATE YOUR GARMIN GLO TO 2.40 FIRMWARE: It's buggy. You get 6-7 updates per second on Android phones but the timestamps are in one second precision. So you get 6-7 updates all with the same timestamps :( So in effect the update rate is only 1 Hz as the correct timestamp is really important for lap timing! Also the update app bricked one of my receivers!
  • My bug report about 2.40 firmware was forwarded to Garmin R&D let's see if anything happens about this.
  • I logged a bug with Garmin as well and got this reply (good news?):

    We have recently confirmed the symptoms you are reporting. We think it is related to some GPS chip firmware improvements that were included in firmware version 2.40, but had the unfortunate side effect that it caused decimal truncation of the NMEA time so that the time record always is represented as an integer second. We are working on a fix for this. There is not an easy way to downgrade to a firmware version prior to version 2.40, but we can work on that if you have an immediate need for this aspect of the device operation to be fixed. Please advise. (My hope is that we will have a firmware fix within the next 2 weeks that will be released as version 2.50.)

    Regards,
    Brad Wiseman
    OEM/Tech Sales & Field Engineer
  • edited January 2014
    Looks like very good news, as I wasn't sure if it was for purpose or not. Lets wait for the new firmware.
  • Well that was quick:

    "New firmware is now available via WebUpdater that will fix this issue for you.

    Regards,
    Brad Wiseman
    OEM/Tech Sales & Field Engineer"
  • edited January 2014
    Let me know if the update works for you. An another user reported that the new FW update works for him (in the Finnish language thread about same issue).
  • Why i have problem to fix my new Garmin Glo with Galaxy S2? If i use "Bluetooth GPS" the fix it's ok, but with Racechrono doesn't work....
  • edited January 2014
    PeppeL: First try unpairing the Garmin GLO from device's Bluetooth settings. RaceChrono doesn't need pairing. If still doesn't work, then try with and without the "RaceChrono > Settings > Expert Settings > Bluetooth fix".
  • I'm already unpairing/pairing the Garmin Glo and my Galaxy S2 sees it in the paired devices. The problem is the blue light of the Garmin Glo does not turn solid. What does not work? Sorry for my english
  • edited January 2014
    PeppeL: Did you setup the device in RaceChrono?

    1. Unpair from device Bluetooth settings. Do not pair it. RaceChrono does not need pairing, although it doesn't usually hurt. This is mainly to make sure other apps are not using the device.

    2. RaceChrono > Settings > Device #1:
    Use for recording: ON
    Device type: Bluetooth GPS
    Bluetooth device: *Select the Garmin GLO from the list*
    GPS Chipset: Garmin GLO

    3. RaceChrono > Settings > Expert settings:
    Bluetooth fix: OFF

    4. Start a session, it should connect.

    If still doesn't work, go to step 3. and turn Bluetooth fix: ON. Usually Garmin GLO requires this setting to be OFF!
  • I solve the problem with "Bluetooth GPS" if i use, for example, Runtastic. But in case of Racechrono I can not find the solution
  • Perfect, all works. Wonderful, thanks AOL
  • PeppeL: Great to hear! :)
  • Anybody know what happened to version 2.50? I saw it just yesterday and now today it is gone. I just received my GLO today and it is reporting 2.30 (when I look at the raw NMEA messages) and yet the Garmin WebUpdater app says it is up to date...
  • edited January 2014
    Not sure, maybe the 2.50 is only available to fix broken 2.40. Anyway I would not be recommending upgrading to 2.30 before it is clear that there is benefit in upgrading.
  • Hi the GLO community :)

    I juste received mine, and as HiBoost, the NMEA shows v2.30 (not sure which number I have to read), WebUpdater says it's up to date.
    The connection is ok, RC records well (even if I'm static).

    Just one thing : in the gauges display, the refresh rate in the right bottom corner is often switching between 5 and 10 Hz (and sometimes less during cold start).

    Is that a problem ?
  • Pimousse: That's a known flow control problem between GLO and Android OS. It doesn't affect lap timing accuracy, which is great even with the problem. You get 6-7 updates per second where you'd get 10 updates if this problem didn't exist.
  • Ok, I understand.
    I just tried it in dynamic with a little trip by car.
    I'm very impressed by the number of satellites fixed (up to 20 against 8-9 with the iBlue). That sounds good !
    Can't wait to test on track !
  • When looking at the raw data coming out of my GLO 2.30 it almost always skips 1 sample per second (I see timestamps xx.4 xx.5 xx.7 xx.8 for example)... I was hoping upgrading to 2.50 might improve this. I emailed Garmin a few days ago but no response.
  • edited January 2014
    HiBoost, this is known problem, but I don't think it will be fixed by the new firmwares. Even tough an slight annoyance, the issue doesn't hurt the lap timing accuracy, as lap timing accuracy is more about position precision than update rate. And in position precision GLO is very good at.
  • fwiw, I got this response from Garmin when asking where the 2.50 firmware went:

    "The software version 2.50 has temporarily been removed due to issues. It will be updated to the WebUpdater soon however I currently do not have a release date for the correction."
  • Hi aol,

    I was at the track this past weekend and was not able to get racechrono to have good data with garmin glo again.
    Same issue observed before where data would drop to 0hz and jump back up to 10hz, bounce between 10 - 5hz then 0 again.

    I tried the previous workaround of using bluetooth gps and mock location and still no dice. Seems to be a kitkat issue, since it was fine when i used my nexus 7 (2012) running 4.2.2

    Phone is htc one running custom rom on android 4.4

    Any ideas?
  • edited January 2014
    sloppyjoe, do you have the "RaceChrono > Device #x > Chipset" setting set to Garmin GLO? It does this on wrong setting. If the setting is correct, then it must be KitKat or your custom rom... I will test on 4.4 once I get my new GLO.
  • sloppyjoe, got new Garmin GLO (as the update bricked the previous), and the connection seems to work on Android 4.4 just as it did with 4.3. The update rate oscillates between 5 and 10 hz. On Nexus 7 (2013) it never goes under 5 Hz, and on Nexus 5 it does rarely go down to 3.3 Hz (which means two plots missed).
  • How is firmware 2.60 working?

    Change History
    Changes made from version 2.50 to 2.60:

    Improvements to unit update process

    Changes made from version 2.40 to 2.50:

    Fix missing tenths of seconds in GPS timestamp

    Changes made from version 2.30 to 2.40:

    Add support for four simultaneous Bluetooth connections.
    Turning GLO on now requires holding down the power button for one second.
    GLO will turn off automatically after five minutes with no Bluetooth connections.
    Improved GPS performance.
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