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Galaxy Watch Active 2 Heart rate issues

(Topic created on: 15-01-2020 01:35 PM)
8692 Views
MattS2
First Poster
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Hi,

 

Just wondering if anyone is having any similar issues to me re the heart rate tracking or could advise further.

 

Only got the watch a few days ago, but I've noticed I don't get a resting heart rate measurement for each day? It tracks my heart rate throughout the day but never gives me a RHR reading.

 

Also, I've just been swimming with the watch today, and the didn't track my heart rate at all - the sensor doesn't even light up on the back when I start a pool workout. Does anyone know if the watch is meant to be able to track when swimming? If so - any advice anyone can give?

 

I have the watch set to measure HR continuously too.

 

Cheers everyone!

69 REPLIES 69
rriva78
Helping Hand
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I use only pre-installed watchfaces and no other software added but HR hangs sometimes on high heart rate (random). When it happens, it's enough starting an exercise and in 20 sec the HR starts to show right values (without moving or wearing off the watch). It's a software-related issue with no doubts and the hope is that Samsung will fix soon because the main function of this watch (8 leds for a higher accuracy in HR reading) is not working well in this moment. The strange thing is that I have no issues while doing sports or at night. Only when I'm relaxing and sitting or walking around during the day. 

ROCTaiwan
First Poster
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So is that Active 2 is not accurate as the cheaper Samsung Fit ? 

CanuckinAU
Explorer
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Not sure as I never tried the Samsung fit. When I researched the original Active... There were reports the watch could not be used for intense training. I understood this was one of the areas Samsung was trying to improve with the 2 version. Unfortunately they weren't successful and watch is not fit  for purpose. Go to Apple if you need to monitor during exercise.

VikingAle
Pioneer
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UPDATE: ignore this Post, the Resting HR started to mess around again after I Posted this. Sadly, cleaning the rear of the watch only made a temporary difference.

 

Don't shoot the messanger here, but I may have stumbled upon a factor that might potentially influence the accuracy of the heart rate sensors...

 

...try cleaning the back of the Galaxy Watch Active 2, and see if that makes a difference!

I just fitted a Screen Protector and, as part of doing that, which involved very careful cleaning of the watch face, as a final extra stage, I also gave the rear of the watch a good polish up with the cloth that came with the Screen Protector Kit.

It may be nothing, but the Heart Rate accuracy at rest, now seems better. Faster to display, and no sign of the doubling of my resting heart rate that I see every now and again.

 

Worth trying if anyone is able to repeat Heart Rate accuracy errors, just to see if keeping the back polished and very clean improves things, or not.

 

Because I am on a Beta Blocker, my normally quite low Resting HR (60-65 bpm), is now even lower (45-58 bpm), so I do check it very regularly. Obviously, because it's a bit alarming when it starts cranking down too far!

You may understand why I was not too impressed to keep seeing my Resting HR up at 100 bpm+ every so ofteh when I know for certain (having checked it with a few other devices) that it's actually around 50-58 bpm.

 

Since polishing the back of the watch, I'm seeing far more accurate Resting HR all of a sudden. I will now clean the back every time I re-charge it, just in case this is an issue.

 

VikingAle

CanuckinAU
Explorer
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I am so happy you can get an accurate resting heart beat. However your advice provides zero utility for those of us seeking to accurately reflect heart rates while exercising. Again your fanboy attitude condescends to those of us experiencing real problems. Do you honestly think we wouldn't have tried cleaning the back of the watch... Or seeking updated software patches... Or incessant research on the web... Dude.. you seriously have to stop telling those of us with real problems that we should be happy it gives you a good resting heart beat measurement. Or that your sleep apnea is reported well. I need a watch that performs while exercising. This is not that unless you are a fanboy and want to obfuscate the issue so Samsung can sell more watches that are not fit for purpose.

VikingAle
Pioneer
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Whilst I appreciate CanuckinAU's frustration, he/she really does need to take charge, and try a bit harder to resist the juvenile desire to hurl misconceived, inflammatory and ultimately pointless insults at other watch owners.

 

My legitimate interst, one that is entirely applicable to this Thread, remains to see if I can get the damned thing to give me a reliable Heart Rate from resting upwards, which is the core starting point that needs to be nailed down, or else it just makes it even harder to establish what happens when the heart is pushed.

 

After all, it's all the same basic parameters being measured, it just happens a bit faster further up the scale.

 

If we can work out why the basics are randomly inaccurate, or somehow provide feedback that encourage SAMSUNG to extract a digit and modify the Software to achieve that basic accuracy, then it might just provide a starting point that also might, in turn, lead to changes that impact the accuracy of heart rate data as the heart is pushed harder.

 

The fact that the watch is clearly capable of accurate resting heart rate readings, suggests the Hardware is capable of working correctly within perfectly acceptable limits when at rest. This also suggests that what I am seeing is Software, otherwise the Resting HR readings would be inaccurate all of the time, instead of just some of the time.

For the benefit of everyone, I am trying to establish why the accuracy is variable at the lower heart rates because, if we crack that, then it may well knock-on to help resolve the issues further up the rev range.

 

The forthcoming ECG feature is almost certainly going to need accurate heart rate data across a pretty wide range of heart rates and, as that will probably produce a moving heart beat wave form, any heart rate inaccuracy will mean the ECG feature just won't get Certified.

 

To put this into perspective, when I was recently on my back in Accident & Emergency, with Atrial Flutter triggered by Sleep Apnoea, my heart at rest, was banging away at 300 bpm in the upper chambers, giving 150 bpm on the ECG due to a 2:1 Block.

 

I therefore make no apology for my interest, and despite the childish taunts from one frustrated user, my interest is as applicable for the accuracy of Resting HR, as it is for HR accuracy when pumping iron or trotting around the block. It's all the same thing at the end of the day, and working out why there is random inaccuracy should be of interest to everyone.

 

I'm wondering if the inaccuracies are possibly linked to the likely fact that the currently displayed heart rate data may be suffering from possibly hidden ECG features that have been deliberately uncoupled?

By that, I'm wondering if by disabling the ECG feature, for now, if that is somehow affecting the accuracy of the display of heart rate data generally?

 

It's possible that when the ECG feature is enabled in a later Software update, that many of these random heart rate accuracy issues may disappear at the same time, i.e. once temporarily crippled features are fully activated.

 

It would be nice if SAMSUNG could comment on this.

 

VikingAle

 

 

AntS
Moderator
Moderator
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@VikingAle , There's nothing in our Tech Support device guides saying that currently redundant ECG features may impact the HR monitoring accuracy, but I'll see if the developers can give us more info.

AntS
Moderator
Moderator
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Some general points for everyone:

 

  • Someone not having issues with their device or otherwise happy with it doesn’t invalidate the instances of the opposite (or vice versa). And everyone along that spectrum can provide insight to each other and everyone else reading… which is kinda what the Community platform is for. Even experts don’t know everything or can miss the obvious occasionally.

 

  • If you're experiencing issues with the software on your Galaxy Watch Active 2 (or reckon it needs some adjusting in that area), then please send an error report with log files and a brief description as soon as you can after it happens. That feedback helps the developers produce better solutions and more quickly.

 

(Settings > About watch > Legal Information,and there should be an option to automatically send the device's diagnostic and usage info you can set in there.

 

Should also be in Galaxy Wearable > Home > About watch > Legal Information.

 

Step-by-step guide on how to submit an error report for a Wearable from then on: https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/how-do-i-send-an-error-report/ )

 

 

  • If you suspect it's more a hardware issue in your case, then it's best to get the device checked out at your nearest Samsung Support Centre.
AntS
Moderator
Moderator
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@VikingAle , The developers have got back to us on this one. They've advised that currently disabled ECG feature doesn't impact the current accuracy of the HR. They also added:

 

"If customer provide more details issues or data over what he/she have experience with Galaxy Active 2, it would be more helpful to understand issues. We cannot fully and correctly understand what is critical problem and how was it on consumer posted claim.

Resting HR is basically captured only continuous mode and every 10 minute mode (on spot mode only allow user self tagging RHR but auto tagging) due to get accurate RHR data.
RHR capture conditions are no movement and +- 5bpm delta compare with previous 7days"

 

In other words, they would like more info.

 

I've highlighted your thread here to them, and any error reports with log files you can send would be great too. :smiling-face::thumbs-up-sign-emoji-modifier-fitzpatrick-type:

VikingAle
Pioneer
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Hello Ants!

Full details over on my Thread that you linked to, but I was able to send two Error Reports whilst the GWA2 was stuck showing my continuously measured Heart Rate at around 100% too high.

The GWA2 seemed to be stuck doing this for around 20+ minutes, so I was able to send two Error Logs with explanatory messages in each case.

The GWA2 then suddenly corrected itself, and now seems accurate again, but was definitely reading too high for a good 20+ minutes when I noticed it.

HTH

VikingAle