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Polar VM not recording pool distance
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Hello, my new VM only records about 1 out of every 4 laps. Anyone else have this issue? I’ve only had the watch about 3 days and other than the pool I really like it, but the pool issue is a non starter. I think Polar’s return policy is about a month... so we got a couple of weeks to figure it out. Then I’ll return it as defective and get the 935. I put in an email to customer service we’ll see how that works.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Hello, my new VM only records about 1 out of every 4 laps.

That sounds really odd. I don't have a Vantage (yet), but my V800 is pretty accurate in the pool. It will occasionally miss the breaststroke lap of an IM, but counts my freestyle laps dilligently.

How are you wearing it? Relatively tight? Above the wrist bone? Do you have it set correctly for which wrist you are wearing it on?

How would you rate your swimming? Flip turns?
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Truly, a Top 1% first world problem...

#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [efernand] [ In reply to ]
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efernand wrote:
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Hello, my new VM only records about 1 out of every 4 laps.

That sounds really odd. I don't have a Vantage (yet), but my V800 is pretty accurate in the pool. It will occasionally miss the breaststroke lap of an IM, but counts my freestyle laps dilligently.

How are you wearing it? Relatively tight? Above the wrist bone? Do you have it set correctly for which wrist you are wearing it on?

How would you rate your swimming? Flip turns?

Loose medial from the wristbone. Freestyle open turns

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Loose medial from the wristbone. Freestyle open turns

Try it tighter, you don't want to moving around or getting bumped.

Have you looked at the display while swimming? After you start, about halfway down the pool, does it show you swimming? If it does, is it not detecting your turns? Do you have a training partner that you can have try it to see if it's more accurate for someone else?
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Make sure it's tight enough so it doesn't move around on your wrist, and make sure to push off the wall/change direction hard. I've never had an issue except when I switch strokes during a length. Don't switch to free from breast during a length. Have you updated the firmware? The first initial firmware was crap for pool swimming.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [stevendex] [ In reply to ]
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I’ll try it tighter. Everything else like keeping the same stroke I’ve been doing. Firmware updated as the watch is brand new. It was my first time in the water with it.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Just because the watch is brand new doesn't mean the firmware is updated. It could've been in the box for a couple months. There have been three updates since November 2018. Plug it into a computer and fire up flow.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [stevendex] [ In reply to ]
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It updated when I first got it, my first Polar device. But... everything was done over the phone so I was thinking of reinstalling the firmware from my laptop and seeing if that helped.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Worth doing. There was another update just last week.

Here's Polar's updates info page

https://www.polar.com/en/vantage/updates

I'd be interested to hear how you go on. I got a Vantage M a couple of weeks ago to replace an expired 910xt, but due to illness haven't been able to try it swimming yet.


One other thing. I found after my 1st update the 'fixes' the firmware didn't all work until i did an off and a back on again. (Not swim specific, but even the fixes to sync properly with the Galaxy phone I was using. )
Last edited by: BobAjobb: Mar 7, 19 13:18
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe wrote:
Hello, my new VM only records about 1 out of every 4 laps. Anyone else have this issue? I’ve only had the watch about 3 days and other than the pool I really like it, but the pool issue is a non starter. I think Polar’s return policy is about a month... so we got a couple of weeks to figure it out. Then I’ll return it as defective and get the 935. I put in an email to customer service we’ll see how that works.

My Polar devices have been great. I used a 625X back in 2010 for training and IM, an RXC5 for both 2013 and 2016 IM races. Finally updated to the Vantage M and so far I have been impressed! I used it in the pool today for my first time after seeing this post. The thing works great. Hit the pool wall after my first 100 and it showed 99.8. I thought, close enough. Then, I recalled a friend saying the pool is short at the gym. LOL I am going to bring my measuring wheel from work and check the pool next time I am there in a couple days.

After hitting the wall and poking my head out of the water to check out the watch, the damn thing started the stop clock on my "rest time". How the hell does it know to do that????

Hit my 500 sets and used the rest timer between sets. Unbelievable. Will change my swim training for now on. Worth the price just for this!

For the record, I had it snug to my wrist, it would not move around if I tried to move it with my other hand. I did open turns. When I hit the wall, I grabbed the wall with my right hand (watch was on my left wrist), and I quickly turn into the wall, push off and glide under water tip I pop up. I dunno, worked perfect for me.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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As an update to my previous post.
I got to use the Vantage M at the pool last night at my tri club session.

Firmware 3.1.7.
25m pool.
Open turns.
Freestyle (front crawl) and various drills (sculling , doggie paddle, side kicking etc).
Watch on my left wrist, reasonably snug.
The touch on the wall is which ever hand gets there first (tend to be an odd number of strokes to the end so it alternates). My turns are quite slow (esp. with fins or paddles some of the time) but I get a good strong push off.

Here's what I found:-
A. With the watch worn 'normally', ie screen on 'outside' of wrist:-

- For 'normal' front crawl swimming, it wass spot on - no problems.

- for drill sets, eg sculling, doggie paddle etc. Actually not bad. Occationally added a length if I changed stroke mid length (eg we often do a drill if 15m scull into 10pm doggie paddle then the return lengrh normal freestyle). Sometimes that 50m would regidter as 75. But better at recognising lengths than my 910xt.

- obviously doesnt pick up kick sets.

- DID pick up the lengths when doing a side-kicking set such as 6-3-6 (ie the infrequent 3 arm stokes after 6 kick cycles was identified - again something my 910xt didnt).
To be fair, this is something I didn't expect any watch to cope with (for me all 'drill' sets are outside of expectations)

I didn't particularly pay attention to any auto pauses etc. But the lounging around time shows up in each interval on Polar Flow (ohh no, I'll be rumbled for stalling at the end of the lane too much 😖).

Stroke type detection. Mainly OK.
It thought some if the sculling was breast stroke (fair enough, it is closer to that action, again I have no expectstions for that)

Worn on inside of wrist.
The one aspect when it DIDNT work was when i put the screen on the INSIDE of my wrist. (I often wear my watch on the inside of my wrist as (a) face doesn't get scratched if I catch the lane rope, (b) less easily caught with other peoples hands when in the mele of an open water start and turns (yep I've had a watch get hit and the strap pull out of the watch body on a race... watches then sink, in my experience 😭)
(c) easier for me to sneak a look at the time / distance eg on a pool time trial or part way into a long open water race.
First 300m showed as 25m of butterfly.
Tried it again later in eve in this orientation and didn't register anything for 100m front crawl.

So this last thing simply means I'll need to weat the watch 'normal' when in the pool. Screen protectors ordered.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [jharris] [ In reply to ]
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jharris wrote:
Jloewe wrote:
Hello, my new VM only records about 1 out of every 4 laps. Anyone else have this issue? I’ve only had the watch about 3 days and other than the pool I really like it, but the pool issue is a non starter. I think Polar’s return policy is about a month... so we got a couple of weeks to figure it out. Then I’ll return it as defective and get the 935. I put in an email to customer service we’ll see how that works.

My Polar devices have been great. I used a 625X back in 2010 for training and IM, an RXC5 for both 2013 and 2016 IM races. Finally updated to the Vantage M and so far I have been impressed! I used it in the pool today for my first time after seeing this post. The thing works great. Hit the pool wall after my first 100 and it showed 99.8. I thought, close enough. Then, I recalled a friend saying the pool is short at the gym. LOL I am going to bring my measuring wheel from work and check the pool next time I am there in a couple days.

After hitting the wall and poking my head out of the water to check out the watch, the damn thing started the stop clock on my "rest time". How the hell does it know to do that????

Hit my 500 sets and used the rest timer between sets. Unbelievable. Will change my swim training for now on. Worth the price just for this!

For the record, I had it snug to my wrist, it would not move around if I tried to move it with my other hand. I did open turns. When I hit the wall, I grabbed the wall with my right hand (watch was on my left wrist), and I quickly turn into the wall, push off and glide under water tip I pop up. I dunno, worked perfect for me.

Odly enough I get rest time and moving time. Strokes, strokes per a minute, even a pace (which is strangely way too fast) and a SWOLF which is comparable to what I got on my Garmin (39-41) but it just won’t record my yards correctly. I’ll be calling Polar today after work.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe wrote:
I’ll try it tighter. Everything else like keeping the same stroke I’ve been doing. Firmware updated as the watch is brand new. It was my first time in the water with it.

I think you need to spend some time with it. Get to know all of the features. C

As far as the pool, tight on the wrist (facing up, not back of wrist), make fairly quick turns at the wall. Report back.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [jharris] [ In reply to ]
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jharris wrote:
Jloewe wrote:
I’ll try it tighter. Everything else like keeping the same stroke I’ve been doing. Firmware updated as the watch is brand new. It was my first time in the water with it.

I think you need to spend some time with it. Get to know all of the features. C

As far as the pool, tight on the wrist (facing up, not back of wrist), make fairly quick turns at the wall. Report back.

I’m trying lol. I REALLY want this to work out because so far there’s a lot to like about this watch. It’s light, comfortable, and I prefer the screen layout to what I’ve seen from Garmin. Also I love Polar Flow and the activity tracking compared to Garmin. Plus for what I spent it would be totally worth the deal. And most importantly I don’t want to admit my fiancée was right about the fact I should have dropped the extra cash on the 935 😂😂

Been in contact with customer service, hopefully will get to the pool tomorrow and see if anything fixes it. I’ll also try pronated.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Send it back. Give in to the Garmin!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Send it back. Give in to the Garmin!

A little over rated. I have Garmin stuff too. Funny how I had 3 Garmin devices break for no reason over the years. It is not the greatest of device.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [jharris] [ In reply to ]
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Note pink font.

I've been busting his chops for weeks, as he has agonized over EVERY, possible, non-Garmin option.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Note pink font.

I've been busting his chops for weeks, as he has agonized over EVERY, possible, non-Garmin option.

It's true I have. Plan on having my watch till it's dead so I wanted to make sure I like it. Guess now that people recognize my screen name on Slowtwitch I have to find less repetitive ways to goof off at work.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe wrote:
....
Guess now that people recognize my screen name on Slowtwitch I have to find less repetitive ways to goof off at work.

Ha! Good luck with THAT.
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Any update? Have you gotten it to work?
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Re: Polar VM not recording pool distance [efernand] [ In reply to ]
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efernand wrote:
Any update? Have you gotten it to work?

Sent it to Polar they said nothing is wrong with it. Got a 935, haven’t tried it in the pool yet but happy so far.

Other than the non working swim function the Vm was a good watch. Going to sell it to someone that does flip turns probably.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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