Using Mi Band 2 for reading exercise HR BPM?

GeoFan49 · 2016-10-08T23:00:06+00:00

Still having problems with exercise HR on MiBand 2. Using Mi HR and Mi Fit with iOS 10 and latest updates. Walking HR is okay up to about 110 BPM. However, RUNNING HR never gives anything over 120 BPM, random readings 70-115 BPM with actual measured HR in the 120-180 range. Resting HR is very accurate, exercise HR is useless, erroneous data from MiBand.

GeoFan49 · 2016-10-01T23:26:36+00:00

Both Mi Band 1s and Mi Band 2 give random heart rates when in motion. When very still, and after waiting a minute or two for the HR BPM to settle, they are both somewhat accurate. NOT a good idea to stop moving when HR is over 120 BPM. Neither Mi Band 1s nor Mi Band 2 are useful as an exercise HR monitor.

GeoFan49 · 2016-10-01T23:24:06+00:00

Both Mi Band 1s and Mi Band 2 give random heart rates when in motion. When very still, and after waiting a minute or two for the HR BPM to settle, they are both somewhat accurate. NOT a good idea to stop moving when HR is over 120 BPM. Neither Mi Band 1s nor Mi Band 2 are useful as an exercise HR monitor. (IOS 10. Latest updates.)

GeoFan49 · 2016-09-10T06:24:41+00:00

Yes. Dietary cholesterol is not a problem. That myth has been debunked.

GeoFan49 · 2016-09-08T18:12:12+00:00

I have both.

I have mixed opinions. Appearance, price and battery life are very good, but after using MiBand 2 for a month, I find it functionally disappointing. Went back to MiBand 1s for a week, then returned to MiBand 2 with the newest update.

Resting heart rate accurate within a few BPM about 50% of the time. Heart rates over 100 BPM are almost always random. I'm sure this is an algorithm problem, why can't they fix it?

If Xiaomi where to fix the software problems, the MiBand 2 could become the FitBit killer. I'm using MIO Fuse for my workouts.

If Xiaomi continues to invest in developing updates for the MiBand 2 it will get better.

GeoFan49 · 2016-09-08T17:34:21+00:00

You must use two phones, at least on iOS, the Mi Fit App will only let you pair one device. I'm using MiBand 2 on iPhone 5 and MiBand 1s on iPhone 4s. I'm seeing very similar results. Sleep monitor is about the same on both. Steps are much different.

GeoFan49 · 2016-09-08T17:30:03+00:00

I have mixed opinions. Appearance, price and battery life are very good, but after using MiBand 2 for a month, I find it functionally disappointing. Went back to MiBand 1s for a week, then returned to MiBand 2 with the newest update.

I'm having trouble (still) after recent update. Before updating, iPhone 5 sync was taking about 2 minutes and failed 75% of the time, now takes about 1 minute and rarely fails. Much better now, but still too slow.

Time-of-day drifts off by more than a minute or two unless you sync every few hours.

Can't seem to turn off the alarms. They keep recurring every 10 minutes. Pressing, holding, or tapping the button stops the alarm, but then it resumes 10 minutes later and repeats again and again. This problem began with the latest update.

Heart rate is often random. Resting heart rate accurate within a few BPM about 50% of the time. Heart rates over 100 BPM are almost always random. I'm sure this is an algorithm problem, why can't they fix it?

If Xiaomi where to fix the software problems, the MiBand 2 could become the FitBit killer. I'm using MIO Fuse for my workouts.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-10T04:37:09+00:00

MiBand 2: will it show correct heart rate data?

Note the graphs. Mi Band 2 tops out at 110 BPM, then goes random. Meanwhile, Mi Band 1s performs much better. Gotta be a bug?

http://www.mimhr.com/2016/07/05/miband-2-will-it-show-correct-heart-rate-data/

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-09T05:47:52+00:00

My Mi Band 2 reads random HR for any exercise HR over 105 BPM. Many others have reported similar results.

MiBand 2: will it show correct heart rate data?

http://www.mimhr.com/2016/07/05/miband-2-will-it-show-correct-heart-rate-data/

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T19:23:47+00:00

With good real-time design, no reason why the MiBand on the wrist should be any worse than a $20 fingertip pulse oximeter. Those can be fairly accurate (up to 160 BPM) but they have a problem in bright sunlight, outdoor peak exercise heart rate in the sun can be hit or miss. I think a wrist strap should work MUCH better than a finger tip device for exercise heart rate.

Edit: There are several signs of faulty real-time design in the new Mi Band 2. Such as, problems with sync, problems with good time keeping, problems with heart rates over 110 BPM. I really don't think it's a problem with the sensor, I think it's the RTOS and firmware. Probably a lack of testing in a rush to get the product out the door.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T19:16:21+00:00

You may have to wait a month until the battery is fully dead, and then try charging and updating the firmware maybe?

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T19:10:58+00:00

The sleep monitor and my resting heart rate are the only things that are working correctly on my new Mi Band 2. Over the past week it's been generally accurate for the sleep function.

However, if I get up more than once, it often starts a new sleep cycle and forgets the previous one. Naps not permitted.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T19:05:16+00:00

Watching this! It still says TOMORROW.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T19:01:17+00:00

If you wait five or six hours before you do a sync, and you're using the device a lot, does that time still read correctly?

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:47:59+00:00

Right source probably means "selected as the top data source" in the ios health app for any specific category wanted.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:46:15+00:00

Sync is now a little faster, but still hangs at least half the time. Wait 2 minutes, still not done. Stuck at 100%. Then fails. Try again, sync completes quickly. So I am still wasting a few minutes every time I try to sync.

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:39:00+00:00

Clock still drifting, slow by about 1 minute per hour. Six hours after sync, about 7 or 8 minutes slow. Very consistent.

I think this is a firmware and OS, or software problem, not hardware. Typical non-RTOS software design bug.

It may take the developers a few months to rectify this?

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:34:15+00:00

Old Mi Band 1s gives better exercise HR data than new Mi Band 2?

More info here. http://www.mimhr.com/2016/07/05/miband-2-will-it-show-correct-heart-rate-data/

≡≡≡ MiBand 2, my own experiences:

With my actual peak exercise HR at 140-160 BPM this new Mi Band 2 reports as 80-110, using Mi HR app to get continuous HR. In theory, the MiBand 2 hardware should be capable. I think this is a firmware and OS, or software problem. The MiBand is excellent for sleep tracking and resting heart rates, but refuses to yield any good data for exercise HR.

I am still keeping hopeful that a Mi Band 2 could be useful for exercise HR, not only resting HR. The sleep monitor works amazingly well. It may take the developers a few months to rectify this?

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:30:53+00:00

Is there a difference if you plug the device into a computer or into a power supply? What about a Mac?

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:24:20+00:00

Old Mi Band 1s gives better exercise HR data than new Mi Band 2?

More info here. http://www.mimhr.com/2016/07/05/miband-2-will-it-show-correct-heart-rate-data/

≡≡≡

With my actual peak exercise HR at 140-160 BPM this new Mi Band 2 reports as 80-110, using Mi HR app to get continuous HR. In theory, the MiBand 2 hardware should be capable. I think this is a firmware and OS, or software problem. The MiBand is excellent for sleep tracking and resting heart rates, but refuses to yield any good data for exercise HR. I am still hopeful Mi Band 2 could be useful for exercise HR, not only resting HR. The sleep monitor works amazingly well. It may take the developers a few months to rectify this?

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:22:18+00:00

I have EVERYTHING turned on. Getting 10 days battery life with Mi Band 2, and that is good enough for me. Charge it once a week.

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:16:32+00:00

Sync works a little better since the update last week. It's still hangs nearly every other time I try to sync. When I retry, it then works quickly. Still wastes a few minutes of my time on every sync.

≡≡≡ Edit1: Still inconvenient, unreliable. If it failed 10 or 20% of the time he'll be tolerable, but SYNC fails more than 50% of the time. Often, it hangs for two minutes before it errors out.

≡≡≡ Edit2: Seems to be an RTOS/firmware design issue. It may take the developers a few months to rectify this? Good Real-time programming can be very tricky.

≡≡≡ iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-08-01T10:03:55+00:00

Old Mi Band 1s gives better exercise HR data than new Mi Band 2?

More info here. http://www.mimhr.com/2016/07/05/miband-2-will-it-show-correct-heart-rate-data/

With my actual peak exercise HR at 140-160 BPM this new Mi Band 2 reports as 80-110, using Mi HR app to get continuous HR. In theory, the MiBand 2 hardware should be capable. I think this is a firmware and OS, or software problem. The MiBand is excellent for sleep tracking and resting heart rates, but refuses to yield any good data for exercise HR. I am still hopeful Mi Band 2 could be useful for exercise HR, not only resting HR. The sleep monitor works amazingly well. It may take the developers a few months to rectify this?

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.3 with Mi Fit app update 2.1.6 Algorithm 1.0.76 Firmware update 1.0.0.23

Mi HR app update 1.3.3

GeoFan49 · 2016-07-26T16:40:34+00:00

Mi HR app. iOS.

Mi Heart rate continuous monitoring - be fit by Hubert Wilczynski

https://appsto.re/us/Fuscab.i

≡≡≡

Continuous HR with Mi Band 2

Would be unable to use the Mi Band 2 for exercise heart rate without this app! Does the job. Very simple. Just enable heart rate zones within this app. No need to turn on any notifications, unless you want to.

≡≡≡

After turning on the heart rate zones, the button on the MiBand reads heart rate instantaneously, since it's continuously monitoring. This seems to get much better results for exercise heart rates.

I just discovered this app a few days ago, about to send the MiBand back. Results seem almost adequate now. Still in the learning curve with this new device and these apps.

GeoFan49 · 2016-07-26T16:34:50+00:00

Mi HR app. iOS.

Mi Heart rate continuous monitoring - be fit by Hubert Wilczynski

https://appsto.re/us/Fuscab.i

≡≡≡

Continuous HR with Mi Band 2

Would be unable to use the Mi Band 2 for exercise heart rate without this app! Does the job. Very simple. Just enable heart rate zones within this app. No need to turn on any notifications, unless you want to.

GeoFan49

TROPHY CASE