Merging data from MS Band

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jazclrint
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:05 pm

Merging data from MS Band

Post by jazclrint »

I got a MS Band a few months back, but as I am gone for work for over a month at a time I hadn't been able to work out how to get the HR and GPS data to merge in Issac. You can download a .csv file from the MS health website (which actually gives you some interesting information not found anywhere else). But its useless, and doesn't merge. Now, you can connect MMR or Strava (and a few others) either on the phone app or website, and as soon as the band syncs to MS Health, it uploads the rides to these "Connected Apps". So, as I use MMR I went to the site and hit the "TCX" button and tried merging that file in Issac. No go. I even tried to find a .TCX reader, and it wouldn't open in any of them. I then uploaded that file to Strava, and then downloaded the .gpx file. Bingo! So Strava it is.

So no more chest strap! I can tell the sample rate is a lot lower than the chest strap, but I just don't care. Also, the GPS seems to be more accurate, but ymmv. One nice feature with means no more editing .gpx files, is that in order to use the bike app on the watch, you tap the bike tile, then you hit the action button. However this does not start the ride. It simply turns the GPS on. Once the GPS has locked you get a buzz on your wrist. Then when you are ready to go you hit the action button again and your ride starts. So far I have only tried merging data on two rides that were close to each other. But I have quite the back log of files to go through. One last thing, there is no auto start/stop. But if you are combining data its no concern. I have done little road riding with this watch, mostly mountain biking.
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PCM67
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:41 pm

Re: Merging data from MS Band

Post by PCM67 »

If you had a Samsung S5 that did ANT+ and BT you could use a Android app to pull power from newton and BT assuming the Band acts as a BT heartrate monitor

Then you would have a combined TCX file I believe Wahoo fitness may do it and I can confirm ipbike can do it both Android apps.

Would be nice actually as heart rate straps are a pain.
jazclrint
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:05 pm

Re: Merging data from MS Band

Post by jazclrint »

That sounds kinda cool actually. I am one of the less than 3% in the US using a Windows phone. I love it, but there are limitations merely due to the small user base.

Anyway, I just got the new Band 2. My original band was one I got used off eBay, that was actually too big. Getting the charging cord connected and charged was a pain, and the buttons became very hard to push, and lost their clicks. The new Band seems to have addressed these issues. The new Band 2 has the added feature of a barometer, but you can see in Issac when it does a calibration with the GPS. So, in a pinch you can use the Band's altitude data. I have used it to find the starting altitude, but there is a lot of in and out of various menus to get that info. Otherwise for my commutes it has provided data that Issac has had no trouble merging. The data sample rate is a bit slow still, but on a run or road bike ride I don't think you'd notice. But you do on a faster MTB ride. But my Garmin Virb doesn't seem to be that much better. I have a 7 mile MTB I have yet to analyze. I also need to do 5 rides with my HR strap on to get a good feel accuracy. The one ride I did with both the Band was dead on, just has a slower sample rate. But I want to do a few rides to get a better feel for its accuracy. But so far, it seems to work just that bit better software wise, and much better hardware wise.
'98 ProFlex 5500c under construction
'13 Schwinn Fastback custom build
'05 Bianchi Axis custom build
'13 Reline Metro Sport custom build
'15 GT Sensor Carbon Pro custom build
'?? A bike who's existence shall not be acknowledged
jazclrint
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:05 pm

Re: Merging data from MS Band

Post by jazclrint »

Yeah, so I just finished uploading and merging the file. Now the GPS tracks look beautiful on MS Health, MMR, and Strava. When I finish a ride, it gets uploaded to all 3 automatically. But, I have to download the .gpx file from Strava to merge it in Issac. Again, having Newton Tracker as a connected app in MS Health the same as Strava and MMR would soo sweet. But hey, a guy can dream. In my defense this would mean you guys would not have to write a windows app (not that you were going to anyway), or a tile for the Band. You just are on the back side of the site that runs the Band, which works on all 3 platforms (Windows, Android, and iOS) equally well. And this smart watch doesn't need a phone connected to track rides. Often times I hook it up to my computer post ride to sync and charge. Although it syncs to the phone just fine.

Any way, I have noticed that on long MTB rides, mostly social ones where we stop a lot for the beginners, Issac doesn't do a very good job merging the data. My maps come out looking like crap. I think things work much better when its a road ride, or a ride where I don't stop much. Just an observation.
'98 ProFlex 5500c under construction
'13 Schwinn Fastback custom build
'05 Bianchi Axis custom build
'13 Reline Metro Sport custom build
'15 GT Sensor Carbon Pro custom build
'?? A bike who's existence shall not be acknowledged
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