New Firmware 640 for PowerPod

[Velocomp]

Firmware 640 is a big release. We have made a lot of fundamental improvements to PowerPod:

1. Improved, shortened (about 5 minutes) out-and-back calibration
2. Out-and-back calibration is now standard for all PowerPod models.
3. Whenever a sensor pairing is performed, PowerPod automatically goes in to out-and-back calibration mode. That is, whenever you do a sensor pairing, even to the same sensors, your unit will be placed in out-and-back calibration mode, and you will have to do an out-and-back calibration after sensor pairing. This is not a big deal; it takes only about 5 minutes now to do an O&B calibration.
4. Calibration ride files are no longer recorded in ride memory
5. At the start of each ride, automatic tilt recalibration takes 90 seconds, vs. 8 minutes previously
6. Adds support for PowerPod Lite power meter. The features below are specific to PowerPod Lite only:
a. No limit to number of profiles stored in Isaac
b. Profile 1 is used on PowerPod Lite sensor; profiles 2, 3, and 4 are not accessible
c. Lite memory records the first 10 minutes of each ride. (Your bike computer will record information for your entire ride)
d. PowerPod Lite is upgradeable to PowerPod ANT/BLE with purchase of unlock key

You can access firmware 6.40 through Isaac. Connect your PowerPod to Isaac, then use the command "Device/Check Online for Firmware Update". Follow the instructions, and make sure you don't touch your PowerPod or your computer during the firmware update process!

We hope you will like these changes.

[cdesmet]

If I follow instructions for my Newton, it says I have the latest firmware (5,18)... so what should I do to upgrade? Or is Newton no longer upgradable?
Chris

[Velocomp]

Newton was discontinued in 2015, and we no longer provide firmware updates for it.

[flahutewannabe]

1. Improved, shortened (about 5 minutes) out-and-back calibration
2. Out-and-back calibration is now standard for all PowerPod models.
3. Whenever a sensor pairing is performed, PowerPod automatically goes in to out-and-back calibration mode. That is, whenever you do a sensor pairing, even to the same sensors, your unit will be placed in out-and-back calibration mode, and you will have to do an out-and-back calibration after sensor pairing. This is not a big deal; it takes only about 5 minutes now to do an O&B calibration.
4. Calibration ride files are no longer recorded in ride memory
5. At the start of each ride, automatic tilt recalibration takes 90 seconds, vs. 8 minutes previously

Thanks, John, to you and the team for continuing to make improvements for existing product owners!

A few questions/comments on your points:

#1. Kudos on this. I didn't see any new O&B instructions posted online. Are the steps to do an O&B them same as with previous versions, or should we be aware of something happening differently with this release than in the past?
#2. Not sure what this means.
#3. "This is not a big deal" may be in the eye of the beholder. If I'm time stressed and inadvertently did a sensor pairing to my existing sensors previously paired I'm now screwed in using PP for my workout without taking the time to do an O&B. I'll have to be more aware of things I might do that would trigger a re-pairing.
#4. Lots of folks (including me) have asked for confirmation or tweaking of calibration rides. Does the fact they are not recorded mean there is nothing a user can post to be reviewed?
#5. Again, even bigger kudos for this!

And I hope not to see a response before 7/5 because you're with celebrating the 4th with family or out riding your own bike!

[Velocomp]

HA! I have already done a bike ride, begun celebrating July 4, and said "happy anniversary" to my beautiful wife Jo Anne (today is the day; she calls July 4 "Dependence Day")

Attached is a graphic for the shorter O&B ride.

We've basically gotten rid of the "Better Accuracy" calibration mode. Any time a cal ride is done, the unit will go to "Best Accuracy" (O&B) mode.

In general we discourage doing sensor pairings, except when required. The big danger is that, unless you're by yourself, you will pair to someone else's sensors! I agree that the pairing process now requires an O&B ride--a potential inconvenience--but the new process eliminates the need to connect to Isaac to initiate an O&B ride--a real benefit.

The reason we eliminated the cal ride recording is because it is the file AFTER the cal ride that reveals if everything "took" properly. You've probably noticed that, when forum members ask me to check things, I always ask for the ride file AFTER the cal ride.

With that, happy July 4 to you!

[flahutewannabe]

John, congrats on the anniversary!

Helpful stuff, thanks. If you don't need to use Isaac to do O&B (great news) how does one get to the yellow light status to initiate an O&B ride? Hold the button for >5 seconds to initiate pairing, or is there some other sequence of steps to initiate an O&B calibration ride without re-pairing sensors currently paired?

Sorry for being dense on this

[Velocomp]

Wake up all your sensors, then press-hold PP button for 4 seconds, to initiate sensor pairing. Basically, you are doing a new pairing to your same sensors.

At the end of the sensor pairing the light will go solid green, then turn off.

Your PP is now ready for an O&B ride. When you click the button again the light will be solid yellow (ready for O&B ride).

[troutmask]

Unless someone knows a workaround the new limitations on calibration, only using an out and back ride, make creating a calibration for use on a track bike impossible.

[Velocomp]

Calibrating on a track is easy. Ride "out". At the 50% mark, stop momentarily. Then, continue riding in the same direction until the ride is complete.

Because you're on a track, it already is its own "out and back" route!

[troutmask]

Calibrating on a track is easy. Ride "out". At the 50% mark, stop momentarily. Then, continue riding in the same direction until the ride is complete.

Because you're on a track, it already is its own "out and back" route!

That's great, I had assumed you had to turn around or it wouldn't work. I'll calibrate it again as I original just did a basic one for the track.

[shafiqeffendy]

Hello Velocomp,

I have successfully updated my PP to the latest firmware. Unfortunately, my speed sensor went kaput at the same time (water seeped in).

I bought a new speed sensor, installed it and tried to pair it with PP (ride for few minutes to wake up speed sensor, press and hold PP button for 4 seconds to activate pairing mode, and wait for them to pair). Unfortunately, I never managed to get solid green LED on the PP, but I got solid red LED instead (not too sure what this means). I never got the yellow LED, which means it never went into calibration mode.

Please help. Thank you!

[Velocomp]

It sounds like your new sensor has not paired.

Make sure it is awake, then press-hold PP button for four seconds, until it starts to flash. You will have a successful sensor pairing when the light turns solid green.

[4speed]

Garmin 800, firmware 6.40

[posh]

As thought will not have anymore Better Accuracy and Best Accuracy, but on the Isaac, it is still shown.

Another thing is, on my Garmin Edge 520, i check the powerpod sensor detail, it shown Software Version 6.04, but on Isaac, i check that on the device firmware, it shown 6.40.

Lastly, i have tried numerous time, i can't get to do the O&B calibration, am wondering is it because my Powerpod Software version is 6.04 and not 6.40?

[Velocomp]

Isaac shows the correct FW version.

If you're trying to do an O&B calibration, simply do a pairing process. Make sure your sensors are awake. Press-hold the button for about 4 seconds, until the green light flashes. Release the button. When pairing is successful, light will turn solid green. This should also initiate the O&B ride.

[posh]

How about the Software Version 6.04 which shown on my Garmin Edge 520 powerpod sensor detail? Correct as well?

[Velocomp]

I have no clue why Garmin is displaying what it is...but the Isaac FW number is correct.

[posh]

Isaac shows the correct FW version.

If you're trying to do an O&B calibration, simply do a pairing process. Make sure your sensors are awake. Press-hold the button for about 4 seconds, until the green light flashes. Release the button. When pairing is successful, light will turn solid green. This should also initiate the O&B ride.

Have tried waking up my sensor then press-hold for about 4 seconds, yellow light flashes for many times, then flashes red for a few times, then solid yellow for few seconds and goes off. All this press-hold 4 seconds has been done many times but still can't get to initiate the O&B ride.

[Velocomp]

Please email technicalsupport@velocomp.com for next steps.

[troutmask]

.
Four profiles for four different bikes in my powerpod.
If I just do the repairing will it overwrite the correct profile or will it over write the last profile I used?
Or do I just use Issac to set the profile before the calibration ride as I would have done previously.

[Velocomp]

PP has 4 profiles. Only one profile is active at a time.

The active profile is either the profile you used from your previous ride, or the profile you set manually in Isaac.

So, when you do a sensor pairing, the sensor IDs will be written into the active profile.

[oxenhoper]

I'll reserve judgement on this update until i've used it.

I regularly switch the unit between road and TT bike maybe 4 times a week... so doing an OB calibration each time could be a problem especially in the heat of getting ready for a TT. The old system was easier for this.

Steve

[Velocomp]

If you have previously set up four profiles, with sensor IDs for each, you won't have to do ANY new O&B rides. Automatic profile selection will switch profiles (or you can switch profiles using Isaac)

The O&B is triggered only when you manually initiate a sensor scan, by press-holding the button for 4 seconds.

[oxenhoper]

Ah ... brilliant.

That makes far better sense. Powerpod is working fine with the profiles i/you have already setup.

Many thanks for the update John, i can proceed with confidence.

Steve

[Speedyg]

So, to clarify. Using PP on two different bikes. Have set profiles for each bike (each bike has its own sensors). Have done Out and Back for each bike. When I move from one bike to another, do I have to switch the active profile using Isaac, or will the PP just see the sensors and switch profiles?

[oxenhoper]

So, to clarify. Using PP on two different bikes. Have set profiles for each bike (each bike has its own sensors). Have done Out and Back for each bike. When I move from one bike to another, do I have to switch the active profile using Isaac, or will the PP just see the sensors and switch profiles?

I would as a guess think it would work the same way as before.. once set up the PP will switch to whatever sensors are found. Unless you hold the PP button for 4 secs then a new OB will have to be done.

[Velocomp]

So, to clarify. Using PP on two different bikes. Have set profiles for each bike (each bike has its own sensors). Have done Out and Back for each bike. When I move from one bike to another, do I have to switch the active profile using Isaac, or will the PP just see the sensors and switch profiles?

Once you have things set up on each bike, and assuming each bike has a separate speed sensor, PP will automatically switch from bike to bike. Isaac is not needed.

[ANGEL T]

Hello:
I want to calibrate the Powerpod for my mountain bike. When you pair the sensors and take the calibration trip, as Powerpod knows it is a mountain bike with areas of mud, stones ... where the watts vary greatly.
Greetings and thank you

[Velocomp]

You are posting in a very old thread. How old is your PowerPod? Do you have a PowerPod V3?

[ANGEL T]

Hello:
My powerpod is December 2016, it is updated to version 6.41
What I want is to calibrate it in the best possible way for my mountain bike (cda, crr ...), I have a speed / cadence sensor installed and I have the powerpod on the handlebar. What would be the best calibration?


Thanks and best regards