The logic behind default GPS mode settings in different sports modes

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

I don’t know if it happens whenever GPS settings are customised in any way or only when you choose the “good” GPS quality which is impossible to get by default (by cycling top right button), so the watch goes bananas and defaults to endurance. Or just S5 can’t default to “blue”, only “green” or “orange”.

I can test it with other settings though.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@Łukasz-Szmigiel I just did now with enabling other settings and you are right.

So I had blue -> with custom touch on
Did a fake activity
Started again changed to ORANGE
Did fake activity
Tried to start again -> Expected ORANGE -> GOT blue again

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos weird. Here’s what I have:

Custom - best gps - defaults to performance (which can be fine as gps best with hr on is basically performance)

Custom - good gps - defaults to endurance

Custom - ok gps - defaults to custom with previous settings (the only setting that works as expected, ok gps + hr on)

edit:
swapped endurance / performance.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

Also, you don’t have to start an activity, just set it up, exit and enter workout screen again.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

So basically if you set custom GPS mode to “good”, you’ll be locked with endurance mode (ok gps + no hr) by default.

In order to fix it, you’ll have to navigate to custom settings and set GPS quality to best and apply custom settings. Only then will the training default to endurance.

What’s interesting is that when you’re locked with this “good gps bug”, it won’t fix after navigating to gps settings and setting endurance from default presets - you must go to custom and set best gps quality. Only then will it restart (it’ll go blue and green next time).

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

FYI:

I’ve recorded a simple video describing the problem: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FEn7u7fYevTqXCPk7

I’ve also reported it to Suunto via FB.

BTW. Being able to link GNSS settings with battery optimization would be nice. I tend to use Galileo for regular training with plenty of open spaces as it gives me the best precision but have no need for 2nd GNSS when doing walks with fix every 60 seconds. So I see it being related to battery optimization per training mode.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

A pity this bug isn’t fixed with 2.12.30

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

@Łukasz-Szmigiel yes correct. Unfortunately. Another user on Facebook stated this. I’ll push again for this but was too late to get in the sprint

Brad_Olwin

@Łukasz-Szmigiel No, but it is known and hopefully will be fixed.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

Superb, glad to hear it’s in todo. It would be very useful to have a saved and ready to use custom mode for simple walks that don’t require 1s gps fix and 120s fix isn’t much useful in urban areas.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

Still an issue with 2.13.18

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

FYI: Bug still persists with 2.14.12.

Tomas5

@łukasz-szmigiel I have kind of this issue too. But now when I play with it longer, i see that this behavior is somehow intertwined with note under battery mode Custom, it you change to GPS accuracy with OK, than it in note there is “Your own settings”, but when I choose GPS accuracy to Good than in note there is “No custom settings”. In this case When I choose Good accuracy, next time I get to sports mode I am switched to Endurance mode. When I switch to Best, than note says “No custom settings” and next time I am switched to Performance mode.

When I choose Endurance mode (and in custom I have “No custom settings” note and GPS as Best). Next time I am switched to Performance Mode.

When I choose Performance mode (and in custom I have “No custom settings” note and GPS as Good). Next time I am switched to Endurance Mode.

From my point of view. When you have disabled display timeout, than GPS accuracy Best/Good just change if default Battery mode would be Performance/Endurance. If you choos GPS accuracy to OK, or if you enable Display timeout, than default Battery mode is your custom mode. This behavior is very strange, but now when I understand how it works, I can live with that.

But since Ambit 2S and movescount, I see that suunto promotes simplicity at the expense of functionality and usability. It is possible to see it in suunto app compared to movescount. There are less settings when defining own sport modes, for example you can’t use two different graphs in one sport mode for HR and Altitude. And there is many other simplified things. But maybe that is what mainstream demands from them.

surfboomerang

@tomas5

Isn’t Custom always the default, but if the profile matches Performance, Endurance or Ultra, it shows that profile?

I have one sport mode where I have the same settings as Performace except the display setting (turns off after 10 sec). Everytime I start that sport mode, Custom is selected. It doesn’t matter what mode I selected the previous time.

However, when I deselect the display option in the Custom mode (now the Custom settings are similar to Performance) the watch defaults to Performance everytime.

Tomas5

@surfboomerang it is something like that, I edited my post now with my latest results how it works in my case.

Tomas5

But for example now, I have 16h in Performance, 34h in Endurance, and 23h in Custom (Good) and Display timeout off, but still my custom is ignored next time and I am switched to Endurance. But there is some difference due remaining battery time difference. For example with Custom I have HR on but with Endurance there is HR off. So I am possible to create custom mode with Good GPS and HR, but I am not able to save it because next time I am switched to Endurence witch has same GPS settings, but there is not possibility to enable HR in endurance.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.39.20

@tomas5 please take note that with S5 there is no battery mode that either makes a GPS fix per 60 seconds or a GPS fix per 120 seconds but with OHR on, however it’s possible to customize it with custom mode.

When custom mode is set to “Good” GPS quality (60 seconds fix) and HR on, it works only for current activity (accent color: blue). When you exit the activity screen (either by completing it or dismissing), it’ll default to Endurance (accent color: orange) mode which is 120 seconds GPS fix and no OHR.

Also, after the event occurs (ie. you’re stuck with endurance mode), you have to navigate to custom battery settings and set them as custom but similar to performance. This will make it “blue” for current activity and will switch to “performance” for next one. However, you can’t just navigate to battery settings and change it to default performance mode as it won’t work. The only way to return to performance when this bug occurs is to recreate settings for “performance” mode as custom mode.

Dimitrios Kanellopoulos

Just to comment. This issue / request is known it just didn’t reach this update (apparently and unfortunately)

Tomas5

@łukasz-szmigiel thanks for info, didn’t realise that there is difference in gps between “Custom good” and “Endurance”.

I am quite disapointed, this is obvious bug and as programmer i don’t see reason why it can’t be fixed yet. Looks like suunto is saving some money by reducing development team.

Tomas5

@dimitrios-kanellopoulos but why ? It is know more than 9 months, already 2 or 3 updates was released. First they should fix bugs, than bring new features. Looks like suunto doesn’t care much. I really liked suunto brand. I hope it is just some bad time period for them.