Fingers-on: Polar’s OH1 Standalone Optical HR Sensor

*** Replace: I’ve written the whole In-Intensity Evaluate at the Polar OH1 Plus, take a look at that hyperlink for the freshest knowledge at the OH1 & OH1Plus***

Over the last couple of years, Polar has been proceeding to iterate on their optical HR sensor design.  Whilst Garmin and Fitbit (for instance) have most commonly stored to the similar design and slowly iterated and stepped forward it with minor adjustments, Polar took a unique means.  They made a slew of extensively other sensors in a complete pile of units.  Previous this yr we noticed them obviously make a step forward with the Polar M430, and its optical sensor HR.  It was once probably the greatest I’ve noticed in a wearable, handily monitoring my HR thru maximum actions.

And thus we get the OH1.  They’ve taken that sensor, ripped it out of the watch, and plopped it on an armband that may be worn and not using a watch in any respect.  Or telephone.  Or anything else in point of fact.  It could possibly each transmit your HR by the use of Bluetooth Sensible, in addition to retailer it for long term workout routines.

However let’s no longer get too a long way forward of ourselves.  I’ve were given one who I’ve been poking at for the previous few workout routines, so whilst this isn’t a complete in-depth evaluate, it’ll come up with a really feel for issues.  The evaluate will come later this month, after I’ve had an opportunity to get extra task variation on it.

The Fundamentals:

My common objective in existence with middle fee sensors isn’t to belabor an excessive amount of of the fundamentals.  Finally, it’s only a small pod that reads your HR.  It’s no longer a rocket-ship.

The unit is available in a small field with only some portions: The arm-band, the sensor, and a USB charging doohickey.

I say doohickey, as it’s like a go between a USB stick and a charging dock.

Whilst reasonably artful, I additionally discovered it aggravating as a result of, with two USB ports subsequent to one another, it doesn’t have compatibility smartly when one thing else is plugged in.

Dimension-wise, it’s in regards to the measurement of a coin.  What sort of coin you ask?  Smartly, when you’re Euro, British, or Swiss, you’re in good fortune. Sorry Canadians and American citizens, I will’t in finding any nickels round right here this present day.

How thick you ask?  All the ones cash price, after which yet one more:

So sure, it’s in point of fact darn small.

After all, the pod will snap into the arm-band while you’re able to move for a exercise. At the facet, there’s a small button that you’ll be able to activate to permit the sensor, which is able to then light up its six LED’s inexperienced as soon as grew to become on.

The band is adjustable, although you’ll need it reasonably cosy.  You’ll be able to position it in any selection of places – however normally talking, I in finding the higher arm works easiest for me.  Understand that you in most cases need one thing ‘thicker’ to paintings with.  So a bony spot close to your wrist is much less superior.  Some folks have had good fortune with it at once on their brow of their swim cap.

Clearly, you shouldn’t see those LED’s while you’re dressed in it – if this is the case, you’re doing it improper.  They will have to face your pores and skin.  Then again, the facet will light up a small mild permitting you to substantiate operation.

One oddity I stumbled into was once that it required me to ‘turn on’ the unit with the Polar app previous to utilization.  I put ‘turn on’ in quotes as it’s no longer intended to, however it doesn’t matter what I attempted, it wouldn’t broadcast my HR till I attached to the app as soon as.  Polar doesn’t know why this took place; they are saying it surely shouldn’t and will have to paintings directly out of the field.  So with a bit of luck it’s only a random fluke.

As a part of this setup, it’ll ask you the place you’re dressed in it:

 

Polar isn’t converting any of the knowledge processing/algorithms with this location knowledge, however relatively they’re the usage of it to higher perceive the place customers are hanging the system.

With all that setup, you’ve were given two elementary choices with the OH1:

A) Recording + Transmission: Simply put on it all the way through a exercise, and no longer transmit to different units (no watch/telephone).  It’ll save/retailer the exercise information for taking a look at afterward.
B) Simply Transmission: Put on it all the way through a exercise and pair by the use of Bluetooth Sensible to an eye/telephone/and many others.… for real-time HR tracking

To do choice A (recording at the unit), you’ll faucet the button two times.  Else it’ll simply be in broadcasting mode.  In broadcasting mode it’s slated to get 12 hours of battery existence.

In my case, I used it in broadcasting mode.  To in point of fact take a look at connectivity throughout two competing fronts, I paired the Polar OH1 sensor to each an Edge 1030 (biking) and a Garmin Forerunner 935 (operating).  Either one of those units do improve Bluetooth Sensible sensors.  In fact, you continue to can’t connect with a unmarried Bluetooth Sensible sensor on the similar time from two units (even the OH1, regardless of BT5 supporting it).

 

Observe that the Polar OH1 doesn’t improve ANT+ sensors.  Whilst I believe that is certainly a mistake and does restrict their marketplace doable (in point of fact, it does, there’s no method round this), I don’t assume it’s the deal killer it could were a yr in the past.  With extra units supporting Bluetooth Sensible sensors, particularly Garmin’s 2017 units, it manner they aren’t as restricted there.

Nonetheless, for any individual with a Garmin previous to this yr, or older Suunto gadgets, and even Zwift the usage of ANT+ in your PC – this received’t paintings.  You’ll be able to merely transfer alongside to a couple different thrilling submit (I like to recommend one in every of my shark diving similar ones).

After all, whilst within the exercise it’ll transmit your HR as you’d be expecting to the paired units.

And it’s principally so simple as that.  Don’t fear, I’ll discuss accuracy in a 2d.  In the event you did retailer the knowledge from the exercise as a substitute, then you definitely’ll sync/connect with Polar Glide/Beat/Sync and let it do its factor.  It could possibly retailer about 150-200hrs of coaching task.

Right here’s what that appears like from an indoor teacher journey on Polar Glide.

Observe that whilst syncing, the little standing mild will blink blue at the unit, making it great and simple to comprehend it’s doing its factor. Sorry, getting each the blue mild to seize accurately and the display is difficult, particularly because it transfers so darn rapid.  However I promise you, it’s blue.

Observe that for positive Polar device-specific assessments that require HRV/RR period information, the OH1 received’t paintings.  For instance, this contains the Orthostatic take a look at and the power pointer take a look at.  Neither will paintings with the OH1.

In the end, the OH1 does permit firmware updates – so be expecting it to iterate through the years with tweaks (both optimizations or malicious program fixes).

Early HR Accuracy Information:

Now my intent was once to have one in point of fact forged journey and one great run to proportion with you.  So I paired up the Polar OH1 to the Garmin Edge 1030 after which went out for a protracted journey…5 hours of using.

Except for one downside: It seems that whilst futzing round initially of the journey capturing some video the Edge converted to my TICKR-X strap (most probably once I walked out of vary).  As such, I didn’t file squat OH1 information on that 5 hours.  Disgrace.

As a substitute although, I’ve were given a run to take a look at it – in conjunction with a temporary indoor teacher exercise.  The run was once a mixture of regular state pace, adopted by means of some quick periods to combine issues up.  Right here’s a high-level have a look at the run information:

On this case, I used to be recording the next sensors:

Polar OH1 Optical HR Sensor: Recorded at the Forerunner 935
Wahoo TICKR-X HR Strap: Recorded at the Fenix 5
Garmin Vivosport Optical HR Sensor: Recorded on itself
Suunto Spartan Instructor Optical HR Sensor: Recorded on itself

In different phrases, simply an ordinary run.  Why no longer use a Polar watch?  Easy: I used to be out of juice on that watch and was once operating out of sunshine.  Plus – I really like forcing corporations to paintings in combination, and validating that they do.

So, let’s have a look at the primary short time of the run, the place the entire gadgets disagreed:

As you’ll be able to see, a bit of of a crap-show. Right here’s how I’d rank the primary 2 mins:

1) Garmin Vivosport Optical Sensor: That is essentially the most plausible plot, given I began off great and simple
2) Suunto Instructor Optical Sensor: This began off wonky for the primary 45 seconds, however then locked on effectively.
3) Polar OH1 Optical Sensor: This struggled for the primary two mins and measured low, however then locked on effectively.
4) Wahoo TICKR X: This seems to be adore it didn’t in finding lock until in regards to the 2-minute marker.  My bet is that I adjusted it round that time after which it was once glad.

Now, it’s simple to worry about those first two mins, however right here’s the truth: Even chest HR straps fight on occasion within the first short time.  They’ve for many years (it was one in every of my most well liked posts).  So whilst I indisputably like 100% accuracy out of the gate, I in most cases fear much less in regards to the first couple mins than afterward.  So let’s have a look at the remaining:

You notice right here that for the steady-state portion (the following 10 mins principally) the entire gadgets matched.  No genuine problems.  In truth, we in point of fact don’t get started seeing any variations till across the 18-minute marker.  We see some problems once more with the TICKR, which was once surely positioning.  I had to tighten the strap on it, because it was once sliding down.  The others are lovely shut.

In the event you glance in moderation on the set, you’ll realize the Vivosport has a bit of of a extend at the restoration items, while the Polar OH1 nails that completely.  As does the Suunto Spartan Instructor.  That is more straightforward to peer when you open up the exact set task right here.

For the rest of the run, the more than a few sensors agreed (once more, minus my chest strap slipping).  So general I’d say issues did somewhat smartly right here.  And general, ignoring the primary two mins, the OH1 did effectively.

Subsequent, I made up our minds to check out an indoor task, this time a teacher journey performing some 30×30 periods (complete set right here to take a look at).  Right here’s the total chart (the golf green one is the Polar):

The Vivosport struggled a bit of bit, but it surely was once at the similar wrist that I used to pick out up my telephone in short at each the issues the place main oddities passed off.  In order that may just indisputably have one thing to do with the ones.

Differently, they all are lovely darn equivalent – and the OH1 and TICKR and Suunto gadgets all nearly reflected every different right through all the procedure.  Truthfully, no longer so much to mention there.

In the end, sure, it does declare to paintings in different actions, corresponding to swimming (no longer for broadcasting, however to file the knowledge).  I’m aiming to perform a little of the ones actions over the following 2-3 weeks, with a plan for a complete evaluate later this month.

(Observe: The entire accuracy similar charts had been created the usage of the DCR Analyzer instrument.  It means that you can evaluate energy meters/running shoes, middle fee, cadence, velocity/tempo, GPS tracks and many extra. You’ll be able to use it as smartly in your personal device comparisons, extra main points right here.)

Wrap Up:

General, no longer too shabby.  In the event you’re of the persuasion that’s searching for a Bluetooth Sensible simplest exterior HR sensor, that is surely the smallest one available on the market I’m conscious about that declares HR.  In fact, many readers know my go-to optical HR sensor is the Scosche Rhythm+ (and hundreds of you’ve gotten joined me).  And that too continues to be very forged with twin ANT+/Bluetooth Sensible.

In fact, that sensor is a wee bit better (good enough, so much better) than this and indisputably a long way more straightforward to by chance activate than the OH1.  Additionally, it doesn’t retailer any information just like the OH1 does both.  So that you’ll need to kinda make a decision what belongings you worth essentially the most.  Pricing clever, they’re each $79.

With that – thank you for studying! Be happy to drop any questions down under.