Connecting ORM to an existing FTMS enabled Rower (a Joroto MR60)

[jgdempsey]

I have a Joroto MR60 rower (https://jorotofitness.com/products/joroto-rowing-machine-air-magnetic-resistance-rowing-machines-support-bluetooth-and-kinomap-commercial-grade-rower-machine-with-smart-backlit-monitor) that uses the FTMS bluetooth protocol and have previously connected it to the Kinomap App. What I am wondering is this: If ORM is FTMS enabled, can I just connect to the existing monitor, just like Kinomap and pull data from it? (rather than having to set up sensors etc..) I plan on getting a Rpi Zero W 2 to try this out, since I'd love to have a way to collect and preserve rowing data for longer term logging, but I thought I would ask here first.

[Abasz]

Not sure what you are trying to achieve. ORM is ftms "sender" it is not able to receive. Same as your original monitor. Kino map is receiver so it cannot send. But even if ORM was ftms receiver I don't see the point as data under ftms would already processed so it would be pointless for ORM to receive any data thus way

[Gordon-Shumway2]

Well, ORM's data saving and automatic Strava uploading features would be a benefit - if the existing monitor's data could be copied/cloned by ORM. But even if this was possible it makes more sense to let ORM gather it's own data. Attaching a sensor is not really hard and worth the effort.

If your intention is mostly preserving rowing session data there are FTMS-enabled apps that will do this. Check out
https://myhomefit.de/

In case you do intend to install ORM do keep in mind that on a Zero 2 W you need to extend swap space to 1GB before installing ORM, otherwise the installation will fail.

[Abasz]

Also please note that BLE is not like ANT+ (which is a one to many) meaning that BLE can generally connect to one client. So if you monitor connects to kinomap it will not able to connect to ORM.

[Extent421]

FWIW I don't have that specific model, but I do have a JOROTO MR23 which I converted. On the MR23 the only sensor is a quadrature encoder on the clutch of the pull, so it can't see the paddle coast phase at all, and their built in monitor outputs absolute random garbage for stats. I had to put my own sensor and threw out every bit of the stock computer, nothing was worth saving. I would be extremely suspicious of any of the stock monitors on any JOROTO.

[JaapvanEkris]

That problem isn't restricted to JOROTO I'm afraid. Aside the usual suspects (C2, RP3, SmartRow), most monitors produce garbage to varying degrees. Rowing is a bit more complex then cycling in that respect, and thus quickly overwhelms manufacturers.

Any designs and config you are willing to share?

[Extent421]

I didn't do anything clever, just taped a hall effect sensor to the outside of the tank and clamped magnets to 6 of the paddles. My settings are in no way accurate, but they pass a casual sanity check of numbers vs exertion, which the clutch sensor utterly failed at. And they are consistent run to run which lets me track progress, which is all I really care about.

[fkh-bims]

JOROTO MR 26 "ORMed"

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uM1Jx0IX1fEtQleFDZFizLrD6qI-u3Uy?usp=sharing