GPS geek time - Wha...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] GPS geek time - What rugged smart phone allows GPS and Ant+?

16 Posts
9 Users
0 Reactions
69 Views
Posts: 1713
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Hi all,

Inspired to investigate the possibility of creating a Cheapo-Garmin-wannabe for my bike. I've seen it done with Motorola Defy Mini but this isn't ant+ compatible.
Anyone managed it with another handset to allow for GPS display and Garmin ant+ data on a ride?

Thanks

Chris


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:01 pm
Posts: 17
Free Member
 

Garmin 800?


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:02 pm
Posts: 1713
Full Member
Topic starter
 

haha yeah. Can i find one for about £40 though? 🙄


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:07 pm
Posts: 5720
Full Member
 

http://www.thisisant.com/consumer/ant-101/ant-in-phones

Scroll down to links to lists.

But appears you can get an ANT+ dongle to fit a micro USB on an android phone so that opens it up a bit...

EDIT: Mind you at 49 euros it is a bit steep http://www.tacx.com/en/products/sensors/ant-dongle-micro-usb


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:17 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

What's Garmin ANT+ data out of interest? Even if you find an ANT+ compatible phone are you actually going to find an app to use the data?


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:19 pm
Posts: 1713
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Good thoughts all round. I suppose if it was that easy to build a DIY Garmin then I wouldn't be the first asking about it!

I would ideally like GPS and also my Garmin cadence and HR data all linked up......so yes I think I need to buy a garmin!


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:30 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Probably the easiest thing to do. Over on the other thread (link below) on the android GPSs I found mine worked well except in the rain where the screen went a bit mad as it thought I was pressing the screen. Possibly a different type of touchscreen would fix that though?

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/home-made-gps-with-mapping-and-tracking


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:33 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Endomondo supports ANT Heart Rate, Speed/cadence, will also use a Bluetooth heart rate monitor.


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:41 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Can you get bluetooth non-garmin HR/Cadence/etc monitors that you could use instead of an ANT+ one?


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:45 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Bluetooth only supports Heart Rate.


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:47 pm
Posts: 1713
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Endomondo....don't you still need the phone to be ant+ hardware compatible?


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:49 pm
Posts: 13771
Free Member
 

Samsung S5 has ANT+, and is waterproof, if not quite rugged - add a case and you're good.

Some older Samsung smartphones gained ANT+ as a result of the recent Android update too


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:49 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Also a list here: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4644/what-android-phones-are-ant-hardware-enabled
Though I think you will struggle to find anything that is cheap and rugged. Unless you can find a 2nd hand Sony Xperia Active?


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 1:51 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Bluetooth only supports Heart Rate.

There are a few Bluetooth Smart cadence sensors. Including from Wahoo Fitness, or Topeak, or Polar. eg http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wahoo-Cadence-Sensor-Bluetooth-Connectivity/dp/B00L9XNFPY

Note they use Bluetooth Smart (aka Bluetooth LE), which requires a recent version of Android (4.3 or newer).
Plus you need an app that supports it. I think the Strava app does. Or Wahoo Fitness have their own app.


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 2:05 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I'm on about Endomondo Bluetooth only supports HR.


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 2:09 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

A mate of mine's app which uses Ant+ sensors (he also contributed to that other long thread) some recommendations for phones on there.
http://www.iforpowell.com/cms/index.php?page=ipbike


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 2:20 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Sony xperia active has ant plus and is waterproof and is pleasingly tiny.


 
Posted : 04/03/2015 9:01 pm

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!