Heart Rate Monitors interfacing with Gym equipment
We are often asked if a certain model with interface with popular Gym equipment. The answer is, unfortunately, not that clear cut.
In the 70's - 80's - 90's and even early 2000's there was really only one producer of Heart Rate Monitors working in partnership with manufacturers of CV equipment, companies like TechnoGym, LifeFitness, Cybex etc. That company was Polar. There is a GREAT DEAL of equipment in public gyms that have "POLAR COMPATIBLE" stickers on them. What this means is that they "should" interface with a Polar ANALOGUE heart rate transmitter belt or, generally, even a Polar CODED ANALOGUE belt. From current line up this is products like FT40, FT60, RS300, FS3C etc.
From other manufacturers like Timex and CardioSport you need to make sure it says it is an ANALOGUE transmission (5.4KHz) - if it is, then you should be OK - but we can never guarantee it. Remember, if it's plain old analogue, it "may" get interference from other HRM users, although they do have to be VERY CLOSE (1.5 metres)
Polar have confused things a bit their new top of the range Polar - the RS800CX and CS600X which use Polar WIND DIGITAL transmission - these will NOT interface with the receivers in the CV equipment - even those with a POLAR COMPATIBLE sticker on them..... confusing - we know
What about the rest ??
There is a NEW common standard being adopted by some major manufacturers of CV equipment, like the manufacturer's of CONCEPT 2 rower and various producers of HRM's. This new common standard is called ANT +
If a machine shows ANT +, then your ANT + belt should interface with it. Heart Rate Monitor manufacturers that use ANT + are Garmin (in nearly all their models) - Timex (in the new RACE TRAINER models)
You will see something like this on our ANT + products :
ANT+ interoperability ~ This heart rate monitor uses ANT+ wireless technology, this means it is compatible with all devices shown on this page :- ANT+ interoperability
So what if it's not a Polar and it doesn't use ANT+ ??
Suunto use their own ANT digital platform (very robust, reliable and accurate), not the common shared ANT+ platform. CardioSport have a very robust digital platform called SYSTEM 122 (also used in Garmin Forerunner 301) and Timex have their own digital transmission method (plus some analogue ones)
Suunto ANT (like T3C, T4C, T6c) - CardioSport Sys 122 (like Fusion 20, Go 25 etc) and Timex digital (like 5F011 / not the new ANT+) units will NOT interface with any popular gym equipment.
[unless it is a NEW Suunto DUAL belt which transmits in Suunto ANT digital AND regular ANALOGUE at 5.4Khz, in which case you have the security of digital transmission between HRM and strap and convenience of compatability with most popular gym equipment....]
BUT - does it all really matter ? PROBABLY NOT - you can see it on your wrist - do you NEED to see it on the treadmill display, or would it just be handy. Unless you are using a heart rate controlled programme - it doesn't really matter...
What about BLUETOOTH heart rate monitors ?? Eventually - maybe - oneday - possibly.. all HRM's might use a common low power bluetooth communications protocol ... maybe ?
Please also review our GENERAL FAQ's on heart rate monitor compatibility |