New comer: Ascen GPS watch (Comprehensive review with pics)

[or_watching]

You export workout sessions as *.tkl, *pth, *kml, *gpx, *nmea, .CSV formats. PM me for the software.

And thanks to Rigel, I have been able show that the workouts and GPS tracks can be put into SportTracks. GPS master exports to .csv and then there is a .csv plug-in for ST3.
The only extra step was that the .csv file had the first couple rows with blank Lat/Long data. After removing those rows, the import went fine.

Pls see that attached screen capture. (smudged for privacy)

[watchuseek1]

hi, what is the version of your watch firmware?
it can be located unde C:\Program Files (x86)\GPS Master\Watch.ini, WatchFWVer_Long=HERE, thanks

[Rigel]

There is no watch.ini file in that folder. Pressing four buttons on the corners simultaneously will reveal some kind of version, I'll do that some other time and inform you about it. Sorry.

[or_watching]

Amazing. This watch has just gone on sale for $50 USD, including heart rate monitor at a regional chain of stores. Bi-Mart.
Bi-Mart Corporation | Membership Discount Store
It's branded as "The Sharper Image"
Normal prices is listed as $79.99 in the ad, and sale prices is $49.99.

I've been saving my pennies for an Ambit. But $50 is 1/11th of an Ambit HR. I might just HAVE to try one of these.

[gaijin]

Amazing. This watch has just gone on sale for $50 USD, including heart rate monitor at a regional chain of stores. Bi-Mart.
Bi-Mart Corporation | Membership Discount Store
It's branded as "The Sharper Image"
Normal prices is listed as $79.99 in the ad, and sale prices is $49.99.

I've been saving my pennies for an Ambit. But $50 is 1/11th of an Ambit HR. I might just HAVE to try one of these.

Heart rate belt "sold separately" so it will be a little more expensive than that, but with a whopping 8 hour battery life, I say "Go for it!"

[or_watching]

Heart rate belt "sold separately" so it will be a little more expensive than that, but with a whopping 8 hour battery life, I say "Go for it!"

Actually, per the physical advertisement in my newspaper...
USD $39.99 without HRM
USD $49.99 with HRM

I know it's a bit more of a kludge-job vs a Garmin, Timex or Suunto in HW and SW... and I saw from actual tracks it's not *great*, but I hope it will exceed my expectations for a $40 watch. At that price, I can whet my appetite while waiting for a real post-hype decision on the Ambit. And I can keep it off my Beloved's financial radar!

My local store has 6 in stock...

[gaijin]

Actually, per the physical advertisement in my newspaper...
USD $39.99 without HRM
USD $49.99 with HRM

I know it's a bit more of a kludge-job vs a Garmin, Timex or Suunto in HW and SW... and I saw from actual tracks it's not *great*, but I hope it will exceed my expectations for a $40 watch. At that price, I can whet my appetite while waiting for a real post-hype decision on the Ambit. And I can keep it off my Beloved's financial radar!

My local store has 6 in stock...

I agree, seriously. When a GPS watch reaches that price point, it would have to exhibit really unsatisfactory performance not to have been worth the endeavor.

Let us know what you think after you wring it out.

[or_watching]

Hi.
Here's my initial assessment of the Ascen/GSI/Tech4o/SharperImage/etc watch.
It's a little gem. (oh wait... Rigel already told us that!) And triply so, given the price I paid.

Here's me and my interests:
I run a couple times a weeks, so I'm in shape to do an occasional hike. I hike occasionally to enable an occasion climb (e.g. crampons, etc to 10-14k ft).
So my intests are basic fitness watch, and some wrist-mounted tracking/nav for fun and the times I'm not seriously lost and endangering my family by being off track in unexpected snow covering the trail with lots of downed trees, and a dog and I'd better seriously know how to use my map and compass and GPSMAP60csx.
I track my stuff in SportTracks... activities I can't get into there, it's like they don't exist.

So, back to the watch...

Best parts so far:
I paid $50. including a HR strap.
Features works as advertised.
Super-wearable size. Aside from the Garmin 610/210/etc, this really can be everyday watch for a guy. 16mm thick is very do-able given the X-Y dimension.
(they say since it has 2 processors, it will last 1 year on a charge, running just as a watch... So far, the battery indicator doesn't move when used as a watch)
An acceptable blend of the basic features (+ a few) for fitness and hiking.
I figured out the watch menus without the manual, while walking my dog, in the dark, in the rain.
HRM strap - seems to work fine (no greater issues than a Suunto/Timex ANT have). I'd expected this would be a shortfall. But it's 2.4GHz coded something-erother. Like all my straps, it needs moisture to be accurate at the start.
On-watch Pace accuracy: decent. (I haven't done an interval run though)
Water-proof so far... I wore it exposed for 30minutes in heavy rain.
In-watch and In-PC configurable watch display choicess, for multiple excercise types.
Locks to satellites fast: Hot in 2 seconds. Cold in < 1minute to 3D. (I grew up with ancient GPSes, so my DNA always makes me wait an extra minute before 'going')
I can stick in waypoints from a PC!!! (this has been my barrier to buying Garmin running watches)
Electronic Compass. Really the *only* way to navigate on a GPS watch.
5 Alarms...I'm that oddball guy who occasionally actually sets a couple at a time.
Navigation/Track-back seems to be spot-on.
Did I mention I only paid $50?

Why it's not a $400-550 watch:
No "tri" functions.
No Auto-pause
No smoothing on pace
No Barometric Altimeter.
Absolute GPS accuracy isn't state-of-the art. i.e. tracks will show me in the road vs on the side walk.
Screen resoluton and size - while it works, it's not hi-res and looks like it's from 1990. (but this allow the watch to an 'everyday' size.
8hr battery life. OK for runners. For long-hikers you'll have to sacrifice a full track and just turn the GPS on/off for navigation.
Software: no great for data review. Very basic. No mac support. I'll use it for creating waypoints/paths and to make .csv files to import into
to import into SportTracks, I have to Export to .csv and rename the "Heart Rate" column to "hrm"

Comparison with my Timex Run Trainer:
Pace: as observed on the watch I'd say the "Ascen" fluctuated less, even though the TRT had Smoothing on. Mostly they were with 10sec/mile, some times they diverged by about a minute.
HR: I started with saliva and the "Ascen" reported 20% high for the first 5 min. Once I spashed some water from the road on/under my shirt, the HR matched pretty well. Once for twice I say the "Ascen" report 5-10 bpm high for a few seconds.
Track: overlay ok. But you see more 'wiggle' on the Ascen.
Distance: Now this gets interesting. The trackpoints create a very similar distance/path-length when imported into Software, like SportTracks (Timex: 6.12mi v. Ascen: 6.15mi). But during the run the on-watch distance was computed (still in the watch log) as Timex: 6.08mi vs. Ascen: 5.99mi.
(I've read elsewhere about these in-watch distance calculation 'errors'... in this case it's about 1-2%. And personally I've experience even more on the odd occasion)

See plots below for HR/Pace/Track comparisons:
Red is the "Ascen"




I like this little beasty.
a) I think I'll start wearing it everyday, instead of my T6.
b) I think I'll now wait to buy the Ambit until I see a couple reviews and know I can get what really kinda matters about it to me: SportTrack import, Baro-Alt, 50hr batt, FusedSpeed pace benefit.

Anyway thanks again to Rigel for highlighting this.

[Rigel]

Nice to hear I am not the only one who likes this tool. Congrats, and the price is so low, well it's almost free, it's a sin not to buy one of these..

[or_watching]

Nice to hear I am not the only one who likes this tool. Congrats, and the price is so low, well it's almost free, it's a sin not to buy one of these..

The question in my mind now is if it's a sin to buy two. Then I get a 17hr battery life. . Or it's one for my son for Christmas. Or it's my back-up. Or....