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Garmin Watch and Music

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  • 28-04-2020 4:27pm
    #1
    EC1000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭


    Thanks to a 2km limit and being bored by loops, I have started to get used to running with music after years of going without. Currently have a 935 but I am thinking of upgrading the Garmin to one of the music versions - anyone have any experience of whether it works well or affects battery life of the watch, etc.?

    I have a Google Play music subscription which (from reading up online), does not seem to be supported by Garmin. Does this mean that I would need to switch to another streaming service in order to listen to music on my Garmin? Seems very limiting if so?

    Thanks in advance for any insights.


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    #2
    skyblue46
    Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    I have a 645 music. The options for music in the Connect IQ store are Spotify and Deezer. Google Music is definitely not supported.

    It is hard on battery but I'd get 2/3 days from a full charge with about 2.5 hours total of music on runs.


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    #3
    Unthought Known
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭Unthought Known


    skyblue46 wrote: »
    I have a 645 music. The options for music in the Connect IQ store are Spotify and Deezer. Google Music is definitely not supported.

    It is hard on battery but I'd get 2/3 days from a full charge with about 2.5 hours total of music on runs.

    Amazon Music as well. You can also load your own songs using Garmin Connect.


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    #4
    Down South
    Registered Users Posts: 333 ✭✭Down South


    Have 645m and happy with it. I think you can also transfer music files over via garmin connect


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    #5
    Reg'stoy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭Reg'stoy


    I have a 645 music too, use spotify and have a couple of playlists downloaded to the phone and occasionally download podcasts for longer runs. Works perfect, all downloads are done quickly. Connects to my bluetooth earphones straight away, battery life is affected so I tend to fully charge it for longer runs.

    One admission, during the current times I need to have my phone with me during runs, bit of a pain but your 935 will control music on your phone if you don't mind carrying it.


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    #6
    skyblue46
    Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    Down South wrote: »
    Have 645m and happy with it. I think you can also transfer music files over via garmin connect

    How do you find the barometric elevation...mine is crap.


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    #7
    Down South
    Registered Users Posts: 333 ✭✭Down South


    skyblue46 wrote: »
    How do you find the barometric elevation...mine is crap.

    Don’t pay much attention to it tbh. My experience with older mountaineering watches was they required constant recalibration. Don’t know to what extent the tech has moved on


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    #8
    Woden
    Registered Users Posts: 6,560 ✭✭✭Woden


    Anyone use the 645 for garmin pay? I’ve a 235 still. Nothing wrong with it but the combination of music and payment has been enticing me


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    #9
    adrian522
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 16,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭adrian522


    Woden wrote: »
    Anyone use the 645 for garmin pay? I’ve a 235 still. Nothing wrong with it but the combination of music and payment has been enticing me

    Yeah, use it with a revolut card, works well, you enter a pin on the watch when making a payment.


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    #10
    Tigerandahalf
    Registered Users Posts: 7,811 ✭✭✭Tigerandahalf


    adrian522 wrote: »
    Yeah, use it with a revolut card, works well, you enter a pin on the watch when making a payment.

    That must be slow in comparison to a phone.
    Do you tap numbers on the screen or toggle through numbers with a button on the watch?


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    #11
    jameshayes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭jameshayes


    I've the 645m after coming from a 735xt. I don't bother with the music element on it anymore because its a pain in the hoop to transfer music to it. To transfer music you need; to have access to wifi, have over 50% battery and be prepared to wait for the long sync time. The reason for the battery being at 50% before the transfer is that it eats through the battery when syncing.

    Pros;
    * good for putting on a playlist that you don't mind listening too over and over - if you listen to podcasts its a pain
    * small and light
    * garmin pay

    Cons;
    * sh!t GPS antenna, if you look on the map its always bouncing all over the place - when I run with others I'm always +10% distance to them
    * terrible battery
    * Bluetooth isn't great, I've tried it with different headsets and its always intermittent
    * the buttons are terrible in comparison to other garmins, they always stick


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    #12
    fletch
    Registered Users Posts: 7,380 ✭✭✭fletch


    EC1000 wrote: »
    Currently have a 935 but I am thinking of upgrading the Garmin to one of the music versions
    You mean downgrading surely?


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    #13
    opus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,963 ✭✭✭opus


    Tigerandahalf wrote: »
    That must be slow in comparison to a phone.
    Do you tap numbers on the screen or toggle through numbers with a button on the watch?

    You only need to enter the pin number if the watch detects that it's been taken off your wrist, otherwise no need (or so I've found anyway). The list of cards supported is fairly small, I asked Avant Card & they said no plans.
    KBC: MASTERCARD
    Revolut: MASTERCARD
    Revolut: VISA
    TransferWise: MASTERCARD
    boon. by Wirecard: MASTERCARD


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    #14
    4Ad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,670 ✭✭✭4Ad


    I have have the Garmin 245 music, not sure if that model has all the data you are looking for, I use it for running.
    I have Spotify and it was very easy to download music. No problem with bluetooth connectivity.
    I paid 300 euro on Elverys.ie


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    #15
    Unthought Known
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭Unthought Known


    opus wrote: »
    You only need to enter the pin number if the watch detects that it's been taken off your wrist, otherwise no need (or so I've found anyway). The list of cards supported is fairly small, I asked Avant Card & they said no plans.

    I think it's meant to be once every 24 hours if it's not taken off your wrist. I was using mine more and more.....back in the old days when we had shops.


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    #16
    EC1000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭EC1000


    Reg'stoy wrote: »
    during the current times I need to have my phone with me during runs, bit of a pain but your 935 will control music on your phone if you don't mind carrying it.

    Thanks. Yes - the only reason I would change the watch is so that I could leave my phone at home as I hate having anything with me when running. Looks like I might just stick to bringing the phone for running with music. If it supported Google Music I might reconsider.


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    #17
    EC1000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭EC1000


    fletch wrote: »
    You mean downgrading surely?

    Sorry, meant changing as opposed to up or down grading. I believe the 945 or the Fenix 6 would be similar to my current watch in terms of feautures but with music added?


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    #18
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,065 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Didn't bother with one of the music watches myself. Seemed too much faff to get stuff on it, unreliable conection to headphones, makes more battery drain on the watch so less distance and I'm carrying the phone anyway for tracking and blood glucose monitoring purposes so use that instead for the podcasts/ music.


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    #19
    adrian522
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 16,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭adrian522


    jameshayes wrote: »
    I've the 645m after coming from a 735xt. I don't bother with the music element on it anymore because its a pain in the hoop to transfer music to it. To transfer music you need; to have access to wifi, have over 50% battery and be prepared to wait for the long sync time. The reason for the battery being at 50% before the transfer is that it eats through the battery when syncing.

    Pros;
    * good for putting on a playlist that you don't mind listening too over and over - if you listen to podcasts its a pain
    * small and light
    * garmin pay

    Cons;
    * sh!t GPS antenna, if you look on the map its always bouncing all over the place - when I run with others I'm always +10% distance to them
    * terrible battery
    * Bluetooth isn't great, I've tried it with different headsets and its always intermittent
    * the buttons are terrible in comparison to other garmins, they always stick

    Just to give my experiences with the Garmin 645 music. I've had it around 18 minths I think.

    No issue with GPS, haven't noticed any problems compared to previous watches (Had Fenix before the 645)

    No issue whatsoever with Bluetooth connection to headphones. I use the aftershokz and never have signal dropping.

    Transferring music on Spotify is seamless, you just update the playlist and when you charge the watch it automatically synchs the playlist. I use my own playlist as well as one manged by someone else, so if for example you had one of the default spotify playlists it would auto update for you.

    It does drain the battery faster when listening to music compared with just running but on the positive side it does charge really quickly also.

    Podcasts are fairly easy to transfer too.

    I haven't encountered many of the issues listed above to be honest.


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    #20
    opus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,963 ✭✭✭opus


    Unthought Known wrote: »
    I think it's meant to be once every 24 hours if it's not taken off your wrist. I was using mine more and more.....back in the old days when we had shops.

    Ah ok that would make sense, I always take it off to take a shower so never got the full 24 hours wearing it.

    I don't have the music version but Argos were selling it very cheaply (€230 I think) for Black Friday.


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    #21
    Unthought Known
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭Unthought Known


    adrian522 wrote: »
    It does drain the battery faster when listening to music compared with just running but on the positive side it does charge really quickly also.

    Really fast. I've lost count of the times I've been able to use a last minute charge to get through a run.


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