PotatoHead says:

OK, I don't know who else is having this problem, or if I've missed a thread already about this, but...

I've intermittently had problems with my iPod giving me an "Activity Stopped" message in the middle of a workout. I have a 2G nano (8 GB) and Nike+ sensor, and I use the Nike+ armband specifically made to fit this nano.

This is NOT the same as intentionally pausing a workout. I've done that a couple times when stopped by a light and a lot of traffic during a run. I was then able to restart the workout with no problems.

This is a spontaneous message, and I'm positive it's got nothing to do with unintended pressure on the armband or the control buttons. And when I "restart" the workout, the distance is all screwed up, and the chart is a flatline the rest of the way.

I have discussed a few basic theories in my logs and on the 3G thread, but have kind of shot them down at the same time:

1. MOISTURE - Many people have reported problems with running in the rain or just a lot of moisture from a good sweat. I've never denied that as a possibility, but the Activity Stopped message sometimes has come near the beginning of a workout, when sweat was not an issue. (I also acknowledged the possibility of "delayed" moisture, finally working its way somewhere where it can cause a problem a day later. But I was skeptical.)

2. RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE - the shoe sensor is a low-power radio transmitter, and the device we plug into the nano is a radio receiver. And when I run at work at lunchtime, I have to carry my ID badge to get back into the building. This is a "card swipe" thing, but it is not a magnetic strip card. There actually is a little chip imbedded in the plastic, which responds to radio waves at a certain frequency and emits a signal which can be recognized by the reader. So I thought maybe the two systems somehow were interfering with each other. But the problem recently occurred on a weekend run -- no ID card.

3. ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE - closely related to #2 - I wondered if electromagnetic emissions from high-power lines, heavy industrial machinery, etc. -- all present in the neighborhood where I run at work -- could be interfering with the radio link. But again, the problem recently occurred on a weekend run at a park.

So after Saturday's debacle (July 19), I sidelined my 8-gig iPod and borrowed my daughter's 4-gig 2G nano (hot pink colored, I might add) for a test run on Sunday. The device was perfectly well-behaved for a 2.75-mile run. But today (Tuesday, July 22) I got the dreaded Activity Stopped message again during a run at work with the pink iPod. And I did not have my ID with me -- I left it in a secret hiding place (shhhh - don't tell Security!). And although I was running through the industrial neighborhood, it was about as far away from all the heavy power lines and machinery that you can get in that area.

BUT -- I've now noticed something. I have to go back and look, but I think each of the Activity Stopped messages came when the iPod reached an "internal milestone."

One day last week, the message at the 1-km. On Saturday, it came right at the 2-mile mark. Today, the first one came at the 2-km mark. Then, instead of "resuming activity," I started a new workout, and I got another Activity Stopped message at the 1-mile mark. No, I'm not switching between miles and km on my nano, and that's why it took me a little while to notice. Because there seemed to be nothing special about a 0.62 mile hangup, until I realized that was 1.0 km.

So the problem seems to be happening at round-number km or mile markers. And I'm pretty sure the nano records "splits" for both round-number miles and round-number kms, whether or not you ask it to. So something about this seems to be screwing the system up -- some of the time.

One last thing -- on Saturday and today (and on a previous run -- I will check), I set the nano for a Distance workout, i.e., where I dialed in a specific distance goal, and the iPod announced certain progress points along the way. I've not done that for most of C25K, because I did not have a distance goal those days (and just did a Basic workout). The problem seems to have started when I started doing Distance workouts, but I will have to double-check to be sure.

I will look at some of my older runs to see if I can tell if the round-number pattern holds. I may also look at some forum threads on other websites. But for those who are struggling with their 2G or 3G systems -- it may be something to watch for, and maybe a clue to lead us in the right direction....

 PotatoHead says:

Here's what one of the Nike employees has had to say about this issue on the Nike+ Forums site....

Hi all,

I can definitely understand how interrupted workouts could quickly become the bane of your Nike+ existence. I'd like to go over some common causes for this issue so that you're able to do everything possible to avoid having to deal with it recurring.

Before I get into why it happens, though, I'd like to make one quick recommendation. If you ever have your workout stop midway, it's a good idea to reset your iPod nano before queuing up a new workout. I know it's a nuisance to take this step when you're running and you're trying to maintain your rhythm, but it's often an effective way to make sure the issue doesn't recur as soon as you start up again. Resetting refreshes your iPod nano's settings, functioning similarly to a reboot on your computer. To reset, just press and hold down the Menu button and the center button at the same time, holding them down until the Apple logo appears on the screen. This should take around five seconds. You can then queue up a new workout.

There are a variety of reasons why you might have your workout stop, but all of them are variations on the same theme: loss of connection. It's possible to lose the connection between the components of the Nike + iPod Sport Kit (the sensor and the receiver); it's also possible to lose connection between the iPod nano and the receiver, resulting in the receiver being unable to communicate with the sensor. In both situations, you're likely to have your workout interrupted.

The main cause for loss of connection between the receiver and the sensor is incorrect placement of the sensor. (For instance, if your sensor is upside down, your footstrike will only be recorded intermittently, if at all.) The best possible position for your Nike+ sensor is in a Nike+ ready shoe, with the sensor facing flat side up. The Apple logo and the Swoosh should face the sky, and the sensor should be seated snugly in the Nike+ pocket in the midsole of the left shoe. If you use a pouch or other means of attaching your sensor, just remember that you want to replicate the Nike+ ready position as closely as possible: you want your sensor to be right side up, horizontal, close to the ground, and locked firmly in place so that there isn't any excess motion to throw off your mileage reading.

A few things can cause your receiver to lose connection with the iPod nano. It's possible, first of all, for the receiver to jostle loose from its port on the bottom edge of the iPod nano; you want to make sure that the receiver is fitted securely into the port and isn't in a position to loosen as you run. You also want to make sure that the port-receiver interface is clean, dry, and free of foreign materials. It's important in particular to protect your iPod nano and your receiver from moisture, whether it's perspiration or precipitation. (The sensor--the component that fits into your shoe--is waterproof and shouldn't be affected by moisture.)

It's important, too, to recognize that not all conditions are suitable for using Nike+. Extremely cold weather can cause both the iPod nano and the Nike + iPod Sport Kit to behave erratically, as any portable electronic device would. If you are running in sub-zero weather, you certainly get bragging rights, but you'll have to protect your iPod nano and receiver from the elements if you hope to upload those miles, too.

It's possible, of course, that you're doing everything exactly right, and that there's a flaw in your equipment. Apple offers a one-year warranty on the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, and they also offer warranty coverage for the iPod nano. If you're encountering recurring problems, we encourage you to visit an Apple store in your area (click here www.apple.com/retail to use their retail locator) to determine your warranty status and exchange options. You may also opt to use their handy online exchange form here:

selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

Whether you set up your return online or in the store, your best option is to have a dated sales receipt that includes the purchase price and location. If you do not have your receipt, Apple will use the manufacturing date, as determined by the product serial number, to determine warranty status.

I hope this information helps! We want you to have fun using Nike+ to rack up miles, and it's no fun to have to stop and fiddle with your gear mid-run.

Cheers,

Clover

 PotatoHead says:

In addition to what "Clover" from Nike+ has said, there does seem to be a consensus that it's moisture, moisture, moisture. In particular, the Nike+ neoprene armband is like a sponge -- it sucks in moisture and holds it there. I've definitely noticed that it can still be a little damp the next day or even two days later (kind of gross actually). So I'm going with that for now. I've got my brand-new sensor, in brand-new Nike+ shoes, in a new holder that does not allow sweat to build up. So far, so good!

 Sean says:

Has anyone found an arm band that they like and keeps the unit fairly dry?

 PotatoHead says:

Good question. Stores probably want to stock armbands for 3G exclusively. Will be checking for 2G stuff on the shelves....

 PotatoHead says:

Today I found two solutions at Wal-Mart to do a better job at protecting 2G nano from moisutre, and fearing that they might not last on the shelves forever, I bought them both. (Best Buy and a couple other places had almost exclusively 3G stuff. Really difficult to find 2G stuff on the shelves.)

As background -- as mentioned in one of my earlier posts below -- I've now become convinced that moisture really is a problem with these devices, despite my earlier skepticism. And I've also concluded that the Nike+ armband is a really BAD moisture sponge that holds moisture right against the darn thing -- at least for someone who sweats like I do.

For running in regular weather (no rain), where the only concern is sweat penetration, I bought a Samsonite iPod Nano adjustable armband. The band is a rubbery/stretchy material with velcro pads. Then there's a rubber skin for the Nano that threads through the armband, complete with a full opening at the bottom to allow the headphones AND the Nike+ receiver to poke through. The skin is very snug and I've got no concerns about it letting the iPod drop out (plus there's a little lip at the bottom to help prevent this). And the face of the skin is thin enough to allow normal button / dial operation. This looks like it will be very effective at keeping sweat away, and as an added bonus it's got a couple reflectorized patches on the armband too.

Then I also bought a DryPro water resistant pouch, which is clearly aimed toward the 2G nano, although it says other MP3 players will fit as well (though a 3G would not fit in this one). This is for the rainy-day run. The armband mentioned above is still kind of exposed to direct rain, but this pouch is not. This is basically a heavy-gauge zip-lock bag with a lanyard threaded through it, so you can wear it around your neck. It also has a little headphone plug inside, which feeds through a sealed grommet to a jack on the outside -- thus pretty much solving the problem of moisture penetrating through the hole needed for your headphone cord.

Each was about 15 bucks. Neither shows up on the Wal-Mart website, by the way. But they were in my local store in a Cleveland, Ohio suburb. AND - neither was in the aisle with the iPods themselves and a bunch of 3G stuff. Almost left the store, but next aisle over they had this little cache of stuff.

 Daft Punk says:

Good info, PH. It stinks that you have to go through all this stuff, but your record keeping and detail about the problem are sure to help others who come across this issue. I hope your slew of new electronics and accessories put an end to your frustrations. Who knew running would be so damn complicated?

 PotatoHead says:

Before anyone rushes out to buy either one of these products --

Tried the Samsonite armband. Couldn't even get the thing much past my elbow. This is definitely for the smaller arm. Too bad -- it would have been perfect I think.

Fortunately, I had the DryPro with me too -- just in case. That worked fine, but the Nano is a really tight fit. It took a lot of trouble and time in both directions. I'll hang on to it for a really bad-weather run, but it's nothing I'd use on a daily basis. Again -- too bad, though. I kind of liked the whole wear-it-like-a-medallion theme. Tucked under my shirt with headphones, everything was nice and neat.

I'm going to try a little surgery with the Samsonite rubber skin and a different armband. Looks like that should work out OK.

 irpete says:

I have had this happen a couple of times on my 3G. The first time it was during a run in the rain. I thought the sensor in my shoe may have been fried from getting wet so I purchased a new sensor and reciever. Even with the new sensor I still had the same problems so I replaced the old receiver with the new one and all is well now. Even though I was running in the rain, I don't think that the receiver got wet enough to ruin it though. It was just a lite rain.