Set up of Open Rowing Monitor

This guide roughly explains how to set up the rowing software and hardware.

Requirements

A Raspberry Pi that supports Bluetooth Low Energy.
- Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W or WH
- Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+, B or B+
- Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
An SD Card, any size above 4GB should be fine
A rowing machine (obviously) with some way to measure the rotation of the flywheel
- with a build in reed sensor that you can directly connect to the GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi
- if your machine doesn't have a sensor, it should be easy to build something similar (magnetically or optical)
Some Dupont cables to connect the GPIO pins to the sensor

Software Installation

Initialization of the Raspberry Pi

Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite on the SD Card i.e. with the Raspberry Pi Imager. Here, Raspberry Pi OS Lite 64 Bit is recommended as it is better suited for real-time environments. Please note that on a Raspberry Pi Zero or Zero 2, you need to increase the swap-size to 1024 otherwise the installation will fail (see this manual how to do this);
Configure the network connection and enable SSH, if you use the Raspberry Pi Imager, you can automatically do this while writing the SD Card, just press Ctrl-Shift-X(see here for a description), otherwise follow the instructions below
Connect the device to your network (headless or via command line)
Enable SSH
Tune the OS if needed by following our performance improvement guide

Installation of the Open Rowing Monitor

Connect to the device with SSH and initiate the following command to set up all required dependencies and to install Open Rowing Monitor as an automatically starting system service:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jaapvanekris/openrowingmonitor/HEAD/install/install.sh)"

Check if OpenRowingMonitor runs without issue

Next, check you need to do is to check the status of the Open Rowing Monitor service, which you can do with the command:

sudo systemctl status openrowingmonitor

Which typically results in the following response (with some additional logging):

● openrowingmonitor.service - Open Rowing Monitor
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/openrowingmonitor.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sun 2022-09-04 10:27:31 CEST; 12h ago
   Main PID: 755 (npm start)
      Tasks: 48 (limit: 8986)
        CPU: 6min 48.869s
     CGroup: /system.slice/openrowingmonitor.service
             ├─755 npm start
             ├─808 sh /tmp/start-6f31a085.sh
             ├─809 node app/server.js
             ├─866 /usr/bin/node ./app/gpio/GpioTimerService.js
             └─872 /usr/bin/node ./app/ble/CentralService.js

Please check if there are no errors reported.

Please note that the process identification numbers will differ.

You can also look at the the log output of the OpenRowingMonitor-service by putting the following in the command-line:

sudo journalctl -u openrowingmonitor

This allows you to see the current state of the rower. Typically this will show:

Sep 12 20:37:45 roeimachine systemd[1]: Started Open Rowing Monitor.
Sep 12 20:38:03 roeimachine npm[751]: > openrowingmonitor@0.9.0 start
Sep 12 20:38:03 roeimachine npm[751]: > node app/server.js
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: ==== Open Rowing Monitor 0.9.0 ====
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: Setting priority for the main server thread to -5
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: Session settings: distance limit none meters, time limit none seconds
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: bluetooth profile: Concept2 PM5
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: webserver running on port 80
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[862]: Setting priority for the Gpio-service to -7
Sep 12 20:38:09 roeimachine npm[802]: websocket client connected

Please check if there are no errors reported. The above snippet shows that OpenRowingMonitor is running, and that bluetooth and the webserver are alive, and that the webclient has connected.

Check if OpenRowingMonitor screen runs without issue (if installed)

Next, check you need to do is to check the status of the Open Rowing Monitor service, which you can do with the command:

sudo systemctl status webbrowserkiosk

Which typically results in the following response (with some additional logging):

● webbrowserkiosk.service - X11 Web Browser Kiosk
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/webbrowserkiosk.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Wed 2024-01-31 23:46:27 CET; 11h ago
 Main PID: 746 (xinit)
    Tasks: 82 (limit: 8755)
      CPU: 2min 50.292s
   CGroup: /system.slice/webbrowserkiosk.service
           ├─746 xinit /opt/openrowingmonitor/install/webbrowserkiosk.sh -- -nocursor
           ├─747 /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg :0 -nocursor
           ├─769 sh /opt/openrowingmonitor/install/webbrowserkiosk.sh
           ├─774 /usr/bin/openbox --startup /usr/lib/aarch64-linux-gnu/openbox-autostart OPENBOX
           ├─777 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --enable-pinch --disable-infobars --disable-features=AudioServiceSandbox --kiosk --noerrdialogs --ignore-certificate-errors --disable-session-crashed-bubble --disable-pinch ->
           ├─804 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chrome_crashpad_handler --monitor-self --monitor-self-annotation=ptype=crashpad-handler --database=/home/pi/.config/chromium/Crash Reports --annotation=channel=Built on Debian , running on De>
           ├─806 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chrome_crashpad_handler --no-periodic-tasks --monitor-self-annotation=ptype=crashpad-handler --database=/home/pi/.config/chromium/Crash Reports --annotation=channel=Built on Debian , running >
           ├─810 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=zygote --no-zygote-sandbox --crashpad-handler-pid=0 --enable-crash-reporter=,Built on Debian , running on Debian 11 --noerrdialogs --change-stack-guard-on-fork=enable
           ├─811 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=zygote --crashpad-handler-pid=0 --enable-crash-reporter=,Built on Debian , running on Debian 11 --noerrdialogs --change-stack-guard-on-fork=enable
           ├─820 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=zygote --crashpad-handler-pid=0 --enable-crash-reporter=,Built on Debian , running on Debian 11 --noerrdialogs --change-stack-guard-on-fork=enable
           ├─845 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=gpu-process --enable-low-end-device-mode --ozone-platform=x11 --crashpad-handler-pid=0 --enable-crash-reporter=,Built on Debian , running on Debian 11 --noerrdialogs ->
           ├─850 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=utility --utility-sub-type=network.mojom.NetworkService --lang=en-US --service-sandbox-type=none --ignore-certificate-errors --ignore-certificate-errors --crashpad-han>
           ├─858 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=utility --utility-sub-type=storage.mojom.StorageService --lang=en-US --service-sandbox-type=utility --ignore-certificate-errors --ignore-certificate-errors --crashpad->
           ├─877 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=broker
           └─884 /usr/lib/chromium-browser/chromium-browser --type=renderer --crashpad-handler-pid=0 --enable-crash-reporter=,Built on Debian , running on Debian 11 --noerrdialogs --change-stack-guard-on-fork=enable --first-renderer-p>

Please check if there are no errors reported.

Please note that the process identification numbers will differ.

To use BLE and open the Web-Server on port 80

Running Open Rowing Monitor without root permissions (optional)

The default installation will run Open Rowing Monitor with root permissions. You can also run it as normal user by issueing the following command:

sudo setcap cap_net_bind_service,cap_net_raw=+eip $(eval readlink -f `which node`)

To access ANT+ USB sticks

Create a file /etc/udev/rules.d/51-garmin-usb.rules with the following content:

ATTRS{idVendor}=="0fcf", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1008", MODE="0666"
ATTRS{idVendor}=="0fcf", ATTRS{idProduct}=="1009", MODE="0666"

Hardware Installation

Basically all that's left to do is hook up your sensor to the GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi and configure the rowing machine specific parameters of the software.

Open Rowing Monitor reads the sensor signal from GPIO port 17 and expects it to pull on GND if the sensor is closed. To get a stable reading you should add a pull-up resistor to that pin. I prefer to use the internal resistor of the Raspberry Pi to keep the wiring simple but of course you can also go with an external circuit.

The internal pull-up can be enabled as described here. So its as simple as adding the following to /boot/config.txt and then rebooting the device.

# configure GPIO 17 as input and enable the pull-up resistor
gpio=17=pu,ip

How to connect this to your rowing machine is specific to your device. You need some kind of mechanism to convert the rotation of the flywheel into impulses. Some rowers have a reed sensor for this built-in, so hooking it up is as simple as connecting the cables. Such a sensor has one or more magnets on the wheel and each one gives an impulse when it passes the sensor. For a specific hardware-setup, please look at:

Concept 2 RowErg
Sportstech WRX700

If your machine isn't listed, you can still follow this generic manual for hardware setup, and adjust the software settings following the settings adjustment guide.

If you do not have and does not have something like this or if the sensor is not accessible, you can still build something similar quite easily. Some ideas on what to use:

Reed sensor (i.e. of an old bike tachometer)
HAL effect sensor
PAS sensor (i.e. from an E-bike)
Optical chopper wheel

Rower Settings

You should now adjust the rower specific parameters in config/config.js to suit your rowing machine. You should select a specific rower from the rowerProfiles.js, or create your own settings following this guide for creating the rower specific settings. Also have a look at config/default.config.js to see what additional config parameters are available to suit your needs.

Once all parameters are set, look at the the log output of the OpenRowingMonitor-service by putting the following in the command-line:

sudo journalctl -u openrowingmonitor

This allows you to see the current state of the rower. Typically this will show:

Sep 12 20:37:45 roeimachine systemd[1]: Started Open Rowing Monitor.
Sep 12 20:38:03 roeimachine npm[751]: > openrowingmonitor@0.9.0 start
Sep 12 20:38:03 roeimachine npm[751]: > node app/server.js
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: ==== Open Rowing Monitor 0.9.0 ====
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: Setting priority for the main server thread to -5
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: Session settings: distance limit none meters, time limit none seconds
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: bluetooth profile: Concept2 PM5
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[802]: webserver running on port 80
Sep 12 20:38:06 roeimachine npm[862]: Setting priority for the Gpio-service to -7
Sep 12 20:38:09 roeimachine npm[802]: websocket client connected

Please check if there are no errors reported, especially for configuration parameters. OpenRowingMonitor will report if it detects abnormal or missing parameters.

Setting up Strava upload

Part of the specific parameters in config/config.js are the Strava settings. To use this, you have to create a Strava API Application as described here and use the corresponding values. When creating your Strava API application, set the "Authorization Callback Domain" to the IP address of your Raspberry Pi.

Once you get your Strava credentials, you can add them in config/config.js:

stravaClientId: "StravaClientID",
stravaClientSecret: "client_secret_string_from_the_Strava_API",

Updating OpenRowingMonitor to a new version

Open Rowing Monitor does not provide proper releases (yet), but you can update to the latest development version with this command:

updateopenrowingmonitor.sh

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installation.md

installation.md

Set up of Open Rowing Monitor

Requirements

Software Installation

Initialization of the Raspberry Pi

Installation of the Open Rowing Monitor

Check if OpenRowingMonitor runs without issue

Check if OpenRowingMonitor screen runs without issue (if installed)

To use BLE and open the Web-Server on port 80

Running Open Rowing Monitor without root permissions (optional)

To access ANT+ USB sticks

Hardware Installation

Rower Settings

Setting up Strava upload

Updating OpenRowingMonitor to a new version

Files

installation.md

Latest commit

History

installation.md

File metadata and controls

Set up of Open Rowing Monitor

Requirements

Software Installation

Initialization of the Raspberry Pi

Installation of the Open Rowing Monitor

Check if OpenRowingMonitor runs without issue

Check if OpenRowingMonitor screen runs without issue (if installed)

To use BLE and open the Web-Server on port 80

Running Open Rowing Monitor without root permissions (optional)

To access ANT+ USB sticks

Hardware Installation

Rower Settings

Setting up Strava upload

Updating OpenRowingMonitor to a new version