RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS #2 AND #3 – Refer to my lengthy 10-Dec post in this thread to understand the experimental design and logic, and see results for Experiments #0 and #1.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS:
iPad = Gen2 iPad Air running iOS14.2
iPhone = iPhone 8 running iOS14.2
H3 = Saris H3 smart trainer (Hammer 42600; firmware v31.063; software v37.013|009b|0001)
BT = Bluetooth
ZG = Zwift Game app (version 1.0.59353) running on iPad
ZC = Zwift Companion app [version 3.20.0 (1078)] running on iPhone
ZC-DC-BT Bridge = Zwift Companion Device Connection bluetooth bridge (accessed in ZC at ZC>>More>>Device Connection>>Toggle Switch
HYPOTHESIS: Beginning with the iOS14.2 release, H3 users began widely reporting dropped BT connections to their H3 trainers while running ZG on multiple Apple devices. The data collected so far (both Zwift experience and independent electronic monitoring data) points to a problem created in the iOS14.2 release that causes the BT link employed by Zwift to connect to the H3 to become unstable or interrupted during ZG rides. So, let’s see if can isolate the source of the BT problems with ZG and iOS14.2, and then propose a workaround.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR: With reference to Experiments #0 and #1 in my 10-Dec post on this thread, we can successfully…
Establish and maintain a direct and stable BT link between iPad and H3 using either the Saris app or Rouvy. In addition, we can ride in Rouvy without experiencing the annoying BT drops that we have all routinely experienced in ZG.
Ride successfully in ZG running on iPad using a direct BT connection from iPad to H3 WITHOUT having the ZC-DC-BT-Bridge active or any other source of BT radio traffic from any device other than the H3 and iPad (e.g. no BT speakers, earbuds, sensors running through an iOS14.2 device).
SO NOW, LET’S START ADDING BT RADIO TRAFFIC STEPWISE ON iOS14.2 DEVICES UNTIL THE BT CONNECTION TO THE H3 CRASHES DURING A ZG SESSION.
EXPERIMENT #2 – The parameters for Expt #2 were:
ZG running on iPad with direct BT link to H3
ZC not running on any device, and thus, no ZC-DC-BT-Bridge is active
iPhone BT radio in ON
No BT speakers, earbuds, or non-ZG/H3 sensors running through an iOS14.2 device
Ride for 60 mins in a group ride
RESULT: Success! No BT drops to the H3 during the ride. Every ZG function and data feed performed nominally.
EXPERIMENT #3 - The parameters for Expt #3 were:
ZG running on iPad with direct BT link to H3
ZC running on iPhone, but ZC-DC-BT-Bridge was toggled OFF
iPhone BT radio in ON
No BT speakers, earbuds, or non-ZG/H3 sensors running through an iOS14.2 device
Ride for 60 mins in a group ride
RESULT: Success! No BT drops to the H3 during the ride. Every ZG function and data feed performed nominally. In addition, I was heavily using the ZC Map, Dashboard, Zwifters Nearby, and Messaging functions on ZC without any issues. First time that I have had this level of success with ZC since iOS14.2 was installed.
Temporary and Perhaps Premature Celebration I have now completed three consecutive rides using ZG on iPad with a direct BT link to the H3. Previously, every ZG ride was interrupted at some point by a BT signal drop to the H3 after iOS14.2 was installed.
WHAT IS NEXT? The Big Litmus Test is scheduled for tomorrow with Experiment #4. The parameters for Expt #4 will be:
ZG running on iPad with direct BT link to H3
ZC running on iPhone, with ZC-DC-BT-Bridge toggled ON
iPhone BT radio in ON
No BT speakers, earbuds, or non-ZG/H3 sensors running through an iOS14.2 device
Ride for 60 mins in a group ride
Experiment #4 is designed to test whether the ZC-DC-BT-Bridge is “fighting” with the direct BT connection between the H3 and ZG running on an iOS14.2 device, and therefore, may be responsible for causing the BT signal drops to the H3. The data so far points in this direction, but the experiment needs to be rigorously conducted under controlled conditions. I will file a report on Experiment #4 tomorrow on this thread.