I’m considering switching to Apple TV for Zwifting to 1) eliminate need for a PC to run Zwift, which seems very convenient, and 2) eliminate the data drop out issue I’ve been experiencing. Having read on this forum I now realize that hooking up to the PC via FEC with my Wahoo SNAP can solve the drop problem, I’m wondering about commmunity experience on the Apple TV option w.r.t reliability. Since Apple TV runs a Bluetooth connection I am not familiar with how solid the connection is. Comments from the community appreciated.
Thank you
I’ve done maybe 20 rides with apple tv, and the bluetooth has been reliable as long as I wasn’t trying to make more connections than the apple tv supports. Apparently it uses bluetooth for the remote and can connect 2 more devices, so additionally connecting my trainer and a cadence sensor has been 100% reliable. To additionally connect a heart rate monitor requires using a smartphone to relay the signal through the zwift mobile ap, and I’ve had trouble with the heart rate signal dropping out. I’ve read on the forum that some have luck after adopting rituals including restarting their phone before every ride but my personal ritual is yet to be perfected.
As a bonus tip, if you get the apple tv, be sure to exit the program when you quit, if you don’t the wifi signal doesn’t get picked back up when you return and you’ll find yourself marooned on a barren world devoid of other cyclists. To exit the program (much quicker than reinstalling, another ‘fix’ mentioned on the forum), press the button on the apple remote that looks like a TV screen twice, then swipe up. You can swipe from side to side to select different programs before swiping up in order to select zwift if you are coming from another program or the main screen.
I have the apple tv 4k, zwift works well with it on the whole, bluetooth connectivity is a bit mind boggling though as above. I have my kickr and my hr strap routed through the apple tv but the cadence signal which comes from my power meter comes to zwift via the mobile link app.
Quite often I see the cadence figure on the app screen is faster than I’m pedalling and the app can lag behind and even stall, then as it catches up the distance/pwr numbers and other data go fast fwd and it catches up.
A few times Ive found myself riding in the underworld, this evening for instance the side bar said 6000+ riders were online, but in the direction i was travelling i passed probably less than 50 in an hour with as many in the other direction. Both apple tv and app were on the same wifi network etc as the map was moving but no zwifters near by. I always close the app as detailed above before closing down the Atv.