I will summarise a set of annoying quirks around the pairing process that are consistent with every macOS device I used (three of them) and they are unique to Zwift and absent of every other software that connects to my equipment whether via Bluetooth or ANT+
-
Once you select a power source, e.g. the smart trainer, the other power devices disappear from the list. The only way I can use my power meter is to 1st connect it as a power source, then pair its cadence sensor us cadence source then unpair the power meter, pair again the trainer as power source and finally pair the smart trainer as controllable trainer. And all this is forgotten on each restart and I have to go through them every time.
-
Going to Zwift’s pairing screen causes disruptions to all connected bluetooth devices. Some disconnect, some start having drops, the sound in headphones or speakers starts having gaps or even the Sun starts becoming distorted. Once I leave the pairing screen things return to normal.
-
Directly related with #2 above, the play controllers are in a perpetual state of trying to connect. There is an orange square in the pairing screen saying “connecting”. The controllers seem to actually work but the affect of this perpetual connecting state is similar to #2 above, disrupting all my Bluetooth devices and making it impossible to use the controllers.
The behaviour is consistent across three different macOS computers I am using, and is consistently absent from every other similar applications (trainer road, indie velo, RGT, etc).
Aside from the blade controllers that are unusable and I will need to return and managing to do what I want but it does not inspire confidence and causes a lot of disruption.
Is this a known behaviour? Is there any reason why Zwift is filtering out all power sources once you select one? Anyway I can avoid the Bluetooth nightmare that the pairing screen is causing?