There are a few things going on lately that might be related to the problem but are not related to each other. So I can’t say with confidence exactly what is happening but these are things to look into.
First, the game has a new consent permission for all HRMs.
If you don’t see that consent request, you could look for it in the game settings or re-install the game following these instructions: Re-Installing Zwift
Polar has also released firmware updates to comply with the EU Radio Equipment Directive which requires encryption when paired via Bluetooth. That started happening last fall but I can’t guess if or when the firmware was updated on your HRM. You can find some discussion of that over here:
Whether that affects you depends on the Polar firmware version you have installed on the HRM.
Note that ANT+ does not support encryption, which means if you pair the HRM via ANT+ you won’t have to think about that, and it’s likely that your HRM connects to the Garmin Edge 1030 via ANT+ so it would not be affected by that change. If you pair the HRM via Bluetooth to Zwift, that’s completely different.
And then there are some devices that you might run the game on which could have poor Bluetooth or ANT+ performance, but what to do about that depends on what the device is, so if you share those details I might have suggestions for better reliability. Are you using a Windows PC to run Zwift?
I have had the same issue of BT HRM dropping after 10 minutes or so. Then it will cycle Connected/disconnected. Started happening early winter and with multiple HRMs. I finally tried connecting via ANT+ about 4-6 weeks ago. No problems since.
I do not think this is a recent issue but one that has been around for several months.
We would have to get into the details if you want to figure that out. For the last several years, in our household we’ve used four different computers with two trainers and three HRMs, all Bluetooth, never any dropouts ever. No Polar products though.
I have the exact same problem with H10 and Apple TV, only now works through companion app . Has there been a resolution to this as I have tried all the mentioned suggestions with no success.
Shuji at Zwift HQ here. Looked through your server logs for clues, and I found you’re using Zwift on a Windows PC.
If your Polar H10 is using their firmware version 4.1.10 or newer - those versions comply with an EU regulation for data privacy. With Windows - this means you’ll want to pair the HRM as a Bluetooth device at the OS level, like you might for a Bluetooth mouse or earbuds.
Note: this is a separate thing than the HRM consent popup that Zwift introduced in game version 1.111. That’s covered in the release note thread:
But it was working just fine through ant+ until the update! It sure seems like a swift issue not Polar.
I uninstalled and freshly installed Zwift. No change.
I agree that if I enable BT on my computer I can connect the H10 that way - but then Zwift loses connection to my Kickr Bike! It cannot seem to find the bike any longer once BT is enabled. As between the bike and the HR monitor, I’d rather keep the bike connected.
I tried using my Scosche RHYTHM24 and Swift cannot find it either using ant+.
Do you have any idea what I could try on my Apple TV?
I’ve already given consent in Zwift when selecting the HR strap. In the Polar app, I’ve enabled the option to allow multiple connections. I’ve also made sure that no other devices are connected to the HR strap (ANT or Bluetooth), such as my phone, fan (that uses HR), watch, etc.
I performed a factory reset on the strap (the firmware stayed the same), but that didn’t solve the issue. I also restarted all devices (bike/trainer, fan, Apple TV, etc.), but I’m getting the same result.
The HR strap still works fine with Zwift on my iPad and iPhone, but not on the Apple TV. I also tried pairing the strap directly as a Bluetooth device with the Apple TV, but that didn’t work either.
Using my phone as a bridge does work, but the connection is unstable (and it also affects my trainer).