Spotty Sterzo Bluetooth connection

I have just just purchased an Elite smart sterzo but cannot connect it to my iMac. I use an Ant+ dongle for my zwifting but am aware I have to use bluetooth to connect the Sterzo. My mac bluetooth is in and I select bluetooth on the pairing screens but am unable to find any of my paired devices with this option. I also tried to used the companion app to pair from the pairing screen but after looking for the app (that is on the same wifi as the Mac) the circles appear then a yellow warning triangle is displayed. I cannot find any devices using the companion app using this method as well. Is there a problem with mac bluetooth connectivity or am I missing something? Appreciate any help (I have tried all the official zwift connections links).

I think you have to connect it via the companion app.

I’m having the same problem. I use Ant+ off the PC and Bluetooth off the Companion app for the Sterzo. When I turn Companion on, Bluetooth flashes on the PC screen, so the app on the PC is seeing it, but it steadfastly refuses to pair.

On the pairing screen, click the cog top right and make sure Bluetooth by Companion app is selected.
Make sure your game and companion app are running the same version.
I believe Sterzo can only run via Bluetooth on Companion app and the app only supports two bluetooth connections.
Make sure you wake the Sterzo up for pairing.

Failing that it might be worth dropping a ticket to Zwift.

Thanks for the replies. I’ve managed to find the problem. My mac Bluetooth does not support BLE (click on Apple sign, about this mac, system report, Bluetooth. Then is supported Bluetooth low energy would say yes. Mine says No. will have to wait for it to be ant+ compatible before I can use it.

You could still use the Zwift Companion App to bridge the BLE signal to the Mac.

I don’t think that it’s true, as some are suggesting here, that the Sterzo connection can only be through the Zwift Companion. That’s an option of course, but so is connecting it via your PC’s Bluetooth (presumably as long as that supports BLE?).

See FutureWorks: Steering Phase 2

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I expected problems and this has not dissapointed… all evening to get it working…its worked three random times…no idea why…The companion app connected twice but then when restarting zwift to check it again it doesnt connect ZWIFT ought to be ashamed of themselves how poor this is. My PC is fully upto date.

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Hi @Simon_Pidduck

Do you use Bluetooth for your trainer?

Also check this out.
Bug: Companion bridge sensor drops permanently after starting an event - #12 by shooj

Hi Gerrie,

I use ANT for the trainer is super reliable.

The companion app has connected odd times over a three hours period to the sterzo when connected it all works.

The issue is it rarely connects…god knows why but its pretty disgusting Zwift have started selling this when its so poor…

I’ve reinstalled everything to little avail.

zwift support is poor these days too im afraid to say.

I’m peeved … i mean how difficult is it…i think its the hardware having a garbage blue tooth signal…just guessing

Regards

Simon

What Bluetooth dongle do you use on your pc.

Did you try the link I send above

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Hi Gerrie,

My understanding is i can link the sterzo to the companion app and the companion app links to the PC.
So the issue i think i have is the companion app not finding the sterzo rather than it dropping connection to the PC.
I have had this working twice like this but the companion app rarely connects.
If I just use bluetooth to the PC it doesnt find it.
Ideally i would like to get the companion app to work.
Interestingly if i run zwift on my phone the sterzo works immediately
The bluetooth dongle is a generic one 5.0,4.0,3.0,2.0 BLE

Thanks for trying to help

Hi Gerrie,

I installed the updates …it now connects!! BUT i only got 17 km before a dropout… that could be caused by anything so not sure what to do now to improve reliability getting the dongle nearer the sterzo and the phone would that help?

Cheers

I can’t believe it. It was the easiest cure to connect my companion app to my Mac and it’s taken me a week to work it out! Just switched on the Bluetooth withIn the Companion app settings! Who knew :joy:

I’ve managed to connect mine both directly using inbuilt bluetooth on my PC and via my android phone using the companion app. Both methods took a bunch of mucking around switching bluetooth on and off on the respective device and placing the device VERY close to the sterzo itself. Neither method will reliably connect.

With the connection via the phone and companion app I manged to start a ride with steering working but the connection dropped after about 5 minutes and I was not able to re-establish the connection.

Hopefully they sort the ANT interface as ANT+ to my trainer, HRM and bike sensors seems to be reliable - as long as I use the ANT stick on a USB extender cable to get it close to the trainer.

Right now today, the Sterzo Smart’s ANT+ signal is not supported by Zwift because the ANT+ signal’s lower refresh rate isn’t as responsive as its Bluetooth signal. This situation may or may not change in the future if Elite releases new firmware upgrades.

For now - pair to the Sterzo Smart via Bluetooth LE.

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I have the same problem, sort of.

I want to connect to my MacBook Pro 15" 2015 with BLE 4.2 but I can only connect the sterzo with the companion app.

Does anyone know how to directly connect it to the Mac with BLE?

You will probably find that your Mac does not support blutooth BLE. Click on Apple sign, about this Mac, system report (on overview screen) then Bluetooth low energy supported. If no like mine I had to use the companion app and switch on connect to BLE within the app when started but also making sure the Bluetooth was on from the app settings. I also (after pairing) switched off notifications on my iPhone as it appeared any incoming text or WhatsApp message caused drop outs. It has worked one each occasion I’ve used this method since.

I’ll take that back. I just tried the mountain bike route using the Sterzo for the first time and it dropped out right near the end! Absolute rubbish. Any chance of my money back Zwift or are you going sort out the ant+ connection that elite advertise it with?

ANT+ profile isn’t written, I’ve worked with ANT and ANT+ and it can go to 192hz on a single channel reliably or the equivalent of about 5ms intervals on BLE, so no, that’s not it. Given the connection interval on my actual Sterzo is 30 - 60ms OR 16 - 32hz which is well within the capabilities of ANT and Elite has said they are building an ANT or ANT+ profile that ya, it’s not just a BLE thing.

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