Here is what you can do with two Ant+ sticks (and in this case two people at the same time).
Nice! I’m gonna have to try that…
What program is that below Zwift?
@Kyle TrainerRoad.
Very nice. I’m currently running Trainerroad + Zwift, with Zwift getting the telemetry, and TR just providing target power and interval times. Is there any hacking required to ensure that each process appropriately gets a hold of its own ANT+ dongle? Or can I simply plug in two ANT+ sticks, start up the two programs, and both will just work?
@Richard - Have you been running Zwift and TR on separate computers? I have my old laptop that I’ve run TR on for years then a separate machine for Zwift. I have been toying with the idea of running both simultaneously. Nicer have 'em both on the same computer and screen though.
@Noel - I’m running both programs on the same laptop. I have a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable, and I extend my desktop on to my 50" TV for Zwift; I put TR on the laptop screen, which is beside me while I ride. But whichever application starts first is the one that gets a hold of the ANT+ dongle. So for now, TR gets no power/HR data. Now that you mention it, I do have another laptop I could put TR on, but as you say, that would be even less convenient - there is really no space for 2 laptops in my setup. One machine is ideal; and if this works like @Clint shows, I may spring for another ANT+ dongle (or try to borrow one) to get both apps working.
Mine works fine starting one program at a time. I also tried it with Zwift and TourDeGiro running on the same computer at the same time and that worked too. It looks like the first application takes the first available ant+ stick and then the program you start second takes the one that is left. I’m on a desktop with one screen so no screen extending but TR horizontal mode worked nice.
Very nice, how does this work on one program/session – do you can some how log on twice / two riders?
@Percy. I don’t think it will work with one program unless that program has some sort of multiuser feature. So you can’t start Zwift twice on the same computer for two instances of one account or two instances of the same account. This is true for most programs in my experience - I can’t run Firefox twice on the same computer but I can run it once and have 100 tabs open.
Some other programs have multiuser options - so for TrainerRoad they have a companion option that allows what essentially looks like two instances of the same program going at once, with two Ant+ sticks. Tour De Giro allows up to four racers for one account all at the same time using one Ant+ stick and one instance of the program running with the available channels from that one stick being used by the different virtual riders.
So for Zwift, if at some point in the future they want to add a multiuser option, it is certainly doable but it has to be made part of the program in some way.
Nice to know this works… Ordering second ANT+ stick now
Had a very similar setup running last night. Used a laptop and another monitor connected through VGA. I was running Golden Cheetah in training mode and Zwift on the other monitor. It appears that only one application can use the ANT stick at a time, but each program has access to 8 ANT+ data streams. In theory Zwift could support 8 power meters through one ANT+ stick, but I think it would be best to support 2 riders with power, heart rate, cadence, and speed and set up the screen in split screen. I think each rider having their own computer makes things easier so you don’t have to worry about multiple accounts and files. It’s nice to know that multi-user support is possible through ANT+ hardware.
Hi,
I did buy second stick (first is GARMIN) but it doesn’t work at the same time.
I use Windows 8 and this second stick is SUUNTO. ZWIFT works good only with the stick connected to the first USB. The second USB connected dongle, doesn’t work (both Trainerroad or ZWIFT).
Do you know what could be the problem?
When I connect one stick, everything works fine.
regards,
Daniel
Ok I’m seeing a mix of answers. Can anyone confirm that two ant sticks in one Windows 7 machine (without running an additional VM) will work to run Zwift and TR side by side, getting data from the same power meter?
@Ivan B Yes 
I have two of the smaller Garmin ANT+ USB dongles
Tx for the answer Simon! Ordering.
What are we looking at here? I just see a single window of Swift running.
@Tim, the TR windows is right below the avatar. You’ll also notice that the power numbers, heart rate and cadence are all very different which doesn’t seem right.