Zwift users, what's your tv setup?
 

Hello everyone, I am looking to get into Zwift, getting ready to buy a smart trainer also. What's everyone's tv setup like? I hear Apple tv seems to work the best, If you have the apple tv, you don't need the Dongle right? I am new to this.
what will I need to get setup to the tv?

I bought a new graphics card for my very old desk top (the one I'm typing on now)... one of those fancy GTX 1060 cards. Probably overkill but glorious. If you have a laptop with a decent graphics card, you can do the same thing. The processor in your computer appears to be nearly irrelevant.

Anyway, I run an HDMI cable from my desktop to the back of the 49" 4k TV I bought myself for Christmas and use it as an external monitor on my PC. I have an ANT+ dongle on an extension cord, so the receiver is under the sweat mat and runs back to that same PC.

As for connections, you can use an Apple TV but it is limited to 3 bluetooth connections and one of them will be the remote control. Despite the labeling, it will not display zwift in 4k (it will still look fine from what I hear). Obviously, this means you need bluetooth sensors, which isn't normally a big deal. All of wahoo's stuff is bluetooth and ANT+. I don't recall if it's the TacX Neo or maybe a pioneer HR strap that will serve as a conduit for other bluetooth devices, which makes it easier to get over the Apple TV limit. For instance, I have a power meter (the smart trainer), a HR Strap and a cadence sensor. That's 3, plus the apple TV remote would be unworkable. You can always ditch the cadence sensor, it's not that big of a deal anyway.

For reference, you can go here and search for your preferred system config (ie Apple TV) and see how it compares: https://zwiftalizer.com/benchmarks. For example, I get 2160 Ultra out of my set up at about 75 fps average. a 4k apple TV will display 1080 Basic (that's resolution and detail level, so zwift does away with shadows and some lighting effects to allow for a more basic processor)

Anyway, Apple TV is far from "best" but it's definitely an economical way to get going on zwift.

Initially, I ran an HDMI cable from my laptop to the TV, and watched the ride on the TV while I pedaled.

But I quickly grew bored with having only the Zwift app to cut the tedium of riding on a trainer. Now I have a DVD player attached to the TV, and watch old TV shows (e.g., "Star Trek: The Next Generation") while I ride (streaming would do just as well), with my laptop on a stool below the TV (so I can see when I'm changing slope and shift accordingly).

Mark

Funny... it really does take all kinds. I apparently lack the discipline to ride hard while watching TV but if some fake cyclist goes by me while I'm riding around zwift, GAME ON! My wife, on the other hand... binges netflix on her spin bike.

If you have a smart trainer, you don't need to see when the slope changes, you feel it. :)

Yeah, but you feel it later than optimal for shifting.

My setup is pretty basic: dumb trainer + Quarq + 4iii HRM (to convert Ant+ to BT) + Ipad.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, I run an HDMI cable from my laptop to the TV. Laptop is beside my bike, TV in front. So far, so good. For my first few rides, I just had my laptop on a stand in front of the bike, that worked fine as well. The TV is not required, but it is nice. The Laptop is a 15.6" screen, the TV and 39".

As far as getting bored, I find having others to ride with is fairly engaging. Group rides are fun, and you have to pay attention to stay with the group. Also, simply riding, and latching on to someone, especially on a hill climb, is entertaining to me. If they are just a little faster than you, it really makes you work to keep up, and keeps me totally engaged.

MacBook, ANT+, HDMI to a TV and a Elite Direto model smart trainer. Best investment for nasty weather training I've made. Races, rides or workouts they're all in there and I don't mind the animated worlds and riders. I rather enjoy the distraction.

Wahoo KICKR SNAP trainer, Apple TV, Heart rate Monitor, cadence sensor on bike. TV is newer flat screen TV I bought to replace 20 year old CRT one that had been in front of treadmill in the basement.

One warning on Apple TV and Zwift: Apple TV only supports 3 simultaneous Bluetooth connections (no ANT+ dongle needed) and one of those is needed for the Apple TV remote. With many trainers (like the Kickr SNAP) you need 3 connections: Heart Rate, Cadence, Power/Control/Trainer and you only have 2 available on the Apple TV. You can easily use the Zwift companion app on your phone to get around that.

Before Apple TV, I ran Zwift on an iPad with a cable to that old analog TV and then when my daughter got a new Macbook, from her old Macbook and an HDMI cable to the newer flat screen TV.

Not really much benefit to AppleTV for Zwift, but it let me get rid of a cable TV box in the basement that was only needed for my wife's use of the treadmill, so ATV will pay for itself in a year and a half or so, plus the video quality on Zwift is purty...

apple tv 4k + tv or monitor + smart trainer. doesn't get much easier than that.

Never thought I would have an interest in virtual cycling. Zwift is not like watching a video while riding. It is a game changer for indoor conditioning. I currently use an ATV for one trainer and a gaming computer for the other. ATV works very well and I think one of the best values for the buck.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3b44cbc939.jpg




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Same here as others, run Zwift on iPad then HDMI to big screen tv. That all pairs with smart trainer...super easy always works.

Zwift will simply lure you into crazyness.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0e87a3ab1b.jpg

i use the projector in my garage. 100+ inches, excuse the mess but its a garage for storage
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c2dbcadbc4.jpg

Yep...thats my set up...no complaints.

I'm running a 73" 4K TV with 4K Apple TV using smart rollers. It feels so real that you need to be carful during fast corners because you will lean into it....not something you want to do on rollers.

4K Apple TV has limited ports for Bluetooth connectivity so in order to connect the remaining sensors (cadence, or HR) you will need to run the Zwift companion app.

The Zwift Companion app will only tie in other Bluetooth connections though, right? I have a Garmin HR, cadence, and speed, so I currently use an Ant+ dongle on my pc. It's ok, but I want to move to a TV setup. I figure the easiest way is to get the Viiiiva HR strap that will take the speed and cadence Ant signals and then feed them to the Apple TV.. does that sound plausible? I run Zwift Companion on my Android, but I have an old iPhone that I could use if that would help.

I may end up getting a laptop to connect to the TV, but I think I could pull of the Apple TV sooner.

OK, thank you! I ended up ordering the Viiiiva heart monitor so I can run all of my Garmin Ant+ sensors through it. It's about the same price as the Cable device, and it means having a second heart monitor... so maybe I can get my wife to use a heart monitor when we're out on the road.

I tried using the Companion app this morning on an old iPhone 4 to see the difference between it and the Android version I usually use. Neither will read my sensors directly yet, of course, but they do show up on the app since I'm connected to the same Wifi network as my PC running Zwift. I immediately noticed that the menu options are at the bottom on the iOS version vs being on the top on Android - not a big deal. But then in the Workout session I picked this morning, the app never did get out of the 1st segment. Meaning instead of showing me which zone I should be in for the intervals, it stayed in the 1st warmup segment and kept displaying "Reduce Power" the whole time. Could have just been a quirk - sometimes the Android app won't show me anything about my workout until I've already been riding for a couple of minutes.

I seldom use my TV, most of the time just my prev gen MSI GT72 laptop in front of my bike. But on the rare occasion that I want to see everything on the TV, I'd setup the laptop by my side and HDMI to TV, so I can still reach for the keyboard or touchpad while on the bike.

I just use my gaming PC and have one of my 27" monitors tilted down so when I am in pain I am staring at it perfectly. Using a Kinetic Road Machine smart control so I get up to 10% gradient change =)

Just bought an Apple TV 4K, graphics are great, still trying to figure out running one of my sensors through the companion app, not working for some reason.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...czvxjm8-X2.jpg

yes, all of this is true. I have pretty much the same setup and try to catch up with someone that is close to my w/kg and 20-30 seconds ahead. Took a kom just last week doing that after an hour long workout. Surprised me it did.