Help with set up - tacx flow/laptop/garmin for newbie

tonysj

Hi All.
I've posted that I'm getting my 1st trainer as ive never had a go on 1 Im a bit anxious on set up.
I've got a Garmin 1000 with cadence, speed and heart rate monitor.
Plan on using a laptop I have to view stats and footage.
I keep hearing that I will need either a USB 2 cable or ant+ dongle. Now that's the bit I'm confused about..
I can imagine why I need the dongle for the laptop to display the stats etc from the trainer but what goes where if I go for the USB 2 cable instead?
Sorry if it's straight forward but to be honest I'm diving into this blind as I've never even seen a turbo trainer 1st hand besides setting one up and using it.
Just want to get everything ordered that I may need for when I get my tacx flow on Wednesday 28th November. ....
Regards.
Tony.

PhilipPirrip

The idea of the USB cable is to isolate the ANT+ dongle from the computer and so you can place it closer to where the trainer transmits from as some people have had problems in mantaining a signal to the computer with the dongle plugged straight into it.

My own set up is a tiny pc placed under the telly with a short Anker USB3 hub between the pc and dongle. They're only 4 inches apart but I find that it's fine for maintaining a signal and haven't found the need for a longer cable being placed under the trainer.

tonysj

PhilipPirrip wrote:

The idea of the USB cable is to isolate the ANT+ dongle from the computer and so you can place it closer to where the trainer transmits from as some people have had problems in mantaining a signal to the computer with the dongle plugged straight into it.

My own set up is a tiny pc placed under the telly with a short Anker USB3 hub between the pc and dongle. They're only 4 inches apart but I find that it's fine for maintaining a signal and haven't found the need for a longer cable being placed under the trainer.

So I need both as the laptop will be at the front near handle bars and USB cable will go under bike to rear right next to smart trainer..
Boy I had no idea on that lol.
Will order a USB2 Sunni or similar as that seems a cheaper good one. 3 metre SUB 2 cable with male to female connectors also.
Thanks Phillip.

cougie

I bought the usb cable cheaply off eBay. It was only a couple of quid. Not absolutely sure if I need it or not but for a couple of quid it seemed worth it.

Don't forget to get a fan or two.

tonysj

cougie wrote:

I bought the usb cable cheaply off eBay. It was only a couple of quid. Not absolutely sure if I need it or not but for a couple of quid it seemed worth it.

Don't forget to get a fan or two.

Thanks, I will get a USB cable ordered.
I take it the dongle will be ok as long as it's ant+ and mentions garmin etc?
Looking for a suitable big fan on the internet..

cougie

Yes I think any ant+ dongle will do.

PhilipPirrip

This is the dongle I bought and haven't had a problem with it:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... =UTF8&th=1

There's also the mini version but I've no experience with them

cougie

I've the short suntoo version. That works fine. As it was for the laptop it best for it not to stick out too far in case I broke it when moving the laptop about.