Zwift/Rouvy etc on a tablet. Can it be done?

Darius_Jedburgh

I'm thinking of getting a turbo trainer type thingy. Weather has been sh1t for months now and today it is full on winter conditions out there. As Boris is going to totally lock down our area I might not be able to go on the bike any more so a turbo seems a good idea.

I know where I can get a decent Elite jobbie, but don't have a laptop. All I have is a Samsung tablet; Android.

I've looked at downloading Zwift or Rouvy and I keep getting messages sayiing the app is not optimised for my device - whatever that means. Does anyone use a tablet for these apps, and if so do you have any problems? There's no way I'm buying a laptop just for this, so if this won't work I'll just get a dumb trainer, and save some money.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Zwift for Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zwift.zwiftgame&hl=en_GB

Works on my Xiaomi Mi A2 mobile, when the Surface Pro 4 isn't available to run Zwift on Windows 10.

Darius_Jedburgh

That's good. Requires Android 7.0 and I'm on 8.1. getting better all the time. Only problem is that turbo has been sold overnight!!!

Darius_Jedburgh

Edit...no go. My device isn't compatible with the app! Tablet is only 2 years old???

pblakeney

Zwift should work on pretty much any phone. Share to smart TV/device for a bigger screen.
PS - Weather has been outstanding for months. This is a temporary blip.

Darius_Jedburgh

pblakeney said:

PS - Weather has been outstanding for months. This is a temporary blip.

Thanks. Not sure where you are but up in the forgotten north we have hardly had a day without 10-15mph winds since this time last year. Even in this recent warm spell the wind has been blowing. Two weeks ago it took the roof off our neighbours new shed.

A calm day is a real novelty round here.

pblakeney

Wind has been an issue but I found that I preferred that to sweating buckets on the turbo in recent temperatures.
Something to consider.

Darius_Jedburgh

Agreed. I can put up with wind up to 20mph, but today it's blowing gusts up to 45mph and I ain't going out in that. I'm really thinking of winter; not for everyday use, but when the wind is howling, the rain is sheeting down and the temperature is close to zero there is an increasing attraction of staying in. We live right on the West coast, and there is very little between us and good old Uncle Sam Land so winds come in unchecked. For 30 miles or so inland everywhere is flat as a pancake so little shelter.

Edit...just looked out the window and a sizeable tree is down and blocking our road. Neighbour is out with a chainsaw, so think I'll get mine out and help him.

pblakeney

In that case hope for a C19 decline and the market will be flooded with second hand.
Go straight to a direct drive. Any joy with phone compatibility?

Darius_Jedburgh

Good news, council have turned up to clear the tree; that's a major surprise!

I looked at the Zwift app on play store and it seemed OK. I followwed the link above and it was no go. I've looked at Rouvy, and whilst I get a possible incompatible warning, it downloads, and I meet all requirements, but might need an Ant dongle. As turbos are rarer than hen's teeth think I'll not do anything till I can find one. Should have pressed the button last night instead of thinking how best to get it past SWMBO. He who hesitates is lost!

pblakeney

It is easier to get forgiveness than permission! 😂😂😂
Tried a phone?

Darius_Jedburgh

20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing😁😁😁

Haven't tried a phone. Was thinking of the tablet for a larger screen.

I'll have a play.

mrb123

I use Rouvy on a Samsung tablet which is a few years old. Absolutely no problems.

I have a Chromecast to mirror the tablet screen to an old TV.

I've also used my Samsung phone for Rouvy and that works fine too.

ibr17xvii

Slightly OT but in bang for buck stakes Zwift on Apple TV is hard to beat depending on your setup.

Darius_Jedburgh

Thanks. I've just got Rouvy working on my phone. Zwift also downloaded with no problems.
I've ordered a Ant dongle to try with the tablet.
I don't have either an old TV or anything Apple so those avenues are closed to me, but thanks for the kind thoughts.

sam_h_1984

despite your comment on my post I thought I'd add something here

Running it on your phone as above is a good shout, it's by far the easiest way of getting on, I've tried it on a tablet before and really unless it's apple it always felt really laggy and slow. My cheap iPhone ran it far happier than my Samsung tablet - but yours might well be better.

I've tried it on apple TV, which I got cheap off ebay for just this purpose and also got a really cheap 32" TV - job done. This does limit your Bluetooth options though as I think you're restricted to 2 using apple TV

ANT+ dongle and laptop is sadly the best option out there, runs smooth, much less lag than with Bluetooth (it's really off-putting having lag when a hill starts it tends to just happen rather than graduate)

have you looked at sufferfest at all? yes it's a bit less interesting that Zwift but I found it gave a better workout.

pblakeney

sam_h_1984 said:

I've tried it on apple TV, which I got cheap off ebay for just this purpose and also got a really cheap 32" TV - job done. This does limit your Bluetooth options though as I think you're restricted to 2 using apple TV

Possibly depends on your turbo. My 2T sends power and cadence (which is spot on according to my Garmin). I use the second connection for HR. Sorted!

sam_h_1984

yeah there's certainly ways around it, I mean you can connect some bits through the companion app too which adds to the options.

Sutton_Rider

I've got an old laptop Windows 7 and zwift won't work with that. Bkool works, but you may need an ANT+ dongle about £10 on ebay. I'm also running an Samsung android tablet v10 zwift works fine both Bluetooth and ANT+, but bkool wont work with ANT+ only Bluetooth.