What I love most about training indoors is that I can track my rides and download all the critical ride data like cadence, power, speed, calories, race position, distance, and even heart rate.
But here’s the thing: none of the above is possible if you don’t have access to Zwift, a TV, a Laptop, or a mobile device.
So, let’s start with the most important thing: how do I stream Zwift from my smartphone or PC to my smart TV? Trust me; there will be no better experience than streaming Zwift on the big screen.
Let’s get started!
How To Stream Zwift From Your Cellphone To A Smart TV
Zwift is available for iPhones and android, but here we will be talking specifically about Apple iPhones and how to connect them to your smart TV.
- The first way is simple; if you want to connect your trainer to Zwift, it should be BlueTooth compatible as long as you purchased it in the last few years.
- Next is using a little adapter called a Digital AV Adapter to HDMI template. I have been using one of these little adapters that connect my iPhone to my smart TV, and it hasn’t let me down in two years. You can also use Apple TV to Airplay, but I’ve found that there is too much lag, and the image quality is drastically reduced, which is the last thing you want when trying to enjoy Zwift.
- ANT+ to BlueTooth Bridge is also another option
- Finally, you can use a Wahoo ANT+ Key instead of the BlueTooth Bridge. The key lets your iPhone connect to Zwift, but the only downfall is that it will only work if you have an iPhone 4s or later.
How To Stream Zwift From Your PC To A Smart TV
You can use your PC to run Zwift, which I initially did before I decided to switch to running Zwift from my iPhone to a smart TV. You will need a windows 7 or a Mac OSX 10.8 or later to ensure compatibility.
Zwift is very heavy on graphics, so you need to have at least a 1GB graphic card that is solely dedicated to running Zwift without any problems. If you would like to stream Zwift to a smart TV, you probably need something a little bit more powerful for your needs.
- If you have purchased your smart trainer recently, it should be BlueTooth compatible, meaning connecting to Zwift is a piece of cake.
- If you have an Apple Mac laptop, then you can also run Zwift to the Smart TV by using an SSD Hard Drive. These do an excellent job and are very affordable.
- You can also use an ANT+ Stick that goes directly into the USB Port so that it receives the ANT+ signal.
- Unfortunately, some laptops don’t have an HDMI port or cable, so you’ll need a thunderbolt to HDMI cable, which I’m currently using.
How To Use Zwift With Apple TV
Apple TV is probably the most common method riders use to stream Zwift, but I haven’t chosen this route yet. Here’s what you’ll need.
- An Apple TV 4K or an Apple TV which is 4th generation or later.
- You will also need an HDMI cable.
- The Zwift companion app is also available for iOS and Android.
- The next option is only if you want to connect ANT+ only devices, and that is the ANT + to BLE Bridge.
The great thing about the Apple TV is that it supports not one but two Bluetooth-connected devices. So that means if you have a Wahoo Kickr Snap, then you only have one more Bluetooth connection available.
However, that’s ok because you can do what I do and use the final connection for one more sensor, such as a heart rate monitor. Depending on what smart trainer you have will determine what extra sensors you can pair. For example, some smart trainers have built-in cadence sensors, which would be perfect if you only have one connection.
