Any apps run via Firestick?

[Binky]

Hi all,
So far I've always used a dumb turbo but the time is approaching when a smart trainer might be way to go. However, I only have a desktop pc and don't see need for a laptop and where I use turbo I have a big screen tv which I also connect an Amazon Firestick to.

So, my question is are there any turbo training apps like Rouvy, Fulgaz etc which would run off a Firestick so I could use my existing setup without buying a laptop just for a turbo?
Regards running off phone app, the tv is a good one a Sony Bravia but it's old around 15 years so not a smart tv hence need for Firestick.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ColinJ]

I don't think a Firestick is up to the job.

In that situation I opted for an Apple TV box. I bought mine for just over £100 on eBay. If you are patient you can find them for under £100.

If you go that route, make sure that you buy a 3rd generation, 4K model NOT one of the older ones!

I got the 64 GB one and have enough space to have Zwift, MyWhoosh, and Training Peaks Virtual all installed at the same time. There is a 128 GB model which would let you load more apps but that would cost more and I didn't find it necessary.

 

[Binky]

I don't think a Firestick is up to the job.

In that situation I opted for an Apple TV box. I bought mine for just over £100 on eBay. If you are patient you can find them for under £100.

If you go that route, make sure that you buy a 3rd generation, 4K model NOT one of the older ones!

I got the 64 GB one and have enough space to have Zwift, MyWhoosh, and Training Peaks Virtual all installed at the same time. There is a 128 GB model which would let you load more apps but that would cost more and I didn't find it necessary.

I've never heard of that so what exactly is it and what does it do? Same as Firestick in that it connects(hardwire I assume via HDMI) to tv and you run apps off that? Does it then wifi connect to smart trainer? I'll get googling but any info gratefully received.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

I've never heard of that so what exactly is it and what does it do? Same as Firestick in that it connects(hardwire I assume via HDMI) to tv and you run apps off that? Does it then wifi connect to smart trainer? I'll get googling but any info gratefully received.

Apple 4k TV might do other stuff, but it is Apple's version of the Fire stick. There's a cheaper wireless only and an ethernet port version.

Zwift will run on them in basic graphics detail, just like on a mobile or a pc using an integrated graphics card (eg. I use a ~10 years old Surface Pro 4 that has an Intel HD530 iirc).

Limited to two Bluetooth connections besides the remote.

 

[Venod]

If your TV has HDMI ports something like a Google Chromecast would allow you to cast from your phone or tablet if you can't cast direct to TV. I think you can also get USB c to HDMI cables to connect phone or tablet straight to TV.

 

[ColinJ]

The Apple TV device is a small box which does do a similar job to a Firestick but is designed to run Apple apps. Yes, it plugs into an HDMI port.

I have the 3 smart trainer apps listed above installed and they work fine. There may be other trainer apps available, I don't know though.

The graphics detail is not quite as high as on a top quality PC but is perfectly adequate for me.

I got the wifi only version. It works fine for me.

The Bluetooth limitation is a good point. You may need to merge streams to feed into the TV box to avoid running out. My JetBlack Victory trainer (also recommended, BTW!) can do that.

The apps are controlled by the TV remote, and doing that turned out to be...


... absolutely terrible! You don't know you have lived until you hit a virtual 15% climb in a horribly high virtual gear and desperately struggle through app menus using a tiny TV remote control. I only did it once! I then bought a Bluetooth game controller and fed that through the Victory trainer. That can operate virtual gears and most other useful functions. If you do have to navigate menus while playing, the game controller works better than the TV remote.

 

[Binky]

If your TV has HDMI ports something like a Google Chromecast would allow you to cast from your phone or tablet if you can't cast direct to TV. I think you can also get USB c to HDMI cables to connect phone or tablet straight to TV.

I was wondering about that. Get a cable with USBc to HDMI and directly connect phone but would that fill screen (it's 46") or would I just get a slightly larger phone shaped image on tv? I did try a wireless version of this some time ago via the Firestick and whilst I could get mirror image of phone onto tv it was a bit useless in that it was just a small rectangle aka phone screen. Note I have Android phone not iphone.

Basically what I'm after is to fill 46" tv screen with cycling app be it Rouvy or similar. I don't want Zwift, tried it several times and it's not for me.

Note I have contacted Rouvy and they tell me it's not compatible with the Firestick.

 

[albion]

Run the app on the phone and 'mirror' to the Firestick.
Firestick has 'mirroring'.

 

[Venod]

I can cast to Chromecast with my tablet and it fills the screen not tried it with a cable.

 

[Binky]

Run the app on the phone and 'mirror' to the Firestick.
Firestick has 'mirroring'.

i've tried mirroring phone via Firestick and I just ended up with a slightly larger phone image on tv so bit pointless. Given it's an old tv I'm limited.

 

[ColinJ]

i've tried mirroring phone via Firestick and I just ended up with a slightly larger phone image on tv so bit pointless. Given it's an old tv I'm limited.

I repaired my old Samsung TV to use. This shows Zwift on it, fed by the Apple TV box...

A good question!

Most of the things that I bought recently were about as good as I expected. I'll post one which I wasn't sure about but I thought I would give it a go...

Replacement LED backlight strips for an old Samsung TV for £27.

View attachment 758868

The LEDs in the original strips were failing and creating a large (and growing) purple splodge in the lower half of the screen. This picture doesn't quite show how bad it was in real life...

View attachment 758866

This is mid-repair, before I removed the old strips...

View attachment 758865

And this is the splodge-free picture after I had finished...

View attachment 758867

£27 well-spent!

You can just about see the little Apple TV box below the TV in the last picture.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I've never heard of that so what exactly is it and what does it do?

Search engines are your friend

 

[Binky]

Search engines are your friend

Yeah so is reading posts :

I'll get googling but any info gratefully received.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yeah so is reading posts :

Not as useful though as your own searches

 

[Binky]

OK thanks all for help so far. I did have a thought of installing app on my phone then hard wire connect to tv via USBc-HDMI cable but of course my phone doesn't support that(!).

So, next thought is a bit old school but how if I physically connect tv to my desktop via a long HDMI-HDMI cable and run main app from there for display etc and have companion app on phone? Now issue I might well have is distance. It's approx 25metres from my study to extension where turbo and tv is so whether that in itself be a problem I don't know. I'd have both phone and PC on same home wifi network which would be required. Any reason anyone know why this wouldn't work? I'm thinking of ideas prior to buying kit then finding it won't work so if anyone has ever done this be good to know.

To summarize: Have cycling program eg Rouvy on desktop which is connected to a tv 25metres away via HMDI cable and then control trainer via companion app. I guess issue might be no ant+/Bluetooth connection over such a distance and through thick stone walls? Or is the ant+/Bluetooth connection only required for trainer control via companion app?

Or is all this too much faff and I'm better off buying a cheap 2nd hand laptop and be done with it!