BKool Simulator Issue - Anyone else having problems?

[Aleman]

For the last couple of weeks I've been having terrible trouble with the simulator. Video replay is non existent, and even 3D doesn't appear to work. I even get pauses in the display of the stats at the bottom of the screen.

The last two rides I think it changed video frame no more than a dozen times in a 4 hour sim, and last night only twice on a 45 minute ride. The ride stats also appear to be completely wrong. Taking last nights ride as an example It's a ride I've done twice before, once as a Zone 2 recovery ride (1:07:00) and the second time a balls out TT ride (0:56:00). Last night I was hitting high watts, and yet being outdistanced by my Recovery ride ghost. I also regularly see BKool is not respoding on the window title bar.

I run a twin screen setup from my windows 10 i3 laptop, so was watching performance monitor, and CPU usage was only 30%, and Network utilisation around 7Mbs download (Its a 100MB wired connection - to a 100MB connection to my ISP) I use the BKool Ant+ Dongle to the BKool Smart Pro 2, which is on the latest firmware. I also turned on 'Debug' mode and could see 95%-100% connection to HRM (Garmin) Cadence (Garmin) and the trainer.

I have only recently started using the laptop as I was using an old Pentium powered PC with 2GB of RAM and windows 7. Which was where I noticed the issues, but they were never this bad. I do have a slightly more powerful Windows 7 machine available that I can try, as well as my works windows 7 laptop, that I can also attempt to use, but that's configured for a different network subnet at home.

Personally as I can view the video that I uploaded to BKool, Play music (from the NAS Drive) and access the internet all at the same time, with no issues on the i3 laptop it is an issue with BKOOLS servers. It would be nice to see if anyone else is having an issue.

Cheers

Tony (BKool User Ale Man)

 

[bridgy]

For the last couple of weeks I've been having terrible trouble with the simulator. Video replay is non existent, and even 3D doesn't appear to work. I even get pauses in the display of the stats at the bottom of the screen.

The last two rides I think it changed video frame no more than a dozen times in a 4 hour sim, and last night only twice on a 45 minute ride. The ride stats also appear to be completely wrong. Taking last nights ride as an example It's a ride I've done twice before, once as a Zone 2 recovery ride (1:07:00) and the second time a balls out TT ride (0:56:00). Last night I was hitting high watts, and yet being outdistanced by my Recovery ride ghost. I also regularly see BKool is not respoding on the window title bar.

I run a twin screen setup from my windows 10 i3 laptop, so was watching performance monitor, and CPU usage was only 30%, and Network utilisation around 7Mbs download (Its a 100MB wired connection - to a 100MB connection to my ISP) I use the BKool Ant+ Dongle to the BKool Smart Pro 2, which is on the latest firmware. I also turned on 'Debug' mode and could see 95%-100% connection to HRM (Garmin) Cadence (Garmin) and the trainer.

I have only recently started using the laptop as I was using an old Pentium powered PC with 2GB of RAM and windows 7. Which was where I noticed the issues, but they were never this bad. I do have a slightly more powerful Windows 7 machine available that I can try, as well as my works windows 7 laptop, that I can also attempt to use, but that's configured for a different network subnet at home.

Personally as I can view the video that I uploaded to BKool, Play music (from the NAS Drive) and access the internet all at the same time, with no issues on the i3 laptop it is an issue with BKOOLS servers. It would be nice to see if anyone else is having an issue.

Cheers

Tony (BKool User Ale Man)

I've not had these kind of problems, although it was a bit glitchy recently and it was suggested by someone else to temporarily turn off the Windows Defender Firewall while using it which did seem to help. Your problems sound a lot worse though. Have you done the latest software update released in the last couple of days? If so, and it's still doing all the above, I would contact Bkool on info@bkool.com and ask them (persevere if they aren't initially helpful!)

 

[theboxers]

I've been seeing issues recently with Video playback. It is on the pc I have used for Bkool for the last 3 years (intel NUC, i5, 8gb ram, win 8 now win 10). It seems to be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes perfect (as far as bkool goes), sometimes 30 seconds of video then freezes or just a frozen video image. I've not seen issues with the 3D though.

I'll try the windows defender change to see what happens.

 

[Aleman]

As I run a Smoothwall firewall, I never have the Windows Firewall service installed, and as the laptop is only for 'Cycling' I couldn't be bothered with Defender, or any other malware protection.

Yes, downloaded the latest release last night and installed it, while I was waiting I did my warm up

I suppose I can try one of my 3D routes from earlier in the year and see if that 'works'.

 

[Asa Post]

As a long-time Bkool user (I have one of the early Classics) I have to agree that the current problems are the worst they have ever been.

The video playback rarely works acceptably. As @Aleman says, it sticks most of the time, but it's random. If I get 50% of a ride displaying properly, it's a very good day. It clearly isn't a problem with his setup (or mine) and I suspect it's Bkool's servers not being up to the job.

As for the ride stats - every time there's a software update it moves the goalposts so that it is pointless to compare any session with a previous ride over the same course. I regularly ride at lower watts (as measured on Bkool) and go faster. The normalised power, which used to be pretty accurate, is now often 15-20% too low (I also use a Powertap, so I can compare the figures). Riding against ghosts as a kind of pseudo race has become pointless. There's no way of knowing if the result is a fair reflection of your relative abilities. This is a separate issue to the inequalities caused by people having different makes or models of trainer.

3D seems to work as it should for me, in the sense that the screen images are what I would expect, and they don't stick. But I don't want to use 3D, because I'm not that interested in racing other people. What I want is videos of rides in places I'll never manage to visit, so I can see the country and get some exercise at the same time.

I have downloaded software version 3.5, but haven't used it yet. It may have fixed some issues, but the "improvements" offered by previous updates haven't made any significant changes, so I'm not hopeful.

Based on other people's related experiences, contacting Bkool about these issues doesn't seem likely to help. Unless things improve a lot, when my subscription runs out I'll be voting with my wallet.

 

[CXRAndy]

I bet Bkool need a new PSU. My internet was a bit dodgy, then the PSU failed with low output. New PSU restored bright lights and decent connection.

 

[Whorty]

As a long-time Bkool user (I have one of the early Classics) I have to agree that the current problems are the worst they have ever been.

The video playback rarely works acceptably. As @Aleman says, it sticks most of the time, but it's random. If I get 50% of a ride displaying properly, it's a very good day. It clearly isn't a problem with his setup (or mine) and I suspect it's Bkool's servers not being up to the job.

As for the ride stats - every time there's a software update it moves the goalposts so that it is pointless to compare any session with a previous ride over the same course. I regularly ride at lower watts (as measured on Bkool) and go faster. The normalised power, which used to be pretty accurate, is now often 15-20% too low (I also use a Powertap, so I can compare the figures). Riding against ghosts as a kind of pseudo race has become pointless. There's no way of knowing if the result is a fair reflection of your relative abilities. This is a separate issue to the inequalities caused by people having different makes or models of trainer.

3D seems to work as it should for me, in the sense that the screen images are what I would expect, and they don't stick. But I don't want to use 3D, because I'm not that interested in racing other people. What I want is videos of rides in places I'll never manage to visit, so I can see the country and get some exercise at the same time.

I have downloaded software version 3.5, but haven't used it yet. It may have fixed some issues, but the "improvements" offered by previous updates haven't made any significant changes, so I'm not hopeful.

Based on other people's related experiences, contacting Bkool about these issues doesn't seem likely to help. Unless things improve a lot, when my subscription runs out I'll be voting with my wallet.

If it's good video for solo riding try Big ring VR .... some of the guys on here swear by it. As i found out the other day, it's currently free too! What's not to like There is another thread about this so definitely worth checking it out.

 

[User269]

Why not contact Bkool, using the contact form here? I've always found they respond quite quickly, and we are paying for a service after all.

Personally, I'll only be taking out a monthly sub for 3-4 months again this winter, as I prefer, and mainly use VeloReality & BigRing VR.

 

[Aleman]

BigRingVR looks useful. Love to ride some of the big alpine climbs.

The one thing that I felt BKool had over the opposition was the ability to upload rides with video that you had done, which means I can ride my summer rides during the winter ... As well as riding courses elsewhere in the world.

It does look as though you can ride a local video with GPX track in BigRingVR though, might give it a try.

 

[Asa Post]

If it's good video for solo riding try Big ring VR .... some of the guys on here swear by it. As i found out the other day, it's currently free too! What's not to like There is another thread about this so definitely worth checking it out.

@Whorty, I already use BigRingVR, and the difference in reliability between it and Bkool is what convinces me that the problems I'm having lie at Bkool's end, not mine.

When I contacted BigRingVR about a display issue (not related to videos or data) I had a reply the same day which thanked me for pointing the problem out, explained why it had happened, and said that a fix would be released as soon as possible. In the meantime, they'd already fixed it for my account as a goodwill gesture.
That is way beyond good service in my book, and while it's still in beta testing, and therefore free, using it is a no-brainer. The time will come when we have to pay for it, and as I don't want to subscribe to more than one virtual reality cycling program I'll have to choose which one best serves my needs.

BigRingVR's only drawback at the moment is the limited number of rides, and the fact that most of them are short and steep. Bkool's variety of videos makes it a better option for me as long as it works properly. At the moment, BigRingVR is ahead because it is reliable.

Having said that, I've just done my first ride on Bkool's 3.5 software, and for the first time in months, the video worked perfectly throughout. Coincidence? My lucky day? A genuine fix? Only time will tell. The power figures are still sh!t, though.

 

[MasterDabber]

It does look as though you can ride a local video with GPX track in BigRingVR though, might give it a try.

On BRVR it's really easy to do if you have a mp4 video and gpx file for your ride. I've done it for several of my French rides (plus a couple of UK rides).

 

[Aleman]

On BRVR it's really easy to do if you have a mp4 video and gpx file for your ride. I've done it for several of my French rides (plus a couple of UK rides).

As I upload my routes to Bkool anyway, I do have both the video and the GPX track, Kindly created for my by the Virb Edit software . . . Bkools route editor is still in alpha testing!!, the good thing about using virb edit is that I do start off with a full HD video before cropping and resizing to make it fit BKools requirements . . . Not sure I have the room to store many 180GB Video files though

I'm off to try again with BKool, I have contacted them, and they have asked me to use the "report a problem" if it occurs again I'm going on the featured Ride MOAB - Colorado River again, its a great 40KM TT Course if any one fancies joining me . . . about 10 minutes

 

[MasterDabber]

As I upload my routes to Bkool anyway, I do have both the video and the GPX track, Kindly created for my by the Virb Edit software . . . Bkools route editor is still in alpha testing!!, the good thing about using virb edit is that I do start off with a full HD video before cropping and resizing to make it fit BKools requirements . . . Not sure I have the room to store many 180GB Video files though

I'm off to try again with BKool, I have contacted them, and they have asked me to use the "report a problem" if it occurs again I'm going on the featured Ride MOAB - Colorado River again, its a great 40KM TT Course if any one fancies joining me . . . about 10 minutes

One thing to clarify. If you make a local ride in BRVR it is only available to you, it can't (as far as I know) be made available to others.
The files sit on your own (local) pc in the BigRing>>Videos folder. Both mp4 and gpx files must have the same name. You need to make sure start and end points are the same.

 

[Aleman]

Completely useless on the i3 windows 10 laptop. practically perfect in every way on the Windows 7 i5 laptop, a very short glitch in video after 10 seconds or so of starting, and only for a short period ... performance stats on the bottom continued to run with no issues.

Power values must be screwed up as I set a new FTP value, but then I was really going for it Finally starting to see some improvements this year after a 6 Week layoff though injury in June/July

 

[Asa Post]

Having said that, I've just done my first ride on Bkool's 3.5 software, and for the first time in months, the video worked perfectly throughout. Coincidence? My lucky day? A genuine fix? Only time will tell. The power figures are still sh!t, though.

I've done a second ride. The video stuck frequently. Normal, unacceptable, service has been restored