BKool with Garmin ant+?

[RussellZero]

I've got a Garmin usb ant+ stick, and wanted to see how the bkool software works - it doesnt seem to pick up the ant+ stick though, does it need a special make/model that isnt Garmin? Does the software work without the bkool trainer (is it worth it)? Im using a pc with windows 8.1 to try this out.

Thanks
Russell

 

[Asa Post]

I've got a Garmin usb ant+ stick, and wanted to see how the bkool software works - it doesnt seem to pick up the ant+ stick though, does it need a special make/model that isnt Garmin? Does the software work without the bkool trainer (is it worth it)? Im using a pc with windows 8.1 to try this out.

Thanks
Russell

Ant+ is a standard. All ant+ receivers should work with all ant+ transmitters.
In the BKool software, heart rate and cadence will work without the trainer, if you have the appropriate sensors on yourself and the bike (as I found out today when I forgot to turn on the power supply to the trainer ).
If you want power, distance and speed in BKool, you need a trainer as well. It's the trainer that sends the signal to the ant+. The trainer also receives the info from the software to set the resistance on the roller to simulate the ride that you're doing.
Without a trainer, the software wouldn't get a signal to say that you were moving and so it wouldn't play the video or move your icon on the map of the ride. I'd say the software on it's own isn't going to give you any more than you'll get from a non-computer linked turbo.

 

[RussellZero]

Ant+ is a standard. All ant+ receivers should work with all ant+ transmitters.
In the BKool software, heart rate and cadence will work without the trainer, if you have the appropriate sensors on yourself and the bike (as I found out today when I forgot to turn on the power supply to the trainer ).
If you want power, distance and speed in BKool, you need a trainer as well. It's the trainer that sends the signal to the ant+. The trainer also receives the info from the software to set the resistance on the roller to simulate the ride that you're doing.
Without a trainer, the software wouldn't get a signal to say that you were moving and so it wouldn't play the video or move your icon on the map of the ride. I'd say the software on it's own isn't going to give you any more than you'll get from a non-computer linked turbo.

Thanks - the receiver works and picks up from the transmitters (HRM, cadence and speed) as I use for the rollers - the problem is specifically that the software doesn't seem to find the garmin usb ant+ stick. So ant+ part of it all is working, just looks like the software is looking for an ant+ usb stick that's not garmin? The stick is working fine, as it uploads to garmin express from an fr60 watch, so I know the garmin software can find the stick just fine. Basically asking if anyone has got bkool software working with a garmin ant+ usb stick, or they use something else like a wahoo key?

 

[Asa Post]

Thanks - the receiver works and picks up from the transmitters (HRM, cadence and speed) as I use for the rollers - the problem is specifically that the software doesn't seem to find the garmin usb ant+ stick. So ant+ part of it all is working, just looks like the software is looking for an ant+ usb stick that's not garmin? The stick is working fine, as it uploads to garmin express from an fr60 watch, so I know the garmin software can find the stick just fine. Basically asking if anyone has got bkool software working with a garmin ant+ usb stick, or they use something else like a wahoo key?

If you check on thisisant, it says the Garmin HR and cadence sensors are compatible with the BKool software (called BSim). It also says on this page "Any ANT+ device that implements a particular device profile is interoperable with any other ANT+ device implementing the same device profile." It shouldn't matter what ant+ stick you use.
When you start the BKool software and log in, it moves to a page that says Settings in the top right corner. At the bottom right of the screen are colour-coded buttons for Device (the trainer), Heart Rate and Cadence. Red for not paired, green for paired.
If you click on Settings, there are options for Automatic pairing of devices (enabled by default), and manual pairing. Have you tried manual pairing?

 

[RussellZero]

If you check on thisisant, it says the Garmin HR and cadence sensors are compatible with the BKool software (called BSim). It also says on this page "Any ANT+ device that implements a particular device profile is interoperable with any other ANT+ device implementing the same device profile." It shouldn't matter what ant+ stick you use.
When you start the BKool software and log in, it moves to a page that says Settings in the top right corner. At the bottom right of the screen are colour-coded buttons for Device (the trainer), Heart Rate and Cadence. Red for not paired, green for paired.
If you click on Settings, there are options for Automatic pairing of devices (enabled by default), and manual pairing. Have you tried manual pairing?

Yep - the pairing doesnt come into it until the software sees the ant+ usb stick. I'll send an email to bkool and see what they say, I wonder if its a driver issue or something.

Thanks for your help

 

[RussellZero]

In case anyone comes across this in future, the answer from bkool is that they don't support the garmin ant+ USB stick, and insist that you uninstall all garmin express and connect software if installed in order to use the bkool software.

 

[Asa Post]

In case anyone comes across this in future, the answer from bkool is that they don't support the garmin ant+ USB stick, and insist that you uninstall all garmin express and connect software if installed in order to use the bkool software.

Then I've been talking out of my a**e.
I can sort of understand about the stick, because Bkool expect you to buy a trainer from them and a compatible stick is supplied with it so there should be no need to use a different one. But saying you have to uninstall Garmin software!!! I don't suppose they explained why that's necessary, did they?

 

[Rockdel]

Then I've been talking out of my a**e.
I can sort of understand about the stick, because Bkool expect you to buy a trainer from them and a compatible stick is supplied with it so there should be no need to use a different one. But saying you have to uninstall Garmin software!!! I don't suppose they explained why that's necessary, did they?

Am also experiencing this problem. tried it but not working still. Have the Bkool but a different Ant+ USB unit,

 

[Rockdel]

Am also experiencing this problem. tried it but not working still. Have the Bkool but a different Ant+ USB unit,

Basically am unable to pare with devices although I have got it working a couple of times after numerous tries. All the items are BKool supplied.

Am i doing something wrong in the setup.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Hmmm....i cant get the trainer to pair with the software either. I have a bkool supplied dongle however. I do use garmin connect on the laptop all the time. Surely that cannot be why bkool doesnt recognize its own trainer???

 

[Bollo]

Hmmm....i cant get the trainer to pair with the software either. I have a bkool supplied dongle however. I do use garmin connect on the laptop all the time. Surely that cannot be why bkool doesnt recognize its own trainer???

I think garmin connect monopolises the USB ANT stick if it's installed. I never bothered to get to into it, but I had the same issue when I wrote my own ANT interface for a now defunct project.
Having said that, I think the general quality of the bkool software is daffodil. I cancelled my subscription after about a week of connection issues and general puzzlement at the website.

 

[Rockdel]

Hmmm....i cant get the trainer to pair with the software either. I have a bkool supplied dongle however. I do use garmin connect on the laptop all the time. Surely that cannot be why bkool doesnt recognize its own trainer???

I had the same problem and only managed to get everything sorted by uninstalling the Garmin Ant+ drivers. Once you do this your pc should pick up the BKool drivers once you insert the USB Bkool provided Ant+

 

[Michaelsonb]

In case anyone else hits this thread looking for a fix. I was able to fix it by changing to a newer ant stick. Im running OSX 10.11.1 and both BKOOL and ZWIFT would not recognize the "older" style longer ANT+ stick with the words GARMIN printed on side. I have a new (shorter) ANT+ stick that I got with a 910XT Tri Watch in 2014. When I used that, both apps recognized the stick and all my devices. I made sure to turn off the Garmin ANT agent as well, as instructed in some of the other threads I've read.

 

[AlanW]

So uninstalled garmin express and restarted bkool, same message:-

' Error - neither ant+ or bluetooth is enabled on this device. Please turn it on and try again'

Never had such issues with zwift??

 

[bobinski]

did you restart the laptop? i recall some garmin files linger if you don't. If you have not i would do that then uninstall and reinstall bsim reconnecting the ant+dongle when you do.