TDA with non Tacx trainers

[mf22433]

Is there any chance that TDA will work in the future with non Tacx trainers ?

[Malfukt]

One would think It should work with any BlueTooth controlled/connection trainer...but apparently not.. Ant+ has been in beta but is delayed release at moment for public version..

[mf22433]

One would think It should work with any BlueTooth controlled/connection trainer...but apparently not.. Ant+ has been in beta but is delayed release at moment for public version..

Ok thanks, wait and see then !

[ms6073]

According to the latest posts in the Tacx Desktop app WIN10 updates? on the Garmin Indoor Training forum,
although Tacx has published the new version of TDA, ANT+ support has only been extended to external sensors (speed, cadence, power, hr), but ANT+ FE-C is still down the road:

What's new in this version
- Added video streaming
- Added download manager
- Improved difficulty visualization
- New workout details visualization
- Added ANT+-support for heart rate, speed, cadence and power sensors
- Added a guard to prevent the "spiral of death" in a power training
- Added Incline info panel - Added widget scaling during training
- New cooldown screen where you can choose to save or discard your ride - Several bug fixes

[nzuraw]

I tried TDA with a Bkool Smart Connect trainer (ANT+). It doesn't connect to the trainer despite showing it in the devices list. Where it identifies the trainer with a Cadence and Speed option.

Instead I put a Garmin Speed/Cadence sensor on the bike. TDA picks that up, which allows the rider to use TDA. Downside is that you can't get speeds over 18kph, even on a -10% downhill section.

Setup:
Bkool Smart Connect
* ANT+
* USB cable to the PC from the Trainer
Garmin Speed/Cadence Sensor
TDA

Just as a foot note, Zwift does pick up the Trainer as does TTS4. So it looks like it's a TDA thing

[BerthaVision]

I strongly suspect TDA will never work with anything other then Tacx smart trainers.

[mcorn]

I strongly suspect TDA will never work with anything other then Tacx smart trainers.

I don't have any inside information, but it seems pretty clear that Tacx is primarily a hardware manufacturer and that it creates software to facilitate sales of its own hardware. For that reason, I would expect that Garmin/Tacx would be sensitive to not wanting to cannibalize its hardware business, and as a result, would not see any strong reason to allow non-Tacx trainers to work with its software even if it is technically feasible.

[patbiteau]

I agree with you Michael for the non-tacx trainers, but I think they could at least make their software compatible with the non-smart tacx trainers. I have a T2000 genius and it does not work on TDA.

[Malfukt]

I strongly suspect TDA will never work with anything other then Tacx smart trainers.

But Tacx Smart trainers also have ANT+... Genuis Smart i still have is Ant+ and BT as are each of the NEO trainers.. so by that reasoning the ANT+ connection that AIM gave us in beta and worked excellently should be implemented..

Garmin/Tacx want both sides of there bread buttered..they expect other cycling software suppliers to make their software work with the ANT or BT of Tacx trainers yet don't want to provide that compatability themselves (even though they have it and can)

[BerthaVision]

Ive not been told anything from Tacx about it (if I was I would not be able to say it anymore), but I do know there are Ant+ FEC drivers for the mobile devices & Mac, if this was on their road map still they would have it in there if even for these platforms, Mike has hit the nail on the head Im guessing. personally with the internal marketing Tacx tend to do I do not think it makes a lot of difference. If the software was to be properly marketed outside of the Tacx internal market then it would be vital. But they sell 100s of 1000s of indoor trainers & will soon have access to Garmins customerbase I doubt they feel a need....I feel a need for funding better films & features but I can see the other side of the argument & thats the only side that matters unless you can afford your own software development.

[berdy]

Hello,

actually my wahoo kickr core works (a little bit) with the TDA

i can connect the kickr via bluetooth. i'm using win10 app.
if i start a workout, the app shows correct power, but the app cant control the trainer to a fixed power value. so a %ftp based training would be hard

[LittleFrank]

Hello,

actually my wahoo kickr core works (a little bit) with the TDA

i can connect the kickr via bluetooth. i'm using win10 app.
if i start a workout, the app shows correct power, but the app cant control the trainer to a fixed power value. so a %ftp based training would be hard

So, to be clear, if you ride one of the TDA videos, the app does not adjust the resistance in the Kickr Core to simulate the gradient in the film?

[ms6073]

While I cannot speak from experience, it does seem strange to me that TDA would not be able to control a current generation Smart Trainer via Bluetooth. It sounds to me as if TDA is actually connecting to the Wahoo as a power meter and not a Smart Trainer, thus the reason for the lack of change in resistance.

[mcorn]

If you go to the Garmin/Tacx website, only the following trainers are listed as being compatible with any of the Tacx apps, including TDA:

Screenshot_2020-06-04 Tacx Training App Garmin Support.jpg (11.7 KiB) Viewed 7719 times

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=r ... tab=topics

Because I have no experience with other makers of FE-C trainers, I cannot report on what they do with TDA. But as I said back in January above, I can see that Garmin/Tacx would not feel compelled to make other brands of trainers compatible with TDA as they are in business of selling hardware and not software. I can see that Garmin/Tacx might decide that having TDA work with other makes of trainers would only serve to decrease sales of Tacx trainers. Tacx did this long before it was acquired by Garmin. They still allow other non-Tacx sensors like HR and speed/cadence to work with TDA because they are minor products and support trainer sales. I know that some people get PO'd over all of this, but many businesses operate this way to protect their primary products and not allow them to be inadvertently cannibalized by their own secondary products.

[SlowLegs]

Hi

TDA now works with Kickr inclusive the Climb via ANT-FEC. I've tested it yesterday with the "Grosse Scheidegg" demo. Tacx says it should work with all other non Tacx trainers too (see https://www.facebook.com/groups/2957261 ... 8074433225). You find a short video for "how to pair" via the Windows app at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2957261 ... 8437608855. At the moment it seems to work only with the desktop app.

But I don't understand why Tacx has hidden this long awaited possibility in their Facebook group...

[BerthaVision]

Hi

TDA now works with Kickr inclusive the Climb via ANT-FEC. I've tested it yesterday with the "Grosse Scheidegg" demo. Tacx says it should work with all other non Tacx trainers too (see https://www.facebook.com/groups/2957261 ... 8074433225). You find a short video for "how to pair" via the Windows app at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2957261 ... 8437608855. At the moment it seems to work only with the desktop app.

But I don't understand why Tacx has hidden this long awaited possibility in their Facebook group...

Windows Tacx Desktop app has worked with Ant+ FEC for a fair while (last winter?), Tacx & Garmin see the software apps as a added bonus for a Tacx trainer purchase, Tacx software has never really been marketed as a stand alone software like for example Zwift, At least not in the last 5 years or so