Row/ski on Zwift

[RogerTheRower]

Hi all. Anyone here row/ski on Zwift? I know this has been talked about before and I have searched through this site for this topic. But how have you managed to do it? I have managed it via the Rowedbiker and Painsled apps which do work well, but I'm mixing apple and android devices which complicates things abit. I'm wondering if there is an easier and simpler way to do it and maybe for it all to connect automatically. Perhaps via a ANT+ dongle on my windows 10 laptop or via the NPE cable device. Has anyone tried these? Do they work well? Would a ANT+ dongle pick up watts from the pm5 for Zwift to recognise it? Any other ideas or new simpler ways to connect it all? Any help much appreciated. Thanks

[Dino]

I have rowed around 2.5m meters on Zwift using the RowedBiker app on an Android phone. I connect the phone to PM5 via a USB B-C cable, with the phone connecting to a laptop that is running Zwift over Bluetooth. When I use a HRM (not often) then I connect this to both the PM5 over ANT+ and direct to Zwift (BT) as the HRM can handle both connections at the same time. You cant connect the Rower PM5 direct to Zwift without using a bridging app.
I also have a keyboard plugged into the laptop that I put next to the rower where I can jab keys to e.g. change view, do some very quick chat (not easy!).
It works very well for me. I do mostly cat D hour group rides but also a few of the multi-stage races although these are killer.... do not try to row Mont Ventoux - have done it twice and that was 2 too many! I don't use the boost option and keep my watts 1:1 although I can see it being useful for group rides if you get dropped and cant get back on. You get used to the drafting aspect quite quickly and having to hoof it up the short hills to keep up. Its a different way of rowing but I enjoy it and having a time to join in a ride. I dont use the companion app whilst rowing - although it may make it easier to interact as would need another device for this.

[RogerTheRower]

Thank you for the reply. I have tried your setup with the android phone running Rowedbiker with the usb c cable and then bluetooth to laptop, but for some reason my laptop wouldn't pick it up properly. I think it's just my laptop that's the problem. Anyway, will keep trying different ways and see what I can do. Good idea with the keyboard too. Will try it out . Thank you