Linux Users of WattZap - Will you please advise me ?

[Kent Morrison]

Greetings to the Wattzap-Users group on Google Groups !

Thanks for accepting my request to be a member of this group.

I am asking for the advice and experience knowledge of the linux users in this group.

Living in Steamboat Springs CO, we are expecting, as usual, eyeball deep snow this winter.

In order to get my cycling mileage in each day, and thus maintain my health, I have decided to ride indoors.

I got my training roller and have set it up and tested it.

Yesterday I ordered an ANT+ speed/cadence sensor and an ANT+ compatible USB receiver.

What linux distros are you folks using ?

I'm very experienced with linux, and my starting point for this project is ... pclinuxos.

If it won't do the job, my next try will likely be Mint.

What is working well for the linux users in this group ?

Also, I'm sort of anticipating trouble with the USB receiver/ANT+ input to linux.

Has anyone got guidance for me on that issue?

My emphasis is ore on the video playback and control, but if the training regimen proves useful, I'll certainly be into that also.

THANKS to everyone for your willingness to help !

ALSO, I do a LOT with linux: CentOS, Mint, Mepis, pclinuxos, etc., including fault tolerant servers and workstations.

If anyone needs help with install, maintenance, hardware, etc, please do not hesitate to ask me.

Glad to help in any way.

Regards,

Kent Morrison

[David George]

Hi,
I'm using Linux Mint. I know someone who is running WattzAp on a Raspberry Pi (no idea what distro) but you need a fast disk / usb for the Pi if you want to playback films in HD. I may try this route sometime as my computer is getting a bit tired.

You will need to check the permissions on your Ant device or run WattzAp as root (not recommended). Look in the manual for the commands / setup for that.

The ANT+ Linux is easier than Windows. It is all plug and play.

Video playback should be ok, it uses the VLC client which you will either have installed or can get from the repository. Check the version, this may cause issues.

Let us know how you get on,

Best regards

[Kent Morrison]

Progress to date:

1. WattzAp running on Mint Linux box with following specs:

Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64 bit   kernel 4.4.0-53-generic

on a Pentium Dual-Core E-5400 @ 2.7 Ghz x2 with 4 GB RAM and a 250 GB HD for the OS

2. WattzAp sees the CYCPLUS cadence sensor through the USB ANT+ dongle, and displays the cadence info on the WattzAp v2.7.2 stats window.

3. I can play an .avi with VLC as a separate window.

4. WattzAp does not play videos

5. Can't figure out how to use an .rlv file

6. The set that works best so far, except for not playing video, is the Paris-RPOubaix/t1956-44hell-of-the-north-fr-paris-roubaix

It displays a map, the timeline chart and the altitude/distance display.

7. It would be great to know where to dload ride sets that are complete and work (avi or rlv, gpx, kml, all for one ride), I see that an entire site full of them is now gone.

Thanks !

Kent

[David George]

Some of the torrent files are here: https://github.com/davidzof/wattzap-ce/tree/master/trainings/Videos

and are still being shared.

I will try and sort out what I have on my computer and share those, it will take a couple of weeks. It is a shame the cyclingrlv site is no longer active as there were a lot of good videos.