ever since moving from the sufferfest app to systm the streaming experience was less than great. Video either stops and becomes black or the quality looks like real player footage from the 90s. I’ve reported it several times and the minion’s replies were always like “we are looking at it… about to replace the server”. Often it got better for some time.
Now the problems are back. After sending a message to the minions for a second time within a week I got a reply that I didn’t expect. It’s basically “we are not a streaming service like the big movie/video service you now”… “please download your workout and the problems are most probably resolved”.
Wow. I had a single streaming problem with the old app. After switching to systm the problems started and happen quite often. According to this forum it’s an issue for many users. I know that I can download workouts. But as I start my workouts often spontaneously I would like to start without having to think about downloading the video first (and deleting it later).
Guess I will say that I understand their position and response, though agree with you that their presentation leaves much to be desired.
and I appreciate your position on the way you want to be able to use the app.
I feel like I’ve always known from Day 1 (for me) under SUFF and SYSTM that the preferred solution was to download the videos to run localhost. Don’t know how I know that or where I picked it up.
I have good hardware, but would likely not ever consider trying to stream anything more than a short strength/yoga vid.
Storage is cheap on Windows platforms, so I download everything as of a couple weeks ago. I’ll probably do most of the workouts again, except the inspiration rides, so why not keep the downloads anyway?
I’ve been fortunate and only had one issue with SYSTM’s servers since October. I’ve had many more stuttering and freezing issues recently with other apps such as FulGaz. My solution is to download, ride, and delete unless it’s something I’ll do again.
I have occasionally had issues with Disney+, Netflix and AppleTV when streaming movies to my TV. There are a lot of routers and cable between myself and whatever service I am using at the moment.
All of these streaming services (and SYSTM) have a read-ahead buffer that pulls down future time-slices of the video being viewed. Stutters and freezes occur when the buffer gets totally depleted.
It’s kind of like the bars on your phone. When you have a good connection, data travels freely, and the buffer stays full. When your bars drop, the buffer starts emptying, but if your glitch was only temporary the video continues to play and you’ll never even notice it.
But every hop along the way from the server to your devices also has bars, and can get glitches. Tracking down which one is having a problem is difficult at best. And getting the owner of that router to fix their issues is even harder. Wahoo only controls (and is able to fix) their server and the software on your device. Everything in between is owned by others.
For this reason, I usually download my workouts. Saves me frustration and the time of reporting it to the minions.
I’m probably not as hardcore as the average SUF user and I do like the addition of some less intense workouts that came with SYSTM. What I don’t like are the technical issues that came along.
While I tend to download videos, which shouldn’t be required, I still get a multitude of issues that I didn’t encounter when I took a 1yr subscription to Sufferfest. This includes videos refusing to play (downloaded or streaming) and sound issues.
The latter may be caused by the fact that I mirror my iPhone to my Apple TV, but given the fact that there’s still no Apple TV app or even proper airplay support, I have little other choice, except off course using a competing service.
I know that streaming isn’t easy to implement and even more difficult to scale - I’m working for more than 20 years as software developer in the audio/video broadcasting area. But if streaming isn’t the recommended way to use SYSTM than it shouldn’t be the default. Furthermore if downloading is the way to go something like a download manager should be implemented with batch download and delete, download everything belonging to a plan, …
It might be a coincidence but at least for me the problems started with the SYSTM app. Following this forum the number of streaming problems at least in Europe seems to increase again just like a year ago.
Using a competing service isn’t really even an option for me, because nobody else offers UCI licensed video footage. With the Sufferfest, I’m able to ride in the Pro Peloton with GvA ever so gently* encouraging me to win not just the most aggressive rider but the whole freaking tour.
*I can’t post the appropriate words in polite company, or at all really.
Streaming issues were driving me crazy so I plugged an USB-SSD into my Shield (only 16GB internal memory) to have enough space for all the videos. I then downloaded all the videos for the current training plan, apparently that doesn’t quite work either. About 25% didn’t download right and the little status wheel keeps turning.
Stopped the download and restarted it, waited for the download to finish and then started the next.
I had 1 strength training that refused to play the downloaded video, removed and re-downloaded it. This week everything seems to be OK now.
It’s a complete PITA (and consistent with my other Wahoo software experiences)
Feel the best reply was from kah. Systm is set up for streaming and appears the back end is not good enough. Wahoo needs to spend some, or more money now before customers are fed up. There are other options.
Would agree with those advocating downloads. I’m in a part of the UK with fibre i.e. 70Mbps but wouldn’t bother with streaming. Appreciate that not might suit everyone but it makes a lot of sense to me. Not had any issues with the new app since I started with it - which I love.
I’ve always downloaded videos ahead of workouts, in the old app and SYSTM, so I’ve not really struggled with the streaming issues. That said, I think it’s fair enough that if streaming isn’t recommended then there should be an easy way to bulk download and delete videos that are on the calendar.
Download for me on Android tablet from the UK also fails more often than not, just with the spinning circle. It can be really frustrating when I try to download a couple of hours in advance of a workout only to find it has not worked and I have to fcancel and try my luck with streaming anyway.
I totally agree and have had the same experience since switching to Systm. Never had to download the videos with The Sufferfest. If you offer streaming, it should work as good as any other streaming service. Downloading is for when you plan to be offline. It’s 2022…streaming is the norm.
Possibly the video host servers lack a proper CDN (Content Delivery Network), such as Akamai that will cache content closer to the end user than the host server. A CDN would reduce the number of routers and cables between end points, reducing the amount of lag, jitter and disruption as is the current experience for many.
I don’t always have reliable Internet so I always used to download the videos before Systm came along and now I can’t download anything as it just doesn’t work for me. I also frequently have video and sound issues. It is incredibly frustrating as the content and the plans are great. Please Wahoo sort this out!!!
Same issue for me. My internet pipeline is good and have barely any streaming issues for my TV’s or the game console, but constantly issue with SYSTM. Download is the way for me as well, but one should be able to bulk download an entire week at once, instead of having to click on each session.
