Internet TV vs Satelite TV >> ROKU Box

WiFi booster will help when your only receiving 1 or 2 bars, I am not talking about being out in the middle of no where, when we go on trips we hardly ever go with out some bars on our Verizon service, the booster would help keep the bars strong miles away from service.

Money not being an object and it does not sound like it is, I would suggest replacing the sat system and using direct TV. You can get first run shows and on the channels like Showtime and HBO no commercials. Plus you can use your Verizon to use Direct TV's on demand shows. We have cable and internet TV at home and find the having both is a good thing. Another alternative is Apple TV. You can buy first run commercial free shows from them. The Apple TV box is low cost.

We also watch a few shows on the road with Verizon wireless. But it you do it everyday and a lot you will use heroic amounts of data. You will test if you can really get unlimited from Verizon or not.

HappyKayakers wrote:

timmac wrote:
... so was just thinking of a external wifi booster antenna to increase my signal strength, cost about $200, than I can pickup my wifi signal many miles outside the wifi range.

Hey, where can I get one of those booster antennas that will pick up wifi signals from miles away?

Then again, why would you need it if you have unlimited everything on your phone and jet pack?

You are dreaming if you think that a WiFi booster will enable you to receive signals from many miles away. WiFi even with a booster is a line-of-sight system and getting a few hundred yards is the best you're going to usually ever see.

Then there is the issue of the fact that most WiFi is encrypted and a booster won't help you with that. Furthermore, accessing someone else's WiFi without their consent is illegal.

WiFi extenders serve a valid purpose of making it easier to connect to WiFi access points at campgrounds, but they are not a panacea for solving your internet problems. If you have an unlimited cellular plan you will do better than most people, but there are many places in the US where the cell service is still not adequate for streaming video.

We have an unlimited plan and do stream using our Roku when our location permits it. However, at present we are in a location where our cell service is marginal and we have no TV at all, either satellite or over-the-air. But we wouldn't leave here (the Canadian Rockies) for anything.

timmac wrote:
... so was just thinking of a external wifi booster antenna to increase my signal strength, cost about $200, than I can pickup my wifi signal many miles outside the wifi range.

Hey, where can I get one of those booster antennas that will pick up wifi signals from miles away?

Then again, why would you need it if you have unlimited everything on your phone and jet pack?

I watch way too much sports to rely solely on apple tv/roku/smart tv. The cost of MLB/NFL/NHL/NBA/NASCAR online subscriptions would be astronomical.

I have the Roku box and have had it for probably 5-6 years. I hardly watch it because I hate watching old stuff, B-movies, lousy TV shows...come to think of it that's why I don't watch much cable either. :)

Your idea is highly dependent on your willingness to forego first-run programming (DTV) for Roku (which is not) and often spotty internet service. I really like what I get on DTV, can get it anywhere, and don't have to pay huge data bills.

I'm aware of what Amazon and Netflix offers, and, some of it is ok, but I wouldn't enjoy a steady diet of it.

And it's Verizon, not Version.

Bill.Winegard wrote:
If you amongst the 1% of the Country that has unlimited cellular internet then you "might" find some use for what you propose. The rest of us have no such option and will remain with satellite TV.
Advice for few does not do a lot of good for the masses.

Sad to say but the US is way behind the rest of the world when it comes to internet. Even South Korea is kicking our butts. The average home has 40 to 50 Mbs speeds at an average cost of $20 a month.

Bill.Winegard wrote:
If you amongst the 1% of the Country that has unlimited cellular internet then you "might" find some use for what you propose. The rest of us have no such option and will remain with satellite TV.
Advice for few does not do a lot of good for the masses.

Version has changed there wifi plans recently, go into a Version store and talk with them, we have a large business cell phone plan already, it also works with personal cell phone plans..

It works like this, you buy a larger monthly cell phone plan so you have extra minutes left over and for $20 a month you can get a wifi jet pack with 4g and lots of minutes of its own, if your wifi goes over its uses the cell phone minutes so you have lots and lots of time, we have never gone over and I use my laptop a lot when on the road.

We have been with Version for a long time and the salesman says Version is even going to be adding better lower cost service as time goes by with the wifi..

RoyB wrote:
How big a signal will you have to downstream... Sounds like it may be pretty big...

Just your standard 4g wifi will do, I have the version jet pack, its basically a unlimited service, it uses what minutes I don't use on our cell phone service, we have the larger cell phone plan so we have lots of left over minutes plus the wifi plan comes with its on minutes, never goes over, well worth the extra $20 to our plan, I need it for my laptop when on the road so I thought why keep sending money to Direct tv when I already have this plan.