Video Streaming-Opinions

GordonThree wrote:
Most of the time, I just use my phone, the LG G2 with Verizon... it has the advantage of connecting to both WiFi as well as my 4G data (unlimited plan). It has HDMI output and plugs right into my rig's tv at 1080p resolution. ...

I have an LG G2 on Verizon but it doesn't have an HDMI output which I was disappointed about when I first got it. However, it works great with my Chromecast or my Roku 3 to play videos and such on my TV.

One feature I really like on the Roku 3 is that it has a headphone jack built in to the remote. I can plug a pair of headphones in and not worry about disturbing others when watching something late at night.

Instead of Roku I opted to get a wifi/network capable Blu-Ray player. If you need a player why not get one with wifi? You'll get Netflix, Hulu and most other popular streaming sites. Works great for us.

An alternative to cables is to upgrade the tele... All the major brands offer built-in streaming to Huly, Netflix, etc.

Or there is MiraCast which is a small device that links the tv over wifi to your phone or laptop.

We have a Roku 2 & Roku 3 that we use in our brick & motar home via a landline. Service is great! We tried using them for a year on the road via our Verizon modem & RV park wifi service. After a year of lesser quality service & using up our Verizon Data plan we have returned to our Dish box & Trav'ler when on the road in the motorhome. Cost was less using Dish for TV and our Verizon modem for the computers than trying to run everything thu the modem & Roku. Now this was in the last year before they started changing data limits so the economics may have changed a bit. But for us the bottom line is the Roku is for home and the Dish box is for the road. Easier & better quality on the road with Dish & Trav'ler.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

I use an AppleTV. It has Netflix, etc built in, but AppleTV also has AirPlay that permits zero data video streaming over your home network. I think The new Roku uses a version of AirPlay.

If you have a home system (DISH, DirecTV, cable box), you might also consider streaming from your home to your RV using DISH Anywhere, DirecTV Everywhere, or a Slingbox (like the new M1).

These "slinging" systems allow to to watch whatever (in some cases) is in your home system via an Internet connection between home & your RV. Again, it can be bandwidth intense.

TechWriter wrote:

docj wrote:
We are lucky enough to have unlimited Verizon accounts, but even if you don't have that, don't listen to people who tell you streaming is too expensive.

Spoken like someone with an unlimited data plan.

I have a 40 GB Verizon plan and it's very easy to chew up a lot of data on streaming.

If you have a 40 GB plan then you aren't all that far from our usage. We use ~50-60 GB/mo without any concern about how much we are using and we stream several times a week. Many people don't realize that your actual data usage is often well below the maximums because your internet connection simply won't support it. We happen to like to watch foreign TV series that were originally broadcast in SD; they simply don't take that much data to stream.

Our usage without streaming is in the ~5-10 GB/mo range with two laptops that are in use a lot.

docj wrote:
We are lucky enough to have unlimited Verizon accounts, but even if you don't have that, don't listen to people who tell you streaming is too expensive.

Spoken like someone with an unlimited data plan.

I have a 40 GB Verizon plan and it's very easy to chew up a lot of data on streaming.

The OP asked for answers to a specific question; he wasn't looking for advice on whether or not streaming is a good idea.

We have a Roku 2, I believe, which was the first of the HD ones. Some of the features of the fanciest Roku I don't need, but I believe some of the better models support full 5.1 audio which mine does not (not on Netflix anyway).

Unlike a Chromecast, a Roku doesn't require involvement of a computer and there are hundreds of "channels". IMHO running an HDMI cable from a computer to the TV is not a good solution if you are full-timers and do this often as we do.

We are lucky enough to have unlimited Verizon accounts, but even if you don't have that, don't listen to people who tell you streaming is too expensive. Do a dollars and cents calculation and you may be surprised to find out that if you limit your resolution, which you can do on Netflix at least, you can manage to get 2 hours of video out of 1GB of data. So if your data costs ~$10/GB, a 2 hour movie will cost ~$10 which isn't all that much more than a pay per view.

Of course, you can use a lot more data and incur higher cost, but we're almost at the point where I'd be willing to trade the >$100/mo I pay DirecTV for additional data and simply not watch regular TV. I think within another year or two that will be a very viable option.

Video streaming burns up bandwith, if you are paying your own way internet wise then if your account is not unlimited one of two or three thigns will happen.

1(Verizon is famous for this) CHA-CHING!!!!! Overage charges big time

2: Your connection speed drops like a rock in free fall (Suddenly dial up is faster).

3: You get cut off, cold.

If you are using park Wi-Fi.. please, do not

Most of the time, I just use my phone, the LG G2 with Verizon... it has the advantage of connecting to both WiFi as well as my 4G data (unlimited plan). It has HDMI output and plugs right into my rig's tv at 1080p resolution.

I stream Netflix, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, YouTube. Back when I had DISH I could also stream my home DVR, and from Dish's online collection of movies and tv shows. Charter Cable's online website doesn't support Android so I'm stuck there.

I also use my laptop (also HDMI), which lets me stream from Charter's online video library.

If you have an iphone, samsung galaxy, and some others, you can get a cable to plug it into your TV. No need to buy anything else.