streaming movies to my tv

[Bheffington]

Im new to the full time RV world. Im wondering what would be the easiest way to stream a movie from netflix, hulu or Prime from my PC to my TV? I would rather have my laptop be available for web surfing while the TV is playing a show.

[paulcardoza]

If you find a CG that has a Wifi system that can handle streaming video, you are definitely in the 1% of CG's. Very rare indeed!

Bheffington wrote:
I guess I should clarify. I will not be using cellular data. I will be using the CG wifi. Back at home we can have the wii playing Netflix, two kindle fires playing seperate movies and the wife and I on our laptops. Never had an issue with bandwidth, but then again I wasn't at a campground with 50 other people. Looks like I'll go with the Google Chromecast. Cheap simple way.

[docj]

Bheffington wrote:
I guess I should clarify. I will not be using cellular data. I will be using the CG wifi. Back at home we can have the wii playing Netflix, two kindle fires playing seperate movies and the wife and I on our laptops. Never had an issue with bandwidth, but then again I wasn't at a campground with 50 other people. Looks like I'll go with the Google Chromecast. Cheap simple way.

It doesn't sound as if you understand the fact that at home you probably have cable internet (or something equivalent) all for the use of your family. The 5-20 Mbps bandwidth you have can easily support all the activities you list and quite a few more.

At a CG it's quite possible that the entire park is served by an internet connection no better than what you have at home. Many parks have even less bandwidth because they are located in rural areas where internet service is limited. Now imagine 50 or more campers at the same time trying to do everything you're used to doing on the internet and you can begin to see why streaming video on a shared wifi is not something you can count on doing.

We like to stream video and we are lucky enough to have a grandfathered unlimited Verizon account. Streaming on 4G is quite easy and some 3G connections are good enough to provide a decent connection. We use a Roku, which is a mature product, well-supported by the manufacturer. Maybe Chromebook will be that someday, but for now I prefer a proven system with a simple interface.

[1492]

Most everyone will tell you that it won't work in CG, not enough bandwidth available, and explicitly not allowed at most.

[Bheffington]

I guess I should clarify. I will not be using cellular data. I will be using the CG wifi. Back at home we can have the wii playing Netflix, two kindle fires playing seperate movies and the wife and I on our laptops. Never had an issue with bandwidth, but then again I wasn't at a campground with 50 other people. Looks like I'll go with the Google Chromecast. Cheap simple way.

[1492]

Yes, even my $30. refurbished Toshiba BluRay player from MicroCenter can stream videos from the net. Works flawlessly after a firmware update. Mine only comes with an Ethernet connection, but has optional WiFi capability. However, a $4.-$6. thrift store router with upgraded free firmware such as DD-WRT can be used as a WiFi client and connect an Ethernet Bluray connection to a wireless hotspot.

[CincyGus]

1492 wrote:
Most Bluray players these days can also stream net videos from NetFlix, Hulu, YouTube, etc through an Ethernet connection. Many also have wireless WiFi capability, but some require a separate optional adapter. One advantage of Bluray is that you can also playback DVDs.

This is the method I was going to suggest. Gives you Blue Ray, DVD playback and if you buy one with wireless capabilities, all you need is the internet connection from a cell phone. Most campgrounds are not going to be fast enough.

Most Wireless Blue Ray Players come with an APP's screen that allows you to pull the weather from the weather channel, watch YouTube videos, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, Facebook, etc. if you have setup accounts with them.

I have a Samsung at home that does all of the above. Was under $200 a few years ago so I imagine they have come down in price from that since then.

[1492]

As many have mentioned, you're biggest concern is not going to be what device to use for streaming videos, but how you're going to deal with the bandwidth demands. Bottomline, you're going to need a data plan sufficiently large, and one that does not throttle your speed when you reach a certain use threshold.

There are only a few so called unlimited mobile data plans available. I use Clear 4G for that reason, but coverage is limited compared to other network providers. I've never experienced any throttling, though have used in excess of 50G in a month. However, Sprint who owns Clear is apparently converting towers over to 4LTE, so unClear as to whether they will keep WiMax, or even if it makes any sense to continue to do so in the future? Which will make their current WiMax dependent phones and mobile devices obsolete.

[wcjeep]

Are you trying to download from the net to a TV? From the computer to the TV? The new Chromecast from Google at $35 can stream many things from the net to the TV HDMI slot. People have already figured out how to stream from a laptop to the TV. Supposedly there's an app waiting on the nondisclosure agreement to expire that will stream from an Android direct to TV.


Chromecast

[pyoung47]

I have unlimited data on my iPhone. I can stream through Apple TV to TV if I set up a local wireless in my camper. I'm going for the tailgater, though.

[grampachet]

And thus is why i bought the dish tailgator, so easy to use, works great and at $7 a month only on the months i use it...couldnt be happier. Of course i have dish at home.

[wa8yxm]

Many want to stream movies from the net.. Bad idea usually Here is why:

First: if you are using campground WI-Fi.. You are branded a LEACH as you are sucking up major bandwidth,, You won't make your neighbors very happy.

And if you use your own cellular wireless internet.. Well, if your service provider sets bandwidth limits and over that amount you have to PAY PAY PAY..

Count on PAY PAY PAYING.

So, not the best way.. but the ONLY way, is to bring your own UNLIMITED bandwidth high speed internet with you from a cellular provider.

Of those.. I can not tell you who is best since I only stream 5 hours a month if I have the bandwidth.

[tatest]

PC needs to have an Internet connection, video processor (with appropriate outputs) and CPU capable of doing the job. What is appropriate video and CPU depends on what is the target display, SD or HD, and what inputs it has.

I stream HD OK with Intel i5 dual core and Intel HD graphics, daughter does it on AMD dual core with AMD 2400 graphics.. I have other PCs that can't do the job, Pentium 4 with NVidia graphics, Celeron with pre-HD Intel graphics.

If you have to upgrade a PC, consider that a Roku box (or other branded competitor) will do the whole job for less than the cost of upgrading an older PC to stream video. Even a cheapl BluRay player may cost less than a graphics card doing HD video.

No way you are going to surf and stream HD video on the same PC. Even with four or six CPU cores, and the fastest video processors available, there will be bottlenecks somewhere, e.g. sharing the processing of the network stream, and focus ( video app usually has to freeze for you to communicate with your browser).

I surf while streaming Netflix on the PC by using another device like IPad or a second PC. Unless bandwidth is very good, either surfing will be slow or your streaming video will degrade quality to the smaller available stream.

I've never been able to stream satisfactorily anywhere I've RVed, except my own driveway, whether I'm trying to use a MiFi I bring along, or campground WiFi. Places I choose to camp are well outside the realm of 3G/4G wireless, far from any cable or DSL. If I can't buy the bandwidth, neither can the campground. If your RVing is about parking in the metro areas of our 20 largest cities, you can probably do a lot better, you'll just pay wireless prices for the data you use.

[1492]

Most Bluray players these days can also stream net videos from NetFlix, Hulu, YouTube, etc through an Ethernet connection. Many also have wireless WiFi capability, but some require a separate optional adapter. One advantage of Bluray is that you can also playback DVDs.

[MrWizard]

i have netflix and amazon, and occasionally watch Hulu for a missed TV program

forget using the PC for surfing while streaming a movie

you need a constant data stream for the movie
trying to do other things will be a competition for bandwidth and data , a conflict of interests

in order to view streaming from the PC and surf
also you will have to set the TV as an external 2nd monitor that is an extension of the desk top, NOT a mirror of the desk top two displays, other wise only ONE thing will show on both at the same time

you need an external media player for the TV, connected via personal network to the internet
but you will still have the competition for bandwidth

few IF any mobile services can provide any simultaneous dual use , unless you want LOW quality video

i don't surf while i'm watching a movie, it just doesn't work well