Streaming TV in an RV using a cellular data plan

[RDMueller]

Background- we are not actually going to watch much TV when camping, just want to have the option if the weather is bad for example. We seldom camp anywhere with TV hookups. Could do satellite but I'm leaning no on that, probably just wouldn't use it enough to justify the cost. I haven't had much luck with over the air, most likely due to the fairly remote and mountainous areas we usually camp.

So far we've mostly just watched DVDs, but that's a slowly dying technology. I haven't purchased a DVD in a long time. Blockbuster is basically gone. Redbox is usually the best option, but even that can sometimes be fairly distant depending where we are.

What I'd like to be able to do is stream Netflix or Hulu. We have a 10GB cellular data plan with plenty left over most months. But how to get it from the iPhone to the TV? I have Apple TV at home, but that requires a home network which is connected to our cable modem. I can create a wifi hot spot with my iPhone, but that doesn't use a router and Apple TV needs the router to work. I'm pretty sure that Roku works the same way. I've been looking at Amazon Fire TV Stick and it looks promising (they say you can use it in a hotel). Has anyone used it? Will it stream from a phone with LTE? Any other good options anyone can recommend? Thanks!

[dan-nickie]

DatacomGuy wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:

DatacomGuy wrote:
Anyone using Chromecast in their rig? If so, how?

One phone as a hotspot.
Second phone or tablet to start Chromecast.

Interesting.. tell me more.. So second phone and chromecast join the hotspot network, and all is well? Dang.. why didnt i think of that???

Not much more to tell.
Well I can also do it with one phone as hotspot and a laptop to start chromecast.

[DatacomGuy]

dan-nickie wrote:

DatacomGuy wrote:
Anyone using Chromecast in their rig? If so, how?

One phone as a hotspot.
Second phone or tablet to start Chromecast.

Interesting.. tell me more.. So second phone and chromecast join the hotspot network, and all is well? Dang.. why didnt i think of that???

[dan-nickie]

DatacomGuy wrote:
Anyone using Chromecast in their rig? If so, how?

One phone as a hotspot.
Second phone or tablet to start Chromecast.

[DatacomGuy]

Anyone using Chromecast in their rig? If so, how?

[philh]

I've digitized all my DVD's and CD's, which are all stored on a 2T drive in the trailer. Very little reason to download anything. Temporarily ran wires to feed sound to the onboard stereo. Temporary, because want to see if I like it before making it permanent. I know I'm spoiled by my house's sound system 🙂

[MrWizard]

well got mine, by jumping on the 4g bandwagon with a new phone as soon as 4g was available here, i already had unlimited at that time, and it just stayed unlimited when i got the new phone, this was NOT an upgraded with a discounted phone.. upgrading using an upgrade discount limits your plan choices to whats being offered.. to keep an unlimited you buy a new device outright

[dan-nickie]

greenrvgreen wrote:
For those that have a grandfathered 4G VZ connection, how in Dog's name did you get this? Grandpa and I are stuck on 3G (unlimited), and of course 3G is being phased out, starting with my backyard, it seems.

Got it many years ago on Verizon and kept it.
That means no free phone upgrades, no plan changes.

[greenrvgreen]

For those that have a grandfathered 4G VZ connection, how in Dog's name did you get this? Grandpa and I are stuck on 3G (unlimited), and of course 3G is being phased out, starting with my backyard, it seems.

[MrWizard]

Easy connection yes
But It is still going to burn a lot of data, and he likes to camp where there is no broadcast signal, which means he not have a good cell phone signal for data...
Besides he already has a hotspot, and does not need to use the phone as hotspot

[APT]

Why is this so complicated? If you have a laptop, you can use your phone as a hotspot. Connect the laptop to that. $5 HDMI cable to from laptop to TV.

[docj]

TInmania wrote:
That is one reason why HBO GO is not using their own infrastructure: they contracted with MLB to use the At Bat tech. Live sports requires even more dedication as a "buffering" message when it is tied up in the 9th with two outs while bases loaded would be pure torture lol.

MLB has been a customer of my son's company for many years. They supply MLB with the hardware and software to make this possible. The company is a division of Cisco, previously known as Inlet.

[TInmania]

docj wrote:

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I do feel confident they will throttle quality on a slow connection.

Netflix, Amazon, HBO GO and most of the streaming services use sophisticated dynamic compression algorithms to vary the quality (data rate) of your stream to match changes in your internet connection. This is a key reason why you don't experience nearly as many "Loading" delays as you used to just a few years ago.

Indeed that is true. And it is not an easy task. That is one reason why HBO GO is not using their own infrastructure: they contracted with MLB to use the At Bat tech. Live sports requires even more dedication as a "buffering" message when it is tied up in the 9th with two outs while bases loaded would be pure torture lol.

Oddly enough, YouTube, which should be considered the granddaddy of all this is the worst for me. I can have a 20GB connection and still get stuttering, buffering delays, or simply unexplained delays.



Mike

[docj]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I do feel confident they will throttle quality on a slow connection.

Netflix, Amazon, HBO GO and most of the streaming services use sophisticated dynamic compression algorithms to vary the quality (data rate) of your stream to match changes in your internet connection. This is a key reason why you don't experience nearly as many "Loading" delays as you used to just a few years ago.

I happen to be a second-hand expert in this because my computer scientist son works for one of the major players in the business. Lots of effort is being devoted to improving the perceived quality of your video stream regardless of the quality of your connection. These issues aren't nearly as important to someone watching a stream on something like a FIOS connection, but with cellular it's a big deal.

Next time you watch a Netflix video and have your resolution set to automatic, watch the details of the image very carefully. Most likely you will see subtle changes in the resolution every couple of minutes; what you are seeing are adjustments to the data rate to compensate for changes in your connection. If you're not a geek like me, it's likely you'll never notice these changes and that's the whole idea.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

docj wrote:

redhooker wrote:
Streaming video in HD from most any service burns about 3 gigs an hour. Set your netflix account to low res and it burns about 0.3 gigs an hour. It is a huge difference, and is why we have 2 netflix accounts. One for the house is HD, and another account set to low res for mobile use.

Why do you need 2 Netflix accounts in order to do this? All you have to do is set change the data settings in the My Account portion of the website? It doesn't take more than a second to make the change and the result, on the TV screen, is pretty much instantaneous.

Per Netflix, it takes 24-48 hours for the change to take place. Interesting that you see the result right away. I've also seen conflicting opinions on whether Netflix changes the quality based on device (ipad vs. HD tv). I do feel confident they will throttle quality on a slow connection.