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!

[docj]

strollin wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:

pnichols wrote:

strollin on wrote:
It helps if you have an unlimited data plan on your phone like I do.

If your unlimited data does include delivering it at 4G speeds, then you are one of the very, very, very lucky ones who took advantage of the cellular system owners before they discovered greed.

That would be me 🙂

I did all I had to do to hang on that plan for dear life.

Yup, grandfathered into an unlimited 4G data plan. My download speeds using my phone's hotspot are almost always faster than the download speeds I get using my home ISP.

Just measured ~20Mbps download speed on my grandfathered Verizon 4G plan! Not gloating, just reporting.

[strollin]

dan-nickie wrote:

pnichols wrote:

strollin on wrote:
It helps if you have an unlimited data plan on your phone like I do.

If your unlimited data does include delivering it at 4G speeds, then you are one of the very, very, very lucky ones who took advantage of the cellular system owners before they discovered greed.

That would be me 🙂

I did all I had to do to hang on that plan for dear life.

Yup, grandfathered into an unlimited 4G data plan. My download speeds using my phone's hotspot are almost always faster than the download speeds I get using my home ISP.

[TInmania]

RDMueller wrote:
The other thing I'm thinking is to put some content on my laptop before leaving. That would solve the problem of burning thru the data plan and for areas with no LTE coverage. But how to get movies/shows from the laptop to the TV? Would Roku work in that situation?

It could, but so could a cheap Chromecast. Go right from the laptop to the Chromecast.

I keep an Amazon Fire TV Stick in my RV and it works great. I have a Samsung Note 4 and I keep content on it. I don't have to worry about getting the Fire Stick and Note 4 on the same wifi network, or creating an ad hoc network. I simply turn on mirroring on the Fire Stick and the Note 4 sees it, and mirrors the screen. I even use it to read news or whatnot on the bigger screen. But it works excellent for movies.

You should be able to do similar to the Apple TV using Airplay. This can be from your iPhone, iPad, or macbook (2012 and newer).

I won't rehash using 4G since that has already been covered. I will only add that one single movie uses a lot of data if streamed using your cell plan. No issue if unlimited or plenty of gigs, but if you are already running close to your limit be careful.



Michael

[dan-nickie]

pnichols wrote:

strollin on wrote:
It helps if you have an unlimited data plan on your phone like I do.

If your unlimited data does include delivering it at 4G speeds, then you are one of the very, very, very lucky ones who took advantage of the cellular system owners before they discovered greed.

That would be me 🙂

I did all I had to do to hang on that plan for dear life.

[pnichols]

strollin on wrote:
It helps if you have an unlimited data plan on your phone like I do.

That's outstanding, IF .... it includes unlimited at 4G speeds instead of only 3G or less.

If your unlimited data does include delivering it at 4G speeds, then you are one of the very, very, very lucky ones who took advantage of the cellular system owners before they discovered greed. What you have is what should be available to all of us at around $100 per month.

IMHO, cellular system access charges should be based on speed of data ... not amount of data.

By the way, you can buy rooftop antennas and coach battery powered amplifiers for your RV that boost cellular signals so you can continue to use Netflix, Hulu, etc. in areas where cellular signals are normally too weak for use for intertainment streaming or simple phone calls.

[strollin]

It helps if you have an unlimited data plan on your phone like I do. I can setup my phone as a hotpot then stream Netflix movies to both TVs in my RV at the same time. For when we don't have a cell signal, I have a 2TB drive full of movies and TV shows that we can use.

[AllegroD]

RDMueller wrote:
Yes, my tv uses HDMI. I think the most significant thing I've learned from this thread is that there is such a thing as a lightning to HDMI adapter. I've had no problem watching whatever I want on the iPad, regardless of whether it is streamed or downloaded ahead of time (via iTunes, from a computer or whatever). The ability to connect the iPad directly to the TV's HDMI port is what I didn't realize was possible, and that pretty much solves my problem!

I really appreciate all the input!

Does your laptop have HDMI or DVI out? Cabling is the easy part.

[wa8yxm]

Well... If ou had a 'droid I'd have your answer..

With a 'Droid you can get an adapter from the micro-usb hole to VGA

Alas unlike Android which uses eithr a micro or Mini-USB Apple has used several interface connections ranging from USB to 30 pin.

I googled: i-phone to VGA

And got a bunch of hits.. Suggest you do the same.

[docj]

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.

[poppin_fresh]

I have a large library of backed up DVDs as MP4 files.

When going camping, I grab one of my Roku 3s and my portable USB drive (a large USB stick would work too). I then plug the drive into the USB port on the Roku.

The Roku Media Player app allows me to watch all the content from the drive without requiring an internet connection.

[MrWizard]

a hot spot is a wifi access point

i have a Sony Media player that will connect to my Android phone hot spot
but i haven't used it in about a year or so, my android tablet will also connect to wifi hotspot and connect to the TV using an HDMI cable
so does my laptop

i usually just stream Netflix or amazon via the laptop or tablet
the Menu system is just much easier using web pages than using the remote for the media player or Smart DVD player or Smart TV

but anytime you are so faraway that TV reception is bad
cellular data also suffers, you might need a cell phone booster amplifier and antenna, before you can even connect to stream the movie

couple years ago i was in Kings Canyon Nat park
at the high end NOT down in the canyon.. NO cell signal, no internet or phone for 5 days.

if your willing to watch an old favorite movie on TV or cable
then keep a few old favorite DVD's for just in case !

[redhooker]

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. Other streaming services may not have this option.

From Netflix
Watching movies or TV shows on Netflix uses about 1 GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video. This can create headaches for Netflix members who have a monthly bandwidth or data cap on their Internet service.

Here for instructions on controlling netflix data use:
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/87

[96Bounder30E]

Moved from General RVing

[RDMueller]

Yes, my tv uses HDMI. I think the most significant thing I've learned from this thread is that there is such a thing as a lightning to HDMI adapter. I've had no problem watching whatever I want on the iPad, regardless of whether it is streamed or downloaded ahead of time (via iTunes, from a computer or whatever). The ability to connect the iPad directly to the TV's HDMI port is what I didn't realize was possible, and that pretty much solves my problem!

I really appreciate all the input!

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Do you have HDMI on your TV? Regardless of your device, you should be able to get an adapter. If you buy a movie from Amazon digital, you can download the digital copy or stream.

An on DVD being a dying medium, I quit buying DVD's several years ago only to be frustrated because what I want to watch is not on Netflix. Recent movies are available but not a lot of older movies or older movies come and go. I still use Netflix but spend about $20/month searching for deals on Amazon or used DVD sites to fill in my collection. I won't rewatch certain movies but love to watch favorite comedies and kids like to rewatch superhero action movies.