A crazy idea. Has anyone tried this.

[Majja13]

So I have pondered my adult mental wellness plan many times. This being the child entertainment system when they are whining about it being cold,smokey ect outside and just want to go inside and be kids of today.

So what I have been wondering is if using a Chrome cast and a wifi router to stream movies I have down loaded on my tablet would take less juice then running a DVD player. I know with TV/DVD Combos that the highest amount of juice is used to run the DVD player. SO by eliminating it and the mess of DVD's would this other solution save a little juice, keep the TT a little more organized? I have also thought about a cheap laptop, but that would be more of an expense to me as I have everything but the Chromecast for the other option. And secondly how hard would it be to convert a router to a 12 volt DC then using an inverter for 120?

Fire away this is a brain storming post.

[Sillybugs2]

Portable dvd players are about 50 bucks. DH uses on on nights to watch movies. Recharge as needed. Kids don't need the big tv nd no power drain.

[northshore]

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Wireless-Smartphones-Tablets-SDWS1-032G-A57/dp/B00DR8LBAK
We have one of these, puts out a wifi signal, load it with what ever you want, we use ipad or iphone and each can watch what they want.

[Community Alumni]

We bought a set of cheap, but decent tablets and large SD cards. We ripped our entire collection and YouTube videos onto each of the tablets. In the trailer we just hook up the tablets to their TV with an HDMI cord when they're in the mood for a movie. We have some educational games on them also which comes in handy when we're stuck in the trailer. We put a couple of tablet headrest mounts in the truck so the kids can watch them while traveling just for our sanity and to keep the peace.

[nickdarr]

We use a phone with an HDMI/Y cable and stream off of Amazon or Netflix. Works great to eliminate DVDs. We have not packed DVDs in two years. During that time we made a six week trip from Idaho to New England, a month in Death Valley, and a four week trip to NC, SC, and Tennessee with a 3 yo and a 9 yo.

[tatest]

You may not need a router if that's all you want to do. The Chromecast should do peer-to-peer connections if the tablet will. At least mine will. Chromecast uses peer-to-peer connections for setup, for assigning it to a wifi network and letting it know the passwords.

Only problem with peer-to-peer, at least older protocols, most devices will not do a wifi network connection at same time as doing peer-to-peer, so you may be off the Internet while streaming.

[Majja13]

We dont allow the electronics during the day. And both my kids have some cheap tablets. IT is more of an issue when we are with our friends and all the kids (4 total) are trying to crown around one 7in tablet to watch a movie. I was just looking in my bone yard and thinking how I could re-use some old equipment that still has a little life in it. I think I just got the route of the Hdmi cables that is easy also, and cables are cheap. Thanks for all the replies. I have to admit sometimes it is nice when the kids are in the TT and jsut the adults are drinking a nice red wine around a good fire.

[ChooChooMan74]

GordonThree wrote:

ChooChooMan74 wrote:

I really like this idea. That's an outdoor access point screwed into an omni antenna right?

It doesn't interfere with the way the antenna folds up?

Yes, it is a access point/router set up to connect to the campground. I could always reverse it somehow and broadcast signals, but I have no reason to. I put it there so I can pick up campground WiFi easier, so I can tend to work stuff if needed.(Union Official, even when on Vaca).

No issues raising and lowering it. I got the idea from this guy. I just used hose clamps to hold it on.

http://www.dmbruss.com/zRVTech/RVTT_BulletInstall.htm

[CavemanCharlie]

Sorry I can not help you I know nothing of this sort of thing.

How about handing them a book ??

Although those are hard to find these days. 😞 What about a book reader for there I pad or something like that ?

[GordonThree]

ChooChooMan74 wrote:

I really like this idea. That's an outdoor access point screwed into an omni antenna right?

It doesn't interfere with the way the antenna folds up?

[ksbowman]

Funny how todays kids don't think they can live without electronic games and tv! I took my granddaughters to the lake a couple of years ago and one cried her eyes out when she found out there would not be a tv. After we looked for Indian artifacts went boating, swimming and looking for shells over the 2 days she announced she had a great time!

[pira114]

We did the same as Rootus. We have a tablet that has a huge memory card. Then we download movies to it for movie time. Charging it during the day in the truck and using it at night, during thunderstorms, etc. Works pretty good. And works when no signal is available.

Othwrwise, I agree with using a Roku

[ChooChooMan74]

I have this in my camper. It acts as my DLNA media server. I insert a 256GB usb stick in it. It is hard wired with a microusb charging wire to my 12v sidenof the camper.


For watching on the TV, I use a Amazon FireTV stick. It is more powerful than the Chromecast. I have a free DLNA client software installed. I also installed DLNA client software in our tablets.

Now, at the Campground, I raise my antenna and now I am ready to connect to the campground WiFi with my Ubiquti Bullet. I don't expect to stream movies, but I usually can check in on stuff.

[RavensFan24]

A laptop is probably one of your better options, but you can work out these options with a tablet as well (given it has enough storage and a usb-hdmi adapter). I keep movies on my laptop and give myself a few options.

1. I hook it up to the TV via HDMI and run the audio AUX cable to the stereo in the RV for surroud sound or to use the outdoor speakers (if we're outside watching movies)

2. Just watch it on the laptop and hook up sound to the RV stereo or a bluetooth speaker

3. Just watch it on my laptop with no outside audio options.

This puts most of the work on the laptop, which is easily rechargeable. Granted we always camp with hookups, so power is never really an issue for me, but I do have an inverter if I ever am tailgating and need/want a TV option.

I never rely on streaming options (we have an Amazon Fire Stick) in the RV because it's so rare that we have a solid internet connection that has the bandwidth for streaming. I do have Verizon and the mobile hotspot, but with being inside the trailer and being in spots that rarely have a cell signal, it never seemed worth it to me. Though I have been considering getting a cell signal booster since I work online and it would make internet connections more reliable no matter where I am.

[jerem0621]

jarata1 wrote:
Why don't you run a chord from tablet to back of tv with hdmi cords

Bingo!!!