Community Forums

bluefin · 04-22-2016, 06:43 PM

UPDATE:
We do have the grandfathered unlimited plan. Checked again with the Apple store and Apple tech support on what we wanted to do. Apple requires wifi to stream without cables. We can stream with the Apple plug in connection (hard wired) to the TV. Also check with Best Buy to see if they had anything we could use to stream wireless and they did not. So we bought the hard wire system and will use that. I do not understand why we cannot stream wireless with the Apple phone. We can bluetooth to the stern to a speaker system and everything else, but not the TV. ???????????

Oilbrnr · 04-22-2016, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluefin

UPDATE:
We do have the grandfathered unlimited plan. Checked again with the Apple store and Apple tech support on what we wanted to do. Apple requires wifi to stream without cables. We can stream with the Apple plug in connection (hard wired) to the TV. Also check with Best Buy to see if they had anything we could use to stream wireless and they did not. So we bought the hard wire system and will use that. I do not understand why we cannot stream wireless with the Apple phone. We can bluetooth to the stern to a speaker system and everything else, but not the TV. ???????????

But what phone do you have? Tough to help if we don't know that. I'm just saying that if it is a iPhone and an AppleTV no additional WiFi hardware is required. The AppleTV sees the iPhone as just another router and away you go to the internet. You obviously have to set the AppleTV up to connect to your phone's hotspot. But after that...

WhatsHisName · 04-22-2016, 11:53 PM

You may want to look into getting a separate wireless router (example) that all connected devices in your rig can connect to. That way you can use your phone as the hotspot or campground wireless and everything will automatically connect through the router without having to connect everything individually.
It then also fulfills the Apple TV requirement of having a wifi service to connect to. The service doesn't even need to be live to the outside world but it allows other devices on that service to connect to each other.

timjet · 04-23-2016, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YFwebsite

I would recommend getting a ChromeCast to stream items from your phone or iPad.

I think the OP is trying to view video from his phone w/o wifi. I have ChromeCast and it works well but does require a wifi network to connect the TV to the tablet or cell phone.

timjet · 04-23-2016, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhatsHisName

You may want to look into getting a separate wireless router (example) that all connected devices in your rig can connect to. That way you can use your phone as the hotspot or campground wireless and everything will automatically connect through the router without having to connect everything individually.
It then also fulfills the Apple TV requirement of having a wifi service to connect to. The service doesn't even need to be live to the outside world but it allows other devices on that service to connect to each other.

I'm not all that familiar with all the different devices and their purpose. With that said, if your phone can act as a hotspot why would you need a router?

One more question: I have Cricket as my wireless provider. They have a plan that allows you to use your phone as a hotspot but limits data to 10GB. Cost is $70/mo. Is 10 GB enough data to watch several hours of netflix?

bobk3d · 04-23-2016, 07:32 AM

If you really want to stream, then some sort of wireless connection from phone to TV is the way to go, wireless HDMI or one of the new standards that are coming out. Wi-Fi and intermediate devices add complexity and unreliability.

Personally, I just connect the iPhone to an HDMI adapter and use a wire. It works well.

(one oddity... when I had cable, some of Comcast's streaming programs would only play on the phone... when I connected HDMI, it said I didn't have the rights to watch on a TV, only a phone. Haven't noticed that with any other services, though)

vsheetz · 04-23-2016, 07:55 AM

Apple TV can do wireless peer to peer from iPhone direct to TV. I do it with mine. Albeit the default way is through an access point.

However, I have found it simpler to do a wired connection from iPhone to TV using HDMI adapter and HDMI cable. I most often use Netflix because they provide the capability to adjust the video streaming rate / quality. This reduces data consumption and provides for a decent picture quality with little buffering or pauses even in weak signal areas.

I am grandfathered in to unlimited data with AT&T. I also carry a Jetpack hotspot device on Verizon network. I use the Jetpack hotspot device for Internet access - email, web surfing, etc. when CG or other free wifi is unavailable or of unusable quality.

WhatsHisName · 04-23-2016, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timjet

I'm not all that familiar with all the different devices and their purpose. With that said, if your phone can act as a hotspot why would you need a router?

It comes down to how many devices you have that you want to connect to a wireless signal. If it is only 1:1 then using your phone as a hotspot is fine. If you have other devices that you want to have access such as a Kindle, laptop, tablet, smart TV/blueray player, etc. then you connect your devices to the router and as soon as you connect your hotspot (phone, dedicated device or campground wireless) then everything else automatically is connected, too.

It would also solve the issue for the Apple TV. Like Chrome Cast, they require a wifi signal. That signal doesn't need to be connected to anything but is the way those devices communicate with other devices.

timjet · 04-23-2016, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhatsHisName

It would also solve the issue for the Apple TV. Like Chrome Cast, they require a wifi signal. That signal doesn't need to be connected to anything but is the way those devices communicate with other devices.

So in order to use a Chrome Cast without a wifi signal you would have to set up a router (and thus create a wifi signal) and connect the Chrome Cast device and your phone or tablet to the router. Is this correct?

RV Vagabond · 04-24-2016, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluefin

Most of the RV parks do not allow video streaming, so we thought we would use our cell phone to stream video since we have an unlimited date plan. We purchased an apple TV so we could mirror the phone and tried it, but you have to have wifi to enable it to work and that was not our plan.

You're in luck Bluefin - I stream video from my phone to my TV everyday and never use wifi - here's how. I cable from my phone charger port to my computer using an app from FoxFi - Turn Android into free WiFi Hotspot (no root) - then I wire a VGA cable from my laptop to one of these: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-V...ch+vga2ntscpro. Then I run audio/video cables from that device to a DVR/DVD recorder and finally audio/video cables from the DVR/DVD to my TV. It's complicated but it works great, and now I can keep video copies of anything that I can get from my phone's internet. A big bonus is that I surf the internet on my laptop rather than on the little phone screen. With Sprint, I get unlimited internet for $70 a month. This solved all my internet needs.

davendeb · 04-24-2016, 11:58 PM

I have back when I had unlimited data. Not now.

chiefneon · 04-25-2016, 10:16 AM

Howdy!

We have been stream wireless Netflix to our Chromecast without problem. We just got new iPones and iPaps with AT&T unlimited data and the problem is you can not use them as hot spot. You can minor them using unlimited data. The Apple TV works wireless but is not compatible with Amazon Prime which we also use a lot to stream with. The best answer for us was to go tethered with a HDMI cable to a Apple digital AV adaptor which connects to the phone or iPad. We've found this works on everything and completely minors your device and has done away with lagtime. Not wireless but works a nd cheaper than Aple TV.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

oakcreekeric · 04-25-2016, 02:17 PM

Ok... not trying to muddy up the waters here.. but I've been following, as I just got on an unlimited (un-stiffled) data program...

My device is a Motorola MOTO X Pure (ATT)... I have Dishnetwork.. and I have the mobile app on my phone...

Without getting things overly complicated.. I believe someone mentioned there was a cable I could get that would connect my phone to the TV (HDMI Port) so I could watch thru the TV, verses my phone...

Did I read that correctly?
Can someone link me to the cable I should buy ?

Thanks

Scatterbrain · 04-25-2016, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oakcreekeric

Ok... not trying to muddy up the waters here.. but I've been following, as I just got on an unlimited (un-stiffled) data program...

My device is a Motorola MOTO X Pure (ATT)... I have Dishnetwork.. and I have the mobile app on my phone...

Without getting things overly complicated.. I believe someone mentioned there was a cable I could get that would connect my phone to the TV (HDMI Port) so I could watch thru the TV, verses my phone...

Did I read that correctly?
Can someone link me to the cable I should buy ?

Thanks

You can get the ActionTec Screenbeam2 mini. It's wireless. It simply mirrors your phones screen. My kids are watching a movie from Netflix on the main TV right now that is being streamed from my phone to the ScreenBeam. Plug the device into an HDMI port and then plug the usb cable into either the USB port on the back of the TV or the wall wart (charger). Then go into settings on the phone and select "screen mirroring". It's that simple.