Community Forums

Boeing Guy · 12-15-2013, 07:36 AM

I'm a bit technically challenged. Not completely stupid, but sometimes confused about different technologies.
We watch a lot of Netflix streaming movies in the stick house. We have an internet provider (Charter - not that it makes a difference) and a wireless router. If I understand it correctly, at home, the Netflix signal comes into the house through the Charter box (Modem?) is fed through a hard wire from the modem to a wireless router and magically through the air to a PS3 which sends the signal through an HDMI cable onto the TV. For a poor kid from South St. Louis who grew up with one TV channel, this is magic. Ain't life wonderful?

Can we replicate the same thing in the Motor home?

Many RV parks don't want residents to use up their band width so they somehow keep you from streaming movies. I understand that.

My bride and I both have iPhones with hot spots, and also iPads. Her iPad is a 4G model (always on the internet). Mine is not. It requires a hot spot or CG network. If I hook up a PS3 to the RV TV, can I use my cell phone hot spot to stream Netflix movies to the RV TV. A side effect would be that my grand son could play PS3 games when he travels with us.

We also have an Apple TV box at the stick house. We use it to stream Netflix, Amazon, and display iPad stuff on the TV. Could we hook up an Apple TV box to the RV TV. It is my understanding that no matter what you hook up to the TV, you still need a "network"(at home it is provided by Charter). Will a cell phone hot spot provide a network for Netflix (or Amazon) to use for streaming?

I have been told that it takes about 3/4 of a GIG to a Gig to stream an average movie. With the plan we have, it costs (me) about $5 a GIG, so I am aware that it will cost $3-$5 to stream a movie, if it is possible.

wildmandmc · 12-15-2013, 07:58 AM

its actually cheaper to go to one of those "red box's', an get a movie for a buck or so.pop it in cd/dvd player.

W1ndChaser · 12-15-2013, 08:06 AM

You can use either the ps3 or the Apple TV to stream in your rv. You need to connect your chosen device to your phones hot spot. As you have researched, it will eat away at your data plan pretty fast. It may be more effective to red box, or bring a laptop to McDonald and rent movies through iTunes for offline playback.

clyon51 · 12-15-2013, 08:18 AM

I see no reason what you propose is any different than what you do at home. The difference would be your unlimited data and high speed of your Charter connection.

With a hotspot you would want a solid 4G connection (being in a remote location could shut you totally down.) You of course would also be paying for all the extra data. Not perfect, but doable.

docj · 12-15-2013, 08:32 AM

We use one of our smartphones as a hotspot and use a Roku for streaming Netflix, Huluplus, Amazon and Pandora. IMHO a Roku is a far better streaming solution than using a Blu-ray player, smart TV, ps3, etc, because there are literally hundreds of "channels" (content sources) you can access with it and its software is always being update. Neither of those is usually true when you use the software that comes bundled with one of those other devices. For example our Blu-ray play was bought so we could stream Netflix but then Amazon started its streaming service and that isn't available through it.

We're lucky enough to have a grandfathered unlimited Verizon plan, but I do check my usage and you are correct that a movie will use 0.75-1.0 GB. It can use a lot more in HD but rarely does Netflix or Amazon stream at that resolution level. Furthermore, Netflix permits you to control your data rate through your account settings. We use ~35-40 GB/mo. If you have a plan that charges $10/GB for data overages, then a movie would cost ~$7-10 which is not all that much more than a pay-per-view on DirecTV, etc.

A 4G cellular connection is almost always sufficient for streaming video and most of the time we can watch several hours without a "re-buffering" pause. This is a big improvement over what the situation was like even just a year ago.

Even though we do have satellite TV and are not yet prepared to give it up, I can easily foresee a time a few years from now where I might consider doing that. Network and cable channel TV shows can almost all be obtained online usually no more than a day after they are broadcast. HBO and Showtime are a bit more problematical in that you can get current episodes online only if you have a TV subscription, but the previous season's shows are usually available for streaming on Netflix or one of the other services.

So far we've streamed Netflix's House of Cards and Orange is the New Black and just started watching the new season of Lillihammer; in addition we've watched innumerable foreign TV series, the most notable of which have been Wallander, Spiral and Braquo.

Boeing Guy · 12-16-2013, 08:53 AM

Thank You docj.
We use a PS3 (at home) because it will play DVDs (regular and Blu-ray), stream movies, and our grandson can play games, all on the same device.

I am changing out an analog TV in the bedroom of a 2004 Winnebago Journey to a 32 inch HD (Digital?) TV. Once installed, it will be difficult to access the HDMI ports, so I want to install an HDMI cable in each of its 2 HDMI ports prior to installation and just let them hang where I can easily access them.
I can hook up two devices in the future if I choose.

I don't mean to be a TV snob. We watch a lot of TV at home but little on the road, mostly movies. News either piXXes me off or depresses me, and I don't use a TV for chatter. Occasionally my grandson comes with us and a video game will entertain him while the adults are having adult beverages outside.

The RV came with a satellite dish. It had been in storage for 2-3 years. The previous owner (I bought it from a widow) left a Dish Network box in it but it is very old and doesn't work. I'm not sure what kind of picture I will get through the existing RV cabling (I assume RG-59 or RG-6). For our purposes, an HD TV with a Blu-ray player (or PS3, or Roku, or Apple TV) will give us the capability to watch a Red Box Movie when we can get one, or stream a movie/TV show (Orange Is The New Black is my favorite - I call it Days of Our Lives with boobies) when that is possible. Thanks for your help.

I would be interested in what a ROKU box will do that an Apple TV box will not do. We use the Apple TV box at home because my wife is an Apple person (she has a mac computer, iPad, and iPhone). She can project (I think they call it mirroring) any of the devices onto the TV, through the Apple TV box. It will also do Netflix, etc.

One other question. Are you familiar with Amazon Prime? We use Amazon a lot and occasionally pay for two day shipping. I am told it you pay atound 80 bucks a year, you get free two day shipping on all purchases PLUS Amazon Prime, which is like Netflix streaming. Do youknow anything about Amazon Prime? Thanks again.

topdownman · 12-16-2013, 08:57 AM

I have Amazon Prime. Mine paid for itself in about 2 months (I buy a LOT from Amazon). I love the free two-day shipping! Also, lots of movies to stream or rent cheap. Works great with my PS3 device at home AND my Roku.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

One other question. Are you familiar with Amazon Prime? We use Amazon a lot and occasionally pay for two day shipping. I am told it you pay atound 80 bucks a year, you get free two day shipping on all purchases PLUS Amazon Prime, which is like Netflix streaming. Do youknow anything about Amazon Prime? Thanks again.

pagosajoe · 12-16-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

One other question. Are you familiar with Amazon Prime? We use Amazon a lot and occasionally pay for two day shipping. I am told it you pay atound 80 bucks a year, you get free two day shipping on all purchases PLUS Amazon Prime, which is like Netflix streaming. Do youknow anything about Amazon Prime? Thanks again.

We subscribe to Amazon Prime (about $80 per year for 2-day shipping, many free Kindle books, and TV programming), and, through Roku, watch the "free" Prime movies and TV programs. Works very much like Netflix.

Although it's from the Roku site, here's a comparison of Roku and Apple:

http://www.roku.com/Roku-vs-AppleTV

docj · 12-16-2013, 01:57 PM

We are well aware of Amazon Prime's streaming video service; however, most of the things we wanted to watch on Amazon so far have not been included with what comes free with Prime. We probably will pay for it to watch the new series Alpha House with John Goodman. We already use Prime's delivery services by sharing our daughter's subscription but that doesn't get us the videos.

We currently subscribe to Netflix and HuluPlus and get HBO and Showtime through DirecTV, which has its own streaming service for on-demand which is different than most because it streams to your DVR where the recording is available for viewing for a couple of weeks.

You do have to be careful to avoid paying for video you might be able to get free. For example, I was considering paying Amazon to watch back episodes of Treme, but discovered I could get them for nothing through HBO Go since we subscribe to HBO through DirecTV.

I do not claim that a Roku is better than Apple TV, only that either are probably superior to the limited number of "channels" available on a game console or Blu-ray player.

Boeing Guy · 12-17-2013, 06:24 AM

Thanks all. I just ordered a couple of HDMI cables. I will hook them up prior to installing the TV since access after installation will be difficult. I will hook up a PS3 for sure. I am still weighing Apple TV vs Roku. There is no reason I can't get both. They are cheap enough. If I had a third HDMI port I would hook up all three devices. I shopped for a week to get a TV that would be a the perfect fit in the space I have where the old 19 inch analog TV was. Talk about putting 3 pounds of (stuff) in a 2 pound bag. I need Apple TV for my bride to mirror her Mac or iPad. I see no reason why I can't just disconnect the Apple TV and hook up a Roku if I want content that is not available on Apple TV. Thanks again.

RedWing Nut · 12-17-2013, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Thanks all. I just ordered a couple of HDMI cables. I will hook them up prior to installing the TV since access after installation will be difficult. I will hook up a PS3 for sure. I am still weighing Apple TV vs Roku. There is no reason I can't get both. They are cheap enough. If I had a third HDMI port I would hook up all three devices. I shopped for a week to get a TV that would be a the perfect fit in the space I have where the old 19 inch analog TV was. Talk about putting 3 pounds of (stuff) in a 2 pound bag. I need Apple TV for my bride to mirror her Mac or iPad. I see no reason why I can't just disconnect the Apple TV and hook up a Roku if I want content that is not available on Apple TV. Thanks again.

You might want to consider an HDMI switch. You could run one cable from the TV to the switch and have the ability to hook up multiple devices to the TV from a more accessible location. Instead of changing the input on the TV, you would do it on the switch.

Boeing Guy · 12-18-2013, 08:21 AM

Oh yea, I should have thought of that. Thanks. That will save me som e headache. On the back wall of the RV is a standard two plug wall socket. I think while I am in there, I will install a 6 plug thingy. I can plug the three things into the wall, and wire them to the HDMI switch, and then just use the one device that I need at the time. How cool is this site. I appreciate all the input.

Wayne M · 12-18-2013, 04:47 PM

I had an HDMI switch with my sticks and bricks hook up. It was remote controlled. I just pushed the button and it switched to the HDMI output I wanted.

They are out there.

B Bob · 12-18-2013, 09:44 PM

The key for watching internet TV (netflix Amazon and so on) on the road is enough wireless gigs without breaking the bank. I have a grandfathered Verizon unlimited and that works very well most of the time on the road. Verizon does not offer unlimited any more. T mobile does. With some limitations.

HD movies will usually be over 3/4 of a gig. At least they are when I use Netflix with HD. BTW I do find that Netflix streams HD most of the time for me.