Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

 
 
 
 
 
 
Killerwhale
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Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #1
Hi All,
Thinking of not buying a SMART TV and working with existing tv with hdmi . What are people using is it Amazonfirestick or Google chrome cast and I’m with 3 network how many are hotspotting for the WiFi and does it work ok with either of the two above. What you recommend for cheap WiFi if needed in motorhome. Or is hotspotting to your tablet the easiest all round!
Thanks
KW


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #2
HDMI to my phone and I mirror the phone on tv...Netflix ,Amazon Prime,UFC etc...don’t really use the tv with the satelite system unless I do some work around the Motorhome and i want to have some background noise...


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #3
I got a RoKu Express which was intender for use in the camper but we haven't been out in it since :(

I have set it up on an old unsmart tv in the kitchen and it works well. Prices can fluctuate, I paid £17 in October.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #4
From what I can gather Smart TVs loose they’re smartness in a very short space of time and the apps cannot be updated so quickly become a monitor 😂

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #5
Quote by Albert the Talbot

From what I can gather Smart TVs loose they’re smartness in a very short space of time and the apps cannot be updated so quickly become a monitor 😂


Tell me about it. We got a lovely 50 “ Sony Bravia a couple of years back for the living room. It wasn’t cheap. We got a new iPad recently and availed of a year’s free subscription to the Apple TV streaming service. But we can’t install the ATV app on the Sony Android TV operating system because only the newer TVs will support it.

So we’re looking at a HDMI plugin solution. Something portable enough to grab and bring away in the camper to run Netflix and ATV. A Firestick or a Roku most likely.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #6
So I was trialing my iPhone/iPad with an hdmi cord to the tv. Download the tv/movie at home and then play it when away. Unfortunately lockdown stopped the trial but I think Netflix worked, as did bbc iPlayer, but there was a problem with sky. Could be wrong, that was a year ago!


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 06.04.2021  ·  #7
At home I use Chromecast but in the van I use an official Apple cable to display from my phone on a non smart TV.

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #8
Thanks to everyone for their replies. So if I understand I’m actually better to just get a hdmi cable from my iPad which has the apps and that minimises issues with SMART TV becoming updated. Would hotspotting the iPad to my phone network give ok quality or what are people doing for WiFi in the motorhome . Thanks
KW


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #9
Hotspotting your phone to the iPad on video works well with excellent quality as long as you have a good phone signal.
You can check this yourself at home and confirm. However phone signal strengths will vary depending on where you are on your travels - so it can be a bit of a lottery. We deliberately use different phone networks to mitigate against this.
As previously said, have something already downloaded on your phone or iPad to watch from All4 or Netflix etc. in case of poor phone signal

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #10
I use firestick with iptv, plus an app called cinema hd which is pretty good.
I also have 3 unlimited data in a 4g router and use it as WiFi in the motorhome

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #11
Personally I wouldn’t recommend using your phone as the media player. It’s fine for music playback over Bluetooth but to have to be tethering it to your TV to watch Netflix will get old fairly quickly and also means you can’t use your phone as a phone when it is tied up like that. Even if you get rid of the cables by casting to a Chromecast still ties up the phone. And then you have the added burden of constantly trying to charge your phone which is always a nuisance on the road.

Grab yourself a dedicated android box or a Firestick.


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Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #12
You will realise from the questions, I don't quite follow all the steps required to watch live TV or Netflix etc, when not at home.
Am I correct in thinking that to use Firestick or simular, connected to the TV, I then use a WiFi, connection, trough my phone Hotspot.
How dose it effect the Data Useage, how much Data would you use for an average 90min film watched live, or to download the same film?
His and Her phones, one limineted data the other not.
Is it the same as useing a laptop connected to the phone trough a hotspot,
Is it reliable because where I am now , the phone used as a hotspot is worse than useless, because the signal is not reliable.
we don't have Phone, TV or internet in the house, so has to be the same as being out and about in the MH.

In the Pilote there is a TV / sat dish with auto signal finder fitted,
Like this, how it works no idea.😁
 


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #13
Quote by sprinter

Am I correct in thinking that to use Firestick or simular, connected to the TV, I then use a WiFi, connection, trough my phone Hotspot.


If free WiFi is available (at campsite etc.) then absolutely. Otherwise you will have to use a hotspot such as your phone for example. That’s not WiFi per se, it is 5G mobile network (at best), although your Firestick or similar will connect to your phone over WiFi.

Quote by sprinter

How dose it effect the Data Useage, how much Data would you use for an average 90min film watched live, or to download the same film?


According to Netflix, about 1GB of data per-hour of SD video, 3GB per hour of HD. Obviously your data allowance will determine how much you can watch. If you have unlimited data then you don’t care.

Quote by sprinter

Is it the same as useing a laptop connected to the phone trough a hotspot,


Yes

Quote by sprinter

Is it reliable because where I am now , the phone used as a hotspot is worse than useless, because the signal is not reliable.


You will be relying on good cellular coverage. There is no avoiding the fact that mobile network coverage will vary throughout the country. 5G promises to be better but for the moment, drop-outs are a reality.

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on Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #14
Thanks Jason, that's just about what I tought👍.
Now, where can I find a youngon, to show me how to use the Telly😁.

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #15
At home I use a Roku stick, it's amazing. Like the lads said above, my "smartTV" became not so smart after a few years due to apps not updating and becoming incompatible.

On the campervan, I found it much easier to use my tablet which is big enough with one of those bendy arms so I can place it wherever I want. I mostly download before hand what I'm watching from Netflix/Youtube so I don't have to worry about hotspotting but it does work if I want to watch something else on the fly.

3 is a hit and miss with the signal though

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #16
Apparently in a firestick you can alter the settings from HD to a less hungry setting so less of a pull on your data

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #17
Thanks all.. you mention firestick so that be the Amazon one? Also with firestick without hotspotting what are people doing for wifi if wildcamping and no guarantees at a campsite either for wifi (but more likely!) What you recommend! I will need to make a plan for wifi methinks outside of hotspotting!

Trying to plan in advance

Thanks

:-)


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #18
Download offline to your iPad before you go where’s possible. Trouble with plugging a cable to your iPad which is tethered to your phone means charging 3 separate devices so a lot of charging and cables running everywhere. If you do get an Apple cable get the official one. Expensive but the only one that seems to work properly.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #19
Firestick in hdmi slot. Voxi sim in 4g router. Used in france last summer for one month. Changed the netflix settings to the medium pic quality setting instesd of HD. The sim cost £20 and had 40 gb available to use abroad. We used it for a couple of hours in evening for kids and it lasted the full trip.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #20
Quote by sprinter

Thanks Jason, that's just about what I tought👍.
Now, where can I find a youngon, to show me how to use the Telly😁.


Next time we are down your way, I’ll show you how to do it. 🍷🍷


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 07.04.2021  ·  #21
took our van down your way this evining m and d, out to whitetrock , lovely part of the country,i dont normally get on roller coasters but that road from saintfield to killinchy was a s good as one


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Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 08.04.2021  ·  #22
Quote by Mark&Wendy

Quote by sprinter

Thanks Jason, that's just about what I tought👍.
Now, where can I find a youngon, to show me how to use the Telly😁.


Next time we are down your way, I’ll show you how to do it. 🍷🍷


Some problems with that offer, It'll probably be rusted into place, before you are allowed to travel down this way.
A youngon !. are you getting delusional ???????.😂🤣😃🤣😂.
I was thinking more of a 10 year old remote control wizard 😁.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 08.04.2021  ·  #23
Be very careful not to exceed your data limit when using a second phone as a hotspot. We went over our limit by a (disputed) few minutes one night last year. It cost us nearly thirty euro extra (Tesco mobile)
The live chat guy warned us that hotspots eat up data.
The result was that we then switched to GoMo, unlimited everything for ever.
Excellent reception, no problems.


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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 08.04.2021  ·  #24
Quote by sprinter

Quote by Mark&Wendy

Quote by sprinter

Thanks Jason, that's just about what I tought👍.
Now, where can I find a youngon, to show me how to use the Telly😁.


Next time we are down your way, I’ll show you how to do it. 🍷🍷


Some problems with that offer, It'll probably be rusted into place, before you are allowed to travel down this way.
A youngon !. are you getting delusional ???????.😂🤣😃🤣😂.
I was thinking more of a 10 year old remote control wizard 😁.


It was worth a try, but 10 year olds are hard to find theses days. We only have a 25 and 23 year old to rely on. How come I still feel like the one helping them.

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Re: Making a old tv with hdmi SMART

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Posted: 08.04.2021  ·  #25
Quote by relay racer

took our van down your way this evining m and d, out to whitetrock , lovely part of the country,i dont normally get on roller coasters but that road from saintfield to killinchy was a s good as one


Worst part of our journey home is across the Saintfield hills. But what a great place, if just a tad busy during lockdown. Did you go for a swim with the nutters at the green shed?


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