BobsYourUncle
Calgary Alberta Canada
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Joined: 12/12/2003
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Our Firestick simply plugs in to a USB port on the back of our fairly new smart TV. It even came with a little pigtail if the connection point is tight.
There is HDMI as well, but wireless works just fine.
We have never tried using it on in the RV while camping, we bring a box of 5 dollar Walmart DVDs to use in the older TV on the wall.
Streaming burns up huge data, and I only have 2 gigs with my phone so don't even bother trying.
But at home the possibilities are many. My grandsons graduation was streamed live on Zoom. I brought it up on my laptop and sent it wirelessly to the TV.
The array of content on Amazon Prime is excellent. Something for every taste.
And whether you set up wireless or by a cable, it can be done with ease.
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way2roll
Wilmington NC
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It sounds like you have Wifi already if you are watching on your laptop.
If already you have Wifi, either via a hotspot or whatever, that part of the equation is solved. You will churn through data so it's recommended you get a good unlimited plan.
A firestick is nothing more than a wifi receiver that plugs into your TV that you can load apps to. Amazon Prime just happens to be one of those apps. You plug the firestick into the TV and select it from the input menu on your TV just like your antenna or cable. On our Firestick we have Prime, Sling, Apple, etc etc. Most apps require a subscription but that's beside the point from a technical perspective. If you have a smart TV you can forgo the firestick and load apps directly to your TV as smart TV's already have a wifi receiver built in. I still like a firestick though because it's portable and I can plug it into any TV with an HDMI port. Home, hotels, visiting friends, the rv, etc. Portability does not eliminate the need for wifi though. Having a receiver for content is one thing. Having wifi to get it to the receiver is the other.
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Mickeyfan0805
SE Wisconsin
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All of the options above are possibilities. We use a Roku (similar to Fire Stick) for the same purpose. Essentially, our camper TV is no different than our home TV. We use Rokus at home as well, and do all our watching through streaming services, so there is no difference except for the wifi source.
Since we are periodic trip/weekenders, we can manage wifi through a cell-phone hotspot, but we do usually have some stuff downloaded from Amazon, Netflix, etc. in case the signal is bad and we have crummy weather that traps us inside. We download this stuff onto a laptop that we can connect via HDMI if needed.
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Martyn
Panama City Beach, FL USA
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When we go camping I download whatever we want to watch from Prime onto my iPhone. As mentioned before, you can keep a program at least 72 hours after you have started watching it, but you can keep them longer if you haven't watched them yet.
I bought an adapter for the iPhone that has an HDMI cable socket.
iPhone adapter.
There are cheaper ones on Amazon but a lot of reviews say they don't work. This one is from Apple and works fine for me.
You start watching the downloaded/saved program on the phone and it can be watched on the TV once the HDMI is selected. I found that if you try to start watching with the cable already connected it gives an error message, but if you start it on the phone and then plug in the cable it works great!
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Milford47
Branson MO
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All of my newer Smart TV's already have the prime App
then all you need is internet
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Martyn
Panama City Beach, FL USA
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Milford47 wrote:All of my newer Smart TV's already have the prime App
then all you need is internet
My way doesn’t need you to have internet at all. You download over WiFi at home and then just play from your app.
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monkey44
Cape Cod, MA and Central Fla
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Ok - a little recap. We need WIFI - got it both home and Phone Hotspot - We need newer Smart TV - got it - We need a capture device, like Firestick. Not got it but can buy it. Need Prime or some other online distributor - Got it.
SO, essentially, We hook this up, download some series or some movies at home, and watch anywhere ... WIFI or not ... as long as we start and finish movies in 72 hrs, or watch the series as long as it takes, no time limit.
And, if we run out of video stuff on the road, we can reload all new stuff into the Laptop or Device if we have a good WIFI signal, and then begin again ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Thanks for all the info guys - No place in this country better than RV.net to get the knowledge we need. Happy Camping to all ... M44 & Genie
Final Q? -- what rate of WIFI do we need to download or watch??? Thx
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Thermoguy
Graham, WA
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Just a little follow up on your recap.
You don't need a Firestick or other device if your smart TV has the Amazon prime app on it. Just look at the smart TV features. You also don't need a plug in device if watching using HDMI cable to computer, tablet or phone. Just change the TV input to the input you are plugged into.
If you can download on a computer or tablet or phone movies when you have good WiFi, then you can watch them even without WiFi. You do need a way to connect the device to your TV - HDMI cord is the way to go. A tablet or phone needs an adapter, a PC should have an HDMI port or needs an adapter.
I download a few movies to my tablet even if boondocking, just lay in bed late at night and watch from the screen, assuming nothing else to do.
* This post was
edited 11/11/20 04:57pm by Thermoguy *
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MrWizard
Traveling
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I don't remember the mbps for streaming, but my verizon phone and my att hotspot are both fast enough
For downloading and watch later, slow speed will work, it's simply time and patience, 3hrs to download a 90minute movie no problem, start the download then go do something else, come back when the download is finished, start another one, take a nap, etc..
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monkey44
Cape Cod, MA and Central Fla
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We have WIFI at home thru Cable, but on the road we have Verizon and T-Mobile - and unlimited data, so should be fine - Like you said, just let it load and watch it later.
One thing tho', I looked at Firestick, and it says "Just tell Alexa" and it starts. We have NO Alexa, and have no interest in it. All we want is ability to watch some movies on the road. We don't want satellite either. We're just looking for convenience of a movie or series occasionally in the evening.
So, just because it says on the newest Firesticks: 'Tell Alexa to start', does that mean it only works if you have Alexa ... makes little sense, but technology sometimes inhibits the very thing it enhances.
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