iPhone AT&T Watch TV App - Cast Without Internet??

[otrfun]

Any iPhone AT&T users found a way to cast from their AT&T Watch TV app to the TV in their camper without an internet connection? Supposedly there's a way to do it using Google Chromecast via an in-house wifi or a hard-wired ethernet connection? Thanks!

[otrfun]

Received the Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter yesterday.

Good news! It successfully mirrors the AT&T Watch TV app to our TV's HDMI port. It works with Discovery Ch., HGTV, etc. using cellular and wifi data (our cell plan includes unlimited viewing of AT&T Watch TV using cellular data for free---no caps). Being able to use cellular data is a huge plus while we're on the road with no access to wifi. As long as we have a strong 4G or LTE signal (and this adapter) we can mirror unlimited AT&T Watch TV using the TV in our camper.

FWIW, it also mirrors Hulu via wifi. Didn't try Prime Video, but have no reason to believe it wouldn't work, too.

This adapter definitely wasn't on our radar as an option. Thanks to everyone for your help!

[otrfun]

Thanks, Martyn, MrWizard, and pyoung47.

Looks like the Apple HDMI lightning adapter may be worth a try. Asked whether it would work with the iPhone AT&T Watch TV app in the Amazon Q&A section for the adapter. Received no replies from anyone who had personal experience with the app. Surprising since there's 36,000 reviews and over 1,000 Q&A's already.

The impression I'm getting with the Apple HDMI lightning adapter is that it does "work" with all the major streaming apps. However, the catch is, some of the individual networks like the Discovery Channel have the ability to independently block their content on Hulu, Netflix, etc. when the adapter is used.

To clarify, when a user uses the AT&T Watch TV app on their iphone, they can stream 24/7 for free using cellular data. If a AT&T user streams with the Hulu, Netflix apps, AT&T deducts the data used from their monthly cap. Even on AT&T's so-called "unlimited" data plan, AT&T starts throttling data at 22gb. Wouldn't take more than a few days of streaming to use up the 22gb.

[pyoung47]

We stream all the time using the lightening adapter. At my other home, I don't have internet service, so we can stream anything from the Apple phone to my HD TV. I haven't tried Watch TV that I remember, since I have YouTube TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. YouTube TV will block your locals until you establish/change your location.

[MrWizard]

To my knowledge, when using the watch app, and the TV on AT&T internet, the phones acts as a controller, via the internet, and the the video is coming to the tv via internet stream
It is Not being Cast to the tv from the phone ,
But when using the Apple HDMI adapter cable, the video signal is coming directly from the phone to the tv

[otrfun]

mich800 wrote:
Not sure about the watch. But you should be able to use Chromecast on your TV to cast from any compatible app on your phone as long as you are on the same wifi router/connection.

Yup, that's what I hear. Unfortunately, haven't been able to get specifics on how to do it. It won't mirror from the iPhone AT&T Watch TV app, Hulu, etc. if I unplug the internet connection on our wifi system. Mirrors fine with an internet connection. Just to clarify I was using cellular data (not wifi) to stream the AT&T Watch TV app on our iPhone when we tried this.

[otrfun]

Martyn wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Thanks for the replies.

Good to know the iphone HDMI adapter works with Prime. From what I can gather it's blocked by all the other major streaming services like Hulu, ATT Watch TV, etc.

It is usually blocked on them, which is why the only proven one to work (I know, as I have one)is the Apple one I linked to. Now I admit, I have only used Prime on mine, so can't speak for the others. 🙂

It still does act like it's blocked if you connect to the TV and then try to start a video. It gives you an error message. I get around that by starting the video on the phone and then plugging in the lightning connector from the 'dongle'. Works every time.

Hope this helps.

It does, thank you. Just read some of the Q&A's and reviews and it certainly appears some folks are able to mirror some of the major streaming apps like Hulu, Netflix, etc. with this Apple version. Just posted a question in the Q&A area to see if anyone has had luck mirroring the iOS AT&T Watch App. Fingers crossed we get good news.

[mich800]

Not sure about the watch. But you should be able to use Chromecast on your TV to cast from any compatible app on your phone as long as you are on the same wifi router/connection.

[Martyn]

otrfun wrote:
Thanks for the replies.

Good to know the iphone HDMI adapter works with Prime. From what I can gather it's blocked by all the other major streaming services like Hulu, ATT Watch TV, etc.

It is usually blocked on them, which is why the only proven one to work (I know, as I have one)is the Apple one I linked to. Now I admit, I have only used Prime on mine, so can't speak for the others. 🙂

It still does act like it's blocked if you connect to the TV and then try to start a video. It gives you an error message. I get around that by starting the video on the phone and then plugging in the lightning connector from the 'dongle'. Works every time.

Hope this helps.

[otrfun]

Thanks for the replies.

Good to know the iphone HDMI adapter works with Prime. From what I can gather it's blocked by all the other major streaming services like Hulu, ATT Watch TV, etc.

We used to pay $7 a month to activate our Dish receiver in our camper when we had a Dish home account. Unfortunately, when we cancelled Dish and went with Hulu (a big improvement BTW) we now have to pay $55 a mo. to activate our camper receiver even if we only need it for a 2-3 days--it's no longer pro-rated.

Since we have free, unlimited streaming of ATT Watch TV on our iphones, it would be really nice to mirror this to our TV in our camper.

[Sjm9911]

I have the same for my andriod. Its called a dongel or something like that ,lol. It works.

[Martyn]

I don't have AT&T but use an iPhone8.

When we go camping I download whatever we want to watch from Prime onto my iPhone. You can keep a program at least 72 hours after you have started watching it, but you can keep them up to 30 days before you watch them.

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! No need for internet/Wifi at all. We are loving the way we can take multiple programs and watch at our leisure.