X10 Community Forum
🎭Entertainment => Entertainment General => Topic started by: Tuicemen on February 26, 2020, 08:04:15 AM
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Its time to update my media streamer at my off grid place.
I have a old Android box but none of the newer tv apps will work with it. I was using a pi3b+ previously at the off grid place but that is suffering from underpower issues whick make using the desktop impossible.
I'm looking at either one of the following:
1, New Android (9) box
2, Roku TV box
3, Amazon fire cube
4, Amazon TV Fire Stick
I'm wondering what others are currently using and if they would recommend something and why?
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Obviously, it depends on what streaming connections you want but I've been using a small PC (Lenovo Q190) with Firefox for the past 4 years. I get about 40 OTA channels and those along with Amazon Prime and (now and then) Netflix could keep me in my recliner 24/7. It also has the advantage of browsing the web, if desired.
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I'm looking at either one of the following:
1, New Android (9) box
2, Roku TV box
3, Amazon fire cube
We have two Rokus, and they have worked almost flawlessly since we bought them several years ago. Maybe a couple of times a year one has to be rebooted with a power cycle. I recommend the one with the RF remote link so you don't have to point the remote right at it.
We are screeners for DocUtah, and some of their documentaries are on a site not serviced by Roku. In those cases we use the Win7 laptop, but the Roku is far more convenient.
Jeff
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I have used mini PC's in the past as well as TV sticks with some success. TV sticks use wifi and since my internet is already a slow connection, a Ethernet connection provides the best streaming.
I have cableTV in the city so I can stream that content to my off grid place provided the player supports it. I really only need to get the local news there OTA signals are not strong enough to get good reception.
Basicaly everything allows web browsing now a days and for all of that I do there my phone does the job just fine.
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I'm actualy leaning towards a Roku TV box or maybe the Alexa fire TV cube. However I don't realy need another Alexa device there. ::) :'
The ability to stream my cable channels to the off grid place is a concern for my wife as she likes to watch the same morning news shows while having a coffee that she enjoys in the city.
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If you can wait till April have a look at the new TIVO Stream shown at CES last month:
t.ly/rx0AZ
It's like a Roku box but can find shows across the entire spectrum of apps. I have a Tivo DVR and that feature is already on it and works well. It's $70 with NO monthly fee to Tivo. You can also use Sling with it for your local channels.
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Thanks brobin.
I've been informed the ethernet addaptor cable for the fire cube works with a fire stick. This can be bought separately so it has opened that as a possible, cheaper option to the cube.
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Thanks brobin.
I've been informed the ethernet addaptor cable for the fire cube works with a fire stick. This can be bought separately so it has opened that as a possible, cheaper option to the cube.
I have a fire stick with the Ethernet adapter and can confirm that it works.
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Thanks again this is looking like the route I may go. The stick seems to be out of stock every where so it does seem to be popular.
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I went Roku on all the TV's... and in the Theater. The reason I chose Roku was because of the simple easy remote.... that the wife liked. WAF... is always important.
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WAF... is always important.
exactly! rofl this is why I'm strongly considering the FireStick now.
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exactly! rofl this is why I'm strongly considering the FireStick now.
If I had it to do all over again.... I might also go Firestick. My 1st look at streaming was an Apple device (which I still have). A friend was using Roku... and the wife thought it looked user friendly.... and we gave it a try. The Roku remote is almost too simple-easy. Even the grandkids (now 4 and 5) can navigate their way around to their shows with the Roku remote (but I did put their remote in one of the silicone cases).
But for a remotely located TV... I'd still think about mirroring capabilities with whatever phone you use. You can use the phone to control an entire collection of binge watching.... never watching anything twice or missing a minute.
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The TV is an older one not capable of mirroring without an extra.
If it wason ots last legs i would just replace it with a smart TV then I wouldn't need a streaming device.
I went ahead and ordered a fire tv stick and ethernet addaptor from Amazon but the fire sticks are out of stock in Canada their saying expect delivery in April ::) :'
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The Chinese factory is probably closed.
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The TV is an older one not capable of mirroring without an extra.
If it wason ots last legs i would just replace it with a smart TV then I wouldn't need a streaming device.
I went ahead and ordered a fire tv stick and ethernet addaptor from Amazon but the fire sticks are out of stock in Canada their saying expect delivery in April ::) :'
Small 1080 (not 4K) projectors.... are cheap now-a-days. And the same can be said for 110 inch screens. And the LED projectors don't waste much power either.
I know my wife (and I) really enjoyed watching some of "the Ranch" on the big screen in our Home Theater.
P.S. Amazon tablets can use stream, use Alexa, and have HDMI
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I've done the Hdmi thingy with laptops and tablets and they do work however don't like having to hook/unhook it each time.
I looked at projectors but don't realy have a place for it at the off grid place and LED tvs (depending on brand) can draw far less power.
Samsung TVs were the least power hungry led sets when I picked up the 40 inch one I use now. This does look tinny where it sits really need a 80 or larger (maybe when it dies).
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I've done the Hdmi thingy with laptops and tablets and they do work however don't like having to hook/unhook it each time…..
I was thinking more of a permanent connection... 27/7 Alexa-entertainment-internet phone-interior camera, device. Although... a carry-in carry-home tablet would allow for downloading of movies using fast home broadband speeds. But the same could be accomplished with a flash-drive too.
So many options. That's where the technologies has taken us. So many different ways to take us where we think we might like to be. It all forces my old training to kick-in.... and I find myself mentally disassembling the old paradigms. It can be exhausting and time consuming as well.
I do enjoy my smart TV.... and so does the wife and grandkids.
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I do have a small smart TV in my office which was given to me but it is just to small for the off grid place. I'm not sure you can even find a none smart TV at the local shops any more. rofl
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Along this line:
How much data do these streaming video devices burn for those using them as primary entertainment?
We are not big TV watchers...maybe 10 - 12 hours /week, but our cable package is 100gb/month. That ain't gonna be enough, is it?
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A two hour Netflix movie streamed with a variable bit rate could burn as much as 7gb so 12 hours would burn about 42gb. You should be OK.
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Along this line:
How much data do these streaming video devices burn for those using them as primary entertainment?
We are not big TV watchers...maybe 10 - 12 hours /week, but our cable package is 100gb/month. That ain't gonna be enough, is it?
An interesting question. brobin's answer is as good as any. I already cut the cable... as far as TV provider... I still use my cable company's offering for "Internet service".
So now.... I use an antenna for local TV broadcasts. And I stream "content".... which can be a variety of shows, movies, news, even server based images and video as well as games, facebook…… the list goes on.
I am not sure the old words and terms mean much with todays new services and/or ways to view/use "media".
I've found cutting the cord (as it is called... although NO CORDS were ever cut)... has altered the way I use both media and content. Which interestingly has really been more of an exercise in time management. Saying that cutting the cord has freed-up extra time... for me... would be a real understatment.
I used to watch the news in the morning (and sometimes into mid-day) often while also surfing the web. Letting one of the 24hour news services run on, while checking email, facebook, forums, etc..
But the news apps (I now stream to the TV)... when properly setup for my own interests run a very short cycle. Which doesn't eat-up so much time. I had also noticed I could do most of my FaceBook, and information surfing during forced bits of downtime using my phone. So I've also made procedural changes with my Internet use... to better use my phone for causal surfing. As a result.... I find myself spending far less of my spare time in my easy chair. Of course... since I am retired.... that means just plane less time sitting.
It's really amazing how far less idle I am now.
I know many won't see how this has anything to do with Home Automation. But in actuality.... I think this is exactly what automation is all about. Altering our lifestyles.... through the use of automated technologies and altered habits (the man-machine interconnection). Some may (or could) get more work done. Others may enjoy more recreation. But I am sure most will just do more of what they had done previously.
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A two hour Netflix movie streamed with a variable bit rate could burn as much as 7gb so 12 hours would burn about 42gb. You should be OK.
Thanks!!
But according to the cable company we burn around 70gb/month just listening to Pandora and surfing, so it looks like I may have to bump it up. Makes me mad.... the cable company sold out to "Sparklight". Prior to the takeover we had 1000gb. sigh.
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Sounds like you need to call them and negotiate. I do that with Comcast every couple of years when whatever promo I'm on expires. I do the little dance about canceling until they give me something the same or less than what I had. Last time I kept saying no till they finally asked if I'd like the "Latino" package which gave me a higher tier of channels plus all the Latino channels (I don't habla espanol) and 200mbps internet with no data caps for $90 plus tax and 'fees'. I said "Si & Bueno!" to that deal!
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Hmm, caps on data from a cable carrier? Nothing like that east of the Hudson. At least that I'm aware of.
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We renegotiate every couple of years too in the city cable company kept lowering our speed and cap and raising the price.now we have unlimited and a faster modem for same price. This last time they cut the price increase in half.
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Sounds like you need to call them and negotiate. I do that with Comcast every couple of years when whatever promo I'm on expires. ... I said "Si & Bueno!" to that deal!
Yeah, I do that every six months with Sirrus XM.
Every once in a while our cable company will do freebee previews to the Latino package. My wife caught me looking too long at the hoochie coochie ladies on the weather broadcast. Apparently I was way too interested in the weather around Chihuahua...so I could not take that offer even if Sparklight Communications offered it....sigh. rofl
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Hmm, caps on data from a cable carrier? Nothing like that east of the Hudson. At least that I'm aware of.
I live in fly-over. Was not aware of anything east of the Hudson. ;)
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Hmm, caps on data from a cable carrier? Nothing like that east of the Hudson. At least that I'm aware of.
I live at the "crossroads of America" (more or less) and we don't have data caps on cable or phones. But what I am really looking forward to.. is 5G.
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5G should put an end to data caps and may bring an end to alot of wired connections. There is a cell tower 5 miles from my off grid place. I too am looking forward to 5G.
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5G should put an end to data caps and may bring an end to alot of wired connections. There is a cell tower 5 miles from my off grid place. I too am looking forward to 5G.
The changes may not be over-night. But the potential is enormous. But... for those who worry about a surrender of anonymity or Internet device spying.... they might find it a little fearful.
We may very well be only a couple years (or so) within video-game and/or scifi-movie levels of technology. I am very much looking forward to the future... while still enjoying memories of the past... and everything today has to offer.
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5G should put an end to data caps and may bring an end to a lot of wired connections. There is a cell tower 5 miles from my off grid place. I too am looking forward to 5G.
Unless it's something like T-Mobile's low band 600MHz flavor of 5G ("only" 140mbps) 5 miles may as well be 50 where mm wave ("true" 5G) is concerned. Sadly, high band 5G will be pretty much limited to decidedly ON grid places for the time being.
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So my FireTV stick arrived and been playing with it.
I have 2 Amazon user accounts one setup on Amazon.com and one setup on Amazon.ca this was done originaly to get my echo devices to have access to skills only available in the US market.
When I ordered my FireTV stick I inadvertently ordered it ising the .com account and added prime. This gave me access to all US content however Canadian content was not accessable. If I unregistered the Firetv from the US user and registered it to the .ca account I got access to Canadian content and was able to install those channels. Problem was I lost access to prime video & music ::) :' I then switched users again and found because I had not reset the stick to factory I had access to all but one Canadian channel :)%. These channels come up as not registered to the user but still work.
I rememeber from the early Alexa times ot was possible to change users locations to different countries. It took abit of playing but I did find the setting. So I now have access to both American and Canadian content. This makes me wonder if changing the setting to another country would gain me more content, not that I need it.