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Fire stick/Wifi

XLD

By XLD,
in Boat Equipment

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XLD

XLD

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Anyone used a fire stick aboard? If I get one can I get rid of my satellite dish and will it get the wifi signal from my Android phone?

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The Happy Nomad

The Happy Nomad

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, XLD said:

Anyone used a fire stick aboard? If I get one can I get rid of my satellite dish and will it get the wifi signal from my Android phone?

 

Not 'aboard' but we use one in the Caravan. The principle is the same.

 

It's set to use the wi-fi hot spot on my Pixel 4 Android phone and works a treat. Obviously if you have a poor phone signal it will be less successful but using EE this is very rarely a problem for us.

 

You do of course need a generous/unlimited data allowance as video can chew through your data quite quickly.

 

Edit - you could get rid of your satellite dish, but you will lose a lot of 'live' broadcast TV apart from the very few that broadcast via. their streaming platforms. ITV BBC. (Some channels)

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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Slim

Slim

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I've got one which I use very occasionally and it can be tethered to a mobile phone hotspot given that the phone signal is adequate. I've found it to be somewhat 'cranky' to use and takes an age to download updates if not used regularly.  

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Loddon

LoddonDonate to Canal World

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We use a Roku stick ( similar device to fire stick) at home, on the boat and in the caravan, connected to my WiFi hub, works well most of the time. It's all dependent on the strength of the mobile signal.

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Jen-in-Wellies

Jen-in-Wellies

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8 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

You do of course need a generous/unlimited data allowance as video can chew through your data quite quickly.

If you don't have an unlimited data plan on the phone, then budget for around 1GB an hour for standard definition.

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Rob-M

Rob-M

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We use a Now TV stick which is basically a rebadged Roku, much easier streaming rather than fiddling with aerial or satellite dish. We use a Smarty SIM with unlimited data and just renew when on the boat.  Get a free month on Smarty with my referral code https://i.smarty.co.uk/ptE8nf

 

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john6767

john6767

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We have both a Now TV (discontinued but cheap on eBay) and an Amazon Fire stick.  What Sky have done is include the Now TV stuff as an app on the Amazon Fire stick (there are quite a number of apps that you can download onto the Amazon Stick), so the Amazon one can do everything you don’t actually need both.  Of course you don’t actually need to pay for Now TV or Amazon Prime if you don’t want to, there is lots of free stuff.

 

As to if it replaces a satellite dish, the really depends on what you want to watch and what platform that is available on.

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The Happy Nomad

The Happy Nomad

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25 minutes ago, Quattrodave said:

Have a look at the 'Sky Q IP Box' you'll need a sky subscription but its basically Sky TV without the dish...

 

I think they scrapped that being available in the UK when they launched the 'Sky Glass TV'.

 

Happy to be corrected though.

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Quattrodave

Quattrodave

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2 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I think they scrapped that being available in the UK when they launched the 'Sky Glass TV'.

 

Happy to be corrected though.

 

Screenshot_20220501-160757_Firefox.jpg.aa5497398646b205dcdf87623f9f29d9.jpg

 

Looks like you are correct, my bad, sorry.

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The Happy Nomad

The Happy Nomad

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Just now, Quattrodave said:

Looks like you are correct, my bad, sorry.

 

My guess is they realised people would just opt. for the internet box and connect it to their existing TV thus stealing potential sales from their shiny new (and probably overpriced) new Glass TV.

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Quattrodave

Quattrodave

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1 minute ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

My guess is they realised people would just opt. for the internet box and connect it to their existing TV thus stealing potential sales from their shiny new (and probably overpriced) new Glass TV.

Aye, I did think much the same ...

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The Happy Nomad

The Happy Nomad

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13 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Probably why they crippled the Sky Go app so it wont work on firesticks too :( 

 

Has it ever worked on a Fire stick?

 

Ive never been able to cast it to any sort of TV device, only watch it on a tablet or phone.

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ronnietucker

ronnietuckerDonate to Canal World

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I have a Huawei wifi router (with external antenna) and a SMARTY mobile SIM card in it. That get's me unlimited WiFi.

The Fire stick plugs into the telly HDMI. For powering the Fire stick you could, in theory, use USB, but I couldn't get it to work. So I power mine with a USB wall plug thing.

Sure you'll lose a lot of Sky channels and whatnot, but think about how much you'll save each month. Maybe use that to subscribe to Amazon Prime which is built into the Fire stick. Prime will get you a wad of movies and TV (as well as a ton of other Amazon stuff).

 

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Hudds Lad

Hudds LadDonate to Canal World

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13 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Has it ever worked on a Fire stick?

 

Ive never been able to cast it to any sort of TV device, only watch it on a tablet or phone.

Yes, but quite some time ago and it required sideloading

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koukouvagia

koukouvagiaDonate to Canal World

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Just a word of warning to those who watch TV on a 3 Go binge contract.  We use it to watch a variety of TV prgrams and Netflix without it affecting our data allowance. 

Keep your existing contract and don't fall for an upgrade offer - you'll lose Go Binge which is no longer supported.  

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Jak

Jak

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16 hours ago, ronnietucker said:

I have a Huawei wifi router (with external antenna) and a SMARTY mobile SIM card in it. That get's me unlimited WiFi.

The Fire stick plugs into the telly HDMI. For powering the Fire stick you could, in theory, use USB, but I couldn't get it to work. So I power mine with a USB wall plug thing.

Sure you'll lose a lot of Sky channels and whatnot, but think about how much you'll save each month. Maybe use that to subscribe to Amazon Prime which is built into the Fire stick. Prime will get you a wad of movies and TV (as well as a ton of other Amazon stuff).

 


Same as Ronnie, but using Virgin mobile for unlimited data.  You don’t even need the fire stick if you fork out for a decent 12v smart telly. 
 

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john6767

john6767

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4 hours ago, koukouvagia said:

Just a word of warning to those who watch TV on a 3 Go binge contract.  We use it to watch a variety of TV prgrams and Netflix without it affecting our data allowance. 

Keep your existing contract and don't fall for an upgrade offer - you'll lose Go Binge which is no longer supported.  

Just get unlimited data, it’s not expensive 

29 minutes ago, Jak said:


Same as Ronnie, but using Virgin mobile for unlimited data.  You don’t even need the fire stick if you fork out for a decent 12v smart telly. 
 

I gave up trying to find a decent small smart TV they did not seem to exist

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Jak

Jak

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I suppose it depends on what you mean by “small”. This one is 24” and I didn’t think it was too big. 

 

https://dealbuyer.com/viewproduct/21190/Sharp_24_Smart_LED_12v24v_TV_with_Freeview_Play_Prime_Netflix_Satellite_Saorview_PVR_1T-C24DH2KG2FM?gclid=CjwKCAjwgr6TBhAGEiwA3aVuISxeQBNGD9Ds2Xv4PPML_J3G8RiFyjv7kBX0T27MGAGNMoD635sfohoCkhgQAvD_BwE

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john6767

john6767

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2 hours ago, Jak said:

I suppose it depends on what you mean by “small”. This one is 24” and I didn’t think it was too big. 

 

https://dealbuyer.com/viewproduct/21190/Sharp_24_Smart_LED_12v24v_TV_with_Freeview_Play_Prime_Netflix_Satellite_Saorview_PVR_1T-C24DH2KG2FM?gclid=CjwKCAjwgr6TBhAGEiwA3aVuISxeQBNGD9Ds2Xv4PPML_J3G8RiFyjv7kBX0T27MGAGNMoD635sfohoCkhgQAvD_BwE

That’s not bad, but bigger than we want, we have a 19” with a built in DVD

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robtheplod

robtheplod

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We looked at the firestick but it was too tied into Amazon bits (obviously)... Now use Roku in 3 locations and its a really good device, plus helps in my quest not to have to pay the licence fee so saves on that front!

 

Streaming on a boat works really well and save all the faf of setting up aerials and wondering where to point it..... :)

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