Basic TV in an RV

[Deb&RickTX]

I have a question so simple I can't find much using the search, and I don't have a teenager to ask. How do you get a little bit of TV programming? Our viewing habits aren't typical. The only broadcast we watch much is Indycar racing, otherwise it's mainly history and cooking shows. I'd also like to get some of the old classics for rainy days. Movies are way down the list. We watch everything recorded so we can pause, back up, and buzz through commercials.

Is the easiest answer to record stuff on our home DVR and take the box? Do we need some/several internet streaming services and use the RV TV as a monitor with a phone hotspot? Satellite? Rabbit ears? Yeah, I'm clueless

 

[SpencerPJ]

So, Indycar is typically not on 'over the air' channels, so (for me, I have Comcast / Xfinity, I could watch it on the online app on my iPad, cell service or wifi required. You can not record onto Comcast DVR, and take with you, the box needs to sync with your home cable / internet. You can not cast from your phone app to your TV, Comcast blocks that too. If you are somewhat close to a medium size city, the antenna on top works pretty well picking up local channels. I get anywhere from 5 - 50 channels depending on location.

 

[Deb&RickTX]

Some other details that may be relevant: Phones are T-Mobile, home TV is Frontier Fios.

 

[Larry N.]

DirecTV and Dish satellite services do well (I have DirecTV), but that sounds like a lot more than you are looking for -- you can check their web sites for what channels they offer -- but other than off the air (OTA) with the roof antenna, the only other way I know to get programming while on the road is through the internet, which usually means cell service.

DVDs, video tapes, etc. of course, you can carry with you and though I have the DirecTV Genie at home I also have another DirecTV box which I move from the house to the RV. Even when I don't have a signal (rare for me, but trees, etc. do that) I can still watch whatever is already recorded.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I looked real quickly at the Fios TV and it is like a ton of other services and is a streaming service. I presume you are getting YouTube tv and that's where your broadcast channels are.

If you have a smart tv in the RV that includes the YouTube channel app, it is probably as simple as having a decent internet connection and putting your password and userid into the RV tv.

Most RV parks have some sort of WiFi but it is usually slow and overcrowded, especially at peak entertainment hours.

I have a Verizon unlimited data plan. They used to not throttle the bandwidth but they switch and now I only get 50gb of high speed then it switches to a lower speed. It's still good enough to stream tv.

So if you go that route you will need to learn how to tether your tv using your phone as a hotspot.

Oh... and on the road you'll lose access to your DVR player for storing shows. You could put the DVR in the RV and then with an internet connection It would be basically just like home.

You actually don't need Fios to get YouTube tv. A subscription is like $54 a month. By getting Fios at your home you get the DVR and the internet connection bundled.

You can check out access by going to YouTube TV with a tablet or laptop and signing in with your phone number and password and see if it works.

YouTube TV

 

[Deb&RickTX]

I looked real quickly at the Fios TV and it is like a ton of other services and is a streaming service. I presume you are getting YouTube tv and that's where your broadcast channels are.

We really are dinosaurs. Our Fios come out of a cable in the wall that plugs into their box. Our home TV isn't connected to a computer at all. Yes, we need to upgrade that since so much is being pushed to streaming services. I'll look into the internet version of Fios and see if that's a good option.

 

[Ex-Calif]

We really are dinosaurs. Our Fios come out of a cable in the wall that plugs into their box. Our home TV isn't connected to a computer at all. Yes, we need to upgrade that since so much is being pushed to streaming services. I'll look into the internet version of Fios and see if that's a good option.

The wire that comes to your wall is either a coax (cable internet) or a phone jack (ADSL phone internet) -

Their box could be one box with integrated DVR or a decoder box and separate DVR. Either way you are already paying for internet (at home) and the YouTube TV subscription.

So as you are already paying for YouTube TV you should be able to get it on any compatible device - Laptop, tablet, phone or smart TV with the YouTube TV app built in.

So all you should need is a way to access the internet outside your house, which is a shared WiFi from someone or something as simple as a data plan on a phone to as complex as a portable satellite internet system.

 

[NY_Dutch]

If your RV TV has HDMI ports, then a streaming device like Amazon's FireTVstick or a Roku might be the best answer if you have a reasonably good data plan on phones that support hotspot usage. There are many apps available that carry the History Channel, cooking shows, and likely Indy car racing either free or for a modest monthly fee that can be dropped at any time.

 

[Deb&RickTX]

Oh wow, this may be easier (and cheaper) than I had thought. We're supposed to have unlimited data, though they throttle over a certain amount. That might need an upgrade. I appreciate the insights!

 

[Ex-Calif]

Oh wow, this may be easier (and cheaper) than I had thought. We're supposed to have unlimited data, though they throttle over a certain amount. That might need an upgrade. I appreciate the insights!

Again - your home internet only works at home. You need another type of internet for the road.

The YouTube plan should hook up anywhere you have internet.

 

[Lou Schneider]

If you're trying to receive Over The Air TV you'll have to re-scan your TV every time you move. The actual RF channels will be different and the TV has to find them again.

 

[SpencerPJ]

Oh wow, this may be easier (and cheaper) than I had thought. We're supposed to have unlimited data, though they throttle over a certain amount. That might need an upgrade. I appreciate the insights!

Be careful and read the fine print. Example, my ATT plan is unlimited cellular, but limits how much data I can use creating a hotspot with my phone (I think it's 10g / month). I know many don't limit hotspot, just watch the fine print.

 

[Isaac-1]

There are some work arounds for on device vs off device data, for example I can plug a circa $10 USB-C to HDMI adapter cable into my android cell phone and display youtube, netflix, etc. on my TV. This then counts under the unlimited on device data for the phone. Here is one of several videos on the general subject

 

[jackiemac]

We have an Amazon Firestick plugged into TV and we download stuff when we get wifi to tablets/phones/PC and mirror to TV.

 

[Reinigm]

I have a question so simple I can't find much using the search, and I don't have a teenager to ask. How do you get a little bit of TV programming? Our viewing habits aren't typical. The only broadcast we watch much is Indycar racing, otherwise it's mainly history and cooking shows. I'd also like to get some of the old classics for rainy days. Movies are way down the list. We watch everything recorded so we can pause, back up, and buzz through commercials.

Is the easiest answer to record stuff on our home DVR and take the box? Do we need some/several internet streaming services and use the RV TV as a monitor with a phone hotspot? Satellite? Rabbit ears? Yeah, I'm clueless

I have hotspot on my Verizon phone with a Wifi password. I bought a 19" Fire Stick TV from Best Buy. It's preloaded with Youtube, Disney, Netflix and several other apps. When I turn it on, it asks for my Wifi passwork and I give it the one on my hotspot. Phone has to be close by. Works great in most areas.

 

[John From Detroit]

TV Via internet Use a laptop (Cheep chromebooks work well)
TV over the air.... Most RV's have an antenna. Some have Winegard Sensar III or IV. The III with added Wingman is #2 in a tight race with the IV (#1) add a Sensar Pro as the indoor (Wall plate) module and you are good to 50-60 miles out with Digital TV..
Helps if you know how to aim and scan
Note the channel numbers the Sensar Pro displays may be (usually are but not always) Different from what the TV scans.
Example near Detroit Sensar pro shows 7 TV shows 2
Sensar pro shows I think 41 TV 7
However where I am now (near Flint) Sensar Pro shows 12. So does TV.
Set TV to Antenna Must be an ATSC (Wide screen) Digital TGV or an adapter.

 

[BrunoMTP]

Our older Class C came with a small TV with old style Video connections. It was easier for us to just buy a newer smart 40" Roku TV (about $200) that came with the Apps already on it for wifi / hotspot video / HDMI DVD player and use the existing broadcast antenna and cable style connection for local channels.

2007 Tioga 26Q
1982 Jamboree 24D