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melindamcmul · 08-11-2016, 10:02 AM

Since beginning our Airstream adventures early this summer, my husband and I have sought easy and inexpensive ways to enjoy movies and TV shows without incurring data costs. Amazon Prime offers a great solution.

Unlike other streaming services like Netflix, Amazon allows its Prime customers to download Amazon Prime films and TV shows free of charge on mobile devices (e.g., iPhonees, iPads – but not PCs or Macs). WiFi is required for the download, and shows take little space on our devices. For example, currently have 6 films and the first year of “Mr. Robot” on my phone, with plenty of room for more. (In fact, I'm currently downloading more films while at the local public library.)

Of course, the biggest issue to solve – and the one that took us a moment for us to figure out – was how to get the shows from our iPhones to the TV. Apple TV doesn’t work without WiFi, but it turns out that here’s a much cheaper and more satisfying choice anyway – a tiny attachment called an Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter. This attachment hooks into your HDMI cord and provides a separate spot where you can charge your iPhone/iPad with a Lightning chord.

We’ve been extremely impressed with this solution. Because the downloaded film/TV show is going directly into the HDMI, there is no lag and the picture quality is perfect. Furthermore, because Amazon Prime has tens of thousands of films/shows to chose from, we’re quite happy with our new set up!

Cowbell · 08-11-2016, 10:49 PM

Great idea I might need to sign up for Prime again!

jayseejay · 08-12-2016, 04:35 AM

Great idea! (As an aside, the latest AppleTV (4) does work without a separate wifi network. But the direct connection you describe is cheaper and easier.) Best, Joe

martin300662 · 08-12-2016, 07:28 AM

If you do a quick search on this topic there are at least a couple of long threads discussing this. I carry the AV adapter and use it extensively if staying in hotels, and even though my preferred solution is to use a small HTPC most folks miss the obvious and definitely easiest solution. Just about all modern PC have a USB port. The same files you have on your phone can be transferred to a regular USB drive and simply plug into the TV. Select the USB source on you TV and the TV firmware is able to read the file structure and play the files. Even though I have a 2TB drive on the HTPC carrying my entire video and audio collection, I still keep a 64GB USB drive in my pocket with all my current films.This is more than most portable devices and doesn't require any adapter.

AStreamNerds · 08-12-2016, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayseejay

Great idea! (As an aside, the latest AppleTV (4) does work without a separate wifi network. But the direct connection you describe is cheaper and easier.) Best, Joe

The AppleTV 3 will also work without a wifi network. See my install video below with the details:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoBdtzwmM1g

Since AppleTV3's are cheap I have them installed and use Airplay all the time.

CityGirl62 · 08-12-2016, 08:44 AM

Thank you for sharing! My husband and I are Newbies and this will help us!

Anders79 · 08-12-2016, 11:38 AM

thanks for this. Just purchased a TV for our bedroom and now - i have ordered the apple connector.

m.hony · 08-12-2016, 11:45 AM

The first real advantage I have seen to Amazon Prime-
Still not sure if I want to give them $99 per year-

cazual6 · 08-12-2016, 12:00 PM

Actually do movie nights when I am at the desert. I have a portable projector and screen I take.

My setup is like yours. I use a lighting to HDMI. I also use AppleTV, I have a mini-router for this.

DirecTV has a new feature you can download shows to your tablet or phone. If you have an AppleTV you can use the mirror feature.

If you have an Android, I just got this and it works great. It is called a ScreenBeamMini 2, this is a wifi direct unit. Works great!

I have a Harmon Kardon bluetooth speaker which is a kick ass speaker for it's size.

I don't recommend you get a super high end screen because, the last you want to do is damage it in the desert, I got 100" screen for less than $100. I won't cry if this breaks.

A friend of mine gave me a lecture about being in the outdoors shouldn't have a TV, electronics and things. He said, you should enjoy the outdoors. I said, I do enjoy the outdoors, but why not have a little modern amenities too? He just grinned at me.

melindamcmul · 08-12-2016, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martin300662

If you do a quick search on this topic there are at least a couple of long threads discussing this. I carry the AV adapter and use it extensively if staying in hotels, and even though my preferred solution is to use a small HTPC most folks miss the obvious and definitely easiest solution. Just about all modern PC have a USB port. The same files you have on your phone can be transferred to a regular USB drive and simply plug into the TV. Select the USB source on you TV and the TV firmware is able to read the file structure and play the files. Even though I have a 2TB drive on the HTPC carrying my entire video and audio collection, I still keep a 64GB USB drive in my pocket with all my current films.This is more than most portable devices and doesn't require any adapter.

Great idea for storing/traveling with lots of movies! We already have Amazon Prime, and we can only download to iPhones, iPads or iPods (maybe Android devices, too, not sure). I don't think we can transfer the files to a USB, but we don't really need to. Once we're done with a film, we simply remove it from our phones. I've got 8 films on my phone currently. Plenty to keep me engaged for awhile.

melindamcmul · 08-12-2016, 12:49 PM

We've been wanting to do this! What kind of projector do you use?

sallye · 08-12-2016, 02:43 PM

We have a really inexpensive option - it's free! We checkout DVDs at the local library and take them with us. Of course, we only go on 1 - 2 week trips. I guess if we were gone longer that wouldn't work. So far we've binge watched a lot of the Netflix TV series this way - House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Newsroom, and several Masterpiece Theater series, in addition to plain old movies. Works for us and is free.

m.hony · 08-12-2016, 03:46 PM

Some campgrounds have a DVD library to loan out while you are there.

cazual6 · 08-12-2016, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melindamcmul

We've been wanting to do this! What kind of projector do you use?

Get something less than $500. Most modern PJ will have an HDMI, if not, get a HGMI to VGA adaptor.

rucos · 08-12-2016, 10:34 PM

Thank you great tip! .... I've been an amazon customer for years but never thought prime was worth having ...Time for a second look as we like to watch movies and this could be a great option when we have no wifi.

KJRitchie · 08-26-2016, 10:31 AM

Just returned from a 2 week trip where most was dry camping at Glacier Natl Park and we had a couple of movie nights when we weren't exhausted by hiking that day.

I got rid of the radio/DVD in my dinette cabinetry since it took up too much space.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...em-142557.html

I have a Netflix DVD/Streaming account so I rip all my DVDs via Handbrake on my iMac at home to an external hard drive. I also have my iTunes library on that hard drive. When we go on the road I pack my MacBook Air, hard drive, Apple TV gen 3 (allows peer to peer Airplay), my Riva Turbo X BT speaker, a couple of BT earbuds and a BT transmitter.

Because my MacBook Air is too old to peer to peer (Airplay) with my Apple TV I have to sync my iPad Air to the iTunes library on the external hard drive and choose a movie and download it to my iPad. I then Airplay to the Apple TV. If we want to use our two BT earbuds using the BT transmitter I have to turn off BT on my iPad first so the BT earbuds with connect to the BT transmitter connected to the TV. Once the earbuds are connected then I turn on BT and Wifi on the iPad( necessary to get Airplay to work) turn on the TV, select the input the Apple TV is connected to, go to the move on the iPad then Airplay the movie and most of the time it starts playing on the TV and we hear audio over the earbuds. This works well when the A/C is on overhead and you can hear the movie much better, especially the dialog.

We used the Riva Turbo X BT speaker since the A/C wasn't on. The speaker is connected directly to the audio 3.5mm jack of the TV. Setting up Airplay from the iPad works the same as above. Sometimes the BT speaker BT interferes but I just disconnect the Riva BT connection on the iPad. I have a little shelf on top of the TV for the speaker.

Once I upgrade to a newer Mac laptop I will be able to Airplay directly to the Apple TV without needing to sync a movie to the iPad.

I like using the BT earbud method because the wife can sleep in the front bedroom and I can watch a movie with disturbing her.

The Apple TV requires AC power. I have an Insignia 28" with DVD (Best Buy brand) and since it has a A/C to 12v transformer I just use a 12v power plug to plug the TV directly into the 12v socket on the TV wall. To power the Apple TV when dry camping I run a 12v extension from a 12v receptacle I installed in the cabinet over the dinette when I removed the radio and run it to a 120w sine wave inverter.

I'm getting a Magnum 1012 1000 watt inverter/charger installed this fall and will have all the 110v receptacles on inverted power when not on shore power so I will be able to plug the Apple TV directly into a wall receptacle vs using the extension cord.

Kelvin

mfrez · 08-26-2016, 11:03 AM

Another easy option is Chromecast. $30. It's a dongle that plugs into your TV's HDMI port. Then you can stream to it from any IOS or Android device. Works great, I use it at home as well.

KJRitchie · 08-26-2016, 11:37 AM

With Chromcast in the trailer with no Wifi network you can peer to peer from your phone/tablet device to the Chromcast dongle?

Looking at the quick setup guides it states your Chromcast and device have to be on the same Wifi network. In my trailer I don't have a Wifi network.

Kelvin

mfrez · 08-26-2016, 01:10 PM

you have to use your phone as a hotspot on cellular if you aren't on a wifi network to use Chromecast. If not, then the direct connection using a cord to a TV without Chromecast is the better option.

68Streamline · 08-26-2016, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Just returned from a 2 week trip where most was dry camping at Glacier Natl Park and we had a couple of movie nights when we weren't exhausted by hiking that day.

I got rid of the radio/DVD in my dinette cabinetry since it took up too much space.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...em-142557.html

I have a Netflix DVD/Streaming account so I rip all my DVDs via Handbrake on my iMac at home to an external hard drive. I also have my iTunes library on that hard drive. When we go on the road I pack my MacBook Air, hard drive, Apple TV gen 3 (allows peer to peer Airplay), my Riva Turbo X BT speaker, a couple of BT earbuds and a BT transmitter.

Because my MacBook Air is too old to peer to peer (Airplay) with my Apple TV I have to sync my iPad Air to the iTunes library on the external hard drive and choose a movie and download it to my iPad. I then Airplay to the Apple TV. If we want to use our two BT earbuds using the BT transmitter I have to turn off BT on my iPad first so the BT earbuds with connect to the BT transmitter connected to the TV. Once the earbuds are connected then I turn on BT and Wifi on the iPad( necessary to get Airplay to work) turn on the TV, select the input the Apple TV is connected to, go to the move on the iPad then Airplay the movie and most of the time it starts playing on the TV and we hear audio over the earbuds. This works well when the A/C is on overhead and you can hear the movie much better, especially the dialog.

We used the Riva Turbo X BT speaker since the A/C wasn't on. The speaker is connected directly to the audio 3.5mm jack of the TV. Setting up Airplay from the iPad works the same as above. Sometimes the BT speaker BT interferes but I just disconnect the Riva BT connection on the iPad. I have a little shelf on top of the TV for the speaker.

Once I upgrade to a newer Mac laptop I will be able to Airplay directly to the Apple TV without needing to sync a movie to the iPad.

I like using the BT earbud method because the wife can sleep in the front bedroom and I can watch a movie with disturbing her.

The Apple TV requires AC power. I have an Insignia 28" with DVD (Best Buy brand) and since it has a A/C to 12v transformer I just use a 12v power plug to plug the TV directly into the 12v socket on the TV wall. To power the Apple TV when dry camping I run a 12v extension from a 12v receptacle I installed in the cabinet over the dinette when I removed the radio and run it to a 120w sine wave inverter.

I'm getting a Magnum 1012 1000 watt inverter/charger installed this fall and will have all the 110v receptacles on inverted power when not on shore power so I will be able to plug the Apple TV directly into a wall receptacle vs using the extension cord.

Kelvin

Lookup 12v AppleTv on Youtube. This will allow AppleTv to run on 12v.