Free TV on all devices

[RV_]

There are two services out there that every RVr might want to download to their phones, computers and TVs.

I just learned of them both from How To Geek here: https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/watch-free-tv-online-right-now-with-xumo.tv/

Here are some great articles about them from well known sources:

Pluto TV:  https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/what-is-pluto-tv/

Xumo TV Channels by device: https://corp.xumo.com/channel-list/

Tom's Hardware review and explanation of Xumo TV: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/what-is-xumo-faq,review-3722.html

Enjoy!

[Pat & Pete]

Free , but for the amount you have to pay your ISP .

[Dutch_12078]

Yep, that same ISP you're already paying to read and post here... 😉

[Pat & Pete]

39 minutes ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Yep, that same ISP you're already paying to read and post here... 😉

I'm pretty sure that streaming TV would require a lot more bandwidth . And , unless you have an unlimited account , the cost could skyrocket . I think that's how it works , anyway . 

[Dutch_12078]

5 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

I'm pretty sure that streaming TV would require a lot more bandwidth . And , unless you have an unlimited account , the cost could skyrocket . I think that's how it works , anyway . 

Of course that's how it works, and I'd expect anyone that plans on doing a lot of streaming would sign up for one of the available unlimited plans. I'm among the fortunate ones that grabbed AT&T's low cost unlimited Connected Car Plan when it was offered, but there are other unlimited plans from the major carriers..

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

Aw great, another reason for poor Internet service.  Just because you have an "unlimited" plan doesn't increase the bandwidth available.

And when the cost to upgrade for all this "unlimited" usage, do you think rates will not change?

[Dutch_12078]

The bandwidth used by my cell data does not affect the bandwidth available for your cell data use unless the tower we're both on is extremely busy. And that's not an ideal condition for streaming anyway...

[docj]

We've been in central Idaho for the past couple of days.  I did a speedtest of Verizon in Boise and was blown away with download speeds >70 Mbps.  I attributed that to some fluke, but tonight we're in Arco ID and the attached screenshopt shows the download speed as measured on my laptop connected to my Pixel 2"s hotspot.  I've never experienced cellular speeds like these.  Now, if only had enough data to support streaming at these speeds. I could even do 4K TV, but my monthly data wouldn't last very long!

 

 

[rynosback]

4 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Of course that's how it works, and I'd expect anyone that plans on doing a lot of streaming would sign up for one of the available unlimited plans. I'm among the fortunate ones that grabbed AT&T's low cost unlimited Connected Car Plan when it was offered, but there are other unlimited plans from the major carriers..

I also am one of the lucky ones that got in on the Mobley plan.  Have you noticed that there administrative fees have gone up 3 times in one year?  So far there has been a 6 % increase.  

[rynosback]

On 8/18/2018 at 6:38 PM, RV_ said:

There are two services out there that every RVr might want to download to their phones, computers and TVs.

I just learned of them both from Hoe To Geek here: https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/watch-free-tv-online-right-now-with-xumo.tv/

Here are some great articles about them from well known sources:

Pluto TV:  https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/what-is-pluto-tv/

Xumo TV Channels by device: https://corp.xumo.com/channel-list/

Tom's Hardware review and explanation of Xumo TV: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/what-is-xumo-faq,review-3722.html

Enjoy!

I will have to look into this.  Currently I use Mobdro to stream live TV through my Firestick.

[Dutch_12078]

7 hours ago, rynosback said:

I also am one of the lucky ones that got in on the Mobley plan.  Have you noticed that there administrative fees have gone up 3 times in one year?  So far there has been a 6 % increase.  

Yes, I have notices the admin fee increases, but at $23.24/mo total currently, I'm not complaining...

[RV_]

Guys,

I posted this because of the prevalence of unlimited cell phone plans today, as well as the fact that most ISPs for cable now offer unlimited at all levels of service. Also many RVrs reading here are no longer full time and the half timers and part timers might like these for home.

I am sure all are aware of the impending drop of 5G cell service, which will make cell speeds potentially as fast as cable connections . . . for a price.

I am not going to feel the tiniest bit guilty or apologize for being where I want, nor for being able and willing to pay for the services I want.

We have Verizon and will likely switch in the next year for new free phones from any carrier in the state we move to, current candidates are Colorado and SW Utah.

Any slowdowns from any carrier are the responsibility of the carriers. I find it disingenuous for folks to act like using a service one pays for is being a hog. I use over 300GB of data a month, and pay $90 bucks for it. If I have any slowdowns, I call the provider, in my case Suddenlink. I don't look for a neighbor who streams 4k like I do. That is what I pay them for.

But I was in fact surprised by these services. I used Sling TV for my CNN and other news 24 hours, as well as all the series we watch on AMC, History, TNT, etc. But they only carry CNN on their Blue service.

These add no monthly charges if any RVrs are getting unlimited and not using their data up.

Some of them have a low resolution option that saves on bandwidth just like Netflix and Amazon Prime give the option to download video to play when not near a connection/s at good, better, best, resolutions.

I've a feeling that the 5G and other tech advancements will make mobile TV at least at 720p HD resolutions affordable and doable. When? It starts in the next year. They have fewer commercials than my OTA broadcast TV have.

Hey I can't afford a private single prop plane, but don't try to point out why using them is wasteful or the parking fees are too high. But we might share a discussion of the first generation of battery operated planes coming out now.

If one chooses not to afford the unlimited plans then fine, but sour grapes is still clearly sour grapes. I can afford to full time but choose to stay married! No gripes everything is a trade off. I still connect with the full time RVr approach to life. Minimalist has always been my leanings. OTA and these free services are great. Download the apps and try them next time you are in a fast public hot spot.

 

 

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

Guys,

I posted this because of the prevalence of unlimited cell phone plans today, as well as the fact that most ISPs for cable now offer unlimited at all levels of service. Also many RVrs reading here are no longer full time and the half timers and part timers might like these for home.

I am sure all are aware of the impending drop of 5G cell service, which will make cell speeds potentially as fast as cable connections . . . for a price.

I am not going to feel the tiniest bit guilty or apologize for being where I want, nor for being able and willing to pay for the services I want.

We have Verizon and will likely switch in the next year for new free phones from any carrier in the state we move to, current candidates are Colorado and SW Utah.

Any slowdowns from any carrier are the responsibility of the carriers. I find it disingenuous for folks to act like using a service one pays for is being a hog. I use over 300GB of data a month, and pay $90 bucks for it. If I have any slowdowns, I call the provider, in my case Suddenlink. I don't look for a neighbor who streams 4k like I do. That is what I pay them for.

But I was in fact surprised by these services. I used Sling TV for my CNN and other news 24 hours, as well as all the series we watch on AMC, History, TNT, etc. But they only carry CNN on their Blue service.

These add no monthly charges if any RVrs are getting unlimited and not using their data up.

Some of them have a low resolution option that saves on bandwidth just like Netflix and Amazon Prime give the option to download video to play when not near a connection/s at good, better, best, resolutions.

I've a feeling that the 5G and other tech advancements will make mobile TV at least at 720p HD resolutions affordable and doable. When? It starts in the next year. They have fewer commercials than my OTA broadcast TV have.

Hey I can't afford a private single prop plane, but don't try to point out why using them is wasteful or the parking fees are too high. But we might share a discussion of the first generation of battery operated planes coming out now.

If one chooses not to afford the unlimited plans then fine, but sour grapes is still clearly sour grapes. I can afford to full time but choose to stay married! No gripes everything is a trade off. I still connect with the full time RVr approach to life. Minimalist has always been my leanings. OTA and these free services are great. Download the apps and try them next time you are in a fast public hot spot.

 

 

No sour intended , RV . Simply pointing out that they are not free .

[RV_]

16 hours ago, rynosback said:

I will have to look into this.  Currently I use Mobdro to stream live TV through my Firestick.

I looked and it is a lot of configuring for changeable access. These days if it is not in the Play Store or Windows store I tend to avoid them. Recently Kodi took a hit for all users who then had to start configuring from scratch after the pirate programming tools were eliminated from use, requiring all new sources.

These guys are pretty stable and reliable. For me and others in a stix n brix part or all the time, and most RVrs getting local OTA broadcast shows can warn of weather. So I have an OTA antenna on the roof and will have one in my little Scamp fiver that did not come with one.

I think folks will be very surprised at what can be had reliably for free. It took all of a half hour to get the hang of both. I have AXSTV on a lot in a corner of my screen, like now, from Sling TV in full 1080p HD. I am listening/watching to it in a quarter of my screen now playing

Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Celebration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_30th_Anniversary_Concert_Celebration.

I am actually paying ~ the same for my streaming programming than with cable in addition to the same Internet charges, but with much more on demand and newer movies by far. We have Amazon Prime $9.99/mo which we would have anyway for the two day free shipping and all streaming is done via the Fire TV devices rather than the punky slow apps built into TVs by and large., Sling TV Blue for $26/mo, Hulu with no commercials $11.99 and a six month HBO trial at $4.99 a month for $16.98/mo, Netflix with 4 screens and Ultra HD for $13.99 mo.

Then there are  pirates like this guy: https://www.ebay.com/sch/duddudel-0/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

He has a one year warranty that the service you pay a fraction of will keep working. For example he will sell a direct TV account for one year for $8.00 one time payment. I don't need anymore channels and I am sure no recourse if he just shuts it down. The only negative comments were from scammers trying to scam the pirate. I don't do them because with my luck it will die in the middle of a program.

[RV_]

Pete,

I pay about $90 a month for unlimited 200 Mbps down and 20Mbps up service. If I want Sling TV It costs me $25 extra. If I want to watch Pluto or Xumo TV it costs not a penny more. I went for years without a cell phone because I do not want to take a call when I am shopping, or doing any work, chores, or recreation. Email was there for the using if anyone wanted to get in touch with me. I was sick and tired of carrying around a secure brick for most of my military career. I called it my electronic leash. They have free long distance and messages too today. Oh yeah but you have to buy a phone and service. So there is no free long distance or texts.

I'm no good on RV connectivity as it did not exist when we were full time for under several thousand dollars. We used toll free dial up numbers if we could borrow a fax line or phone line to connect our computer modem to. That was in 1997-2003 only 21 years ago! Time flies!

 

[Pat & Pete]

Time flies , for sure . 

We were 'in house' with a dedicated land line back in the 90s and 00s . 

I had a bag phone from about '89 to the mid 90s . That was a phone I miss . About 3 watts of power . we could call Grand Rapids , Mi . from Copper Harbor , Mi. without so much as a crackle of noise and there wasn't such a thing as unwanted calls . Of course there wasn't any internet to had either , but ... 

Now we have a simple flip phone that rests on the counter in off mode until my wife calls her mother about once a month . Most communications other than face to face are done on line . Our Mobley serves us well enough .

And , we only watch a small amount of TV . If we can get CBS on OTA , fine . If not , so what .

[rynosback]

12 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Yes, I have notices the admin fee increases, but at $23.24/mo total currently, I'm not complaining...

Mine is up to $25.43 now.  Must the states that we have our address.  What state is yours in?

[rynosback]

2 hours ago, RV_ said:

I looked and it is a lot of configuring for changeable access. These days if it is not in the Play Store or Windows store I tend to avoid them. Recently Kodi took a hit for all users who then had to start configuring from scratch after the pirate programming tools were eliminated from use, requiring all new sources.

These guys are pretty stable and reliable. For me and others in a stix n brix part or all the time, and most RVrs getting local OTA broadcast shows can warn of weather. So I have an OTA antenna on the roof and will have one in my little Scamp fiver that did not come with one.

I think folks will be very surprised at what can be had reliably for free. It took all of a half hour to get the hang of both. I have AXSTV on a lot in a corner of my screen, like now, from Sling TV in full 1080p HD. I am listening/watching to it in a quarter of my screen now playing

Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Celebration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_30th_Anniversary_Concert_Celebration.

I am actually paying ~ the same for my streaming programming than with cable in addition to the same Internet charges, but with much more on demand and newer movies by far. We have Amazon Prime $9.99/mo which we would have anyway for the two day free shipping and all streaming is done via the Fire TV devices rather than the punky slow apps built into TVs by and large., Sling TV Blue for $26/mo, Hulu with no commercials $11.99 and a six month HBO trial at $4.99 a month for $16.98/mo, Netflix with 4 screens and Ultra HD for $13.99 mo.

Then there are  pirates like this guy: https://www.ebay.com/sch/duddudel-0/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

He has a one year warranty that the service you pay a fraction of will keep working. For example he will sell a direct TV account for one year for $8.00 one time payment. I don't need anymore channels and I am sure no recourse if he just shuts it down. The only negative comments were from scammers trying to scam the pirate. I don't do them because with my luck it will die in the middle of a program.

I did need to configure anything.  I tried Kodi but it is not reliable and has a TON of hiccups.  I use Terranium everyday and is flawless.

[RV_]

I think when full time we had so much to do we rarely missed TV. Stix n brix is no panacea either.

[bigjim]

1 hour ago, rynosback said:

Mine is up to $25.43 now.  Must the states that we have our address.  What state is yours in?

Mine has gone up also.  Livingston Tx is my "location"

[rynosback]

What is your bill?  I just updated my billing address to the Livingston address.  As I was with Teri Lund for 4 years and had to find a new home address.  I decided to go with Escapees.

 

Cell tax rates

 

SD= 13.02%

TX = 11.73%

 

http://cell taxes by state

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, rynosback said:

Mine is up to $25.43 now.  Must the states that we have our address.  What state is yours in?

My billing address is in upstate NY.

[rynosback]

Looks like SD had a surcharge fee also

 

 

[eddie1261]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:33 PM, Pat & Pete said:

I'm pretty sure that streaming TV would require a lot more bandwidth . And , unless you have an unlimited account , the cost could skyrocket . I think that's how it works , anyway . 

This is 2018. Who DOESN'T have unlimited data these days?

[Pat & Pete]

6 minutes ago, eddie1261 said:

This is 2018. Who DOESN'T have unlimited data these days?

Surely  you can't be that sheltered . There are a lot of folks that still have to suffer through limited data .

Maybe you should do a poll to find an answer a little closer to reality .