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Help with Live TV in my travel trailer - Apple TV and Slingbox without wifi?

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kbutler84

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 26, 2011
128
3
We just finished restoring a 1976 Airstream travel trailer and I have been thinking of my options for tv reception. I would like to be able to view live tv, and not just whatever I have loaded on a laptop/ipad etc. Until recently, I thought my only options were either an OTA antenna or a Dish Tailgater setup.

What I just thought about however, may end up being cheaper - if I can figure out a way for it to work reliably. All of this would be done over a cellular network since most of the time wifi won't be available.

If I purchased a Slingbox 350 (I already have the older model Slingbox Solo, but don't even know if it still works) and connect it to my Tivo at my house, can I then attach an Apple TV to my TV in the travel trailer and create a hotspot using my iphone and connect the Apple TV to the hotspot and then airplay from the Slingbox app on the iphone to my Apple TV?
 
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Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
To stream video on cellular, I'd think you need a decent cellular data connection, which it may not happen if ur in the boondocks. Do u think your cellular data, where you are going, is gonna be consistent?

Am not retired yet but I'd think by now RV parks will provide u facilities for cable/Internet hookups?
 
K

kbutler84

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 26, 2011
128
3
Mrbobb said:
To stream video on cellular, I'd think you need a decent cellular data connection, which it may not happen if ur in the boondocks. Do u think your cellular data, where you are going, is gonna be consistent?

Am not retired yet but I'd think by now RV parks will provide u facilities for cable/Internet hookups?
Click to expand...

Really, the main time I would want live tv, would be when we take the trailer tailgating for football games (so we can watch early games beforehand). This would be in a city with LTE, so I should have a good cell connection. Sometimes you can get wifi around the area, but it's not something to be relied upon.

For other times when I don't have to have live tv, I could always load up my ipad with movies/tv and airplay it over the hotspot connection and it theoretically shouldn't use/need cell reception.
 
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mjxman

macrumors newbie
Aug 30, 2013
1
0
Great Idea

I currently have a Slingbox Pro connected to my cable system in my primary residence. In my summer cottage I have Apple TV setup to the TV and then use my iPad with AirPlay to mirror my image and use the iPad Slingbox app to control my primary residence TV to watch TV in the cottage.

I was just thinking the about doing the same thing with a wifi hotspot from the iPhone at the tailgates. We are limited with the current setup of bunny ears on the TV in the back of the tailgate van. I am curious how the quality would be with the cellular hotspot.

Good luck!
 
FreakinEurekan

FreakinEurekan

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
5,550
2,609
kbutler84 said:
can I then attach an Apple TV to my TV in the travel trailer and create a hotspot using my iphone and connect the Apple TV to the hotspot and then airplay from the Slingbox app on the iphone to my Apple TV?
Click to expand...

I've not done it with the Slingbox app, but connecting Apple TV to the personal hotspot on the phone works fine - I've streamed HD video over that sort of link and as long as you have a good LTE or 4G signal it should work great.
 
Tinmania

Tinmania

macrumors 68040
Aug 8, 2011
3,528
1,016
Aridzona
kbutler84 said:
Really, the main time I would want live tv, would be when we take the trailer tailgating for football games (so we can watch early games beforehand). This would be in a city with LTE, so I should have a good cell connection. Sometimes you can get wifi around the area, but it's not something to be relied upon.
Click to expand...
If you are in that kind of location can you just get OTA TV for that?



Michael
 
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mattsntx

macrumors newbie
Jul 16, 2002
9
0
This will not work at a football game unless you follow a vey small school that plays in front of small croweds. I stream my slingbox to my phone and airplay to the appleTV on a regular basis. However, it absolutly does not work if the cell network is under any kind of load (like at a sporting event). It may work early in the morning on game day, but it will start to bog down hours before the game and not work again until hours after the game.

I think you will also need a wireless router between your phone and your appleTV and you will not need to have a wirless hotspot turned on in your phone if you set up your DNS correctly to send outgoing data through the cell network and airplay through the router attached to your appleTV. I have done that before, but can't remember the setting of the top of my head.
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Tinmania said:
If you are in that kind of location can you just get OTA TV for that?



Michael
Click to expand...

I'm guessing they probably want more than just the OTA Networks especially since he said the games "before hand" which the networks seem to start their coverage at 2:00 which means the 11:00 games are solely ESPN, FOX Sports, etc.

From someone who has cut the cord, I know how few games you really get on Saturday via OTA.

Also, if you have a couple other teams you follow, they are most likely being played on cable stations. Only the big weekend "head liners" make the OTA Network stations.
 
K

kbutler84

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 26, 2011
128
3
Yeah, I have an antenna for OTA channels, but that doesn't cover everything. Just trying to figure out my options. Seems like the only "sure fire" solutions is to break down and get a mobile satellite system.
 
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