Cheap unlimited data streaming TV

Here is my plan break down. If i want more hotspot, i have to buy extra. If i run out its $15 per gb. Or i can get the max at 20gb for $50 a month.

 

post 4 shows each carrier having basically the same thing, but under different names.

 

Difference is, T-mobile has partnered with big name providers like Hulu and Netflix.

 

The problem with T-Mobile and their free video data is that you will only get a 480p video stream. They do not give enough data to stream 720 or 1080 HD video.

If you are watching on your phone then that wont be a problem. I use to the hotspot on my phone to provide internet for my laptop and then plugged an HDMI cable out the back to my 42" 1080P TV. There is no way I would want to watch as stretched 480 video stream on a 1080 screen.

I agree,.. Verizon data is expensive.

I solved my TV issues by purchasing a Winguard satellite dish and signed up for Dishnetwork TV. My bill is $57 a month,.. I get the HD package with Showtime and HBO channels. This allowed me to cut my Verizon data back to a reasonable 20gb per month vs the 40gb I was paying for before.

If you are a company driver,.. I know that is not an option for many of you.

Hurst

 

Streaming providers use protocols, such as DASH, to dynamically adjust the quality of the movie to the users bandwidth availability and quality desires. Then the servers may rate-limit your connection so that you can buffer a certain amount (something like 10 seconds, maybe 30 or a whole minute) and afterwards you only get the amount of bandwidth required to get the content to you in real time. This is an obvious optimization from the point of view of the provider, because it spreads the bandwidth more equally among the users and in addition avoids data to be transferred in vain (e.g. when the user watches a 480p movie for 10 minutes, without ratelimiting and with a common downlink, it is likely that much more than that is already downloaded, but then wasted if the users stops watching the video).

The amount of data transferred is the same. But it may take longer with streaming, because the provider may rate-limit the data transfer to the rate required to deliver the content in a given quality in real time.

Dailymotion is one of the providers which rate-limit the connections. From a server with at least 100 Mbit/s symmetric connection, we see the following behaviour¹:

youtube-dl
[dailymotion] xhc3zz: Downloading webpage
[dailymotion] xhc3zz: Extracting information
[dailymotion] xhc3zz: Downloading embed page
[download] Destination: LONG DISTANCE CALLING - ' Into The Black Wide Open '-xhc3zz.mp4
[download] 5.8% of 51.99MiB at 203.89KiB/s ETA 04:06

The rate is much below what would be possible (and is achieved with other providers). Also, if you try different material, you’ll find that the rate is highly dependent on the individual video: a fullhd video easily downloads with > 1 MiB/s, while a a music video such as this stays around or below 200 KiB/s.

To sum it all up and clear up some possible misunderstandings: Some providers may rate limit your download while streaming, through their client application (e.g. youtube with their html5 or flash video player) or by server means. If they don’t rate limit you by server means, then downloading will consume more bandwidth, because the rate limiting which is possibly applied by the client application during streaming does not take place. This is the main case when the bandwidth consumed is different with respect to the original question.


Streaming will use less bandwidth, especially if network conditions are bad, but this comes at a price.

At issue is the data that needs to be sent. In a download model, all of the data must reach the customer, all in the right order, no matter what. If network conditions are bad and some bits of the data don't reach the client, they must be resent, and this increases bandwidth usage. If some data gets there out of order, it must be put back into order before being presented, and this decreases responsiveness.

In a streaming model, it's OK if some of the data doesn't reach the client. If you're streaming a movie and a frame doesn't get there, you can just skip it and move on, so you don't use additional bandwidth on resends. If some frames get there out of order, just play the ones that go forward; a momentary blip won't matter, and so this increases responsiveness. However, it also means that you don't necessarily get the full data: whatever you see is whatever got there on the first shot.

If you have to choose between the models, choose based on what you want to do with the data. If you want to archive it and/or possibly view it many times, then download it so that you're sure to get everything. If you don't plan on archiving, or only plan on viewing the data once, then go ahead and stream; you probably won't notice the difference on a single viewing, and if network conditions are bad enough that you do notice, then downloading would be even worse.

 

Lots of company drivers now, at both mid-size and large carriers are enjoying satellite TV provided by the company, as a perk. And yes, this does help to reduce a lot of data consumption. I lived without it for many decades, dealt with the issues of on/off DTV reception, and now work with a company that provides DirecTv and all the movie channels, and I'll never be able to do without satellite TV now.

Only problem is, for whatever reason, they don't give us "local channels" (to include CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, etc.) Not sure why we don't have this. Is it a cost issue or simply because they didn't ask for it? I don't care what local market they use, I just want the broadcast channels.

If these channels are anything like Netflix, I don't want it. Netflix NEVER has a movie or show I want to watch, and a few of the old sitcom series I used to enjoy at Netflix, Netflix dropped them a year or so ago, so I gave up on Netflix and the other internet streaming providers who have very limited offerings.

 

I had to prescribe to get my local channels from Fla. Before I can watch TV,.. I have to get the dish setup with the location I am at. It automatically searches out the southern satellites,.. all I have to do is tell it what state I am in and sometimes which region in that state. The controller does the rest.

Takes a few mins and then the channel list comes on. I can be in Tenn,.. but the local channels are programs into the card for my satellite box. So I still only see the local channels from Fla,.. not Tenn.

I'm guessing there was a cost issue with so many people from different areas,.. and the trucking company being from another area that it was probably futile to try to satisfy local channels for each driver.

I kinda miss the commercial free shows I got with hulu and Netflix. But,.. cost wise I am actually saving money by cutting back on my data with Verizon. They are expensive,.. almost ridiculous with their data rates.

Now I just kick back,. flip through channels just like if I was at home watching cable TV.




Hurst

 

Im looking at my prepaid phone and it's crappy data plan now. Sheesh.

I use the data side to track tornados in real time when necessary in Arkansas. Hurricane Season is coming as well so I will be doing more storm tracking with the smart phone.

Some of you have introduced new ideas and I will have to do some thinking now. Maybe I can improve the smart phone situation with a new larger one and a plan that allows some unlimited. (Now there is two words to cause some of you to freeze...)

I only go through 200 megabyte of data per month and that is if I choke my phone with settings to disable data connections. If I do not use the settings to do this, the phone will go 24/7 until it drains whatever minutes in my data side in about a week and half.

 

Some clarification for you here.

DirecTV: you CANNOT get the "local" networks wherever you happen to be sitting. BUT YOU CAN get ether the east coast or the west coast (your choice) networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) by filling out a mobile waiver form if you are on an actual mobile plan with them. (i.e. you didn't simply add anther home receiver to your house account.) That form is here: http://www.directv.com/learn/pdf/DNS_Vehicles_Aff.pdf

Dish Network: you CAN get the local networks wherever you are each night by calling them and telling them where you are if you are on their actual mobile plan.

Company drivers can get satellite if they use a window mounted unit. Preferably a mount that is high (at the top) of the window to maximize the height. Put it on the driver side or the passenger side depending on which way is more facing south that night. If the satellite is at the top of the rolled up window then it usually won't get blocked by other trucks (especially if you are parked FACING south) unless you are far north in the country If south is directly behind them then probably no signal that night. Or if they have load locks they can use a load lock mount and raise it up from the load lock rack unless there is a big overhang lip up on the roof that it will hit. Raising a load lock mount cannot be blocked by other trucks. Forgetting to bring it back down the next morning will result in a bad day however.

Hope that adds some details.

 

How does the tmobile hotspot work in Eastern US? Any dead spots