anyone using a streaming device on their truck?

shopping at walmart today. i seen the google box. then a roku, and netgear. and a couple of other brands. the google box being the most expensive. $99.

they all did netflix and other common features.

i'm wondering what any of you might be using. if your using. and what features that might make them stand out above others.

i liked how small the packing was. and i could easily be swayed back to sprint for the unlimited internet. and using my V phone as a hotspot only for where sprint don't reach. $250 for 20 gigs of internet with V is just too much for a one line phone. when sprint offers unlimited for $80.

 

I hear good things about the Roku box, but haven't used one.

 

Honestly its gonna be tough to find coverage fast enough to really be able to enjoy one of those streaming boxes. I guess it all depends on where you are going to be stopping, too. I had Millinecom (used sprints network until they recently had a falling out) and if I was near a big city 4g coverage was generally decent enough to do a bit of streaming but anywhere outside the big cities coverage fast enough to watch videos was few and far between. Those boxes are generally designed to work with your home internet connection where your download rates are higher and more consistent. Streaming video (especially HD) will also use bandwidth like nobodies business, remember that their "unlimited" plans are usually capped to 50GB or so in fine print. Anything above that is "excessive usage".

 

everyone talks about using netflix. and that it uses little bandwidth with small files. and 50 gigs would be more then enough for as much as i watch tv.

i was actually hoping to plug my hard drive in and watch movies but apparently the tv only recognizes pics and music. using the laptop starting to get old.

haven't decided to either buy a box or buy a blue ray player that also does what the boxes do.

 

If I have time and I'm in 4gLTE area and the TV signal is bad, I will fire up my Verizon 60gig hotspot and stream Netflix (hd turned off) for at most an hour or two at a time and it works fine streaming over 4g. I have a larger laptop and use that as a TV (Netflix, Amazon video, etc) ... I do have a ROKU box it's just easier to utilize the computer directly IMO if you're going to stream.

3g, forget streaming, 4g it's hit and miss, 4gLTE always rock solid and streaming-capable but do run in (force) reduced definition modes regardless to conserve data usage

 

Why not hook the laptop to the tv

 

My laptop screen is bigger then my small TV plus has a better display and consumes less power. I personally don't want to deal with a big TV I just don't have enough idle time to want a big TV. (I have an APU and inverter that could run anything I wanted but just don't see any need) but I understand some do want 24 inch + TV's

 

my laptop doesn't receive tv. usb tv tuners just don't work. and my tv is only 19 inches. bigger then my laptop. to which i'm tired of using for my entertainment needs.

the digital signal may give better picture. but reception it don't. and the tv works way better for signal.

everybody has needs. using my laptop 1000 percent of the time. isn't my need.

not only does it not do tv. but it don't do gaming consoles either.

 

I use millenicom on verizon network 3g only and 90% of the time I can stream hulu and netflix just fine with hd turned off.

 

i bought the roku. and found the mymedia channel. i don't get rid of the laptop. but now i can wifi my laptop to my tv using my roku. i can watch my movies or dvds on tv. nice to crawl back in the sleeper and just loaf in front of the tv now.

walmart wanted $60 for a hdmi cable. bought the $60 roku, more options to play with.
don't see myself renting any redbox though. not for $5. plus internet usage.