Wi-FI to use with FireStick!

Thanks Peter

If you have phones with big data use this first. We are in Spain so we plug the Firestick into the TV via HDMI, turn on the phone hotspot and the firestick sees the phone. We get all terrestrial UKTV channels through Amazon, and, using an Android tablet and a UKTV app watch TV in bed if we want. Otherwise get a mifi and a 24gb data card from 3 (Internet With Legs) and tether to that. The firestick needs a power supply either a mains socket or usb nearby and you must have the facility to tether to your phone.
Rich..

Three limit your data abroad to 19gb a month. You can’t get British TV through it because it knows you’re outside the UK.

We use Vodafone and get all the Uk channels. It works well but does tend to eat up the data.

Nora

Traficlady wrote:You can’t get British TV through it because it knows you’re outside the UK.

If you want to be able to just use a VPN.

The beauty of the firestick is it has NordVPN as an app, so it's easy to first connect to a UK server and then you can get all the things you would normally when in the UK, as from the firesticks point of view, you still are :)

It's a subscription service so an added cost, but worth it if you intend to use the firestick like that abroad.

Peter Brown wrote:If you are using a local wifi when abroad you will need the vpn but if you are using a UK mobile service provider you shouldn't.

When I tried using a VPN (two different ones) at the end of last year abroad, BBC identified it and wouldn't play    Previouly I had no problems so either they have got smarter or I've got less smart 

Traficlady wrote:Three limit your data abroad to 19gb a month. You can’t get British TV through it because it knows you’re outside the UK.

We use Vodafone and get all the Uk channels. It works well but does tend to eat up the data.

Nora

Sorry to contradict you but you actually can. I'm in Spain now receiving UKTV on my telly through an Amazon Firestick tethered to my van WiFi with a 3 Internet With Legs 24gb data card. I can watch all UKTV through the apps installed on the Firestick. Also we have 2 tablets and with the UKTV app can watch through this as well and we don't need a VPN. It works with any UK registered data card. We can also tether to our phones and do likewise using our data. It's brilliant and satellite is dead......long live satellite. You're correct about the monthly data cap but to get around this we carry more than one card and swap it over when it stops, they must be used within 24 months of first use.
Rich..
Ps been doing it this way for 6 years now.

Peter Brown wrote:My Avtex TV has USB ports, one of which is used to power the firestick. If you use vodafone, the internet thinks you are in Newbury wherever you are. You can also subscribe to a vpn service that allows you to seem to be in any country of your choice.

Peter, im in Spain now and my Vodaphone sim definitely doesnt think im in Newbury, im not sure what IP address its using but i can use iplayer here OK.
another solution (for Sky subscribers) is Sky Go which allows viewing of all your package, including ITV, channel4 and 5 even on a fixed campsite wifi/IP ...however, BBC is not available.

i wouldnt say satellite is dead...as well as Sky Go etc we have our Sky system with us an can pick up Sports and Movies on the 85cm dish (pan euro beam) all over europe without any internet connection.
BBC etc is available right to the Cote d'Azure on the dish, so it still does a pretty good job...just like at home.
i agree Internet based services may well be the way things are heading but at the moment there are a few barriers in the way (channel copyright, data isage, reception strength, watching on small screens etc) that mean it isnt (quite) yet the 'turn up, turn on, tune in' process we take for granted....especially when you pay big bucks for BBC, Sky, Amazon and other add ons....it 'should' allow viewing of 'your' package anywhere....

Like many others we use a firestick on a 3 contract , bit of a novice to it but never had a problem in France or the UK. Recall on one site watching TV whilst all around looked on amazed as there was no satellite signal in the area.
Some channels are data free with 3 which helps too. Didn't quite get the "watching on a small screen" bit Chris, can't you just connect to your regular TV with an HDMI cable or bluetooth if you have it? Tend to agree satellite isn't dead yet but I wouldn't spent thousands installing it in a new van the speed everything is changing.

Since arriving in Caen at the beginning of January we have driven down to the Costas, camped in many places and are now heading back towards Santander for the ferry. Every day of driving has been while listening to Radio 2 streamed from our phones and played on the cab radio, you can't do that with satellite, and every evening watched BBC or Sky news and Amazon Prime on a proper TV - all through data. I Iove it.
Rich..

groundhog wrote:Like many others we use a firestick on a 3 contract , bit of a novice to it but never had a problem in France or the UK. Recall on one site watching TV whilst all around looked on amazed as there was no satellite signal in the area.
Some channels are data free with 3 which helps too. Didn't quite get the "watching on a small screen" bit Chris, can't you just connect to your regular TV with an HDMI cable or bluetooth if you have it? Tend to agree satellite isn't dead yet but I wouldn't spent thousands installing it in a new van the speed everything is changing.

yes, i can get an Apple(type) adaptor and another HDMI lead (the tv alteady has two permanently connected from the Sky box and the DVD cab headset.
we also have a bedroom tv which is commected to the sky box and has its own DVD player and DTV HD reception, so pretty well covered.
ill be sorting an adaptor when back at home, and may even look at a firestick but im loath to get into another subscription set up although i havent checked the situation beyond the £40 purchase price.
as this is solely for mating a wifi (and VPN if necessary) to a tv for BBC while away, that might be ok, but i can get Netflix or other add ons via Sky.

I know where you are coming from with another subscription, we find as we buy quite a bit on Amazon anyway and you get free next day delivery with Prime on many items it justifies the cost. For TV alone we probably wouldn't bother.

groundhog wrote:I know where you are coming from with another subscription, we find as we buy quite a bit on Amazon anyway and you get free next day delivery with Prime on many items it justifies the cost. For TV alone we probably wouldn't bother.

The Firestick will work without Prime subscription although you will need an Amazon account but if you do pay for Prime you get access to more programmes especially those made for Amazon eg The Grand Tour and many series. For this to work in your van all you need is either a mifi with a data card, a smartphone with tethering capabilities and data, a power supply either USB or mains (works on either) and an HDMI port on your TV. It really is that simple. Because we have big data packages which work both home and abroad we never use the van aerial just watch TV on data all the time.
Rich..

What decision did you come to Harry?

This is a problem with UK mobile systems. In some European countries they use a network sharing system where although you have a nominated supplier your phone will use any signal provider but you are billed by your own, we don't do this which leads to Not Spots.
Rich..

Can anyone tell me what the advantages are of an Amazon fire stick over a smart TV ?

Askit wrote:Can anyone tell me what the advantages are of an Amazon fire stick over a smart TV ?

It's a lot easier to lug around!

Seriously, we have used our Fire Stick in hotels in the UK and abroad (inc Malta) and even in our chalet on the French campsite last year (when we didn't have access to the Pollensa - don't ask).  Basically, you can use it wherever you have access to a TV with HDMI input socket and wi-fi (possibly via a mobile phone wi-fi hot-spot but see thread above).

As well as the Amazon Prime you can download apps to view things like BBC iplayer, ITV/STV player, UK Play TV, All4, etc as well as further paid subscription services.  Our daughter is about to sign up for Disney+ for an extra £5 a month - she's 31! 

There's also loads of old (mainly US) films and TV for free, like The Beverley Hillbillies, I Love Lucy, etc, etc.

Thanks Roger . Peter, the context is that I was discussing the range of programmes available of terrestrial TV with some folk on another site and they suggested I buy a Firestick. I am already able to access all of the terrestrial catch up services on our smart TVs (using broadband at home and mifi when away) and they have the facility to get subscription and other paid services like netflix if we wanted them. I was trying to establish if the firestick offers anything more than I have already, if that makes any sense.