Casting content at the cottage
July 16, 2018 7:33 AM Subscribe
What's the best (cheapest, easiest) way to cast videos to a TV without an internet connection?
We have a TV at the cottage, but no cable service and essentially no channels available via antenna so we make do with DVDs. Cell service is also very spotty. It would be great if I could hook up a device that would allow us to 'cast' downloaded videos from our phones. I thought I might be able to bring up my Chromecast, but it seems like it needs an internet connection to function.
Are there any other 'plug and play' type devices that would enable this, maybe via bluetooth or a local non-internet-connected wireless AP? Or is there a way to trick the Chromecast into functioning this way? I think I have a travel router that could be pressed into service if it was necessary for a solution. Thanks!
We have a TV at the cottage, but no cable service and essentially no channels available via antenna so we make do with DVDs. Cell service is also very spotty. It would be great if I could hook up a device that would allow us to 'cast' downloaded videos from our phones. I thought I might be able to bring up my Chromecast, but it seems like it needs an internet connection to function.
Are there any other 'plug and play' type devices that would enable this, maybe via bluetooth or a local non-internet-connected wireless AP? Or is there a way to trick the Chromecast into functioning this way? I think I have a travel router that could be pressed into service if it was necessary for a solution. Thanks!
I love my HooToo travel router, and I bet it could be helpful here.
Are you an Android household or Apple?
posted by wenestvedt at 7:42 AM on July 16, 2018
Are you an Android household or Apple?
posted by wenestvedt at 7:42 AM on July 16, 2018
I have Plex on my computer, connected to my TV by a Roku box. It works over my router even when the internet is down, since the media is all stored locally on the network.
Worth considering if you already have a computer, a router, and potentially a TV-device that supports Plex.
posted by matrixclown at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Worth considering if you already have a computer, a router, and potentially a TV-device that supports Plex.
posted by matrixclown at 8:18 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
I guess it isn’t really just casting to a tv, but maybe some kind of phone to tv HDMI cable could get the job done without much fuss?
posted by forkisbetter at 8:32 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by forkisbetter at 8:32 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Streaming to your Chromecast is (was?) possible by turning your phone into a hotspot (even if the phone isn't working well).
Also I can cast to my Chromecast even when the internet is out because it's going through the router. Do you have a spare router you could take with you to see if that works for casting even without an internet connection? (Would that even work? I'm throwing spitballs here.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:50 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also I can cast to my Chromecast even when the internet is out because it's going through the router. Do you have a spare router you could take with you to see if that works for casting even without an internet connection? (Would that even work? I'm throwing spitballs here.)
posted by elsietheeel at 8:50 AM on July 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the responses so far! For clarification, we are mostly Android users.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 8:57 AM on July 16, 2018
posted by sevenyearlurk at 8:57 AM on July 16, 2018
Does the TV have an HDMI connector?
Do you have a laptop?
If yes, amazon prime and netflix and hulu all have the option to download video to watch later. Cable from laptop to tv, play videos.
My library has good collection of DVDs. With Inter-Library Loan, it's an amazing collection, including lots of tv shows, movies, documentaries, concerts. At my library, can be taken out for a week, and renewed at least once.
Here is an article about connecting your phone to your tv. Searching connect phone to tv yields lots of cables.
posted by theora55 at 8:57 AM on July 16, 2018
Do you have a laptop?
If yes, amazon prime and netflix and hulu all have the option to download video to watch later. Cable from laptop to tv, play videos.
My library has good collection of DVDs. With Inter-Library Loan, it's an amazing collection, including lots of tv shows, movies, documentaries, concerts. At my library, can be taken out for a week, and renewed at least once.
Here is an article about connecting your phone to your tv. Searching connect phone to tv yields lots of cables.
posted by theora55 at 8:57 AM on July 16, 2018
I've used the HDMI connectors mentioned above. I had no problem connecting my iPhone or iPad to a TV and showing downloaded videos. It didn't work so well for some games (not all) but that doesn't sound like what you are trying to do.
posted by TORunner at 9:26 AM on July 16, 2018
posted by TORunner at 9:26 AM on July 16, 2018
A Chromecast requires a real internet connection to function, not just a router and a local IP address. Honestly an HDMI cable is your best bet.
If you have a Samsung TV & a Samsung phone they have built-in screen mirroring via Miracast or you could buy a miracast dongle but honestly it's more trouble than it's worth.
If you TV has a USB port they can often play video files directly from a USB drive, so you could try that.
posted by GuyZero at 9:44 AM on July 16, 2018
If you have a Samsung TV & a Samsung phone they have built-in screen mirroring via Miracast or you could buy a miracast dongle but honestly it's more trouble than it's worth.
If you TV has a USB port they can often play video files directly from a USB drive, so you could try that.
posted by GuyZero at 9:44 AM on July 16, 2018
I use Plex, and run the Plex app on an Amazon Fire Stick. I'm pretty sure I've run it when the internet has been down; Fire Stick likes to check in with Amazon, and of course show you new content, but IIRC it works during outages for Plex, which is all local.
You'd want to get the Fire stick up and running, and Plex installed and up-to-date, on your home internet connection (or a borrowed one) before getting going. You'll also need to set up its network stuff at some point so you can get it to reach the plex server (running on a laptop -- non-dedicated laptop is fine) and vice versa.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:45 AM on July 16, 2018
You'd want to get the Fire stick up and running, and Plex installed and up-to-date, on your home internet connection (or a borrowed one) before getting going. You'll also need to set up its network stuff at some point so you can get it to reach the plex server (running on a laptop -- non-dedicated laptop is fine) and vice versa.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:45 AM on July 16, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by tman99 at 7:37 AM on July 16, 2018 [2 favorites]