If the stories around the campfire end or the rainy weather spoils the evening, campers don’t have to do without good entertainment. The latest blockbuster can also be brought to the screen on the go, for example via cell phone or mobile hotspot. The guide shows how to make a film night while traveling and how to keep an eye on the costs.
The most important requirement for Amazon Prime Video & Co. is a fast WLAN with 5 megabits per second (MBit/s). Ideally, you can get it directly from the campsite. If no connection option is available there, switch to mobile data. The simplest solution is often the mobile phone. Almost all current smartphones can be used as a personal hotspot in no time at all. This means that they simply connect the Smart TV in the caravan to their mobile phone wirelessly instead of using a WLAN router. It should be noted that users cannot make calls at the same time.
The personal hotspot can be activated on the mobile phone with just a few taps. The corresponding option can be found in the settings, such as on the iPhone.
Alternatively, use mobile routers. They offer the advantage that no mobile phone is blocked for data transmission and several end devices can be connected at the same time with just one SIM card. If the comedy bores the better half, he or she simply switches to the tablet. But beware: The more users use the hotspot, the slower the data transfer for each device. Similar to mobile phones, the required SIM card slot is located in a compartment under the battery or in a slot on the edge of the housing. Check in advance whether your SIM card is the right size or whether an adapter is required. They are already available for a few euros in specialist electronics stores. Mobile routers start at around 40 euros. For example, the discounter offer Lidl Connect. In the COMPUTER BILD mobile router test, the Netgear Aircard 810 performed particularly well. It offers a touchscreen with a clear browser menu and numerous setting options, such as child safety. In view of the price of over 500 euros, the successor Nighthawk M1 4G LTE is recommended. It costs 300 euros and, according to the manufacturer, even allows a connection to up to 20 devices.
Convincing: The Netgear Aircard 810 received an overall rating of 2.1 in the COMPUTER BILD test. Her successor is also promising.
Duo systems for frequent travelers
If the costs only play a minor role, there are special solutions for mobile homes. There are WiFi antennas and WiFi routers that are designed for camping use. In this case, external antennas can be attached directly to the roof of the vehicle and ensure optimal reception via the mobile network or WLAN. Depending on the model, they also serve as an outdoor hotspot. Associated routers often have several SIM card slots and a connection for network cables. Models such as the CAR 150 WiFi Duo (580 euros) can also be connected to a SAT antenna (from 1,500 euros) and a converter (225 euros) in order to transmit live TV to televisions etc. via WLAN without data consumption. This is worth it if you want to watch television on several devices at the same time. If you only use streaming services, the additional equipment offers no advantages. Another manufacturer is Ten Haaft with the Oyster Connect Vision (810 euros). With the system, the SIM card ends up directly in the external antenna in order to minimize attenuation losses through the vehicle body. For a map change, however, you have to climb onto the roof. Both models can be operated with on-board power.
Systems such as the CAR 150 WiFi duo from Kathrein are permanently installed by camping fans on the mobile home.
Keep an eye on data usage
So that there are no nasty surprises after the holiday, you should take a look at the data consumption during streaming in advance. For example, if you watch Netflix in SD resolution, it costs about 1 gigabyte (GB) per hour. With HD it is already 3 GB. UHD eats up to 7 GB. The decisive factor is the end device on which you play films and series. When camping, for example, in addition to the mobile phone, tablet or laptop, it is usually about compact 24-inch televisions that do not provide a 4K resolution anyway. If you accept compromises, you can even get up to 6 hours of playback time per gigabyte on mobile devices. Simply adjust the settings of the respective streaming app. You save further data if you download selected titles at home using the download function. However, the option is not available for all films and series.
Find the right tariff
If you don’t want to burden the data volume from your cell phone with your streaming preferences, you can opt for a separate tariff. You can start the movie night particularly carefree with a prepaid offer. As the name suggests, you pay for it in advance via a credit account. The advantages include short terms of up to 28 days and the option of letting the contract rest when you don’t need it. Just before expiry, simply deactivate the tariff or stop paying credit. Users then automatically use a basic tariff that only incurs costs when they actually use data. If you don’t want the streaming fun to be limited, take advantage of offers with unlimited data volume. As the tariff check from COMPUTER BILD shows, the weekly flat rate at O2 is already available for 19.99 euros. As with all mobile phone providers, it also applies in other EU countries.
Free choice of streaming device
You can stream in the mobile home with the same devices as at home. If the TV is smart, connect to available hotspots as usual. For older devices, you can help with a Fire TV Stick, among other things. It can be connected to the television via an HDMI connection and receives power either via the power supply unit or via the TV set via a USB connection. The latter option is particularly useful when you are on the move. In this case, make sure that the small stick gets enough energy, otherwise it will switch off. If the TV set is permanently installed, you should ensure that the required connections are not covered. Even the WLAN login via an additional login page, such as is known from hotels or campsites, does not pose an obstacle for the device. Alternatively, the laptop, tablet or cell phone can be used for streaming.
With the Amazon Prime Video watchboard you can see at a glance which titles can be played outside the EU.
Streaming offer at the destination
Users within the EU need not worry too much about the choice of streaming content. For example, anyone who has German Netflix or Amazon Prime video access should be able to access the same titles in all member states. The situation is different when traveling to distant countries. For licensing reasons, the selection and available languages can vary greatly depending on the holiday destination. At Amazon Prime Video, for example, you can use the watchboard to find out which titles can be called up internationally. If you would also like to watch live TV via the Internet within Germany, you can access media libraries and providers such as Waipu.tv or Zattoo. They offer numerous public and private channels by subscription. For the mix, you pay 5.99 euros per month at Waipu.tv for the basic package plus 3 euros for the necessary mobile function. Zattoo is available from EUR 9.99 per month.
