Streaming music/tv on a narrowboat
Discussion
Advice needed please on my idea for updating the technology I have on board my boat. Long post alert!
We have just bought a 65ft narrowboat with 2x TVs with DVD players. Built in mini HiFi with radio and CD player. All the above connected to a speaker switcher to play to speakers throughout the boat, including outside at the bow and stern (pairs of speakers can be controlled separately), Sky box and an omnidirectional TV/FM aerial on the roof.
All very cutting edge in 2005 but getting dated now. The TV/FM reception is very poor. I have bought a stand alone aerial for the TV which works (ish) but looks unsightly and gets in the way when not in use.
So, here's my cunning plan. Get rid of 1x TV and DVD (in bedroom, will never use it). Keep main TV in living room. Loose DVD and Sky box. Loose mini HiFi. Loose omnidirectional aerial on the roof.
Buy a bluetooth amp. Put it in place of Sky box and connect to speaker switcher (this is the only bit of the current tech I want to keep). Stream either radio or Spotify via Bluetooth from phones or tablet for music.
As for TV, I haven't watched live TV for about 20 years, always either record it or stream/iPlayer it. I think recording is now becoming old hat so I could stream everything.
Allowing 1Gb/hour to stream SD video and at 4 hours a day (over estimate) would require 124Gb/month. Double it and add a bit to be safe to allow for music/Facetime etc gives 300Gb/month required.
To get this, install two systems. First is a Wi-Fi booster (I'm on a marina with Wi-Fi and there are also times you can pick up other Wi-Fi hotspots). Secondly, buy one of these with a really good external aerial and telescopic pole to mount both on:
https://shop.ee.co.uk/dongles/pay-monthly-mobile-b...
300Gb is £70/month. You can go up to 500Gb for £100/month. I already have an EE contract for phones with 60Gb, so I could get 360Gb for £70.
Or maybe get 3 giving 100Gb/month (and free Netflix and Spotify) as well as the EE unit on 200Gb/month. Total would be around £80/month. Two networks (plus Wi-Fi) should mean I would always get a signal.
(100Gb from 3 by itself isn't enough, even though Netflix etc isn't counted as most of the stuff we watch is on Fire or iPlayers).
Advantages are: no sky dish, no tv aerial, no FM aerial. On demand music and TV/movies. Just one pole with 2 (or 3) aerials on it which are not directional.
I think the next step might be to loose the TV and get a projector. One of those mirror TVs could also be great but is a step too far....
I think everything will become 'on demand' in the future, so I am trying to future proof the boat as much as I can. Prices of data will continue to fall and 5G isn't that far away.
Any flaws in my plan? Has anyone done anything like this themselves? Any recommendations for kit, mainly the Wi-Fi booster, the Bluetooth amp, external EE/3 aerial and telescopic pole?
Thanks.
We have just bought a 65ft narrowboat with 2x TVs with DVD players. Built in mini HiFi with radio and CD player. All the above connected to a speaker switcher to play to speakers throughout the boat, including outside at the bow and stern (pairs of speakers can be controlled separately), Sky box and an omnidirectional TV/FM aerial on the roof.
All very cutting edge in 2005 but getting dated now. The TV/FM reception is very poor. I have bought a stand alone aerial for the TV which works (ish) but looks unsightly and gets in the way when not in use.
So, here's my cunning plan. Get rid of 1x TV and DVD (in bedroom, will never use it). Keep main TV in living room. Loose DVD and Sky box. Loose mini HiFi. Loose omnidirectional aerial on the roof.
Buy a bluetooth amp. Put it in place of Sky box and connect to speaker switcher (this is the only bit of the current tech I want to keep). Stream either radio or Spotify via Bluetooth from phones or tablet for music.
As for TV, I haven't watched live TV for about 20 years, always either record it or stream/iPlayer it. I think recording is now becoming old hat so I could stream everything.
Allowing 1Gb/hour to stream SD video and at 4 hours a day (over estimate) would require 124Gb/month. Double it and add a bit to be safe to allow for music/Facetime etc gives 300Gb/month required.
To get this, install two systems. First is a Wi-Fi booster (I'm on a marina with Wi-Fi and there are also times you can pick up other Wi-Fi hotspots). Secondly, buy one of these with a really good external aerial and telescopic pole to mount both on:
https://shop.ee.co.uk/dongles/pay-monthly-mobile-b...
300Gb is £70/month. You can go up to 500Gb for £100/month. I already have an EE contract for phones with 60Gb, so I could get 360Gb for £70.
Or maybe get 3 giving 100Gb/month (and free Netflix and Spotify) as well as the EE unit on 200Gb/month. Total would be around £80/month. Two networks (plus Wi-Fi) should mean I would always get a signal.
(100Gb from 3 by itself isn't enough, even though Netflix etc isn't counted as most of the stuff we watch is on Fire or iPlayers).
Advantages are: no sky dish, no tv aerial, no FM aerial. On demand music and TV/movies. Just one pole with 2 (or 3) aerials on it which are not directional.
I think the next step might be to loose the TV and get a projector. One of those mirror TVs could also be great but is a step too far....
I think everything will become 'on demand' in the future, so I am trying to future proof the boat as much as I can. Prices of data will continue to fall and 5G isn't that far away.
Any flaws in my plan? Has anyone done anything like this themselves? Any recommendations for kit, mainly the Wi-Fi booster, the Bluetooth amp, external EE/3 aerial and telescopic pole?
Thanks.
What about a proper mobile router?
You could then have an external mobile aerial so you would get a better signal, then you could also install a wired network + WiFi.
Something like this (just as an example, I have never used this particular unit).
https://www.zcomax.co.uk/VHG760-0T021.html?gclid=C...
You could then have an external mobile aerial so you would get a better signal, then you could also install a wired network + WiFi.
Something like this (just as an example, I have never used this particular unit).
https://www.zcomax.co.uk/VHG760-0T021.html?gclid=C...
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