Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Cell Phone Booster/Downloading Movies

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Cell Phone Booster/Downloading Movies

    I've seen comments in some posts about cell phone boosters. Can anyone recommend any and are they worth it? Also, if you download movies onto your cell phone does this take up space on your phone or not? I've seen conflicting answers to this question. Can you download movies onto your computer and stream them to your TV? DVD's that you purchase now come with a digital code, which makes it convenient to not have to bring actual DVD's when you travel. We have unlimited data on our Verizon plan.
    2020 Imagine XLS 22MLE

  • #2
    Originally posted by CampCinci View Post
    I've seen comments in some posts about cell phone boosters. Can anyone recommend any and are they worth it? Also, if you download movies onto your cell phone does this take up space on your phone or not? I've seen conflicting answers to this question. Can you download movies onto your computer and stream them to your TV? DVD's that you purchase now come with a digital code, which makes it convenient to not have to bring actual DVD's when you travel. We have unlimited data on our Verizon plan.
    I can't help on this subject as I do not have a cell booster, but I can point you to a comprehensive resource on the topic--The Mobile Internet Resource Center. https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/

    Howard
    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi CampCinci-
      It would help if you told us what cell phone you have: brand and GB storage, and what Verizon plan you went with.
      But in a nutshell - - -
      Howard has given you a great resource - the Mobile Internet Resource Center has multiple articles AND videos that explain the world of cellular internet access. For example, here is a link to their article explaining in detail the differences between the Verizon post-paid Unlimited plans. (Post-paid is similar to the old contract plans, while Pre-paid is no-contract)
      They also have explanations of boosters and antennas for cellular internet - the videos are immensely helpful.
      Since you are new to this topic, I would recommend you subscribe for a year ($85 or $99) or buy a year of Library use ($59), so you can learn at your own pace and make purchases that you won't regret down the road. https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/membership/ We decided to go with the Verizon Jetpack (purchased outright for less $$ from BestBuy rather than a contract from Verizon) because we learned it has connections for an antenna to pull in the cell signal, while our iPhones didn't have that capability. Again, this info was learned by utilizing the Internet Resource Center. We don't have any connection to this company - just sharing it as Howard did.
      Ed & Cindy, pups: Daisy and Penny
      2020 Ford F-450 Lariat CCLB Diesel
      2020 Solitude 2930rl-R
      Previously 2019 Reflection 260RD

      Comment


      • #4
        The resource mentioned above is well worth the money.

        We have the WeBoost RV and have been happy with it.

        My two cents worth on being able to stream video is I wouldn’t bet on a decent viewing experience. When we use the booster, we really need it and are happy just to have a connection to the internet.
        Colan Arnold
        2016 Momentum 397TH
        Full time since 2016

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by CampCinci View Post
          I've seen comments in some posts about cell phone boosters. Can anyone recommend any and are they worth it? Also, if you download movies onto your cell phone does this take up space on your phone or not? I've seen conflicting answers to this question. Can you download movies onto your computer and stream them to your TV? DVD's that you purchase now come with a digital code, which makes it convenient to not have to bring actual DVD's when you travel. We have unlimited data on our Verizon plan.
          I run a weboost and have found the times that we need it while rare, it does work. Basically in order to be useful you need to be in the window of "outside of the range of your phone antenna" but "inside the range of the booster". Its a pretty narrow window, but we have found ourselves in it on more than one occasion.

          I also recommend the Mobile Internet Resource center. Via their links I found a source to rent a grandfathered unlimited Verizon plan that I run in my MiFi to give me unlimited, unthrottled internet that we use primarily for work, but do also stream to our TV with no issues. It is not cheap ($150 per month), but for us is a necessity.
          Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

          Neil Citro
          2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
          2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by TS_Breezes View Post
            Hi CampCinci-
            It would help if you told us what cell phone you have: brand and GB storage, and what Verizon plan you went with.
            But in a nutshell - - -
            Howard has given you a great resource - the Mobile Internet Resource Center has multiple articles AND videos that explain the world of cellular internet access. For example, here is a link to their article explaining in detail the differences between the Verizon post-paid Unlimited plans. (Post-paid is similar to the old contract plans, while Pre-paid is no-contract)
            They also have explanations of boosters and antennas for cellular internet - the videos are immensely helpful.
            Since you are new to this topic, I would recommend you subscribe for a year ($85 or $99) or buy a year of Library use ($59), so you can learn at your own pace and make purchases that you won't regret down the road. https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/membership/ We decided to go with the Verizon Jetpack (purchased outright for less $$ from BestBuy rather than a contract from Verizon) because we learned it has connections for an antenna to pull in the cell signal, while our iPhones didn't have that capability. Again, this info was learned by utilizing the Internet Resource Center. We don't have any connection to this company - just sharing it as Howard did.
            We got a Verizon Unlimited Plan and we both have iPhone 7's. We did use the Lightning cable and USB cord and were able to stream from my phone to the tv when there was a decent signal - which wasn't often. But not a big deal. What is the library use you referred to? Is that on this site?
            2020 Imagine XLS 22MLE

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by CampCinci View Post

              We got a Verizon Unlimited Plan and we both have iPhone 7's. We did use the Lightning cable and USB cord and were able to stream from my phone to the tv when there was a decent signal - which wasn't often. But not a big deal. What is the library use you referred to? Is that on this site?
              Hi there!
              So when you said you used the Lightning cable and USB cord - did you mean to say Lightning cable and HDMI cord? That is what we had exchanged info about previously...

              If you are using the Lightning to HDMI adaptor, then you can use a L O N G HDMI cable and actually move the phone higher / lower / forward in trailer / backward in trailer to get the best reception. But cellular service may just be bad. The RV Mobile Internet folks have articles about how to improve your signal and how to actually test for the best signal using your cell phone and an app such as "Speedtest"

              ==========
              The rv mobile internet membership I mentioned above - includes access to their library of information. They are not connected to this forum - it is a separate entity. The couple are experts on how to access the internet while traveling and what equipment and cellular companies to utilize. Use the link above and check out some of their videos on cell signals - should become clearer to you. Good Luck!!!

              Cindy
              Ed & Cindy, pups: Daisy and Penny
              2020 Ford F-450 Lariat CCLB Diesel
              2020 Solitude 2930rl-R
              Previously 2019 Reflection 260RD

              Comment


              • #8
                Hello everyone,
                I am looking at a Surecall cell phone booster. That is the brand at the local store. We are at a seasonal campground. It does not have cell phone service there. We actually have to leave the campground until we get service. My wife and I are senior citizens and are little nervous not being able to contact anyone. This is are first camper. I don't feel confident enough to start drilling holes and trying to feed the wire. Is there any way to get the wire from the antenna into the camper. Does anyone know if the cable connections will work.
                Thank for your help,
                Dave and Nancy
                2020 grand Design Reflection 297RSTS


                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Dave1954 View Post
                  Hello everyone,
                  I am looking at a Surecall cell phone booster. That is the brand at the local store. We are at a seasonal campground. It does not have cell phone service there. We actually have to leave the campground until we get service. My wife and I are senior citizens and are little nervous not being able to contact anyone. This is are first camper. I don't feel confident enough to start drilling holes and trying to feed the wire. Is there any way to get the wire from the antenna into the camper. Does anyone know if the cable connections will work.
                  Thank for your help,
                  Dave and Nancy
                  2020 grand Design Reflection 297RSTS

                  I don’t have that brand, but I know the Weboost I use, uses a different kind of cable than what is already in the rig. If you’re in a seasonal site just run the cable in through a window or the seal in the slide out. That should work for when not in motion. At the very least it will tell you if a booster will solve your issue (they don’t for everybody)
                  Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                  Neil Citro
                  2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
                  2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Dave1954 View Post
                    Hello everyone,
                    I am looking at a Surecall cell phone booster. That is the brand at the local store. We are at a seasonal campground. It does not have cell phone service there. We actually have to leave the campground until we get service. My wife and I are senior citizens and are little nervous not being able to contact anyone. This is are first camper. I don't feel confident enough to start drilling holes and trying to feed the wire. Is there any way to get the wire from the antenna into the camper. Does anyone know if the cable connections will work.
                    Thank for your help,
                    Dave and Nancy
                    2020 grand Design Reflection 297RSTS

                    The Mobile Internet Resource Center has many articles posted when I searched for "Surecall". (I have no personal experience with cell boosters of any brand.)

                    https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/?s=surecall

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Mobile Internet.JPG
Views:	574
Size:	85.6 KB
ID:	24427
                    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      We download movies and shows before we start our trip, both onto our phones and tablets, so that we have a variety of choices. My wife and I each have an i-Phone and an i-Pad, so there is plenty of available storage. Downloading the video for later viewing does take storage space on the device, and that’s why we spread the items between four different devices.

                      Both Amazon and Netflix have a wide selection of video available for downloading and later viewing. Some have expiration dates, and some are only available for 48 hours, once you start watching. You may need to watch an entire movie in a day or two (if not all at once) so that it doesn’t expire. Not everything that they have available for viewing is available for download, but there is quite a lot. Amazon has a limit to the number of “non-Amazon” produced content that you can have downloaded at one time (no limit on the number of Amazon productions), but we’ve never run out of downloaded content to watch between the two. On one long trip, we did stop for lunch at a McDonalds and used their internet to download a couple of fresh items.

                      I have an i-Phone to HDMI adapter, and we run it from either the phone or tablet into the back of the TV for viewing. It works very well, and we don’t need to hope for decent internet to have something to watch.
                      Tom and Janice (also known as Richter on the “Other” forum)

                      First came the 18' Comfort bumper-pull, was great for 20 years.
                      Now a 2019 Reflection 303RLS, second air, double glass, table and chairs
                      2019 F350 Lariat 4x4 Crewcab with lots of goodies
                      Andersen aluminum with the puck system holding it all together
                      Cranberry Twp. PA, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by CampCinci View Post
                        I've seen comments in some posts about cell phone boosters. Can anyone recommend any and are they worth it? Also, if you download movies onto your cell phone does this take up space on your phone or not? I've seen conflicting answers to this question. Can you download movies onto your computer and stream them to your TV? DVD's that you purchase now come with a digital code, which makes it convenient to not have to bring actual DVD's when you travel. We have unlimited data on our Verizon plan.
                        We have a couple of WeBoost devices.

                        The first is the RV model, permanently-installed with a shortened version of the WeBoost omni-directional trucker antenna attached to the top of the ladder. I DID drill through the wall - I understand your reticence but it's not difficult. I've drilled through the wall behind the ladder on two Grand Design trailers and haven't blown up anything. I used one of these:

                        https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...9662/202327732

                        I then installed something a lot like this:

                        https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...01?recordNum=1

                        (There are lots of other marine pass-through fittings to look at there if you don't like that one.)

                        We have a more-powerful booster too. The RV model does a good job where signals are consistent but we need a boost from one bar to two or three to ensure reliability. (Bars are a poor indicator alone but they're always there.) The WeBoost usually gives that improvement, but it's not magic and you do need to have a fairly steady signal for it to work. Also, it's internal antenna has a limited range; it will not boost a phone much or at all if the antenna is more than 6-10 feet away from the phone and sometimes it's necessary to be close to it.

                        We deploy our more-powerful booster (one made for a 5,000 square foot home) when even one bar fades in and out and our calls are more unreliable than reliable. I have to set it up at sites where we need it, including mounting a 25-foot mast above the trailer with an external directional antenna pointed at the tower. The internal antenna has to be placed very carefully too because it's pretty high-powered. It easily covers the whole trailer and then some, but it has to be carefully separated and shielded from the external antenna to avoid "crosstalk" between the antennas which will cause the booster to quietly roll back its boosting power to nearly nothing to protect itself from overload. I place ours inside the trailer immediately beneath the outside antenna (they don't "see" each other so well that way) and I shield the inside antenna with some tin foil across the top to further isolate the antennas from each other.

                        This more powerful device works well when we have one or zero bars but there has to be SOME signal there. I use a built-in feature on my iPhone that reports signal strength more accurately than bars do, and helps with accurately aiming the directional antenna for maximum strength.

                        WeBoost appears to have changed their model lineup which weakens my advising capability. I'd suggest that you figure out how to get your phone to tell you accurately the signal strength at your trailer site. Here's how to do it on my late-model iPhone:

                        https://osxdaily.com/2018/05/02/use-...-iphone-x-ios/

                        Armed with information about signal strength at your site, I'd then call WeBoost and ask for advice about which product to buy. They may caution about using their stronger devices in a trailer but as described above the problems with doing that are not insurmountable. You want to know from them what devices will effectively boost the signal you actually have at your trailer site.

                        Finally, someone here has already cautioned about expecting high-quality video streaming from a boosted signal. High data performance on cell networks often comes from the phone and tower using two channels instead of one. These boosters (AFAIK) still only support boosting one channel so they do not provide remarkable improvements on data transmission. They can make it possible - for email or files - when it was unreliable or very slow pre-boost, but they reportedly don't usually provide quality streaming performance - I've never tried it but that's what I've read.

                        Good luck with your investigation and choices.
                        Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - Ford F-350 SRW diesel short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Tom in PGH View Post
                          We download movies and shows before we start our trip, both onto our phones and tablets, so that we have a variety of choices. My wife and I each have an i-Phone and an i-Pad, so there is plenty of available storage. Downloading the video for later viewing does take storage space on the device, and that’s why we spread the items between four different devices.

                          Both Amazon and Netflix have a wide selection of video available for downloading and later viewing. Some have expiration dates, and some are only available for 48 hours, once you start watching. You may need to watch an entire movie in a day or two (if not all at once) so that it doesn’t expire. Not everything that they have available for viewing is available for download, but there is quite a lot. Amazon has a limit to the number of “non-Amazon” produced content that you can have downloaded at one time (no limit on the number of Amazon productions), but we’ve never run out of downloaded content to watch between the two. On one long trip, we did stop for lunch at a McDonalds and used their internet to download a couple of fresh items.

                          I have an i-Phone to HDMI adapter, and we run it from either the phone or tablet into the back of the TV for viewing. It works very well, and we don’t need to hope for decent internet to have something to watch.
                          Thanks! We did get the Lighting Cable/HDMI cable and it works great! I will have to check out the things that are available for download before our next trip.
                          2020 Imagine XLS 22MLE

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Robert Clark
                            My wife works mobile. And we were in our RV the booster saved us from finding a coffee shop in an unknown city so she could work all day. In fact, people were hanging out around our camper because there it was the only place they could get a signal. weBoost turned one bar into 4 bars and we had 4g so the kids could watch Netflix and not drive me crazy. In my opinion, this thing is worth its weight in gold. Remember if there's no cell signal you can not boost (nothing). You have to have a little signal to start with.
                            WeBoost has a number of products. Could you provide specific information about what worked for you - with a link if possible - and any other information that might help others have the same experience? There are people who have very disappointing experiences with these boosters, likely because they chose the wrong one or operated it improperly for their situation.

                            Thanks for your time.
                            Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - Ford F-350 SRW diesel short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X