# How DO I watch recordings from home on a TV on the road?



## GracieAllen (Jan 5, 2015)

I've looked through some topics in here and now I'm more confused than EVER... 

I've got Directv. I'm looking at going to Dish. One reason is the Hopper Go that they SAY will let me copy shows from the Hopper 3 and play them ON THE TV in the RV. They STAY ON the Hopper, are still accessible there, and are available when we're on the road...

Since the GenieGo appears to be dead, how DO I take recorded content on the road and watch it ON THE TV in the RV?


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## poppo (Oct 10, 2006)

One way is to use a tablet with the mobile app that has an HDMI output. However the PQ is so poor, that I would not want to see it on a big screen. The VOD stuff might be ok though.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

The replacement for the GenieGo is MobileDVR. You must have an HR44 or HR54 Genie on your home account. Then shows you've recorded to your Genie can be copied to a mobile device (although I guess there isn't an easy way to copy to a PC). Then you can watch those shows. You can also stream channels from your home to your mobile device.

To get those shows on your TV, you're going to have to play the shows via your device and "cast" it to your TV. Note: The quality level of the downloaded shows are inferior to the GenieGo. I watch my shows on an 8" Samsung Galaxy Tablet. While the quality is less than the GenieGo, is it fine for an 8" tablet. Not sure what it would look like on a TV and whether you'd be happy with it.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Get a Slingbox with a mobile device that you would be able to cast to a TV. 


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## GracieAllen (Jan 5, 2015)

Thanks for the replies... Streaming anything isn't going to work. We're on Verizon because it actually works where we go (which neither T-mobile nor Sprint did), but that means no unlimited streaming and high data rates. And from what I've seen in the last couple years, using campground wi-fi, when they even HAVE it, is a non-starter because of all the other people streaming.

So, it's going to have to be something that lets me take content from the Genie and put it on a device. Laptop would be OK, equivalent of Hopper Go would be fine, tablet not fine. I'll have to look at a Slingbox, though from the reply it sounds like I'd still need a "mobile device"...


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Slingbox requires connectivity.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

GracieAllen said:


> Thanks for the replies... Streaming anything isn't going to work. We're on Verizon because it actually works where we go (which neither T-mobile nor Sprint did), but that means no unlimited streaming and high data rates. And from what I've seen in the last couple years, using campground wi-fi, when they even HAVE it, is a non-starter because of all the other people streaming.
> 
> So, it's going to have to be something that lets me take content from the Genie and put it on a device. Laptop would be OK, equivalent of Hopper Go would be fine, tablet not fine. I'll have to look at a Slingbox, though from the reply it sounds like I'd still need a "mobile device"...


If there is a TV where you are then you must have power. ?
Take the Genie with you and hook it up to the TV and it should play the recordings without being hooked up to a dish / transponder.

Can an installer verify or poo poo this idea please ? Thanks


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

jimmie57 said:


> If there is a TV where you are then you must have power. ?
> Take the Genie with you and hook it up to the TV and it should play the recordings without being hooked up to a dish / transponder.
> 
> Can an installer verify or poo poo this idea please ? Thanks


Sure, it should work. Although the downside is that new recordings schedule to record won't while the Genie is not connected to the dish.

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## poppo (Oct 10, 2006)

GracieAllen said:


> Laptop would be OK, equivalent of Hopper Go would be fine, tablet not fine.


Just curious as to why a tablet is not fine? I thought you wanted to play the shows on a TV. As noted a tablet with HDMI will play HD on a TV. I have an Android tablet that I paid $39 that does HDMI. However, the issue with any solution that takes the shows with you on another device is the current PQ of downloaded shows is not great. So the larger you blow it up, the worse it will look.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

One thing to keep in mind when using a mobile device (iOS) at least is that when using the HDMI connection some shows would not play or rather you only get audio but no picture. This is due to DIRECTV not fully supporting "Airplay" on iOS. 


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## nuspieds (Aug 9, 2008)

peds48 said:


> One thing to keep in mind when using a mobile device (iOS) at least is that when using the HDMI connection some shows would not play or rather you only get audio but no picture. This is due to DIRECTV not fully supporting "Airplay" on iOS.


So just this past week I was researching a wireless solution for my iPhone because it would be for my hotel room and I was not interested in running a long cable from my phone to the TV.

I stumbled on AirPlay receiver apps and I have Fire TV at home, so I decided to try it. There were two apps and one had 2.5 stars and the other 3 stars for their user reviews. I tried the $2.99 3-star one and, sure enough, it worked! I can only hope that's a good indication for my future uses; keeping fingers crossed.

So with that successful test, I ended up investing in the Fire TV Stick for the hotel.


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## GracieAllen (Jan 5, 2015)

Not going to disconnect the Genie and take with me. Yes, it would be handy to watch previously recorded content. No, it's not worth totally screwing up the recording while we're gone.

Couple problems with the tablet. Biggest is picture quality. Second is - Jeez, it's 2017 - It just seems stupid to have to jump through this many hoops to do something as trivial as taking previously recorded content on the road.

As near as I can tell, Directv STILL doesn't have a simple, straightforward way for me to take recorded content, quickly and easily shove it on the laptop that'll be with me, and play it on a TV. Pitiful.

But, it is what it is, and if they come up with a reasonable number, it sounds like a good reason to switch to Dish.


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## poppo (Oct 10, 2006)

GracieAllen said:


> Couple problems with the tablet. Biggest is picture quality. Second is - Jeez, it's 2017 - It just seems stupid to have to jump through this many hoops to do something as trivial as taking previously recorded content on the road.


The same PQ issue would exist regardless of what device you had the recordings on. Yeah, it is 2017, which is why tablets and phones are supported and laptops not so much. Personally, outside of the PQ, I don't see how it could be any easier than simply downloading to your phone/tablet and hitting the road.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

GracieAllen said:


> Not going to disconnect the Genie and take with me. Yes, it would be handy to watch previously recorded content. No, it's not worth totally screwing up the recording while we're gone.
> 
> Couple problems with the tablet. Biggest is picture quality. Second is - Jeez, it's 2017 - It just seems stupid to have to jump through this many hoops to do something as trivial as taking previously recorded content on the road.
> 
> ...


To play the other side...

Most people I know don't bother taking laptops with them anywhere anymore. They only take their tablets, which is probably partly why DIRECTV got that out first and frankly works easily if you don't run into any bugs. And I believe you can cast shows via a tablet too. Not positive.


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## Supramom2000 (Jun 21, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> To play the other side...
> 
> Most people I know don't bother taking laptops with them anywhere anymore. They only take their tablets, which is probably partly why DIRECTV got that out first and frankly works easily if you don't run into any bugs. And I believe you can cast shows via a tablet too. Not positive.


I can cast my Samsung Galaxy to my Samsung TV.

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## nuspieds (Aug 9, 2008)

GracieAllen said:


> Not going to disconnect the Genie and take with me. Yes, it would be handy to watch previously recorded content. No, it's not worth totally screwing up the recording while we're gone.
> 
> Couple problems with the tablet. Biggest is picture quality. Second is - Jeez, it's 2017 - It just seems stupid to have to jump through this many hoops to do something as trivial as taking previously recorded content on the road.
> 
> ...


But they _do_ have a simple, straightforward way:

Official: Use the DirecTV app on your mobile device to download content to your device and then watch on your device or cast from your device to a TV;
Unofficial: If you have a PC laptop, download and try to install the GenieGO PC app, then download content to your laptop and watch on your laptop or cast from your laptop to a TV.


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