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Evening All

I was wondering if anyone knows the answer to this.... 

  • I live in the UK and subscribe to Netflix
  • I have a Google Chromecast
  • I've paid to have WiFi on board (Navigator of the Seas - France and Spain)

If I stream Netflix or BBC iPlayer on to my phone, will I be able to cast it on to the TV in the cabin using the ChromeCast?  And if you think the WiFi would be an issue, do you think the ChromeCast would work for downloaded content which would not require an internet connection?

Thanks in advance.

 

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We had a similar discussion on here earlier this year, I think the answer to streaming was no, nobody thought the experience would be good, if it is already loaded to your device you should be OK, our discussion was around Apple TV I think.

Monorailmedic, is the defecto tech guru for the post, so hopefully he will comment.

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As @tiny260 said, we already hashed this out a while back regarding AppleTV. Chromecast will have the same issues, which boil down to:

  • Most important -- the remote has no way to change the input on the TV, and the TVs don't have obvious on-device controls for menu navigation
  • Next most important -- The Chromecast / AppleTV has no ready way to connect to the ship wi-fi since you need a web browser to manage the log in, and the device has to be on wi-fi before you can stream to it from another device
  • Also -- You can't stream from a phone or tablet that's connected to the ship wi-fi to the Chromecast / AppleTV; a device can't be both a wi-fi receiver and transmitter

Are there really convoluted hacks to let you get around all of these issues? Sure! But as also noted, why go to all the trouble when you're on a cruise ship and can enjoy all she has to offer? ?

If you really need the media, say for a child who has a particular bedtime routine or the like that you're trying to preserve, best bet is probably to see if the programs you want / need are available for offline viewing on Netflix (this is a recently added feature). Then you can download them to your device and just watch on there.

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12 minutes ago, JLMoran said:
  • Most important -- the remote has no way to change the input on the TV, and the TVs don't have obvious on-device controls for menu navigation
  • Next most important -- The Chromecast / AppleTV has no ready way to connect to the ship wi-fi since you need a web browser to manage the log in, and the device has to be on wi-fi before you can stream to it from another device
  • Also -- You can't stream from a phone or tablet that's connected to the ship wi-fi to the Chromecast / AppleTV; a device can't be both a wi-fi receiver and transmitter

I'll add one more factor - iPlayer will only work if your connection is in the UK (you have an IP address in the UK).  The IPs issued to VOOM, in my experience, have been North American.

There are ways of working around each of these factors, but they are substantial obstacles.

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As Matt said, WiFi speed on Navigator will be the limiting factor. If one were really determined to try, it think a roku player would be the best (affordable) player because it has a "hotel" or "dorm" setting allowing portal without a browser. Additionally you would need a universal remote control or a phone/tablet with ir blaster and the samsung peel app to usurp the input limitations. I have done this on extended business trips, but it has proven to be about the challenge of getting to work more than I ever actually utilized it.

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Even if you are able to bring up a menu on the TV to change the input, (I have done this) they have disabled the HDMI ports on the TV's on MOST of their ships.  Oasis, and Brilliance have them disabled, but I found that on Vision I was able to connect a tablet and it worked. (disclaimer: I have never been on Navigator so I don't know how the HDMI ports are on them)

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Your best bet is to bring a laptop or tablet to watch movies directly on the device itself and not bother with trying to get a Chromecast on the ship's wifi and fuss with figuring out the TV Inputs.

If you use a tablet (like an iPad or Kindle Fire), you can load them up with their favorite shows/movies ahead of time so you won't even need to buy the internet package.

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32 minutes ago, Orange Crush said:

Your best bet is to bring a laptop or tablet to watch movies directly on the device itself and not bother with trying to get a Chromecast on the ship's wifi and fuss with figuring out the TV Inputs.

If you use a tablet (like an iPad or Kindle Fire), you can load them up with their favorite shows/movies ahead of time so you won't even need to buy the internet package.

Agreed, load up an iPad

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Also, Netflix recently added a feature to download select TV show episodes and movies to your device for offline viewing. So you don't necessarily have to buy them on iTunes or another service. From the device you plan to use, open up Netflix and go to the show you want. From the list of episodes (for TV series) or the main info screen (for movies), look for an icon labeled "Download"; icon image is a down-pointing arrow above a horizontal line. If you see that icon, you can download that episode / movie.

I'm in the US, so this may not be available yet in the UK. But from my own account, I can see that I have kid-friendly movies like Madagascar 2 - Escape Africa, The Angry Birds Movie, Minions, and Kubo and the Two Strings available; in TV series, I see the original Voltron series (yeah, I'm dating myself here), Flash, Arrow, and Supergirl.

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I was on Anthem over a week ago.  I have a Chromecast.  There is no accessible HDMI port on the television in the room.  Either they bought it that way, or they had some kind of black plastic moulding around the TV to prevent access to the switches and ports.  The only way I was able to turn the tv on and off was with the remote.  No access to on/off buttons.

For a 4 night cruise, I never saw the same movie twice.  Also, there was plenty to do, so I didn't spend much time vegg'ing in the room.  Maybe took a break after shore excursion..

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3 hours ago, Orange Crush said:

Your best bet is to bring a laptop or tablet to watch movies directly on the device itself and not bother with trying to get a Chromecast on the ship's wifi and fuss with figuring out the TV Inputs.

If you use a tablet (like an iPad or Kindle Fire), you can load them up with their favorite shows/movies ahead of time so you won't even need to buy the internet package.

I have loaded shows and movies on my Grand-girls iPads for the airport, plane, and waiting in the stateroom before dinner.  Looks like I had a good idea too!

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