Watching TV Outside an RV

How to Watch Live TV in an RV

For many Millennials and Gen Z’ers most of these techniques might be second nature. But for those of you less tech savvy people out there, I’m going to cover how to watch live TV in your RV. Plus we’ll cover how to connect it to the internet to do so. And I’ll include one option where you don’t need the internet at all to watch TV. First lets go over some TV service options you can choose from for live TV in your RV:

INTERNET NEEDED TV

SlingTV

To watch live channels on Sling is a bit more complicated than with YouTube of Hulu, but it might be worth it if you travel off grid a lot. That’s because these other options require a strong internet signal. Sling requires a TV antenna and an Over the Air Player box to receive live local channels. This could come in handy if you can’t get an internet signal, at least you’ll be able to watch the channels you receive over the air. 

YouTube Live

YouTube Live offers live TV anywhere you have an internet connection as well. And that’s it, no extra hardware needed besides a streaming stick if you don’t have a smartTV. You can watch live TV on your Phone, Tablet and any supported Smart TV or TV with a streaming box. This live TV service costs around $65 a month. 

Hulu Live

Hulu Live is pretty much the same as YouTube live. They both require an internet connection and a TV equipped or adapted to watch Hulu. This service is around $55 at the time of this posting. Both Hulu and YouTube offer free trials for service so you might want to sample both their services before jumping right into one or the other. 

NO INTERNET NEEDED TV

Over The Air Antennas 

The days of rabbit ears on TV and giant antennas on rooftops are long gone. Today, TV antennas are smaller and cheaper. You can pick up an antenna for under fifty bucks at Best Buy of Walmart. To watch TV, you simply screw it into the back of your TV and run “over the air” channel scan. Once it’s done scanning you’re good to go. You may have to play around with the placement of your antenna if you don’t get all the channels you expected. Just remember to re-run the scan after you move your antenna. 

How to connect your service to the internet on the road:

To connect your TV on the road you will need a phone plan that includes a Hot Spot. Check your plan or call your service provider to see if you have it – if not, the upgrade is usually only around five dollars. 

Major providers usually cap their hotspot data around 15GB. This will go fast if you plan on streaming daily. 

Two ways to get unlimited streaming on the road:

1- Get unlimited hotspot data from your a provider

Visible: This is the only cell phone service I’ve found that gives you unlimited hotspot data. However, the data speed is capped at 5Mbps so streaming in 4K might be tough. But standard definition video should play seemingly with decent 4G/LTE cellular reception. Visible uses the Verizon grid so reception should be as good as it gets on the road. 

2- Adapter

If you have unlimited data on your phone plan, you can also get an adapter that will display your screen on a TV or through a projector. Not all adapters will do this however, so make sure to read reviews of actual users. Here is a link of an adapter that’s been proven to work.

If you have any other ways to get TV on the road, please leave your feedback in the comments section below to help your fellow travelers. 

 

Charley Waters

I've traveled to 49 states and 3 provinces in Canada living in my RV full-time over many years. I've stayed just about everywhere possible. National parks, state parks, parking lots, BLM land, Independent RV parks and friends and family's driveways. I lived through a crazy Derecho windstorm in Iowa. I got stuck in a winter freeze in Texas.

Living on the road in your RV can be challenging at times. But the good times make up for the bad. I'm here to share my experience and help fellow RVers good decisions while enjoying the great outdoors and vast camping opportunities this country has to offer.

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