Roku or Chromecast in hotel?

[revan00]

Has anyone brought their USB plug able Roku or Chromecast to use in their hotel room in Thailand? Usually I watch shows and Netflix on my iPad but I was wondering about utilizing the in room TV for more this go round.

 

 

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[Luv2Phuket]

I have used my Amazon Firestick on multiple trips; however, I had to use a VPN to access geo-limited apps (Disney+, ESPN+, DAZN).

It can be a bit of a pain in the ass to plug into some hotel TVs (need to be able to access the back of it), but well worth it to have more shit to watch during my “down time.”


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[revan00]

I have used my Amazon Firestick on multiple trips; however, I had to use a VPN to access geo-limited apps (Disney+, ESPN+, DAZN).

It can be a bit of a pain in the ass to plug into some hotel TVs (need to be able to access the back of it), but well worth it to have more shit to watch during my “down time.”


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Is the VPN something you set up on the Firestick itself? I’ve only ever dealt with the ones on computers.


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[Ru4Real]

Taken a Chromecast a couple of times but never got round to using it. I just use an HDMI cable + bluetooth keyboard (not iPad, Asus transformer so already have the keyboard).

[wadman]

1 hour ago, Ru4Real said:

Taken a Chromecast a couple of times but never got round to using it. I just use an HDMI cable + bluetooth keyboard (not iPad, Asus transformer so already have the keyboard).

You can also cast the contents of your computer/phone onto your TV. You need a reasonably new, smart TV that accepts casts. 

First set your TV to receive the cast 

Then cast the contents of your PC/phone onto your TV. 

This is my computer screen mirrored onto my TV. I could load an iptv channel onto my computer, and then cast that onto my TV. 

Edited June 2, 2020 by wadman

[Ru4Real]

6 minutes ago, wadman said:

You need a reasonably new, smart TV that accepts casts. 

Can't say I've seen one in any places I've stayed so far, maybe in a couple of years when VT6 etc. update.

At home, sadly I appear to have a 50" Panasonic that is immortal ... damn thing is 10 years old and have never had a problem with it. Haven't been bothered replacing it so far so stick to Chromecast, Fetch Mighty and Netgear NAS hooked up to it.

[Luv2Phuket]

Is the VPN something you set up on the Firestick itself? I’ve only ever dealt with the ones on computers.


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VPN that I use has an App accessible via my Firestick (same same as laptop or tablet).

With Chromecast, presumably you would use VPN on your laptop or tablet that streams to the TV.


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[forqalso]

I’ve never brought a Roku or chrome cast, but the China Garden tv’s are pretty new.  Last couple of trips, I signed onto their WiFi and downloaded Netflix to their tv and signed on to my account. Their signal was good enough for streaming most of the time, but I wasn’t watching that much tv anyway 

[Just Browsing]

Have used my Chromecast in a few places, worked fine in most but couldn’t get it working in one place & I figured it was the way their WiFi access security/Web Garden was set-up  

[ronsalt]

8 hours ago, JB300 said:

Have used my Chromecast in a few places, worked fine in most but couldn’t get it working in one place & I figured it was the way their WiFi access security/Web Garden was set-up  

I carry a chromecast and a HooToo Travel router with me when I travel. The HooToo works brilliantly. I tried a bunch of different travel routers and this was the only one that had zero issues with any portal page at any hotel I was at. It works exactly like your home wifi, but leverages the hotel wifi as your "ISP". I have the one that also doubles as a battery pack. It's really easy to use, and let's you put all your devices, including your Chromecast on your own private wifi in your room. The big advantage other than easy chromcast use, is that once you have your personal wifi setup, you don't have to connect to the hotel wifi with every individual device you have, helping avoid any per room device limits.

https://www.hootoo.com/p/filehub

Edited June 2, 2020 by ronsalt

[localguy]

Yup, Chromecast is part of my basic electronics travel kit. Very handy for streaming Youtube onto the big screen. Instant party when the ladies (or chicas) come to visit.

In the same kit I have a simple 2 prong multi-outlet extension cord for phone/tablet chargers (when the only plug is buried behind the bed). 

 

[Luv2Phuket]

In addition to my Firestick, I ALWAYS travel with one of these mini-power strips with 3 outlets (that also folds up within itself to take less space in my bag)

 

 

[ronsalt]

1 hour ago, Luv2Phuket said:

In addition to my Firestick, I ALWAYS travel with one of these mini-power strips with 3 outlets (that also folds up within itself to take less space in my bag)

 

 

I have this in my travel kit. Covers you where ever you go, and is one of the few multiadapters with true ground..

 

https://www.oreitravel.com/products/orei-mate-m8-plus-all-in-one-worldwide-travel-adapter-plug-with-dual-usb-grounded

 

[midlandslad]

21 hours ago, Ru4Real said:

Can't say I've seen one in any places I've stayed so far, maybe in a couple of years when VT6 

I stayed March hotel and their TVs were new had Netflix built in, you had to have an account. For other hotels, intimate and Arcea, I take an amazon firestick $30 for basic one,amazon prime and Netflix built in (subscriptions required) Works with any tv with HDMI, so any in last 10 years approx. 

You can get a cromecast dongle/stick HDMI based connector again for the same for casting on older TV’s.  Thailand’s online offerings is different than UK’s I saw more stuff than in UK.

i think you can install a VPN on the firestick. I did not bother as all was okay. 

I used a VPN on an Ipad to get BBC IPlayer worked well. 
 

UK’s SKY TV via SKY Go app won’t work in Thailand even with a few VPN’s tried?

[NSAFun]

I wouldn’t take a Roku stick while traveling to LoS. Roku’s servers work in a small set of countries in North America and select countries in Europe (United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Mexico ) plus a small number of Latin American countries).

Chromecast also works in selected countries (I think that depends on the device generation since the DNS used to be hard coded into the device itself), but that may have changed lately... if it is still available. I don’t use it much myself anymore - I watch my shows on my tablet using a VPN when I have the time, or download to an external hard drive for in-flight viewing).

[localguy]

Chromecast is great in LOS (or elsewhere) because all you need is your mobile phone to play content onto the hotel TV. Huge selection from YouTube to PornHub and many things in between.

The biggest risk is leaving it behind (since it's tucked in behind the TV). To prevent that, I put some odd random toiletry item into the hotel room safe. Usually it's a small tube of toothpaste. I see that as I'm emptying out the safe, and it's my reminder to go pull out the Chromecast from the back of the TV. Weird, but effective.

[wadman]

This discussion does bring up the question: what's the best TV box you can buy? "Best" in my case would fit these criteria:

- reasonably cheap (nvidia shield pro is probably the best, but it's also 200 usd) 

- works in Thailand, and preferably most other countries too

- good compatibility with Android TV. So you don't have to jump through hoops to install apps from the play store. 

[wadman]

5 hours ago, localguy said:

Chromecast is great in LOS (or elsewhere) because all you need is your mobile phone to play content onto the hotel TV. Huge selection from YouTube to PornHub and many things in between.

The biggest risk is leaving it behind (since it's tucked in behind the TV). To prevent that, I put some odd random toiletry item into the hotel room safe. Usually it's a small tube of toothpaste. I see that as I'm emptying out the safe, and it's my reminder to go pull out the Chromecast from the back of the TV. Weird, but effective.

This is reminds me of the good number of USB sticks I have left behind in hotels, stuck into TVs.  This is from years past before TV boxes became viable.

[Ru4Real]

9 hours ago, localguy said:

I put some odd random toiletry item into the hotel room safe.

Reminded me of, what I thought as being, a very strange custom at work - car keys in the fridge. After a while I had to ask what the hell two or three different ladies where putting their car keys in the fridge for; and the explanation ... gone grocery shopping at lunchtime and put the groceries in the fridge; car keys in the fridge = not going home without that nights dinner.

[little_me]

Well, this is dated, and I've never used it in Thailand, but in hotels all over US and a few other countries...

Amazon fire stick has a built in browser. So you can directly login to the hotel wifi with it.

Everything else I've toyed with needs some screwing around to try and connect and doesn't just work....

And, it's cheap, like $20, if you forget it. And small and light, easy to pack...

[Luv2Phuket]

1 minute ago, little_me said:

Well, this is dated, and I've never used it in Thailand, but in hotels all over US and a few other countries...

Amazon fire stick has a built in browser. So you can directly login to the hotel wifi with it.

Everything else I've toyed with needs some screwing around to try and connect and doesn't just work....

And, it's cheap, like $20, if you forget it. And small and light, easy to pack...

I have/had an old Chromestick (no idea where it is), but switched to and swear by my Firestick.

Of course, my Firestick is jailbroken and has a program that gets me TV coverage from all over the USA and World.

[rioman]

22 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

I have/had an old Chromestick (no idea where it is), but switched to and swear by my Firestick.

Of course, my Firestick is jailbroken and has a program that gets me TV coverage from all over the USA and World.

I never had anything when I was in Thailand up to 2020, but the past 2 years in Colombia have used the jail broke firesticks with any imaginable channel known to man - I primarily use this for sports.  The first year I did have a VPN, but somehow let that lapse and it did not seem to be required when I used this last year in Colombia.  I have used this same system back in Canada and in various Colombian cities/hotels and it seems to work so I am hoping the same for Thailand.  It seems to require very good internet and for whatever reason it did not seem to work as good this past Winter as it had the one before so hope it not getting worse or will continue to work.  

Install should be easy, but some hotels/apartments have tvs mounted on brackets that make it quite a pain to hook into the back.  Of course, if there is no smart tv you have to work it through your computer which is not so handy either.  I have not checked in Thailand lately, but it is funny that in Colombia if you are booking hotels through places like Agoda, hotels,com, etc that quite often the features to not mention smart tv and there quite a few places that do not have them.  This is quite unhandy.  

[Luv2Phuket]

1 hour ago, rioman said:

Install should be easy, but some hotels/apartments have tvs mounted on brackets that make it quite a pain to hook into the back.  
 

If it looks difficult to get access to the back of the TV, I can the front desk and they send up a tech.

So far, it has worked great for me. Getting an updated one this week.