off grid alternatives to cable and satellite?

DConlyGuy · December 2016

this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it

softdown · December 2016

westbranch said:

For example, if you have an Android device (Tablet) go to google store and search for "PHONE' Apps there are, hundreds, I use one and it is great and a lot cheaper than the old Quallcom Satellite phone...

Looked like a great idea until I got this message:

Oops...

Unfortunately, we were unable to register your Talkatone account.

Please contact Talkatone Support at support@talkatone.com for assistance.

I am shocked that technology failed to deliver.........

EDIT: Well it seems to work OK. Allowed me to hear how really terrible my phone connection is. Also that my smartphone service no longer carries my customized message. I hate technology when it is backfiring. Which is quite often.

softdown · December 2016

cisco_ken said:

Netflix now offers you the ability to download a show to your tablet or phone and watch it later on your TV. Even with a slow ISP this should solve your problem.

I am so shocked that my tablet quit beaming Netflix downloads to my Roku after *one movie*.

Is it merely a coincidence that debt has skyrocketed as micro technology continues its inexorable march? Through the mud.........

westbranch · December 2016

I use Google Hangouts DIALER for outgoing calls only, not the Hangouts faux Social media part, and apart from a 1950's delay sometimes it is clear and stable.. might work for you too?

softdown · December 2016

westbranch said:

I use Google Hangouts DIALER for outgoing calls only, not the Hangouts faux Social media part, and apart from a 1950's delay sometimes it is clear and stable.. might work for you too?

Thanks! Google Hangouts has earned a 4.0 star rating. ZenUi Dialer has earned 4.5 stars. Inclined to give ZenUi a shot at 4.5 stars.

Photowhit · December 2016

DConlyGuy said:

this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it

Just curious what browser you're using?

DConlyGuy · December 2016

linux version of chrome called chromium plus look up retropie for it too this little thing can do so much for such a cheap little computer

softdown · December 2016

DConlyGuy said:

this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it

Without a screen, how does it do much of use? Attached to a smartphone? Lost on something.....

DConlyGuy · December 2016

it uses hdmi so you can hook it up to anything that has hdmi, power is just mini usb 5 volts and it has built in wifi the hard drive for it is micro sd card

westbranch · December 2016

Is it capable of being used as a Server? Seems like it could...

DConlyGuy · December 2016

id go here to really learn about what it can do https://www.raspberrypi.org/

softdown · December 2016

DConlyGuy said:

id go here to really learn about what it can do https://www.raspberrypi.org/

For a mere $1000, you can "overclock to the max!" http://www.ebay.com/itm/Raspberry-Pi-2-Heatsink-Set-100-Forged-Copper-With-Micro-Fan-/162265351352?hash=item25c7c4c4b8:g:LyoAAOSwstxVV6i2

westbranch · December 2016

DConlyGuy, I looked quickly at the HELP section and the Video section, at the bottom, takes one to another page and then says the Vimeo videos are gone but "go Here" then when you click on the link there is a black screen...???

softdown · December 2016

I am asking a rasberry seller what makes his unit "camera ready." Waiting for a response...

EDIT: Seller says it has "camera interface". I'm not sure what that means...

DConlyGuy · December 2016

it does have a camera plug in as you can see in this picture. the box i have for it came with heat sinks and the fan and box for 6 bucks it also has a play for a led screen to hook directly to it but i have no clue on how the camera or the display works. i just know for the 33 bucks it a little amazing computer

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/kb/u6dc68jiwmvk.jpg

softdown · December 2016

The 5 MP camera and cable are less than $20. I could not resist this computer and may try out the camera after I have tried out the computer for a bit.

All of the mainstream products double as surveillance toys of Big Brother complete with "more back doors than an NFL stadium. Making me not so much of a fan. Surveillance is little more than high tech hunting done by predators regarding their chosen "prey". We can be sure this little beauty will also have back doors. The surveillance community currently dominates online discussions of Linux. One can buy a lot of brains with tens of billions of borrowed money...

St8kout · December 2016

On a side note you didn't mention OTA (over the air) broadcasts. I come across people all the time who grew up with cable and don't seem to know that you can receive HDTV network broadcasts with an outside antenna (depending on how far away from the city you live). So if you got nothing but Netflix..... Just sayin.'

softdown · December 2016

St8kout said:

On a side note you didn't mention OTA (over the air) broadcasts. I come across people all the time who grew up with cable and don't seem to know that you can receive HDTV network broadcasts with an outside antenna (depending on how far away from the city you live). So if you got nothing but Netflix..... Just sayin.'

Good thought but UHF/VHF are not effective at crossing mountain peaks then descending into a valley. My ex-neighbor tried a giant antennae and got a few local Spanish channels. That was it ... as I recall. He was trying to learn Spanish and was quite pleased with himself.

St8kout · December 2016

So you are REALLY remote. Yeah, you pretty much need line-of-sight for TV broadcasts.

I had thought about buying a house in Mt Charleston, about an hour's drive from Vegas (mountain top living with the big city nearby) but the thought of having to drive that far for even a gallon of milk or whatever turned me away. (They don't allow any stores or even gas stations up there).

Marc Kurth · December 2016

Mt. Charleston used to be an undiscovered gem when I hiked there in the 70's. I loved the canyons.

softdown · December 2016

Heh....I just bought 10 gallons of milk and threw 8 in the freezer. One learns to adapt after spending thousands on supplies so one doesn't have to drive to the hardware store every few days. While I was at it, I decided I might as well prep for tumultuous times since I was already 1/2 way there. Every day I wonder if that was a good idea. Sometimes it seems...yes. Other times?

Now....I'm the hardware store.

just starting · December 2016

Have a b+ pi it's my plan to use a 50' antenna with the pi using a Linux kudos server to record to a hard drive and let the kids transfer to tablets. They have cool accessories like a ups so it All ways has power I like the rpi900.i have not bought yet has cool options and a 900mhz transmitter. And you can run it off its own 12 v system. With a small 35 ah battery and panel even get a touch screen that's HDMI so cool.

WaterWheel · December 2016

If you've got fast internet Sling TV may be an option.

softdown · December 2016

WaterWheel said:

If you've got fast internet Sling TV may be an option.

I think that starts at about $20/mt? Wonder why people don't talk about it like they do with Netflix.

WaterWheel · January 2017

From what I understand about Sling TV it is new and constantly streams a set channel like the History channel. I think Netflix is more of a pick one movie and watch it.

But I don't have either so maybe others who have one or the other can chime in on this discussion.

inetdog · January 2017

westbranch said:

well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice... so it is one of 2 sat. connection companies... There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and a bit cheaper..

Anyway, look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad.. good series!

Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs" https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule

For all of you who are in marginal reception areas for broadcast TV, the site http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper is an invaluable resource.
It gives directions and strengths calculated on the basis of actual topography. One of the more interesting facts that comes out is that "sharp" hills and mountains will actually difract a substantial signal into the line of sight shadow on the far side.
Knowing the correspondence between nominal channel and RF channel will allow you to manually program marginal stations into your TV set instead of being at the mercy of the signal strength at the moment you are trying to "learn" the channels.
And if you have more than ten feet of coax between you and the antenna a good low noise preamp mounted at the antenna can make a world of difference, especially for TVs that have a poor RF stage.

softdown · January 2017

inetdog said:

westbranch said:

well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice... so it is one of 2 sat. connection companies... There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and a bit cheaper..

Anyway, look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad.. good series!

Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs" https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule

westbranch said:

well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice... so it is one of 2 sat. connection companies... There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and a bit cheaper..

Anyway, look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad.. good series!

Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs" https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule

For all of you who are in marginal reception areas for broadcast TV, the site http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper is an invaluable resource.
It gives directions and strengths calculated on the basis of actual topography. One of the more interesting facts that comes out is that "sharp" hills and mountains will actually difract a substantial signal into the line of sight shadow on the far side.
Knowing the correspondence between nominal channel and RF channel will allow you to manually program marginal stations into your TV set instead of being at the mercy of the signal strength at the moment you are trying to "learn" the channels.
And if you have more than ten feet of coax between you and the antenna a good low noise preamp mounted at the antenna can make a world of difference, especially for TVs that have a poor RF stage.

Thanks for the solid effort. They want me to torrent coverage from Denver. I have absolutelygivenuponontechnology at this moment in time. Cause nothing is dependable for me. #sob

off grid alternatives to cable and satellite?

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