Streaming Media Frequently Asked Questionsby Elizabeth Kricfalusi, Tech for Luddites. This post answers the most common questions I receive about streaming media players like the Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and other similar devices. This is a living page so if you still have questions that arent answered here, feel free to post them in the comments below and Ill add them to the post as well. Do I need Internet service to use a streaming media player How fast does my Internet connection need to be for streaming movies and TV shows How many gigs of data do I need to watch streaming media Can I stream content using my cellphones data plan I have a limited data plan with my Internet service provider. Watch Online Watch Connected Full Movie Online Film. Watch full episodes and clips of Primetime, Daytime, Late Night and Classic shows on CBS. Talk with other fans, catch up with your favorite shows and more. Watch recent full episode of VH1 shows on VH1. 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Heres all you need to know about watching her match live. Does my player stream data even when Im not using it Do I need cable or satellite service to use a streaming media player How does a streaming media player work with my cablesatellite serviceGet the latest music news, watch video clips from music shows, events, and exclusive performances from your favorite artists. Discover new music on MTV. Watch Christine Streaming' title='Watch Christine Streaming' />Can I watch regular TV through a streaming player If I have a streaming media player and an antenna, can I cancel my cablesatellite service Do I need a Smart TV to use a streaming media player All my HDMI ports are already being used. Is there a way to add a streaming player without unplugging another device Can I connect multiple streaming players to the same TV I have multiple TVs. Do I need a separate player for each one Can I use a streaming media player with an older TV How do I switch back to watch regular TV If I buy a RokuFire TVApple TVChromecast, is that a one time cost or do I have to pay annuallyIf I buy a streaming media player, why do I need to pay to watch videos What are the costs of the various streaming services you can use with your streaming media playerCan I watch videos saved on my computer, phone, tablet, or external hard drive on TV using a streaming media player Does my computer have to be on to use the RokuFire TVApple TVChromecast Can I use a streaming media player outside the United States Can I record streaming videos with my DVRDo I need Internet service to use a streaming media player Yes. The purpose of streaming media players is to get the signal for your movies and TV shows from the Internet instead of from a cable or satellite provider. Some players also let you watch content saved on your computer or mobile device, but you would still need Internet access to set up the device, download software updates and more. How fast does my Internet connection need to be for streaming movies and TV shows This Roku article explains what speeds are required for various types of content http support. How is video streaming quality related to Internet speed and networkingI assume the numbers apply to the other devices as well. You can test your connections speed at http www. How many gigs of data do I need to watch streaming media Im using Netflix as a reference because a they have very specific info on their site and b I expect theyre a good proxy for other similar services. The short version is that it depends on the quality of the content youre streaming. From their Help page Watching movies or TV shows on Netflix uses about 1 GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video. Note that these numbers apply whether youre streaming the show to your TV, computer, or mobile device. Read the full article for more details of the different settings Netflix offers and how to change them for your account. Can I stream content using my cellphones data plan If your phone has a hotspot feature, you may be able to use it as the Internet connection for your streaming media player. However, it can use up a lot of data quickly see earlier question and even if you have an unlimited data plan, make sure that includes when you use the phone as a hotspot. A lot of times, it doesnt apply to that situation. Also note that cell service is often not as strong, fast, or reliable as Wi Fi, so you may have issues with buffering and picture quality. Check out this post for more details on how to stream using a mobile hotspot. I have a limited data plan with my Internet service provider. Does my player stream data even when Im not using it This is a common question because theres no Off button on the players. Unless you unplug them, theyre always on. The purpose of that is so that it can download software updates automatically but it doesnt stream content unless youre playing something on it. However, its important to know that your player will not stop streaming just because you turn off your TV. And it depends on the channel youre watching what will happen. Some of them will stop streaming at the end of the current programmovie youre watching but others will automatically move to the next item in your queue. So its important that you actively stop the streaming before turning off your TV. You can do this by pressing the Home button on your remote and making sure it does take you to the Home screen sometimes a single click might not register. You can also do it by pressing the PlayPause button, but you could accidentally hit that button again when moving the remote and wouldnt know that the show had started playing again. Your safest bet is going to the Home screen. Do I need cable or satellite service to use a streaming media player No. A streaming player takes the video signal from the Internet, so you can use it without having cable or satellite service. However, you may need cablesatellite to watch certain TV programming through your streaming player or you may need to buy a separate subscription for networks that offer that. Visit the Cutting the Cable Cord section to learn more about the available options. How does a streaming media player work with my cablesatellite service If you have a cablesatellite subscription and a streaming media player, you will have two different things going into your TV the cable from your TV providers box or the wall, if you dont use a box and your players cable. Your TV remote should have a button for Input, which you use to switch between those two sources of content. The player one is probably hooked to something like HDMI 1 or 2 or 3. So you need to use your TV remote to select that input. Then youll select something to watch from your media player, which gets its signal from your Internet router usually wirelessly but you can also use an ethernet cable for some models. Note The Google Chromecast works differently in that the program signal first goes to your computer or mobile device and then it gets sent to your TV from there. So, for example, I use Amazon Instant Video and have created a watchlist through the Amazon website on my computer. I go to the Input on my TV that is connected to my Roku, click on the Amazon channel and can see all the items in my watchlist. I can also use my remote to search for other videos available via Amazon. Can I watch regular TV through a streaming player It depends on what you mean by regular TV. If youre from my generation ish, watching TV means turning it on and going to a broadcast or basic cable channel CBS, ABC, CNN, Bravo, etc. TV channel HBO, Showtime, etc. Streaming generally works differently, although there are starting to be options that make it more like the old fashioned way. Until recently, most streaming content was available on demand, i. Internet and b you had access to the shows available from those providers. These options still exist, and there are various ways to get that access You pay a monthly subscription Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access, HBO NOW or per episodeseason of a show Amazon, i. Tunes, Google Play, Vudu. You have a cable or satellite subscription that includes the networks that have the content, in which case youll need to log into your cable or satellite service to access it usually for free.