Help Please: Wifi TV Box for use in Hospital

[Tommy1000]

Am hoping someone might be able to help: my best mate's 5 year old daughter is about to start treatment for a really aggressive brain cancer and is going be an in-patient for 6 months of chemotherapy. Surprisingly the wifi on her ward is very good, there is a TV but the functionality of it is not up to much at all. It does, however, have a useable HDMI slot.

So I'm looking for a wifi only means of watching TV, with a remote control, that offers more of a normal TV guide / changing channel experience than the somewhat painful jumping between BBC iplayer, ITVX, 4OD etc. Particularly given the little one would struggle with the latter on her own, but could use something more closely resembling a normal TV remote.

All products I've found so far require an aerial or freesat input, and the only wifi/broadband things I've found are EETV (works through Apple TV) or Sky Stream, both of which are obviously geared at residential users and have a monthly subscription. I'd read that maybe you can run a freeview app on Apple TV but can't seem to confirm that.

Does anyone have any suggestions / know of anything that would fit the bill?

Thanks in advance.

[Mr Pointy]

How about a Firestick to give access to Amazon Prime Kids. If she stayed within the Amazon Prime ecosystem she would probably soon pick up how to navigate using the remote that comes with it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/kids/

[megaphone]

Firestick would be a good option. Or just get her a tablet, my 5 year old nephew only watches his tablet. Hasn't the existing TV got an aerial for freeview?

[Tommy1000]

Thanks both.

They've got a firestick but are after something much closer to normal TV functionality.

[megaphone]

Nothing really exists via a streaming service that matches the functionality of normal Freeview, it will all be app based with multiple button presses.

[megaphone]

There will be loads of staff and parents in attendance, I'm sure they can set her up with CBBC etc if she struggles.

[soad]

Can’t offer any advice but hope she pulls through.

[z4RRSchris]

In my week in a ward last year i found the TV utterly pointless as had to have some consensus from the 7 other chaps on what to watch and then get the HA to come and change the channel.

Much much easier to use my tablet and some headphones then i could watch whatever i wanted, and had Sky Go etc.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

I have no suggestions, but I really hope your daughter is OK. What a st thing to have to go through.

[WrekinCrew]

If you search on "nhs wifi streaming" some NHS trusts say their free wifi doesn't support streaming. Some do, but with a data cap / fair use policy. Some have a chargeable option which does include streaming.

Best check the hospital in question before spending money on hardware.

[sgrimshaw]

Fire HD Kids version, various sizes available.

Come with 1 year of Kids + included, and 2 year worry free warranty

[DodgyGeezer]

megaphone said:

Firestick would be a good option. Or just get her a tablet, my 5 year old nephew only watches his tablet. Hasn't the existing TV got an aerial for freeview?

Be careful with tablets etc, there is a special sort of scum that find hospitals easy pickings

[PistonBust]

megaphone said:

Nothing really exists via a streaming service that matches the functionality of normal Freeview, it will all be app based with multiple button presses.

Take a look at Freely and/or Firestick and mifi dongle with unlimited data c £20 a month.

[Mr Pointy]

PistonBust said:

megaphone said:

Nothing really exists via a streaming service that matches the functionality of normal Freeview, it will all be app based with multiple button presses.

Take a look at Freely and/or Firestick and mifi dongle with unlimited data c £20 a month.

Freely isn't launched yet though is it?

[megaphone]

PistonBust said:

megaphone said:

Nothing really exists via a streaming service that matches the functionality of normal Freeview, it will all be app based with multiple button presses.

Take a look at Freely and/or Firestick and mifi dongle with unlimited data c £20 a month.

The OP already has a Firestick.

Freely will still be clunky compared to normal Freeview, you'll still need to launch an app and then navigate to the service you need.

[OutInTheShed]

I have a Humax hard disk recorder set top box, which also has all the i-player etc functionality on Wifi

But a Firestick seems like the obvious answer?
Ebay has lots of chrome-cast type things for under £20

[QJumper]

There's no regular TV option via a wifi Firestick or Chromecast dongle, without setting up a tv tuner on a home pc and connecting via a server app like Plex.

Easiest way to get regular tv and guide, if you don't like the existing tv controls, would be a freeview box.

[dhutch]

Tommy1000 said:

They've got a firestick but are after something much closer to normal TV functionality.

Our 'Normal TV functionality' is a chromecast! we dont used anything other than 'on demand' type apps including for live TV via BBC etc.

Another option might be USB-C to HDMI adapter to use the TV as a monitor for a smartphone.

[Ham_and_Jam]

megaphone said:

Freely will still be clunky compared to normal Freeview, you'll still need to launch an app and then navigate to the service you need.

Freely will be Freeview over wifi, so not the clunky stuff we have now.

It’s exactly what the OP wants, unfortunately it launches Q2 2024. I’m unaware of anything similar. Freely have already said it will be the first of its type.

https://www.everyonetv.co.uk/news/press-release/fr...

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Monday 4th March 18:32