Watching TV in hospital on Ipad

nightsky224

My Grandad has been in hospital for a few weeks now and is very low. Apart from the illness side we think some of it is to do with the lack of stimulation. The other day a man in the bed opposite lent him his Ipad and he watched live racing on it for 2hrs. He seemed to have a much more positive day and we don't think its a coincidence.

I have an ipad I could bring him in but there isn't wifi there so have no idea how he managed to get live TV any ideas.....

HappyMJ

Maybe the other patient has a mobile phone and tethered the iPad wirelessly to the mobile to get an internet connection.

Many hospitals do have a wi-fi connection which you usually need to pay for but using a mobile can be much cheaper.

nightsky224

HappyMJ wrote: »

Maybe the other patient has a mobile phone and tethered the iPad wirelessly to the mobile to get an internet connection.

Many hospitals do have a wi-fi connection which you usually need to pay for but using a mobile can be much cheaper.

Didn't think of tethering. Think that would be very complicated for my grandfather (His mobile is a brick and it took us forever to get him used to using that) Will look in to the wifi and see if its available. My nan is visiting tomorrow, hopefully the same man is there and we can ask him how he connects.

davey4444

If tethering and/or wifi is not possible then maybe just look into a mifi dongle. They're not too expensive and you can just get a PAYG version for the stay.

Nada666

Some iPads have a 3/4G receiver themselves so no need for a tether.

Alternatively, and more cheaply, if he's not bothered with streaming only live or catch-up, you could transfer some saved films or programmes.

(Or use the 'download' option on BBC iPlayer tv and radio apps. Other providers' apps are available.)

duchy

A mifi dongle would be a simpler solution

Nada666

(Simpler, but very expensive. £35 plus £16 every two or three days. Course, might be worth it not to have your wife vet and select your programming, though.)

nightsky224

Nada666 wrote: »

Some iPads have a 3/4G receiver themselves so no need for a tether.

Alternatively, and more cheaply, if he's not bothered with streaming only live or catch-up, you could transfer some saved films or programmes.

(Or use the 'download' option on BBC iPlayer tv and radio apps. Other providers' apps are available.)

We thought that but unfortunately he is in a specialist hospital 1.5hrs away so I only get there once/twice a week (We all take it in shifts) so not easy to bring it back and forward)

System

Would you consider asking the patient how he managed live tv?

Would you consider asking the hospital if there is any provision made for wifi?

nightsky224

My nan is going to do that tomorrow, hopefully the man is still there to ask. It would help his morale so much. Its not just live tv but youtube. He loves it when my dad shows him old racing clips or I find films, performances from old singers, actors etc

nightsky224

duchy wrote: »

A mifi dongle would be a simpler solution

I'm going to have a look at these, I'm not sure how much he would be able to watch with 10GB for example